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Hello all,
We have an 89 Buick Electra Park Avenue with the 3800 series Vin C engine that has developed starting issues. The car had 205000 miles on it and was being driven daily when one day it wanted to not start without cranking forever.
Multiple parts have been thrown at it:
fuel filter
fuel pump
cam sensor
crank sensor
PCM
IAC valve
MAF sensor
plugsIgnition coils have been swapped with known working ones.
Ignition control module has been swapped with a new one.
Plug wires checked.
Fuel pressure key on engine off is at 45 psi.
Fuel pressure at idle is at 36-37 psi.No fuel leaking from the fuel pressure regulator when you pull the vacuum hose. No obvious smell of gas at the hose or FPR.
MAF sensor was just changed today and on the test drive the SES light came on. And off. And on. And off … and on.
About the only thing that hasn’t been changed is the FPR.
Thoughts? Comments? Help??
Any and all suggestions are welcome.
Thank you,
Jim
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Replies
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one day it wanted to not start without cranking forever.
I <3 no crank/no starts...
First thing I always do (of course after checking the battery etc.) is go right to the starter and see if it is getting what it needs. Jump the B/M terminals and see if you can 'force' the starter to engage. If nothing, test for voltage at the B terminal. Then take a big socket wrench and try to manually turn the engine over. If it is seized up, then you probably have a spun bearing or other mechanical problem.
If starter engages, then the problem is in the ignition circuit. Getting an electrical schematic for your starting circuit will be greatly beneficial. You will typically have devices such as solenoids, relays, neutral safety switches, alarm lock out (usually aftermarket gives a lot of problems) and the ignition cylinder itself you can test. Some starter circuits even have an inline fuse (but this is rare.)
I believe Mr. Carguy could also offer you a few tips that I have not covered:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrqkhZmDnHQ[/video]
It’ll crank until the battery dies.
I’m going to attempt to get codes out of today and let it idle a few minutes with the vacuum hose pulled from the FPR to see if there are any leaks there.
Jim
It has been tested for spark – and it will start. It just doesn’t want to start.
Just let it idle for several minutes without the vacuum hose attached to the Fuel Pressure Regulator. No visible leaks, no smell of gas at the vacuum hose.
Just read the blink codes.
34 and 41
34 is Mass Air Flow reporting low air flow
41 is Camshaft Sensor not functioning properly
Camshaft sensor was replaced last year and has less than 1000 miles on it.
Mass Air Flow sensor is new (reman) as of yesterday.Jim
Pull the cam sensor.manually rotate the engine on the
crank.with a flashlight check the cam gear magnet.see
if its missing.Disconnect the negative battery cable while
doing this.
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