Was recently gifted car by my parent who purchased it in 88. They haven't drove it for probably10 years. When I first brought it home I put new starter, icm, fuel filter, changed oil, distributer cap and roter, and new ignition coil. Car started and ran for 20 to 30 minutes with some starter fluid. Has not started since. Service Engine light shows code 54 which leads me to think its something in the fuel. When turning over key fuel pressure jumps to 42 psi then snaps back to 38 psi and hold steady. When turning over jumps between 40 and 50 psi then back to 38 psi. After setting for a bit goes back to 20psi. Does that behavior sound correct? Checked relay and it seems to be working correctly as getting plenty of pressure and pump is working. Thoughts on what to do next? I'm thinking possible fuel pressure regulator is the issue but wanted to get opinions before I start throwing parts at it. Any help is appreciated!

 

About 42 PSI is correct with stock system. 38 PSI is sufficient to run the engine. The fact that pressure drops after the pump shuts off may not be a problem. The fact that the system reaches 42 PSI would seem to indicate the thr pressure regulator is not preventing running. A fuel pressure gauge should remain connected after the engine is running to monitor regulator function.

The "54" error code could be a connection or wiring issue. Does the fuel pump run a a two-second prime cycle when the ignition is first turned on? If the pump runs without cranking the engine, the pump relay is likely intact.

Also, the statement "purchased in 88" could mean a late 1988 or early 1989 model year, and there are some differences. Knowing what we are dealing with can be helpful.

 

Thanks for the reply, the fuel pump does cycle on for 2 seconds when turning over key. I've checked all the wires going to the relay and it seems to be working correctly. I can smell fuel after trying to start the car so i was leaning toward regulator thinking it was getting flooded or something. I took the ECM out and checked the connections, none of the pins look corroded. Checked the wires from ECM to where they go behind kick panel and see no bare or broken wires. Do you know what color wire on the ECM i should try to trace out to check for connection issues? The car is a 1987 GTA, was just saying they purchased it in 1988 and had it since.

 

remove vac hose to regulator and check for fuel in line. If not have someone key on to run pump and look for leak in rail , if you smell fuel you most likely have a leak

 

Thanks, i'll try this this weekend and report back.

 

Took me a while to get back to look at the car again but have made some progress, sorta. The fuel smell was evidently coming from my atv which developed a fuel leak (dry rotted fuel line) that I thought was the car. At any rate, i did find the knock sensor was unplugged, after some reading it looks like the knock sensor can cause a Code 54? That sorta makes sense since it started once after putting the new starter on but didn't start after that. My thought is the ECM slowed down the firing causing it not to start, also will not hit a lick with starter fluid. Spark plug tester shows it is getting fire. I have tried removing battery terminal for half a day to reset the ECM back but it doesn't seem to be working. Any ideas on how to reset ECM back to factory firing settings after plugging the knock sensor back in? Thoughts on anything else to try? Thanks in advance!

 

No need to do anything to ecm. Plug it in and it works.

I'd bet the injs are gummed up and stuck closed.
buy new or try and have yours cleaned. I recommend southbay delphi. Wouldn't hurrt to install a new fuel filter

 

Ummmm... NO. That's just a bunch of meaningless uneducated alien-abduction mumbo-jumbo.

This is KEY. Means there's no spark. Or at least, not enough spark, and/or not at the right time, in relation to piston and valve motion. Or, it's too rich to begin with, and putting more fuel into it doesn't cure the condition at hand, because there's already too much.

Leave the ECM alone. Probably nothing wrong with it. More likely, the problem is within the distributor. Pickup coil, ICM, stuff like that. Not that that's necessarily the "most" likely cause; just, MORE likely than ... all that alien-abduction crap and drivel.

Also wouldn't hurt to verify that there's not already TOO MUCH fuel reaching the cylinders. After all, adding more by way of starting fluid, won't do a damn bit of good if it's already flooded and drowning. Ether would just make that even worse. "Fuel smell" obviously is a good way to identify that, once there's not abuncha random "fuel smell" coming from elsewhere and obscuring it.