First Question... (Starting issue)
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Mississippi
First Question... (Starting issue)
Bought a 1990 vette Friday. Car cranked fine (had a bypass switch tired into the ignition because the rack switch was broke) and drove all day Friday and Saturday morning. Saturday the car died while idling in the driveway. Battery was dead and after checking, the alternator was bad. Recharged the battery and replaced the alternator. Since I was already working on my newly purchased vette I went ahead and replaced the rack switch too. 
After reconnecting everything, I go to start the car and it wouldn't start. Realized I had the airbag fuze out and that was part of the ecm fuse too. Put it back in and tried to crank again.
1. When I turn the key on I can hear the fuel pump running for a few seconds.
2. Checked and the plugs are firing.
3. After about 5 to 8 seconds of trying to crank you can smell gas pretty strong (like it's flooding out really fast).
There's where I started and where I'm at. Any directions please? Thanks!
After reconnecting everything, I go to start the car and it wouldn't start. Realized I had the airbag fuze out and that was part of the ecm fuse too. Put it back in and tried to crank again.
1. When I turn the key on I can hear the fuel pump running for a few seconds.
2. Checked and the plugs are firing.
3. After about 5 to 8 seconds of trying to crank you can smell gas pretty strong (like it's flooding out really fast).
There's where I started and where I'm at. Any directions please? Thanks!
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Mississippi
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
this could very easily be a shorted inj bank which will DUMP raw fuel into the crankcase as will the regulator. You should NOT be able to smell gas in a FI engine even when its not starting. If there IS excess gas coming from somewhere...isolate it by d/c the regulator, and trying a start up. No start, go back and look at each inj plug...they short and kill the whole bank. Pull a plug to see if the cyl is wet.
Look at your dist wires..those clips are good for breaking and the metal tabs in the coil cap corrode and break apart.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Mississippi
Last edited by tonyole; Jul 19, 2011 at 04:36 PM.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Mississippi
Alright here's where we are at:
Fuel in the line and it holds pressure. (it pulsates also when cranking up to 55 psi but holds at 40 psi when at rest)
Checked the injectors and they are pulsating like they are suppose to but they are dumping gas and it want crank...... When we unplug the injectors it will crank and run for a short period of time and then goes dead. Tried hooking 1 injector up to all, but as soon as we did it started dumping fuel again.
We put a hose on the rail and it crank and ran while it poured fuel out. Turned off the car and unhooked the hose that was bleeding the extra pressure/fuel off. Now with it all hooked back up it's cranking? What caused this and what to do to prevent/correct it?
Fuel in the line and it holds pressure. (it pulsates also when cranking up to 55 psi but holds at 40 psi when at rest)
Checked the injectors and they are pulsating like they are suppose to but they are dumping gas and it want crank...... When we unplug the injectors it will crank and run for a short period of time and then goes dead. Tried hooking 1 injector up to all, but as soon as we did it started dumping fuel again.
We put a hose on the rail and it crank and ran while it poured fuel out. Turned off the car and unhooked the hose that was bleeding the extra pressure/fuel off. Now with it all hooked back up it's cranking? What caused this and what to do to prevent/correct it?
Last edited by tonyole; Jul 19, 2011 at 10:34 PM.
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Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
From: Mississippi
Appears it was the Pressure Regulator. Replaced it yesterday evening and the car cranks much easier and quicker. Haven't put the gauge on to check the actual pressure with the new regulator yet but the car cranks so much easier now. 
Thanks to EVERYONE for your help! It really means a lot.... now time for project #2 on the new ride
Thanks to EVERYONE for your help! It really means a lot.... now time for project #2 on the new ride
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
Appears it was the Pressure Regulator. Replaced it yesterday evening and the car cranks much easier and quicker. Haven't put the gauge on to check the actual pressure with the new regulator yet but the car cranks so much easier now.
Thanks to EVERYONE for your help! It really means a lot.... now time for project #2 on the new ride
Thanks to EVERYONE for your help! It really means a lot.... now time for project #2 on the new ride
don;t forget to change the oil 2 times before stressing the motor...gasoline is a solvent and will loosen sludge that was normally stuck to something...it'll take a couple cheap oil changes to get everything out of there.