Last week I had an issue with my car not starting shortly after getting it back from the shop. After getting advice from here and trying different things, it did not work. I had it towed AGAIN to the shop and they replaced the relay and said it was fine. I picked it up from the shop and the stinking thing died again as I was pulling into work.

It will start up, but as soon as I give it gas, it dies. When it does start up, it sounds as though it is struggling to stay on. Called the shop and the guy who worked on it is gone for the day. It cost $125 to flat bed this thing to the shop, so I want to avoid that again.

Any ideas??? I am going to go and ,ess with the relay and see what happens...

 

Unless I missed it, you werent very specific on some prior information. I saw that you mentioned getting pulley issues fixed previsouly, what exactly was done at this shop? Was it running fine before your car went to the shop? Are you getting any codes? And what relay did they replace? It sounds like the mass air flow sensor is bad.

 

Car was taken to the shop twice...first for a pulley swap. Was going to add an ASP pulley, but it was defective, so they put a new stock one on it. I picked the car up and drove to work (about 20 miles). When I was leaving work, the car would not start. I checked a few things to no avail, so the following day I had the car towed back to the same shop thinking maybe something was disconnected during the pulley swap.

Shop calls and says it was a bad fuel relay and they replaced it ($145 total). I picked up the car yesterday and drove straight to an alignment shop since I recently added CCW's. Picked it up from alignment shop today and drove to exhaust shop to get bassani x-pipe installed. Left exhaust shop and drove to work. As I was turning into the parking lot, the car went flat and then died. I re-started it and it "coughed" and started, but RPM's would not go up and the car died. Tried a few times with same result...car sounds as though it is struggling to start, it starts, I press the gas and it dies.

Replaced fuel relay....no SES light...how do I check for codes?

 

If you turn the key on, but not to the start position. Do you here the fuel pump prime up?

 

If you had any codes pop up, the SES (engine) light would come on. As for pulling up to see the codes, with the key in the on position or engine running, you hold the options button down and hit the fuel button 4 times and they will come up and it will scroll through all the categories. I assume the car was running fine before they touched it, so logic would suggest it was something they did or didnt do or broke upon reassembly. Ive had similar situations with what you describe and it was the mass air flow sensor that was bad. If you want to check your fuel pressure, get a fuel pressure gauge and connect it to the end of the fuel rail and start the car and see what the pressure reads while the car is starting and running. Depending on the gauge you use, you may have to take out, unscrew, the shrader valve at the end of the fuel rail.

 

A friend of mine was having similar problems on his '98 a couple of weeks ago. It ended up being a problem with one of the grounds.

 

Here is one of the best code web sites! http://www.corvettedoctor.com/Codes_Page.htm

BC

 

Just tinkered with the car some more...swapped relays, etc and nothing worked. It is doing the same thing it did last week and was supposedly fixed. It may just be a ground or something....

Which ground did your buddy fix?

I tried listening for the fuel pump to kick on, but all I hear is the darn beep that happens when you turn the key...it is super loud and can not hear if the pump kicks on.

New post about changing fuel pump...http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...post1550635596

 

The way you're describing the symptoms I'd guess that it has something to do with the air intake being restricted. It could be the MAF sensor, but I'd check everything between the air filter and intake manifold to see if there is a problem. Check the air bridge to see if it's crushed, look for a FME (usually a rag) that got left behind, you get the idea....

One other possibility (although remote on a C5). I had an Olds Delta 88 when I was in the Navy that would start and idle just fine, but the power (what there was) was GONE. It tested fine on a diagnostic machine, but was just as weak as it could be driving down the road. Gas mileage was down to about 5 MPG also. Every tech at the local Sears had a crack at it (it was the only garage I could walk to at the time), but after replacing the MAF sensor and giving it a complete tune-up nothing had changed. One day while I was telling the service manager that I wanted all of my original parts put back on and all of my money back for the rather expensive new ones some old guy asked me if he could take a look. I told him to have a blast. He asked me to put the front bumper against the brick wall outside and pop the hood. After some coaxing I did it, he then asked me to put it back in drive and hit the gas I figured it couldn't hurt, my car had no power, so I gunned it. The engine almost came out of the car! He said "You got a broke motor mount, the engine is rising up and crushing the air intake when you try to drive." $50 later it was fixed Anyway, check the air intake.

 

PLEASE read and list all of your codes. I am one of the forum ground wizards and I had a really good ground repair post but something happened to it. If necessary I will send you some ground checking and cleaning info.

When you say "Wont start" do you mean it turns over but doesnt fire?

If that is the case, I need you to see if you have spark and Fuel pressure.

Remove one spark plug wire and insert a screwdriver into the boot end and hold the shank 1/8 to 1/4" away from ground while someone cranks it. Should ghet a good strong spark. Report results. After checking that, remove the fuel rail schader valve cap and press the small pin inside the valve. Use a rag to catch the fuel and see if it is pressureized. BE CAREFUL with the fuel. Report back.

Have someone turn the key to on while you listen to the drivers side fuel tank to see if you can hear the the fuel pump run. If you do not hear the fuel pump run for about 2-3 seconds, check the ground wire for the fuel pump. It is located on the rear frame rail just aft of the rear tire. Here is a picture of it.



Look between the rear side of the rear wheel and the fender well. Yours will be a stud. I had to replace mine with a screw. It broke off! I would recommend removing the nut and cleaning the eyelet, chassis contact area and the stud. Have you ever had a fuel guage issue???

If you have any other questions Please let me know. We will get her back up and running!!!

I really enjoy your web site!!!

 

7 a.m. here...going back out to my car shortly to check the things you stated above. Can you post another pic of the ground wire since it is not showing on the site?

Thanks
Rodrigo

 

I am having an issue with my picture hosting site. Send me your e-mail address and I will send you all of the pictures that you need. send it to: bill327@msn.com

 

Okay, just returned from messing with the car again...

I obviously do not have a shrader valve...as soon as I unscrewed the cap, fuel shot out like crazy. I waited for the fuel to dry off and attempted to start the car. It started and then died. I turned it again and it started, but died pretty quickly. I unscrewed the valve again (slowly this time) and a few drops came out of the fuel rail.

So, I believe it is a fuel pump issue...the fuel pump is starting to go bad. I am going to call the shop that charged me $145 to change a relay and see what they say about using that towards fixing the pump. Odds are that I will have to do it myself, but I can do it at the base hobby shop (car shop to work on vehicles with all tools provided).

Here is what I need....how difficult is this going to be? Is there anything special I should be concerned with in removing and replacing the fuel pump? Should I just stick with the stock pump or get an aftermarket set up? I have about 3/4 tank of fuel...how difficult will it be to drain or do I even need to drain it?

Thanks in advance for the help...

 

I had the exact same problem yesterday after removing the Hypertech program as I was taking it in for the column lock recall.Good thing too as they reflashed the pcm, besides removing locking plate. First I tried removing fuses 16 and 23, no help, then I disconnected the ground cable at the battery as the dic was still operating with the key out. I then called Hypertech told him what the car was doing and he told me I had a Corvette, I hadnt mentioned that. He then gave me a procedure to fix my problem, I went back out reconnected the ground cable and on a whim tried to start my car. It started right up and ran perfect.After the recall work was done I drove home and reinstalled the Hypertech program, just as I finished, got a low voltage message on the dic,thats how I know they reflashed the Pcm, I'm on my third battery and never before had I gotten that message.

 

Sent you an email...

 

I may have it fixed...codes read low voltage, so I bought a red top battery...installed it and waited a few minutes. Turned the key and the car started right up!

Since the car sat in storage for 10 months, the battery had to be charged. It had to be charged a couple of more times...I did not even think to do this first. I am keeping my fingers crossed and will drive the car more tomorrow to see how it acts.

Thanks to all who helped.