just put in new fuel pump .....think it started-------NOT.
Really im not suprised

 

Do I understand it correctly that you could not get this car to start in 13 months?

Other than throwing parts at it, what have you done to diagnose the no start condition?

 

pulled a couple plugs to check for spark --had spark so i assumed it was a fuel prob. Didnt want to spend 60 bucks on a fuel press tester thet i prob would only use once . after trying to start i pulled a plug .....smelled like gas ...was i little moist with gas on it. when i checked for spark it seemed like it was a weak spark ...could just be my lack of mech.skill! But i seem to remember checking spark on other cars in the past and the spark seemed to be alot stronger. is it possable to have a weak spark? my batt. was fully charged when i changed my fuel pump and tried to start but was boosted when i checked for spark a week ago?

 

It is. Weak spark or weak fuel can contribute to a no start condition, as can many other things. I have been down this road many times when I was younger. I have come to the conclusion that proper diagnosis is always cheaper than parts swapping.
You may want to buy a HEI spark tester. They are cheap, and will give you an idea of spark output. You definately want to beg, borrow, steal or buy a fuel pressure guage too.

 

talked to a buddy who's a mech figures it sounds like its flooded cause i checked a plug after trying to raise the dead and it was wet . wondering would it be easyer to pull a fuse other than unplugging all the injectors to try to clear up the motor.must be fuses for the injectors!! herd someone say a guy can use a tire press. gage on the shrader valve for fuel press. wondering if this is true!!

 

All you need to do to stop the injectors from firing while cranking is to hold the accelerator pedal to the floor (clear flood mode).

 

Take the ICM and coil out and have them checked at Advance auto. They're on the passenger side cylinder head at the front. Take 5 minutes to remove them.

 

 

in the prosess of removing the coil i found the plug ends pritty coroded -i tried to post some pics but cant figure out how !!! i got them into my garage in my profile if yo want to see pics. could this be my problem? I think one is the throttle possition sensor and the other a air temp sensor!!!! I think!!

 

Upload your pictures to Photobucket to post pictures. Copy &Paste the IMG link to your post here.

I'd go get some electronics cleaner and clean every sensor on the car you can find. Those look pretty bad. Chances are if those are that bad there are others.

 

Have you checked the fuel pressure regulator?

 

Am I reading this right? No start in over a year?

 

year and a half. dont have the cash to throw at it any more.ran into a bit of cash so im playing around with it again.no i havent checked fuel press. reg. isnt it under pass side dash? need a contortionist for that.how do you test such a thing.(Im off to get some electrical cleaner .....later)

 

How is throwing parts at it working for ya?

Do us a favor. Start at the beginning and list the symptoms and what has been done. Together we can figure it out.

 

The fuel pressure regulator is on the fuel rail, on top of the engine.. For a simple check, pull the vaccum hose and see if you smell fuel. The best method is to do a fuel leak-down test, which you will need a fuel pressure gauge to perform.

 

just spent half hour typing this out and comp.froze so here we go again- cleaned all connections i could find and still no start!And for MK 42 it all started with a little hesetation off the line and a knocking like it was out of time.It would spit and sputter untill i took my foot off the throttle,then it would take off like normal.took it in and got a vacume test new plugs and wires,an injection air intake purge fuel filter,two knock sensors.nothing changed no codes dealership was speechless didnt know where to go from this point.So 2 winters ago i had my opti changed (cause it craped out)to a msd and a msd coil ,and new water pump.car ran fine for a week then i put a chip in ....ran fine for 2 days then i noticed it's taking longer to start so out comes the chip,car was taking 10-15 min. to start,but once it started it drove and after shutting off it started right up.just after complete cooldown is when it happens.i had another ecm from before .wasnt the problem so i had a spare.tried both no change.here's what ive put in - 2knock sensors................................$ 114.78 map sensor.................................. ....$23.37 map sensor pig tail ........................ $21.54 2rear u-joints replaced......................$56.00. labour.................................. ......... $436.00 ecm..................................... ..........$344.51 msd dist.................................... .....$629.00 msd coil.................................... .......$59.83 msd rotor .................,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,$ 32.60 my msd dist was missing rotor!!!! injection air intake purge.................$129.95 fuel filter.................................. .......$36.80 trans.flush............................. ........$157.40 bosch 3injectors(jon's).....................$2 00.54 platinum plugs................................$23 4.00 spark plug wires..............................$136. 00 thermostat.............................. .........$35.70 TB gasket.................................. .......$12.80 harmonic ballancer...........................$285 .95 water pump.................................... .$360.94 labour for installs and tests....... $616.00 $399.75...$679.81..$240.00....$456.25

 

sorry it didn't look like that when i submitted that last reply

 

Actually the good news is it is a lot easier to figure out why a car won't run than to figure out why it runs poorly.

Perhaps the mechanic didn't get the coil wire to snap into the opti all the way. Then after a couple of weeks it vibrated loose?

Anyway an engine needs two things to run, spark and gas. That's it, the basics. You have a problem with one of the two. So you need to figure out which it is.

Pull #1 spark plug wire and hold it a 1/4 inch from the plug. Do you get a nice heathly spark jumping across when your buddy turns over the engine? If so you have spark so pull a plug and see what it looks like. Is it fouled, is it bone dry? Can you smell gas? All clues. If there is no spark or it is erratic, chase the other way, check if spark is coming out of the coil.


Anyway good luck

 

Sounds like you've replaced nearly all the sensors and components that may be causing the problem. Perhaps you have a bad wire harness. If you haven't already done so, unplug the harness from the opti (runs from the opti over the passanger side valve cover,) and with an ohm meter check both end for continuity. I have to think that with so many new components the connections between them which are old and have been exxposed to many years of heat may be failing.

Something else, If you ran the car to nearly empty with gas that is a year and a half old that may be your problem. Old gas will lose octane, can turn into varnish, and the moisture in the gas may also begin to seperate, all of which may cause the rough and spoty performance. If you dont have too much gas in it you may want to drain it and replace the fuel filter.

 

First of all, there isn't anything wrong with the OEM coil, it has plenty of spark energy AND it was designed to work with the optispark for a long time. Aftermarket ignition systems can damage the rest of the stock ignition components, particularly the opti with sparking inside the opti and making carbon tracks. You can quick test the spark by removing a plug wire and bring a grounded wire near the plug boot while someone cranks the engine a few cranks. You should get a nice snappy at least 1/2 inch spark. Your OEM components will easily do this, you don't need any more spark!!!!!!!!!!!!! Also, you can buy a fuel pressure gauge for about $12, a hell of a lot cheaper than ***** nilly replacing parts here there and everywhere like you have been doing. When you have engine problems, FIRST, make the standard tests just like you read on page one of every car repair book!!!!!! Engines need strong spark and spark at the right time, fuel and air and in the correct ratio and compression in order to start and run. Use a timing light during cranking to see if you have spark at the right time, see how long a spark you get during cranking by the grounded wire method I just explained. Measure fuel pressure, 35-42 lbs/sq in. and see if it holds up after the ign sw has been on for more than 2 seconds and then turned off. In C4's it should hold up a long time or you have leaky fuel injectors or a defective check valve in the fuel pressure regulator. Spray starter fluid into the MAF during cranking to see if it will start and run for a short time. If it will, then you have a fuel/air problem.
OH,............. I'd find a better mechanic too!!!!!!!!!!!!!