WhiteSnake91

looked around and found this vid, is it legit about spraying starting fluid to test what's wrong?

I guess I'd spray it behind the filter? I have some edelbrock open element setup and not the stock airbox, got a spectre air filter.

I have: good and charged battery, new TPS, new IAC, new Distributor cap and rotor, new pcv valve

honestly getting depressed about the whole thing....car died on me about 3-4 weeks ago on the way back from getting food...wouldn't start, waited a few mins, then it started...got me out of the very embarrassing intersection it died at....then I had to floor the pedal to keep it from dying, it ended up dying twice more when I had to let off the gas to make a turn and to park at my place. It sat for those weeks due to money reasons, then now when I get money, all these parts haven't even fixed it.

It was running rough before but had a corroded dist. cap and rotor, sadly I don't know if any of the parts I paid alot for total have even helped since it won't start now.


Where to go from here.....? Plz any prompt help? I don't intend on exactly going bankrupt trying to fix everything under the entire hood, when I can get another decent running vehicle for around 2k....already spent like over 200 on random sensors and time wasted waiting for a ride to the auto store, very very very slow lines at auto store, then putting all the stuff on, then the whole trouble with the battery today going there and back......and the fresh battery didn't even help it.


fuel filter or fuel pump? Spark plugs? Spark plug wires? (even though they don't look broken or anything)

the ignition coil is some MSD red Blaster one, I don't think that would have magically croaked in the 3 weeks but maybe, also heard about an Ignition control module from googling around. I guess my starter is ok? My dad said it was ok? I assumed if a starter was bad there would just be a single loud click?


Once again, plz plz plz help, this is my only mode of transportation and it's very depressing and annoying to have a vehicle that you've dumped a bit of money into not even start...

my dad kept claiming I didn't put the spark plug wires in the right firing order, but I SWEAR they're in the right order....was such a cramped mess in there I'll never forget the order.....18436572

thtanner

iTrader: (1)

You said it turns over really slow. Is the positive wire between the starter and battery in good shape, clean connections? What about ground cables, all clean? Check the basics. Are all wires snug on the starter, battery, etc? Power for the whole car goes through the positive cable to the starter. Issues with connections and grounds can lead to a no chooch situation. Can take the starter off to have it tested.

Otherwise.. the video is right, a car needs 3 things. Air, fuel, and spark. If you are missing either, it doesn't chooch. The starter also needs to turn the engine over fast enough, if it isn't.. see what I said to start with.

It's an OK test, but really check the fuel pressure with a gauge instead. You can usually borrow them for free at a parts store. I like to test stuff before swapping things as much as possible.

Edit: You already have a thread on this? White smoke from by the steering wheel. You need to check your wiring there, too...

WhiteSnake91

yeah I'm thinking it may be from the long-since dead aftermarket alarm, I need to take a pic of the mess jumble of wires near the brake pedal, some of it appears to be the harness for the stereo, but many of the wires I'm not sure what they do.

Good news, I have it narrowed down alot, the car started right up after about 3 secs of spraying cheap walmart starter fluid down in the throttle body but then died....fuel pump and/or fuel filter for sure. I already have a fuel filter ready to be put on, just need to see if that fixes it or if I'll have to put in the pump......is that very hard? the pump itself is rather cheap at 47 bucks for a good delphi one vs 300 at autozone for the whole delphi pump assembly

it's possible that the fuel pump relay is dead, but, I read before on these vehicles that as a backup measure GM made the oil pressor sensor able to start it if the relay was bad to the pump when it built up enough pressure. If I got a new relay that should make the car start up instantly too right? Before all these problems it took a few secs of trying to crank it before it'd actually start.

zed-028

there should be a fuse down near the battery for the fuel pump

Also you should be able to hotwire the fuel pump through the OBD computer port near the steering wheel. must be a diagram on here somewhere

zed-028

the pump itself is a pain, and if you dont have the equipment to drop the tank, youll either need to pay someone or youll need to cut an access hole.

WhiteSnake91

yea, as politically incorrect as it sounds to purists here, I'll honestly just cut an access hole, I don't really feel like dropping the tank and exhaust I heard you have to do...my exhaust is all welded on too so I don't see how I could even move it...maybe if it was in mint shape, but it's probably been a neglected daily driver or hot rod, and is 25 years old now....has a little rust I need to put primer and paint on....very hard finding an exact match in rustoleum for this car though, it's the greenish-blue Teal Firebird.

I'll look for that fuse, I honestly didn't see any fuses or anything by the battery though earlier when I got it charged up and it tested good, I'll try to find a pic on google for the fuel pump fuse. I know about the relay by the firewall though, although that's not a huge loss if the relay is bad, in these cars with enough oil pressure it'll crank, was a backup feature GM included I read about before

WhiteSnake91

well guys...I pulled a frankenstein....it lives....and sounds a hell of a lot better than it did before idling with the new parts....guess what? The gas gauge doesn't work, I was out of gas this whole time even though it said I had a little more than half a tank lol.....put 20 bucks in at the gas station.

I need to fix the odometer and trip meter, they don't work...and also I honestly believe the white smoke might be from the engine burning oil due to the valve covers, those are a priority to do, then 8 new fresh plugs, and probably wires too for good measure.

I never put on the fuel filter, that couldn't hurt.

One thing I noticed, and I will attach the pic, it's not oil nor trans fluid since trans fluid is bright blood red koolaid color, but around the engine oil pan area a little bit of liquid spilled, it smells sweet, almost like an antifreeze mixed with wd40 almost but not too strong smelling. It had a somewhat sticky yet fluid consistency...like a sticky water.

wasn't a huge amount, when the car started a little bit dripped in the old spot then when I was coming back from getting burgers since I was having widrawals from whataburger , I sat in the parking spot for a little bit idling and it idles pretty good now, but in the new spot some more dripped out....I'll check antifreeze levels but from what I remember antifreeze isn't sticky like this.


In my other topic I posted pics of the battery area, and many of the harness black plastic shroud tubing has maybe this same sticky substance on them....idk wtf it could be honestly......maybe antifreeze spilled everywhere from the old owner and they never cleaned it up? Idk why somebody would just have sticky liquid sitting there.




idk though, I'll check the lower rad hose and upper in the daylight. But at least it drives and doesn't die now. I do think I need the TV cable adjusted though, it doesn't accelerate very well, seemed like I had to rev it fairly high just to go 40 on the little highway here intown. It has a 700r4 trans in it and I heard the TV cable effects the shift points on it.

If it's easy to do on my own instead of paying some expensive shop that would be good too lol.

I hope the radiator or hoses aren't busted. The temp stayed around 160ish, didn't overheat.




I just had an idea that maybe the white smoke is this sticky crap being burned off around the engine area....and also valve cover gaskets

zed-028

Glad you solved it but this whole thread has made me die a little inside