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Car wont start.

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Old 07-25-2005, 11:38 AM
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Car: 89' Iroc-Z G92
Engine: TPI 305 G92
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Limited 9 bolt, 3.45
Car wont start.

It has been doing this on and off for the past few months

I hear the fuel pump relay, I hear the fuel pump kick in, when I stop cranking I hear the fuel pump shutdown. The fuel pressure sits around 40psi.

I have completely rebuilt the dizzy. Cap, rotor, icm, and pickup coil. The car has platinum 4 plugs and new wires. It's the second battery; it was replaced in 96', the car has 37K on it. Generally, everything works fine. When it runs, it runs beautifully. It has a 15*advance at the dizzy base which equals 45* total.

New Ignition keys which normally start it right up. I have also cleaned up the grounds and the mounting surfaces in the engine bay.

What is it the coil, the ignition box. Not much left to replace. Its a 305 but when I gun it still snaps your head into the seat. Why won't this thing start?

Last edited by Mcdamit; 07-25-2005 at 09:12 PM.
Old 07-25-2005, 02:23 PM
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Car: 89' Iroc-Z G92
Engine: TPI 305 G92
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Limited 9 bolt, 3.45
any ideas on a serious note, just ran out of battery so im gonna charge it back up, coil i guess it just cranks i have fuel and everything else in the igntion system is brand new
Old 07-25-2005, 05:52 PM
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Car: 91 Formula, 92 Vert
Engine: 350 TPI, 350 LT1
Transmission: Both Auto
Get those Bosche Platinum +4's out of there! Our cars run like absolute garbage with platinum. Stick to AC Delco and NEVER deviate from that!
Old 07-25-2005, 07:41 PM
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Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: LS1/LQ4
Transmission: 4L60E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
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Old 07-26-2005, 09:38 AM
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Car: 1982 Z28
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Try a squirt of starting fluid (aerosol Ether).

If it starts w/ this, it's a fueling issue.

If it doesn't, it's either ignition or compression.
Old 07-26-2005, 10:45 AM
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Car: 1988 Pontiac Firebird Formula
Engine: 5.7 TPI
Transmission: 700R4
Check for spark. Check for injector pulse. See which one you don't have.
Old 07-26-2005, 04:07 PM
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Car: 89' Iroc-Z G92
Engine: TPI 305 G92
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Limited 9 bolt, 3.45
got spark, spark is bright blue if that helps so i guess it the expensive area. Fuel system. well its probably injectors then. Anyway to test them? anyway to test the their power leads? The good ole" light bulb check up I guess. I am gonna try the starting fluid, but I doubt its compression.
Old 07-26-2005, 05:56 PM
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Car: 1982 Z28
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Yup, try the starting fluid and rule out the ign system once and for all.

If it starts and runs under starting fluid, $6 gets you an injector test light at PepBoys that will tell you if the ECM is pulsing the injectors.
Old 07-26-2005, 06:06 PM
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Car: 89' Iroc-Z G92
Engine: TPI 305 G92
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Limited 9 bolt, 3.45
well just got the battery recharged, started right up, with the fluid. ill pick up the test light later on tonite. hey can it be just a standard test light? and should it continue to run for a minute or just shutdown? I am replacing the battery later but the thing turns the starter relatively fast so its not that. this is a gonna be expensive isn't it
Old 07-26-2005, 07:29 PM
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Car: 1982 Z28
Engine: LS1
Transmission: T56
Nope, it has to be a special-purpose injector test light. Package should say it's for GM cars, so it'll have the right connector. It should blink while cranking. They're usually in the tools aisle on the rack with the other specialty tools.

Under starting fluid it should fire up and run for a sec or two while the last of the fluid is pulled out of the plenum.

If your ECM isn't firing the injectors, troubleshoot it as a possible VATS issue.

If the ECM is firing the injectors (test light blinks) get a fuel pressure gauge and verify you have 40-45psi at the rail.
Old 07-26-2005, 08:22 PM
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Car: 89' Iroc-Z G92
Engine: TPI 305 G92
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Limited 9 bolt, 3.45
okay, I hate this car..... she runs like a doll now, its an intermittant problem as I stated earlier. It ran for five minutes before so the injectors are firing. The tb is clean and dry.

This problem started before I bought it, except it would stall alot, then that switched over to this. So far I have replaced the ICM, the cap, rotor, plugs, wires, pickup coil. Changed the oil, changed the fuel and oil filter. Bought a new oil pressure sensor but that fixed itself before I put in the new one.

I am sick of this car doing this stuff breaks and it fixes itself. Radio breaks and 2 hours later its working, sensors break and fix themselves. I keep dying in parking lots, all I do is sit there and crank and listen to the fuel pump and starter.

Anyone have any clue, I might just start replacing the rest of the igntion and then go for the fuel pressure regulator and relays. I am going to pick up another battery, because this one has seen constant trickle charging and jumps. Its the second battery and it works everything and load tests fine but I hate worrying. What would cause the start right up/wont start bs.

I am going to pick up that tool you reccommended as well seems good to have.
Old 07-28-2005, 08:56 AM
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Car: 89 GTA
Engine: 350 tpi
Transmission: 700r4
I have had similar problems im still working out as we speak. Check your injectors with a volt/ohm meter they should be around 16-17 ohms under 10 is toast. 1 bad injector can cause these symptoms. And next time it doesnt start unplug injectors 1 at a time if it fires you have found your problem injector, the resistance reading should already indicate that though.
Old 07-28-2005, 09:51 AM
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Car: 89' Iroc-Z G92
Engine: TPI 305 G92
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Limited 9 bolt, 3.45
thanks dan,,, when you refered to the volt/ohm meter you meant a multimeter, right?

Last edited by Mcdamit; 07-28-2005 at 10:10 AM.
Old 07-28-2005, 10:12 AM
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Car: 89 GTA
Engine: 350 tpi
Transmission: 700r4
Yep
Old 07-28-2005, 10:16 AM
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Car: 89' Iroc-Z G92
Engine: TPI 305 G92
Transmission: T-5
Axle/Gears: Limited 9 bolt, 3.45
i thought it felt like I had a miss, but you should have seen how she ran after she came out of storage from my garage after two years, compacted from the storage @ the previous owners garage after 5 years. Yeah gas that old, with alcohol and fuel stabilizer.
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