This car is been sitting for two years not getting any fuel replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump still know if you will start with a spray can of starting fluid but will not keep running it will not start any ideas

 

So you replaced the fuel filter and fuel pump. When you turn on the ignition, can you hear the fuel pump run for a few seconds? Is there fresh fuel in the tank? Can you confirm fuel pressure at the regulator? Do some searches and you will find more information.

If it fires with starting fluid, it wants to run... I would not use the starting fluid too much. Keep trying with the fuel system.

If you are not familiar with tools and machines, you may end up taking it to a shop.

It's common to have a few problems firing a car that's been sitting a long time.

 

No pressure at the regulator, we took all the old people out and put new fuel in the tank there is fuel in a steady stream coming from the fuel filter after we placed it but nothing at the regulator

 

What old people? What do they have to do with this?

So disconnect the fuel filter and the hose before it goes into the rail and blow compressed air into the line. Maybe a blockage there?

 

Damn old people; always getting in the way...
You can expect a steady stream of gas draining from the tank down the line and out thru a disconnected filter. That would be due to gravity and the volume of fuel will be more especially if the tank is full.

HAve you checked fuel pressure at the Schrader valve at the fuel rail? If so, what's the pressure? Hook up a gauge, then turn the ignition key to ON. The gauge should indicate a good 40psi or so and then will gradually drop off as the fuel pump only runs for a few seconds if the engine is not started.

You could have a bad regulator.

 

Oddly enough... I have a similar problem with my 89. It sat for a couple of years (I also have a C7) and now has an intermittent "no fuel" problem. It will crank up and drive away... and come home on a rollback. Like the last 3 trips to town. If left overnight the car will start and run. This makes troubleshooting a real pain. Sounds like a possible heat soak problem but in the 16 years of owning this C4 it never showed heat soak problems.

After draining the tank and refueling with no help, I replaced the fuel pump and filter, cleaned all injectors, and flushed the fuel rails by removing the return line on the passenger side fuel rail and running the pump. My fuel pressure gage reads about 50 lbs. of pressure. When the engine does refuse to start I can get it to fire on starting fluid but it isn't getting gas.

Having electronics training, I added an LED with resistor to CKT 467, the circuit feeding half the injectors, and the LED flashes showing the injectors are getting pulsed at the ECM. Hmmm... Perhaps there's a wire harness problem on mine. I hate to mess with that 'cuz old brittle harnesses can be damaged.

I have the GM service manual and so far it hasn't helped the troubleshooting process.

I didn't mean to hijack this thread, just hoping my efforts will help the OP and maybe someone with more experience will help us both.

 

OP. Please try to use correct sentencing and periods. I got all out of breath just trying to read your first post. It will also help us understand what exactly you are asking us.

 

If you are getting pulse on both sides, that should be good. As long as you have fuel pressure, that is. Are you getting spark at that time?

 

I am most definitely getting spark. Tested with a hand held spark plug connected and grounded as well as the test where the engine runs on starter fluid. As stated, I have a pulse at the ECM where my LED is connected. This test only diagnoses the ECM. This test also confirms the module in the distributor is giving the ECM the timing pulse needed to prompt the ECM to fire the injectors. FWIW, I've swapped out that module with a known working one, no help. I haven't tested at the injectors due to the difficulty of connecting test leads to an injector and the fact that the darn thing starts running after a period of sitting. Intermittent problems are tough to track down.

Thanks for the input though. Talking things out helps understanding and prompts new thoughts. Like they say... It takes a village.

The OP seems to have spark also. His runs on starter fluid. Perhaps his problem is a fuse. There are 2 injector fuses, INJ1 and INJ2. However, if only one is blown then half the injectors will still get pulsed, and that doesn't seem likely in his case. The engine would stumble badly but seem to fire on fuel a bit. 2 blown fuses doesn't seem likely unless the ECM has a fault.

Likewise, if the OP has gunk buildup in the fuel rails it seems likely at least a few injectors would pass fuel and again the engine would stumble badly but appear to be firing on fuel. I had that thought about mine, at least one or two injectors will surely fire, but nothing did. I cleaned the injectors anyway, to no avail.

After re-reading and if I understand correctly, the OP says he has no pressure at the fuel rail. Perhaps his regulator is stuck or faulty in some way that allows the fuel to flow back to the tank via the return line. It's a diaphragm type device so maybe its failed. I'd try that next since he's verified fuel flow out of the filter.

 

But do you have pulse at the injector? If not there is a break in the wire. If so, are the injectors firing?

Check the flashing of the Noid light at normal and when it does this.

Yes, Hillary.

Sounds good to me. Only way I can tell is with a Noid light

It builds up all over but has more impact in the fine area like the pintle area of the injectors. How did you clean it?

It should at least have some pressure unless the diaphragm is torn. In which case it should dump fuel in the manifold.

 

Good point about the fuel pressure.... but the OP has already replaced the pump and filter and verified flow out of the open end of the filter. If I read that correctly. Run on sentences make reading difficult, of course. I'd be for replacing the pressure regulator myself.

As for my own problem, I haven't ruled out heat soak, though for 14 of the 16 years I've had it that hasn't been a problem. And I have run it hard. I live a hour ride from the Tail of the Dragon and have run it many times. Twice to the point of boiling my brake fluid and losing the brakes. That was before letting it sit for 2 years. The problem started after the 2 year downtime. Maybe its pissed at me. After all I did buy a C7.

I have checked the resistance of the injectors and all were about the same. Not sure what the correct ohms should be, I haven't yet found it in the manual. They were cold at the time. Mine fails when I'm away from home, not many tools with me at those times. Even after its offloaded from the rollback the car won't start but will burn off a spray of starter fluid. I'm usually too pissed to mess with it right away though I know that's when I should. Next morning it starts fine. I've let it idle and run at about 2k rpm for a half hour in the yard and the problem didn't show up. A drive to town is only 12 to 15 minutes, mostly downhill since I live in the mountains. Its failed me 3 times doing that. Yeah, I know driving generates more heat than running while sitting. Its trying my patience for sure. And its embarrassing standing in a parking lot watching my baby being dragged up onto the rollback.

Yeah, aklim, I need to get a Noid light. It seems I never have the right tools handy. I cleaned the injectors with a spray injector cleaner, can't remember the brand. I rigged up a neoprene hose about 6 inches long, one end over the injector, the other to a compressor set to 45 lbs. pressure. Injector is connected to a small 12v battery with a switch in line. Spray the fluid into the hose, connect the compressor, charge the hose with pressure and flick the switch. The injector activates and either sprays, dribbles, or nothing at all. All injectors sprayed a nice misty pattern. Its not scientific, but it does tell you if the darn thing works at all and you can visualize the spray pattern. The pros have the correct equipment but essentially do the same thing.

 

Frodo, you've been a member of this forum long enough that you should know the common courtesy of not hi-jacking another's post. We appreciate it that you are trying to help Richard with his problems, but it gets really confusing when you insert your own problems. Please start a new post for your questions, so we can focus on Richard's questions in this thread.

 

You are absolutely correct Roy. As I said in my first post I wasn't trying to hijack the thread. In each post I've made I've offered advice to the OP as well as answering questions posed to me. I've felt these two problems were related and the OP, as well as any others reading, might learn from it as well. If I've overstepped a boundary I deeply apologize to each and all here.

 

Kinda need to do it when it is there or we can do the idiot mechanic thing and keep throwing parts at it. Sooner or later, most likely later with my luck, we will get lucky if we haven't gone broke yet.

I don't know about your area but Autozone or Advance Auto might have a noid light kit. You "buy" it but have to return it within 90 days for a "refund". When it is cold, find the right one and keep it and drive it for a bit. When it fails, it might be prudent to pull over and pop the hood and see.

OK. I was wondering if you actually got it professionally tested or not since things might show up that you can't see. I'm not sure how to pulse the injector at the rate it is working at which is measured in milliseconds.

You are right. It isn't scientific as I understand the word. It tells you if it activates and that is about it. It doesn't have a comparison with the other injectors or tell you the volume before the "cleaning" with the snake oils and after. It doesn't tell you if it pulses properly or not. Combined that with an ohm reading of 10-15 ohms it might allude it is all good. Other than that, yes, it essentially does the same thing minus the other important information, the consistent procedure and anything significant.

 

The fuel pressure at 50 psi could be too much and you may be pissing off the injectors. The higher pressure could be keeping the injectors from opening up. I would turn down the pressure to 40 and see what happens.

 

It could BUT the pressure would probably have to be higher than that. IIRC, 89 should be about 43 psi. I think some early C4s were lower but can't remember extacly