91 died , won't start
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: seattke wa
91 died , won't start
I have a 1991 that's been sitting in my grage for the last couple of years and only started once in a great while.
Finally took it out yesterday, put fresh gas in (tank was close to empty) and drove it about 30 miles on the highway.
No indications of a problem what so ever.
The car set outside over night
(about 34 degrees) and all morniing.
early afternoon I decide to drive it home, it started fine.
Drove it about 40 feet and it dies at the stop sign.
Will not start.
If I let it sit for maybe 1/2 hour and try, it sort of sounds
like it wants to start, but only for a split second.
Then nothing.
Carnks over just fine. The battry should be good as I had it on
a charger while being stored.
All the electrical stuff seems to work just fine.
Any ideas what I can try?
Finally took it out yesterday, put fresh gas in (tank was close to empty) and drove it about 30 miles on the highway.
No indications of a problem what so ever.
The car set outside over night
(about 34 degrees) and all morniing.
early afternoon I decide to drive it home, it started fine.
Drove it about 40 feet and it dies at the stop sign.
Will not start.
If I let it sit for maybe 1/2 hour and try, it sort of sounds
like it wants to start, but only for a split second.
Then nothing.
Carnks over just fine. The battry should be good as I had it on
a charger while being stored.
All the electrical stuff seems to work just fine.
Any ideas what I can try?
Last edited by Mark98115; Dec 15, 2005 at 01:45 AM.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 703
Likes: 2
From: Cypress Texas
Start with your basics and check to make sure you are getting fuel and spark. It sounds like it could be something relatively simple if you drove it earlier with no check engine light or driveability issues.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 51
Likes: 0
From: Dayton Ohio
Hi Mark,
I have the same problem as you !!
"Drove it about 40 feet and it dies at the stop sign."
I guess 91's don't like stop signs !!
Check out my thread ...."91 bogs and dies at stop sign"
I have replaced entire fuel system....FI, pump etc...
Also replaced Dist. cap rotor, ICM, coil, and plugs to no success !!
Car still wont start ???? Cranks really well and almost starts ............but no !!!
I have checked most everything that members have suggested (sensors, ground, spark... etc).
The next thing I am going to try is replace the ECM...I don't think it will help..... but then I can rule that componant out!!
Please post a response if you should happen to stumble upon a fix for this frustrating problem ....I will do the same !!!
Good luck !!
I have the same problem as you !!
"Drove it about 40 feet and it dies at the stop sign."
I guess 91's don't like stop signs !!
Check out my thread ...."91 bogs and dies at stop sign"
I have replaced entire fuel system....FI, pump etc...
Also replaced Dist. cap rotor, ICM, coil, and plugs to no success !!
Car still wont start ???? Cranks really well and almost starts ............but no !!!
I have checked most everything that members have suggested (sensors, ground, spark... etc).
The next thing I am going to try is replace the ECM...I don't think it will help..... but then I can rule that componant out!!
Please post a response if you should happen to stumble upon a fix for this frustrating problem ....I will do the same !!!
Good luck !!
Heel & Toe
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Seneca Falls NY
my 90 was same
I had this same sympton in Aug. Would run fine for a while, then quit intermitently. Scanner said CTS,ECM. I changed many items:
coolant sensor
fuel filter
fuel pump
spark control
fuel injectors(ohmed low)
plugs
wires
cap/rotor
ign transformer
Finally fixed with $79 ecm change from Advance Auto.
After I changed ECM, I received code for egr, so I replaced that too.
All this took about a month total so I had no time to replace shifter and brakes,fluid and bias spring that I have had for 6 months.
I have had my car for a year and a half and at least now I can say for sure that I know where everything is under the hood.
Some people here say don't change parts without knowing for sure, but my car runs like new now and I trust it now having many new parts for a total of $450.
coolant sensor
fuel filter
fuel pump
spark control
fuel injectors(ohmed low)
plugs
wires
cap/rotor
ign transformer
Finally fixed with $79 ecm change from Advance Auto.
After I changed ECM, I received code for egr, so I replaced that too.
All this took about a month total so I had no time to replace shifter and brakes,fluid and bias spring that I have had for 6 months.
I have had my car for a year and a half and at least now I can say for sure that I know where everything is under the hood.
Some people here say don't change parts without knowing for sure, but my car runs like new now and I trust it now having many new parts for a total of $450.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
the first, and easiest thing to check will be your Fuel Pressure. Hook up a FP gauge and verify you have around 40psi. Most of the sensors mentioned, if bad, would not keep the engine from starting. They would more likely make the engine run poorly.......
Next, check for spark at your plugs...
Next, check for spark at your plugs...
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2,510
Likes: 4
From: Austin Texas
Originally Posted by Mark98115
excuse the dumb question, but what would low fuel pressure indicate?
(or maybe no fuel pressure)
Only things I can think of is clogged fuel filter or bad fuel pump.
(or maybe no fuel pressure)
Only things I can think of is clogged fuel filter or bad fuel pump.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,354
Likes: 2,278
From: Central Maryland
A clogged fuel filter will usually cause problems first when the engine is demanding a high volume of fuel. As MikeC4 noted, it's unlikely that a clogged filter would starve an engine at startup/idle, but rather at high-speed/open-throttle. The same is true with respect to a clogged screen (AKA "sock") at the fuel pickup inside of the tank..
If there's no fuel pressure present, the likely cause is one of the following:
1. Bad fuel pump.
2. Bad fuel pump relay.
3. Blown fuse (check this first).
4. VATS system (anti-theft) interrupting the electric circuit to the fuel pump. If this is the case, the circuit to the starter should also be interrupted. If the starter will crank the engine, forget about the VATS system being the cause of the problem.
Far less likely, but still possible would be:
5. Faulty electrical connection someplace else in the fuel pump circuit (corroded connector, etc).
6. Water in the tank that has frozen and clogged a passage.
It's also possible that the fuel pressure regulator has failed catastrophically, but that's unlikely. When these critters go bad, they typically allow fuel pressure to bleed down, rather than causing fuel pressure to disappear completely. They're not known for causing a shut-down/no-start problem.
Be well,
SJW
If there's no fuel pressure present, the likely cause is one of the following:
1. Bad fuel pump.
2. Bad fuel pump relay.
3. Blown fuse (check this first).
4. VATS system (anti-theft) interrupting the electric circuit to the fuel pump. If this is the case, the circuit to the starter should also be interrupted. If the starter will crank the engine, forget about the VATS system being the cause of the problem.
Far less likely, but still possible would be:
5. Faulty electrical connection someplace else in the fuel pump circuit (corroded connector, etc).
6. Water in the tank that has frozen and clogged a passage.
It's also possible that the fuel pressure regulator has failed catastrophically, but that's unlikely. When these critters go bad, they typically allow fuel pressure to bleed down, rather than causing fuel pressure to disappear completely. They're not known for causing a shut-down/no-start problem.
Be well,
SJW
Last edited by SJW; Dec 15, 2005 at 12:37 PM.
Thread Starter
7th Gear
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: seattke wa
So far I had not had a chance to do much as far as trying to troubleshoot.
I did turn the igniion on, and can hear the fuel pump come on for about 2 seconds.
I sat there for about 10 second after that, and then cranked it over.
It sounded like maybe a cylinder or 2 fired once and that was it.
After that I could crank the engine forever and it would not fire.
So this evening I'm going to buy a fuel pressure gauge and test that.
..oh, I looked at the fuses and could not see any bad ones (although I did not pull them all out, and I didn't know which ones to check).
I did turn the igniion on, and can hear the fuel pump come on for about 2 seconds.
I sat there for about 10 second after that, and then cranked it over.
It sounded like maybe a cylinder or 2 fired once and that was it.
After that I could crank the engine forever and it would not fire.
So this evening I'm going to buy a fuel pressure gauge and test that.
..oh, I looked at the fuses and could not see any bad ones (although I did not pull them all out, and I didn't know which ones to check).
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 7,354
Likes: 2,278
From: Central Maryland
Your owner's manual, or service manual, should be able to identify the fuel pump fuse. I don't have a '91, so I can't help you locate it. If you're hearing the fuel pump run, the fuse is probably okay.
Be well,
SJW
Be well,
SJW
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 96,443
Likes: 9
From: Fort Knox, KY
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Cruise-In VIII Veteran
Check your coil and ICM. When my 92 died suddenly two years ago, my coil tanked and took my ICM with it resulting in a crank, no-start condition just like you're describing.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
look up not running I had this same problem it ended up being the fuel injectors some time they would work and other times would not and all but 2 tested good replaced them after changing everything else and still running good now
