Ok, its a 91 3.1 and I seem to be having some electrical trouble. My gauge lights don't come on, I know where the ground strap to the firewall goes, however I just grounded the ECM (jumped it with a paperclip) and I here my fan relay clicking, im pretty sure this is not a bad relay, its about 2 weeks old. Anyone know what this could be? Also, my Oil gauge is not displaying correctly, it just hangs way past 80 when i turn the car on, thanks.

 

When you put the ecm in diagnostics mode, the fan will/should come on.

Also, the electronic EGR makes clicking noises during start, shutdown, diagnostics mode.

 

problem is my fan is not coming on, which is why I am asking . I know for sure its the fan relay clicking because when i cut the AC on I here the click, I can't drive the car because I can't figure out why my Fan is not working, trying to find the wiring problem. Sorry i didn't make that clear =/.

 

My AC compressor clicks quite a bit on my 92. Are you sure it isn't that?

 

positive, its coming from the passenger side firewall. I hear no click from my AC, only when i throw the ALDL in to diagnostic do I hear the click because the electric cooling fan comes on while in diagnostic. Im trying to find out if this is a grounding problem or if the electric fan has a fuse?

 

If its coming from pass firewall, its not the cooling fan. It would be located on the very left side of firewall, on a little "rack" system that holds 3 relays.

 

I can only advise specifically to a Camaro (but think the bird would be similar).
There is a fusible link for the fan relay, it comes off the junction block just inboard and slightly forward of your battery and is the power side for your fan going into the relay.
Coming out of the relay is a black/red stripe wire which carries the power to your fan motor.

Hope this helps

 

I have a tip that may help with troubleshooting this. Disconnecting the connector on the A/C high pressure line should cause the fan to come on (make sure ignition key is in the on position).

It may be easier to troubleshoot where the click is coming from while under the hood and without anything else being activated.

RBob.

 

Ooops, my fault, I meant drivers side firewall, next to the other two relays. Yes it is my fan relay and jeez im still wrestling this problem.

 

Are you SURE the motor is good?? Mine burnt out early this spring. Thats why I have dual fans now.

Do you have a volt meter?? This could be easly checked with one.

 

Im pretty sure the motor works, anyway to ground it straight from the motor or give it power or whatever to find out, the motor is 4 weeks old.

 

Sure you can hot wire it to check.
Just remove the connector at the fan, then connect one pin ON THE MOTOR to ground, and the other pin ON THE MOTOR to your battery.

It still sounds like the fusible link I told you about above.

 

Ok, i'll give it a shot.

 

Ok, I hooked up the fan to the battery and the motor is fine, the compressor was the clicker, sorry for doubting you all, it just sounded like the relay. I checked the connection with a multimeter that plugs in to the fan and I got .5 voltage going to it (yes I used DC). I also checked the fan relay and I got a straight 12 volts. I am trying to see where that fusible link you described is, only one I can find are 2 near the Alternator on a screw and washer where the positive battery cable goes to the alternator and they are labeled 16 & 20. Is this one of them? If not could someone describe in detail where this fusible link for the fan is? Thanks.

 

Sounds like the relay is bad, or is not being enabled by the ECM.

There are two large red wires going to the fan relay. One is hot from the fusible link, the other goes to the fan. So if you have 12 V at the relay connector the fusible link is good. With the relay out jumper the two relay connect points for the red wires. If fan comes on then as I mentioned.

RBob.

 

After following suggestion from RBob, if the fan comes on, it suggests the relay is not being energized.
Have you tried removing the wire from the temp switch and just running it to ground. If the fan comes on when you do this, then the switch is likely the culprit.
You can view the tech articles on alternatives to fix this.

 

Jumped the relay and the fan turned on. Ok, now im in a pickle again because now my engine cranks but dies unless I keep my foot on the pedal. It just won't stay alive unless I give it gas. I just checked all fuses 3 times after this happened including the ECM/Fuel Pump fuse under the hood. Possibilites?

 

This is where long distance diagnostics are tough.

Once it is started and you are holding the gas to keep it running. . . Is the engine chugging? Or does it sound a little rough to clean then die?

Chugging is too much fuel, little rough to clean is lean.

Misfiring will be ignition.

RBob.

 

I believe its running lean and was aware of this however the engine started fine a day ago. Only thing I had touched other than jumping the fan wires was the cables going going to the alternator cluster (screw where the power goes along with other connections). Im curious if my IAC is just shut off because I never started the car again after I had grounded the ALDL so perhaps the IAC is just at 0 steps and is not reset. I'll go check the the wires on it. Fuel pump is priming and it runs like normal. Like I said, i have a feeling I lost power to some of my sensors.

 

Ok. IAC is getting power, now im out of ideas. Its running lean RBob, what could the problem be? It turns fine but bleh.

 

For a lean problem I would check the fuel pressure and also the injector resistance. Our lovely Multec injectors like to short out. The insulation on the windings breaks down causing this short.

The '730 ECM drives all injectors with one driver. With an injector (or more) shorting the whole batch won't fire correctly.

If you can get the engine warmed up and ohm out each injector they should be between 12 & 16 ohms each. Anything lower (or higher) and it is a problem.

RBob.

 

How does one check the injector resistance?

 

Ok was at the car and I notice a weird noise coming from the passenger side at 2200 rpm. I couldn't see what it was so I had my wife come out and hold the gas pedal at 2200 and I couldn't see where it came from. Then the car made a nasty noise like when your grinding your flywheel and a bit of white smoke came out near the brake master cylinder I couldn't see where it came from but it was the drivers side.

I think the noise came from the distributor, I had recently pulled it to replace the gasket. Could that noise be the spark module along with the smoke? I didn't replace it, just the o-ring.

 

You'd need a digital ohm-meter (Radio shack's cheapest is $10) to check the resistance. Put the meter on "ohms" (looks like "Ù"). Unplug an injector's connector (squeeze the silver wire clip and pull straight back). Touch the meter's probes to the two contacts of the injector itself; doesn't matter which probe goes to which contact, resistance has no positive/negative side. The reading will show on your meter.

You can find a +$100 meter at http://www.sunpro.com 's "Garage Sale" link- look under Test & Tune, and click on the first one- Digital Engine Analyzer, CP7678GS - they're selling it for $60.

A dead module would certainly cause driveability problems; is it the original box?