"85 Intermittant No Start
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Bulverde TX
"85 Intermittant No Start
I have asked for help before on this same problem and really thought I had it fixed! I guess not.
I bought this car with a "wells" control module so I replaced with a "Holley" and that seemed to fix it for awhile. Now I have an AC Delco and that seemed to fix it for awhile also. Now its dead again but some other issues showed up before the death. The coolant fan stopped working and the dash is totally freaked out most of the time.
I really think it's the ECM but I hate to buy a reman. on a guess. Does anyone have a clue???? Help please!!!
I bought this car with a "wells" control module so I replaced with a "Holley" and that seemed to fix it for awhile. Now I have an AC Delco and that seemed to fix it for awhile also. Now its dead again but some other issues showed up before the death. The coolant fan stopped working and the dash is totally freaked out most of the time.
I really think it's the ECM but I hate to buy a reman. on a guess. Does anyone have a clue???? Help please!!!
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 22
If a bad ECM was behind all of the previous failures...highly unlikely. Bad ECMs can;t be mask by other components. One failing after another...is more than coincidence. Its a pattern.
Sounds more like grounds or voltage issues. The electronics in the digital dash are fairly sensitive. If its AFU and acting strange you can almost bet that its a ground problem IF the cluster has not been fried by some spike from something feeding back into the system. Thats the best arguement for not using aftermarket stuff with OEM componants still in place.
Sounds more like grounds or voltage issues. The electronics in the digital dash are fairly sensitive. If its AFU and acting strange you can almost bet that its a ground problem IF the cluster has not been fried by some spike from something feeding back into the system. Thats the best arguement for not using aftermarket stuff with OEM componants still in place.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Bulverde TX
Thats what I thought also. So just for grins I reinstalled the Holley module and it started up. I ran out of daylight so I havent installed the AC Delco again to see if it will still run.
I was thinking the same about the dash but just wanted another opinion before digging into the dash.
I was thinking the same about the dash but just wanted another opinion before digging into the dash.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Bulverde TX
COME ON PEOPLE! Someone on here has to know something about my situation. I really need to get the car running again! There are tons of knowledgable people on this site one of yall has to be able to help me out!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 995
Likes: 1
From: Naples Campania
I don't think I've ever seen a C4 operate properly with an aftermarket control module. Mostly because there is really no reason to do it. A tuner and some time can make the motor operate the way it should.
I tired this with my car. It was a Pro Flo 2 system from Edlebrock. Ran for about 3 days... kinda. Finally got it running correctly. Drove it to the shipping yard for transport and the ECM fried. Installed the old TPI and basically threw the system in the trash while pissing away a few thousand dollars.
See if you can find a junk yard and get an origional ECM. Where are you located? I'm sure there is a Corvette scrap shop somewhere around you. If not, we can suggest places that will mail you one. They are not re-manufactured, they generally come out of a Corvette that has been rear-ended and can be pretty cheap.
I tired this with my car. It was a Pro Flo 2 system from Edlebrock. Ran for about 3 days... kinda. Finally got it running correctly. Drove it to the shipping yard for transport and the ECM fried. Installed the old TPI and basically threw the system in the trash while pissing away a few thousand dollars.
See if you can find a junk yard and get an origional ECM. Where are you located? I'm sure there is a Corvette scrap shop somewhere around you. If not, we can suggest places that will mail you one. They are not re-manufactured, they generally come out of a Corvette that has been rear-ended and can be pretty cheap.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Bulverde TX
I don't think I've ever seen a C4 operate properly with an aftermarket control module. Mostly because there is really no reason to do it. A tuner and some time can make the motor operate the way it should.
I tired this with my car. It was a Pro Flo 2 system from Edlebrock. Ran for about 3 days... kinda. Finally got it running correctly. Drove it to the shipping yard for transport and the ECM fried. Installed the old TPI and basically threw the system in the trash while pissing away a few thousand dollars.
See if you can find a junk yard and get an origional ECM. Where are you located? I'm sure there is a Corvette scrap shop somewhere around you. If not, we can suggest places that will mail you one. They are not re-manufactured, they generally come out of a Corvette that has been rear-ended and can be pretty cheap.
I tired this with my car. It was a Pro Flo 2 system from Edlebrock. Ran for about 3 days... kinda. Finally got it running correctly. Drove it to the shipping yard for transport and the ECM fried. Installed the old TPI and basically threw the system in the trash while pissing away a few thousand dollars.
See if you can find a junk yard and get an origional ECM. Where are you located? I'm sure there is a Corvette scrap shop somewhere around you. If not, we can suggest places that will mail you one. They are not re-manufactured, they generally come out of a Corvette that has been rear-ended and can be pretty cheap.
I don't have and aftermarket ECM it's a new AC Delco and the computer is the one that came in the car, but it is a re-man.. So are you saying you think it's the computer?
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
You do not provide a clear explanation of exactly what is happening with your car. If you can't start the engine, is it because the starter won't crank the engine or that it does crank the engine but the engine will not start and continue to run? First you should get the engine to start and run, then work on the other problems.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Bulverde TX
The car will crank until the battery dies...it has zero spark. The ignition module is a brand new AC Delco and the computer is the one that was in the car when I purchased it about 3 years ago but it does say re-man on it. When the engine starts it has spark and acts like everything is fine and usually when it stops running it is only for a day and the next day it starts again but this time it has been dead for about a week or more and still wont start. The dash normally will work for a few minutes and then flickers resets itself and comes on again but now wont come on at all. Hope this helps get me some answers!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 995
Likes: 1
From: Naples Campania
Are you sure it has absolutally 0 spark? I use a timing light to test all of the cables just to make sure they are getting spark.
Turn motor to TDC and make sure that the distro is pointing at #1
Does the exhaust smell like fuel?
What it does get up and running, is it running smooth, or is it at all chop?
At least we can rule 2 things out. It's not VATS and it's not the starter.
Did u pull codes?
Turn motor to TDC and make sure that the distro is pointing at #1
Does the exhaust smell like fuel?
What it does get up and running, is it running smooth, or is it at all chop?
At least we can rule 2 things out. It's not VATS and it's not the starter.
Did u pull codes?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 435
Likes: 0
From: Bulverde TX
Yes zero spark we checked with a timing light.
The exhaust does not smell like fuel.
When it does start it runs kinda choppy but i just did all new spark plugs but now it wont start so havent got see if that helped.
I honestly havent tried to pull codes. There isnt a check engine light though.
The exhaust does not smell like fuel.
When it does start it runs kinda choppy but i just did all new spark plugs but now it wont start so havent got see if that helped.
I honestly havent tried to pull codes. There isnt a check engine light though.