Tech / General Engine Is your car making a strange sound or won't start? Thinking of adding power with a new combination? Need other technical information or engine specific advice? Don't see another board for your problem? Post it here!
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: CARiD

Car won't start

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 11, 2002 | 03:21 AM
  #1  
rdog30's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
From: Cape Girardeau,MO
Car: 85&95 Trans am
Engine: 85-LT1 95-LT1
Transmission: 4l60e & 4l60e
Axle/Gears: 3.23 & 3.23
Car won't start

I thought it was the fuel punp ,but it still goes into warm-up mode when you turn the key on(the buzzing sound). Only problem is that there is no fuel pressure at the shrader valve on the fuel rail. The car still cranks,but won't turn over.

Any other things I should check like timing chain or distributor maybe.

This is on a 85 tpi trans am
Reply
Old Sep 11, 2002 | 03:46 AM
  #2  
F-BIRD'88's Avatar
Supreme Member
 
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 6,111
Likes: 53
From: Ontario, Canada
Car: 1988 Firebird S/E
Engine: 406Ci Vortec SBC
Transmission: TH-350/3500stall
Axle/Gears: 7.5" Auburn 4.10 Posi-Traction
Spray some propane into the air inlet.
Open the throttle and crank it over. If it starts, you know the fuel pump or regulator or computer is pouched.


Assuming you have spark,
It will probabily start right up.
Reply
Old Sep 11, 2002 | 09:39 AM
  #3  
Vader's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 19,660
Likes: 310
Don't forget the fuel filter as a possible cause. No fuel pressure is a problem, so I'd suggest a gauge to test the actual pressure instead of trying to estimate by venting the Schrader valve.
Reply
Old Sep 11, 2002 | 02:29 PM
  #4  
rdog30's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
From: Cape Girardeau,MO
Car: 85&95 Trans am
Engine: 85-LT1 95-LT1
Transmission: 4l60e & 4l60e
Axle/Gears: 3.23 & 3.23
Checked the fuel pressure w/ a gauge and I'm getting 42psi. I don't think anything is wrong with the fuel pump. Has to be something else.

Any other guesses here?
Reply
Old Sep 11, 2002 | 05:14 PM
  #5  
Vader's Avatar
Moderator
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 19,660
Likes: 310
If you have 42 PSIG at the rail, check for distributor motion during cranking. If the distributor is moving, check for spark. If you have spark, check the injector pulses with either an injector tester or an oscilloscope. If you have injector pulses and ignition, check the timing.
Reply
Old Sep 12, 2002 | 01:52 AM
  #6  
rdog30's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
From: Cape Girardeau,MO
Car: 85&95 Trans am
Engine: 85-LT1 95-LT1
Transmission: 4l60e & 4l60e
Axle/Gears: 3.23 & 3.23
Thanks for the help Vader and everyone else.

I checked the coil tonight and it's fine. the distributor is moving during cranking. I took off my hypertech coil and put the ac-delco back on and still nothing. I believe the fault still lies in the spark somewhere.
Reply
Old Sep 12, 2002 | 03:05 AM
  #7  
Riley's35089rs+'s Avatar
Supreme Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,743
Likes: 0
From: heartland
Car: 89rs (previous 2.8)
Engine: 406
Transmission: 700r4 (for now)
Are you getting any fire to the plugs? Check ignition module..Pick-up coil...plug wires..firing order.....
Reply
Old Sep 12, 2002 | 08:04 PM
  #8  
dsaint1347's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 570
Likes: 0
From: New York City
I had the same problem with mine. I tried everything from the fuel pump, vats, neutral safety switch to the wires, I gave up trying everything so I just sent the car to a mechanic and he noticed that when he jumped the starter the car went into reverse! Turns out that the shifter cables were out of place I think? I'll find out tomorrow.
Reply
Old Sep 13, 2002 | 03:05 AM
  #9  
rdog30's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
From: Cape Girardeau,MO
Car: 85&95 Trans am
Engine: 85-LT1 95-LT1
Transmission: 4l60e & 4l60e
Axle/Gears: 3.23 & 3.23
I tested the plugs and I'm not getting any spark. I know the coil is fine so it must be the module or something else under the rotor.
Reply
Old Sep 17, 2002 | 04:23 AM
  #10  
rdog30's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
From: Cape Girardeau,MO
Car: 85&95 Trans am
Engine: 85-LT1 95-LT1
Transmission: 4l60e & 4l60e
Axle/Gears: 3.23 & 3.23
IT STILL WON'T START!!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's the stuff I have checked
1. fuel pump is fine(42psi at the rails)
2. coil is fine
3. replaced the ignition module(still won't start)
4. It's not the timing chain
5. It can't be the timing cause the car was running fine before it died.


Is there anything else that can go wrong in a distributor???Anything else I need to check?

Don't know how to check the injectors. Never done that kind of work before.

please help ASAP
Reply
Old Sep 17, 2002 | 04:33 AM
  #11  
Riley's35089rs+'s Avatar
Supreme Member
 
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 2,743
Likes: 0
From: heartland
Car: 89rs (previous 2.8)
Engine: 406
Transmission: 700r4 (for now)
The pick-up coil may be bad. The bad news is you have to pull the distributor to change it.
When mine went bad, It came apart in pieces..it got very crispy. Have you ever had one apart before?
Reply
Old Sep 17, 2002 | 03:15 PM
  #12  
rdog30's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
 
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 276
Likes: 0
From: Cape Girardeau,MO
Car: 85&95 Trans am
Engine: 85-LT1 95-LT1
Transmission: 4l60e & 4l60e
Axle/Gears: 3.23 & 3.23
The only parts that I know of are the top parts. Never had to take out a distributor before. Is there something I should check to make sure it is the pick-up coil?

Give me all the details.

Thanks for the help guys.
Reply
Old Sep 25, 2002 | 11:13 AM
  #13  
WaynesIroc's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 60
Likes: 1
From: Hays, Kansas
Car: 1989 Camaro Iroc-Z
Engine: stock 350
Transmission: 700R4
Have an 89 Iroc with same problem. The car will crank over and I'm getting fuel but no spark out of the distributor. The spark is getting nto the distributor but not out. I've replaced the rotor, ignition module, and cap but still nothing.
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
midge54
LTX and LSX
21
Dec 27, 2019 04:14 PM
Brcharrelson
TPI
15
Aug 26, 2015 07:47 PM
justin57
TBI
30
Aug 20, 2015 07:05 PM
ZsTransAm
Electronics
1
Aug 11, 2015 07:30 PM
killer777
Tech / General Engine
0
Aug 8, 2015 02:47 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:04 PM.