Hey guys....well I had a friend put my car on his hand held comp. and it didnt throw a code.So now I'm more convinced then ever that its the ICM because sometimes when I turn the key I get NOTHING...not even a click.And its not the starter cause its new.My problem is I'm not familiar with the firing order and the only way to get to the ICM is to take off the Dist Cap.My wires are too short to just move it out of the way and I damn sure dont want to pay my mechanic $40 hr to do something I can do my self so........

Any Ideas?????



~Bob

 

Did you try the Electronics forum? It sounds to me like you have a VATS problem. The ICM has nothing to do with the circuitry that runs to the starter. If the engine won't crank and you don't even get a click to tell you the solenoid works, then the starter enable relay probably isn't being engaged the way it's supposed to.

Also, you can use six clothespins or pieces of masking tape to mark your plug wires. What I do is leave the number one wire attached to the cap and remove the others. FO is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

BTW, where in WHY are you?

 

Very correct
On the distb. cap
The number one plug is located at 7 O'Clock postion
Number one plug on engine is pass side front plug.
Number 2 plug is Driver side Front plug.
ICM either works or doesn't.
All it "controls" is passing spark to plugs once engine rotates for starting.
Yep ya got VATS problems I'll bet.
Stick around & some help, here, will arrive.

 

I'm located in Bath,New York about 85 miles south of Rochester.



~Bob

 

It is a VATS problem, as I had the same thing happen. The contact point on the key would not make contact in the ignition switch. Had to get a new key at the dealer. Worked great after that. Also for some reason when the interior of my car was hot, it would not start until I let it cool off. That has happened a couple of times sice the new key.

 

Not true; that's not where my #1 plug's located. Depends on who last worked on the car.

 

Think I'm just gonna use masking tape to mark em off....safest way to go I think.Another thing,sometimes the car just cranks and wont turn over after driving it just around the block.I dont think its the cat.conv. even tho it is probably the original and changing it couldnt hurt but changing it is NOT gonna solve my problem,I'm pretty sure of this.

BTW.....what is VATS?????




~Bob

 

Vehicle Anti-Theft System...

Your stalling problem could be either the ICM or the ignition coil. Since you are in NY, maybe we could meet up sometime. I have a bunch of spare parts we could use to see if yours is bad or not. The ICM is bad to a point, but not such that the engine won't run.

 

I agree the engine will run.If it stalls its not that often,it just wont start when it gets hot.And the guy I bought the car from disconnected the anti-theft system and the only thing it did was kill my automatic door locks...gotta do it manually.

Now.....I changed out the ignition coil,put a new one in.Put the car on a hand held and it didnt throw a code Trickster (the moderater on the electronics forum) said if it is the ICM that it wont throw a code.

So...my dilemma continues.

BTW I'm in Bath,just a short trip on I 390.If we do get together weekends are best,my job keeps me pretty busy.


~Bob

 

I hear ya... my boss just signed me up for Saturday morning shift, and I won't get out until about 2:30 in the afternoon. I'll let you know.

Also, have you run a vacuum test? The 3.1 should have around 14" Hg of manifold vacuum (mine's currently 13" and it's running pretty good). For some reason, the hotter the engine gets, the more vacuum it requires to keep running (ask me how I know this.. damn 2.8 )

One more thing you can try is flooring the gas pedal when the engine won't start. This is called the "clear flood" mode. The ECM shuts off the fuel pump and the excess pressure is allowed to vent itself right out of the fuel injectors. If the engine starts and runs, then quits, when you do this, you probably have an ignition problem--weak spark or something, perhaps.

:edit: Okay, for those fans of the 2.8 out there, I really shouldn't blame the engine. I should blame the guy I bought the car from.