C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

96 died - no start

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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 10:43 AM
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Default 96 died - no start - updated

So while racing in Hallet, OK. Sat. night the car stalled around some turns, thought it was because I only had 1/4 or so of gas. Filled up and left for the day. Sun. it ran great in the first two sessions. In the third, it stalled and sputtered around some turns and a little back fire in the exhaust, headed for the pits and it died, would not restart. It will crank with a little grumble(?) through the exhuast. My friend, Jim, hooked his laptop up (Autotap) and found no codes. Two numbers seemd a little off, don't remember what they were but I will ask him again.
I am thinking its the opti. The fuel pressure read 42psi, and bleed down after about 20 minutes. I didn't see anything obvious, like loose wire, etc. Any thoughts before I spend money and time on an opti?
Car: 1996 LT4, stock motor with Hypertech tuning (it was cheap) K&N filter, 60k miles, 160 stat.

Thanks

Last edited by Gary04Z06; Sep 18, 2005 at 12:13 AM.
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 11:42 AM
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I doubt that it's the Opti, and I'd investigate further before swapping it out.

If it were the optical section of the Opti, it would have thrown codes.

If it were the high-voltage section of the Opti, it almost surely would not have died on Saturday, and run fine on Sunday. Such failures, unless they're moisture-related, almost never clear up on their own. It also would likely have run poorly for longer than it did, likely with backfiring into the intake and/or exhaust.

I'd look hard at such things as harness connectors feeding the Opti, coil controller, coil, etc. Could very well be a failing coil, etc, too.

It doesn't sound as though you have a fuel system problem, unless the injectors are just shutting down due to no pulses.

Good luck.

Be well,

SJW
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 11:55 AM
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Originally Posted by SJW
I doubt that it's the Opti, and I'd investigate further before swapping it out.

If it were the optical section of the Opti, it would have thrown codes.

If it were the high-voltage section of the Opti, it almost surely would not have died on Saturday, and run fine on Sunday. Such failures, unless they're moisture-related, almost never clear up on their own. It also would likely have run poorly for longer than it did, likely with backfiring into the intake and/or exhaust.

I'd look hard at such things as harness connectors feeding the Opti, coil controller, coil, etc. Could very well be a failing coil, etc, too.

It doesn't sound as though you have a fuel system problem, unless the injectors are just shutting down due to no pulses.

Good luck.

Be well,

SJW
The car didn't die on Sat., just Sun. Probably was fuel starvation on Sat., but who knows now. A bad coil wire usually leads to a no start not a slow sputtering idle. But it only takes a quick check to see.
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 12:21 PM
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Check your coil and ignition module (ICM) too. My coil tanked without warning two years ago and took the ICM with it, resulting in a crank, no-start condition just like you're describing.
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Old Sep 1, 2005 | 08:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Gary96LT4
My friend, Jim, hooked his laptop up (Autotap) and found no codes. Two numbers seemd a little off, don't remember what they were but I will ask him again.
I looked at the low and high res signals. The high res signal was MIA and the low res signal seemed lazy. This would explain why the engine would start but only sputter for 30 seconds or so before dying.

The connectors were tight.
The coil wire was attached.

A bad ignition module will result in a no start, not even a sputter.

Given the above symptoms I doubt it's the coil.
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 04:55 AM
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First thing I would do is make sure the battery is fully charged .
I would remove the Hypertech tuning and see why the fuel presure is at 42,I think it should be at 43.5 to start.I think you said 20 min and the presure blead down but you did not say to what presure?
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by REDC4CORVETTE
First thing I would do is make sure the battery is fully charged .
I would remove the Hypertech tuning and see why the fuel presure is at 42,I think it should be at 43.5 to start.I think you said 20 min and the presure blead down but you did not say to what presure?
I think the battery is fine, about a year old. It bleed down to around 25psi after about 20min or so, I had to leave so I couldn't wait for it to get to zero.
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 10:03 AM
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A bad ignition module will result in a no start, not even a sputter.

I agree. Mine did the same thing when my ICM died. Replaced it and the coil and it fired right up.
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by 96GS#007
I looked at the low and high res signals. The high res signal was MIA and the low res signal seemed lazy. This would explain why the engine would start but only sputter for 30 seconds or so before dying.

The connectors were tight.
The coil wire was attached.

A bad ignition module will result in a no start, not even a sputter.

Given the above symptoms I doubt it's the coil.
If this is in reference to the car in question in this thread, there's little doubt that it's the Opti (but it's rather curious that it didn't throw any codes).

Be well,

SJW
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Old Sep 2, 2005 | 10:45 AM
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Originally Posted by SJW
If this is in reference to the car in question in this thread, there's little doubt that it's the Opti (but it's rather curious that it didn't throw any codes).

Be well,

SJW
Yes, it is in referance to my car, Jim is the one that hooked up his laptop (Auto Tap) to check it out. Thanks Jim!

I just ordered a new Opti today, so we will find out in a few days if its it.

Last edited by Gary04Z06; Sep 2, 2005 at 11:40 AM.
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Old Sep 4, 2005 | 09:52 PM
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I changed out the coil today, and no luck. Still having the same problem. Hopefully the opti will do the trick once it gets here.
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Old Sep 18, 2005 | 12:12 AM
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Finally got all the parts in to change the plugs and wires and found time to to it. Jim (96GS#007) came over to help out (thanks!!!).

Got the old opti off and took it apart and the two little screws that hold the rotor on had came unscrewed and a were laying inside. So that pretty much proves its was the opti we think.

Bad news, Summit sent me the wrong or just messed up set of Taylor 8mm plug wires so I'll have to finish it up after they send the right ones.
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