themanoncan

Just bought a 1985 trans am from this dude, the next day it won't start... kinda rediculous, as this is the THIRD time this has happened this year , buying a car and the next day it wont start. maybe my driveway is cursed.
i tried jumping it, all the components to get an engine started... nothing. the check engine lights on now... and the brake light comes on when trying to start it...

any help would be great.

oh and it was overheating before so i got a new fan, fluids and thermostat, still overheated, so i got a new radiator, and was goin to put it in tomorrow over at my friends house(he's got better equipment)

themanoncan

Nobody? I kinda need to get to work

edit: it cranks but wont turn over

ThraxXx

if it cranks then its probably not getting any gas. What kind of injection system is on the car?

themanoncan

5.0L TPI, supposedly the H.O.

Eds85ta

Cant help you with the starting issue but just in case you didnt know there is supposed to be a big air deflector under the front of your car that is used to deflect air up through the rad. When I first got my car(also an '85 T/A) it was overheating and I could not remedy the problem until I read about the air deflector. It cost about $60 Canadian from GM...so before you replace your Rad have a look underneath to make sure that isnt your problem.

Regards,

Ed.

themanoncan

yeah i had my buddy come over and look at it and he told me the same thing about the deflector, and that even if it's there but at the wrong angle it wont work right.

i'm just going to get new filters, battery, check the fuel pump and see what happens. i'll update later

Chrisry1995

iTrader: (1)

Check tach and see if jumping alittle when crank. If yes, then ecm/ignition prob. o.k. Check the fuel rail on pass. side near back. Take off cap and push the needle to see if gas shoots out. These are the First quick checks to see if spark or fuel. I'm on here looking for same problem. Mine will start with start fluid, but runs rough and misses. Hope you find it.

themanoncan

well when it's off the tach reads about 1000, don't know why. then when i crank it reads 0. i'll check the fuel rail thing, just in case though, thanks for the help.

Chrisry1995

iTrader: (1)

That tach needle sould jump about 100-200 rmp. It should vibrate when cranking. It's o.k. if not 0 when off. If it don't move, then good chance ignition control modual. Even if coil bad, should show RMP on tach. Believe it or not Accel makes an 8 pin for $46.00. Thats for the distribitor with coil next to dist. I like to keep an extra just in case. $46.00 is cheaper than a tow-truck. Let me know what you find and what dist. you have,"coil on side or on top/HEI". Maybe I can tell you how to troubleshoot more in depth.

Supervisor42

Eliminate the fuel pump/relay problem first. When the car has been sitting, have someone listen at the fuel tank. The pump should run 1.5 seconds at the first key-on. Let us know if it doesn't.

themanoncan

sorry to revive a dead post, but i got a new fuel filter, i hear the fuel pump when i put the key in accessory, tried starting with starter fluid being sprayed in at full throttle, tried plug wires with screwdriver on distributor, no spark.
coil was evidently burntout so i replaced distributor cap, rotor, coil, and had the module thing underneath tested, good. checked fuses. STILL no start. checked the battery connection to distributer/coil. BAD.

now what? do i just need to trace the battery connection and see if it's shorted/disconnected somewhere?

it's either that or the plugs... really dont know whats going on.


edit ya and i dont know if i mentioned this before, but when off the tach shows 1000rpm and when trying to start shows 0, the temp gauge goes off the charts, like 400 degrees when trying to start as well.
o and chrisry, i have the distributor with coil on top, cant remember what brand something merco?

Chrisry1995

iTrader: (1)

Did you check the fuses under the dash? I know this sound like Daaaa, but you just may have overlooked the obvious. The HEI dist. needs 12volts like you said, and that comes off the ignition, and feeds through the fuse box. Also check fuse for gauges,. You need spark off the cap first, before thinking the plugs are at fault. The best piece of test equipment I ever got was an inline spark tester. That way you know very easy if spark is there or not. You have to get that 12volts to the distributor before anything. when you do, then I'm sure problem solved.

themanoncan

does anybody know where the fusible link for the coil is? i can't find it

Supervisor42

I believe on that model that there is a fuse link supplying power to the ignition switch. If the starter turns over then the ignition switch is getting power. The ignition feed runs from the ignition switch to the coil. If there is no voltage at the coil with the switch on then the problem is either the ignition switch or the wire between the ignition switch and coil. Here's a tip: Look for where some idiot put a car alarm in the car and it was taken out later. The second idiot probably just twisted the wires back together and taped them. The only other wiring problem would be the bulkhead connector (big black block on the firewall with all of the wires)
It may have a bad connection on one of the terminals.
If the car still has a car alarm on it, have it removed and thrown in the trash where it belongs.