still a problem, need suggestions
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: New Egypt NJ
still a problem, need suggestions
Vette got a new fuel pump, fuel filter, ignition module approx. one month ago. Drove it for a day or 2 before the brake calipers froze up. Ok, just got my brakes fixed. Took it out today, drove it for 5 min. (dropped my kid off somewhere), and the car wouldn't start for 10 minutes. Sounded like the first time I had problems. Just kept on turning over and over, not catching at all. Finally started, got it home. Turned it off and again wouldn't start, but that lasted for only a minute then started again,,,,several times.
What now?
What now?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,130
Likes: 2
From: seattle WA
Always best to state the year first...profile says it's a 91. Next time it won't start, hold the gas pedal to the floor while cranking....could be it's flooding, this will put the computer into clear flood mode. If you have a fuel pressure guage it's time to see if the injectors might be leaking.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,807
Likes: 0
From: Somewherein Pa
Vette got a new fuel pump, fuel filter, ignition module approx. one month ago. Drove it for a day or 2 before the brake calipers froze up. Ok, just got my brakes fixed. Took it out today, drove it for 5 min. (dropped my kid off somewhere), and the car wouldn't start for 10 minutes. Sounded like the first time I had problems. Just kept on turning over and over, not catching at all. Finally started, got it home. Turned it off and again wouldn't start, but that lasted for only a minute then started again,,,,several times.
What now?
What now?
Enjoy the ride!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
When it won't start, that is the time to do some diagnostic testing to see where the problem is. First I would check for stored codes. Next, use your timing light to see if you have spark and spark at the right time. Measure the fuel pressure on the end of the fuel rail and watch the pressure when you turn off the ign. If it falls rapidly, you may have a leaky injector/s. Pull an injector plug and connect a noid light (available at parts stores), or use a low powered 12v lamp like a 194 side marker lamp across the plug and crank the engine and see if the light pulses showing the distributor and ECM are working.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,043
Likes: 8
From: Tampa Florida
Spray It
Might want to check your injectors, my 89 would start then when it got warm, if I turned it off it would not start for about 10 minutes. When the injectors where tested, 2 where below 10 ohm, 2 where good and 4 where 13 and below. New injectors = no problems now! Maybe coil next, Good Luck!
Enjoy the ride!
Enjoy the ride!
If the ohm readings don't show anything unusal...get some ether/starting fluid and spray it into the throttle body and see if the engine will start and run off the spray. If the engine starts/runs/keeps running off the ether-replace the injectors.
Pro
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 638
Likes: 1
From: Robesonia Pa
looks tougher than it is! Samlam has an instruction guide that works well. Took me the course of a weekend but then again I took my time and cleaned everything real well
http://webpages.charter.net/buddiel/...al)%201-04.doc
http://webpages.charter.net/buddiel/...al)%201-04.doc
Last edited by Livin the Dream; Aug 6, 2007 at 09:16 PM. Reason: added link
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Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: New Egypt NJ
Update
2 Fuel pumps and one distributer later, the car runs beautiful.......
but theres always a but.
Worked great for 2 weeks. Took it out for a long ride on a Sunday, worked great except on the way home that night the stereo decided to not work occasionally. Radio stayed on but no sound?? turned it off, turned it back on 5 min. later, worked for 5 min. off again. Ran okay but did stall when I hit the driveway.
Anyway, drove it Monday, drove great, no stereo problems. Just assumed it hated driving for almost 2 hours. Won't do that again.
Kept it home for the rest of the week till Friday (last Friday). Started it up, immediately heard a rattling sound coming from the right front of the car. Took it out anyway. Within 2 miles from my house, my car started slowing down till it died. And thats where it stayed. When I tried starting it, it would start, but once I tried to go forward, it stalled. I had to move it forward slowly by shifting it into second,,,,(I was stuck in front of someone's driveway). You know its bad when you call AAA and they say, "Are you in your Vette?"
So now it sits at a garage. Waiting. They said it might be a vacuum leak but not sure.
but theres always a but.
Worked great for 2 weeks. Took it out for a long ride on a Sunday, worked great except on the way home that night the stereo decided to not work occasionally. Radio stayed on but no sound?? turned it off, turned it back on 5 min. later, worked for 5 min. off again. Ran okay but did stall when I hit the driveway.
Anyway, drove it Monday, drove great, no stereo problems. Just assumed it hated driving for almost 2 hours. Won't do that again.
Kept it home for the rest of the week till Friday (last Friday). Started it up, immediately heard a rattling sound coming from the right front of the car. Took it out anyway. Within 2 miles from my house, my car started slowing down till it died. And thats where it stayed. When I tried starting it, it would start, but once I tried to go forward, it stalled. I had to move it forward slowly by shifting it into second,,,,(I was stuck in front of someone's driveway). You know its bad when you call AAA and they say, "Are you in your Vette?"
So now it sits at a garage. Waiting. They said it might be a vacuum leak but not sure.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio TX
Not sure if this helps but I had a fuel pressure regulator go bad on me. When I disconnected the vacuum line I found it wet with gas. When the engine was warm it was very hard to start. Turned out that gas would leak through the vacuum line into the intake and cause it to flood. Fixed that and it cured the problem. Now I'm chasing another issue. I think it's electrical.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,566
Likes: 4
From: Mt Laurel NJ
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
No. Search the web, I think you can pickup a new "Y" pipe and cat for about $210.00 dollars shipped, if you get the unit w/o the precats; w/ the precats are more money. Be careful of muffler shops,
call around first.Good luck
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: New Egypt NJ
Well, if my husband wasn't too busy getting this Devils Stadium ready, I would search the internet and we would do it ourselves, but, if I want this done now and correctly, our local garage that has been servicing my car is doing it for me, or should I say, sending my car out to get it done. My Vette has 3 catalytic converters??? They are making it into 1? Someone please explain. They say it'll run faster than before. Maybe this was the unknown knocking sound since I've owned it for over a year and no one knows what it is?
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
Well, if my husband wasn't too busy getting this Devils Stadium ready, I would search the internet and we would do it ourselves, but, if I want this done now and correctly, our local garage that has been servicing my car is doing it for me, or should I say, sending my car out to get it done. My Vette has 3 catalytic converters??? They are making it into 1? Someone please explain. They say it'll run faster than before. Maybe this was the unknown knocking sound since I've owned it for over a year and no one knows what it is?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: New Egypt NJ
Your car has 2 precats in the front Y pipe which are more like resonators that smooth and quiet the sound and the main catalytic converter in the middle which is for emissions. I havent heard of a cat causing the car to not start like that and taking it down to one isnt going to do much except make the exhaust slightly louder.
No really, the car starts. Just started to slow down then stall. Afterwards started again but stalled once I tried to go forward. It did let me move a little in second gear without stalling.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
Sounds like no or low spark. Unplug a plug wire and bring a wire with a clip lead on each end connected to ground and bring it close to the plug wire while someone cranks a few revs. You should easily have a snappy bright 1/2 inch or longer spark. Weak spark (1/4 inch or less) indicates you need to look into the ignition, maybe bad coil or spark module. Look into the distributor cap for carbon tracks. Also remove the rotor and look at the hemispherical well under the center of the rotor. If it has a black carbon track, replace the rotor.
If spark is ok, then spray starting fluid into the MAF while someone cranks and if it runs, then you need to look at the fuel sytem, fuel pressure, electrical pulses at the injectors, rapid fuel pressure drop after ign is turned off.
If spark is ok, then spray starting fluid into the MAF while someone cranks and if it runs, then you need to look at the fuel sytem, fuel pressure, electrical pulses at the injectors, rapid fuel pressure drop after ign is turned off.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Spring Hill Florida
Hmm, mine does just that, wont start, runs fine off the spray, but the injectors have all been replaced.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
From: New Egypt NJ
Ok!!! Sunday today!!! Got it back!!!
Runs smooth, yes its louder. But it POPS really loud.
Still have that rattling sound when the car is idling, which like I said before, no one seems to know where that sound is coming from?
Runs smooth, yes its louder. But it POPS really loud.
Still have that rattling sound when the car is idling, which like I said before, no one seems to know where that sound is coming from?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 9,715
Likes: 27
From: Kempner Texas
There's an old mechanics trick of using a broom handle or a long piece of rubber hose to track down where sounds are emanating.
Put the handle/hose to your ear and move the other end around to various locations. When you get close to the area of the rattle, you should be able to hear it through the handle/hose. Once you've zeroed in on the general area, it should be easier to find the source.
BTW, be careful around moving parts, like the serpentine belt, pulleys, etc.
Hope this helps.
Jake
Put the handle/hose to your ear and move the other end around to various locations. When you get close to the area of the rattle, you should be able to hear it through the handle/hose. Once you've zeroed in on the general area, it should be easier to find the source.
BTW, be careful around moving parts, like the serpentine belt, pulleys, etc.
Hope this helps.
Jake