89 vette won't start!
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
I would be inclined to swap out the ECM with a known working one. Never hurts to have a spare laying around for troubleshooting purposes. If not swapping them out, try and pull the ECM down and check the connections.
*Just reread the last post. So, the engine was running before you swapped out the ICM, dist cap and coil and now it want start? If so, I would double check these.
*Just reread the last post. So, the engine was running before you swapped out the ICM, dist cap and coil and now it want start? If so, I would double check these.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2004
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Safety Car
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Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Pretty sure I'm not getting any unusual pops or bangs or engine lurching. I've skipped time, thrown rods, broke valve springs and bent push rods on other vehicles I've never had anything in the past like this. I did have somebody watching the tail pipes this last time and noticed that I'm getting puffs of smoke out of the exaust now. Maybe it's flooded right now. Will try to start again tomorrow in the AM(getting dark now). If it still won't start/run I'll pull the plugs and swap'em out just for fun.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,753
Likes: 9
From: Louisiana
Are you still able to keep the engine running by spraying starting fluid in the intake?
If it runs with the starting fluid, it HAS to be a fuel delivery problem. Have you ohmed the injectors? Seems that the injectors harness is pulsing, but no fuel is being sprayed. I'm sure there is a way to slide something in the spark plug hole and crank the engine to see if fuel is being sprayed.
If it runs with the starting fluid, it HAS to be a fuel delivery problem. Have you ohmed the injectors? Seems that the injectors harness is pulsing, but no fuel is being sprayed. I'm sure there is a way to slide something in the spark plug hole and crank the engine to see if fuel is being sprayed.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Are you still able to keep the engine running by spraying starting fluid in the intake?
If it runs with the starting fluid, it HAS to be a fuel delivery problem. Have you ohmed the injectors? Seems that the injectors harness is pulsing, but no fuel is being sprayed. I'm sure there is a way to slide something in the spark plug hole and crank the engine to see if fuel is being sprayed.
If it runs with the starting fluid, it HAS to be a fuel delivery problem. Have you ohmed the injectors? Seems that the injectors harness is pulsing, but no fuel is being sprayed. I'm sure there is a way to slide something in the spark plug hole and crank the engine to see if fuel is being sprayed.
No 12 volts on the INST/LPS fuse until the headlight switch is in one of the on positions...Got It ... good tip! So I guess that the voltage on INJ 1&2 act the same way...the ECM turn that on too?
OK --I checked each injector all are close to 16 ohms.
OK --I did this earlier today --I removed the distributor cap and verifed there is no moisture in it.
ECM enables the fuel pump relay. If sees reference pulses from the distrubutor (such as engine cranking via the starter) it will keep the fuel pump relay enabled. Otherwise it will only enable the fuel pump relay for 2 sec.
F.Y.I .I just sprayed some ether in the intake and cranked the car and it turned over and ran until it used all the ether up ......so it seems that the engine is not getting fuel in some way!
How can i get the fuel pump to run with a jumper wire?
How do I test the distributors reference pulses?
How do I test the oil pressure switch?
OK --I checked each injector all are close to 16 ohms.
OK --I did this earlier today --I removed the distributor cap and verifed there is no moisture in it.
ECM enables the fuel pump relay. If sees reference pulses from the distrubutor (such as engine cranking via the starter) it will keep the fuel pump relay enabled. Otherwise it will only enable the fuel pump relay for 2 sec.
F.Y.I .I just sprayed some ether in the intake and cranked the car and it turned over and ran until it used all the ether up ......so it seems that the engine is not getting fuel in some way!
How can i get the fuel pump to run with a jumper wire?
How do I test the distributors reference pulses?
How do I test the oil pressure switch?
Heel & Toe
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Phoeniz AZ
On my 84....
On my 84 i chased my tail with similar issues. In the tank, the 3 inch rubber fuel line on the pump to the aluminum feed was disintegrated like a sponge. Sometimes it ran - and then sometimes barely....
The fuel pump comes out of the tank easily, remove lid, gasket and bolts and you can pull it up from the top.
I already bought a new pump so i dropped it in... but you can take a peek before you but a new one and if you have same issue replace the short rubber hose.
The fuel pump comes out of the tank easily, remove lid, gasket and bolts and you can pull it up from the top.
I already bought a new pump so i dropped it in... but you can take a peek before you but a new one and if you have same issue replace the short rubber hose.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,292
Likes: 239
From: Summerland B.C. Canada
Wow, this one is going no where. I have the same Actron tester, nice unit.
Are you watching your fuel pressure gauge when you are firing the injectors individually ?? Is there pressure loss ?? Are they equal ??
http://members.shaw.ca/corvette86/Fu...mDiagnosis.pdf
Are you watching your fuel pressure gauge when you are firing the injectors individually ?? Is there pressure loss ?? Are they equal ??
http://members.shaw.ca/corvette86/Fu...mDiagnosis.pdf
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
On my 84 i chased my tail with similar issues. In the tank, the 3 inch rubber fuel line on the pump to the aluminum feed was disintegrated like a sponge. Sometimes it ran - and then sometimes barely....
The fuel pump comes out of the tank easily, remove lid, gasket and bolts and you can pull it up from the top.
I already bought a new pump so i dropped it in... but you can take a peek before you but a new one and if you have same issue replace the short rubber hose.
The fuel pump comes out of the tank easily, remove lid, gasket and bolts and you can pull it up from the top.
I already bought a new pump so i dropped it in... but you can take a peek before you but a new one and if you have same issue replace the short rubber hose.
Last edited by engle1147; Jul 11, 2007 at 12:12 AM. Reason: Corrected post title for "I have a stupid Question"
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Wow, this one is going no where. I have the same Actron tester, nice unit.
Are you watching your fuel pressure gauge when you are firing the injectors individually ?? Is there pressure loss ?? Are they equal ??
http://members.shaw.ca/corvette86/Fu...mDiagnosis.pdf
Are you watching your fuel pressure gauge when you are firing the injectors individually ?? Is there pressure loss ?? Are they equal ??
http://members.shaw.ca/corvette86/Fu...mDiagnosis.pdf
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Did a few things today. I pulled and reinstalled the fuel pump assembly and changed the spark plugs.
Pulled a few plugs(AC FR5LS) on the car - they looked ok with only normal looking wear the gaps were ~ .042 (should be @ .035). Instead of re-gapping them I went ahead and chang'em (had about 35,000 miles on them).
I pulled the fuel pump assembly to check for weird stuff...found that the liner inside the tank is seperating from actual tank! Found lots of rust everywhere on the pump assembly.....cleaned the connectors and bypassed the pumps modulator with high pressure injection hose and clamps. Re-installed and tested the pump assembly pressure(OK on pressure). Tried to see if no start condition still exists.
Car still won't start (still starts and runs on ether).
See rusty pictures below for bypass modification.
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Pulled a few plugs(AC FR5LS) on the car - they looked ok with only normal looking wear the gaps were ~ .042 (should be @ .035). Instead of re-gapping them I went ahead and chang'em (had about 35,000 miles on them).
I pulled the fuel pump assembly to check for weird stuff...found that the liner inside the tank is seperating from actual tank! Found lots of rust everywhere on the pump assembly.....cleaned the connectors and bypassed the pumps modulator with high pressure injection hose and clamps. Re-installed and tested the pump assembly pressure(OK on pressure). Tried to see if no start condition still exists.
Car still won't start (still starts and runs on ether).
See rusty pictures below for bypass modification.
[IMG]
[/IMG][IMG]
[/IMG][IMG]
[/IMG][IMG]
[/IMG]
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,444
Likes: 4
From: Hawthorne NJ
Just pulled my '89 coupe out of the driveway...AC on, needed to leave for an emergency, 10 seconds later, car stalled in road out front. All the same symptoms as this. Was going to post a question about it, but it seems poor Engle1147 has tried just about everything. I thought I had it narrowed down to a fuel problem because I also got it to run on ether.
I'll keep watching this post and hope for the best...for both of us!
Thanks
I'll keep watching this post and hope for the best...for both of us!
Thanks
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Just pulled my '89 coupe out of the driveway...AC on, needed to leave for an emergency, 10 seconds later, car stalled in road out front. All the same symptoms as this. Was going to post a question about it, but it seems poor Engle1147 has tried just about everything. I thought I had it narrowed down to a fuel problem because I also got it to run on ether.
I'll keep watching this post and hope for the best...for both of us!
Thanks
I'll keep watching this post and hope for the best...for both of us!
Thanks
I'M BACK TO LOOKING AT THE VATS -- AGAIN! I THINK I MAY HAVE STUMBLED ONTO SOMETHING ABOUT THE VATS DECODER MODULE IN ONE OF MY BOOKS. I'M NOT GETTING A CODE 53 ON THE ECM --BUT THIS IS NOT A CODE THAT CAN BE STORED. CHECK THIS OUT:
I'M TIRED OF ALL THE EMPTY BOX DRAWINGS! I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF THE 5VDC IS STANDARD OR A 30Hz SIGNAL (I OWN NO "O" SCOPE). MY CAR IS AN 1989 WITH A 16198259 ECM. ANYBODY KNOW THIS?