GM Forum - Buick, Cadillac, Olds, GMC & Pontiac chat

GM Forum - Buick, Cadillac, Olds, GMC & Pontiac chat (https://www.gmforum.com/)
-   Chevrolet (https://www.gmforum.com/chevrolet-179/)
-   -   3.1 starting issues (https://www.gmforum.com/chevrolet-179/3-1-starting-issues-310914/)

beefhat Apr 3, 2017 06:42 PM

3.1 starting issues
 
I have a 90 celebrity wagon Vin code T, 3.1 V6 multi port FI, I was driving one day and it cut out, seconds later power returned, drove another mile or so and it died. Fuel pump works, new fuel filter, new TPS, plugs and wires, coil packs and icm, crankshaft sensor, starter all replaced, replaced exhaust and removed cat converter, no check engine light, checked engine codes and received no stored codes, fuses & relays good and it has fuel to the rail, i don't think there is fuel at the injectors. Really don't think it's my injectors themselves... Ideas?

rjolly87 Apr 3, 2017 08:40 PM

When you say that it cut out, and then power returned, was it acting like you shut the key off, which would involve a dead car, followed by warnings lights and everything coming on after a few seconds, or did you look down to see the dash lit up immediately?

Is the engine cranking at all, or is it cranking fine, but just not starting?

beefhat Apr 3, 2017 08:52 PM


Originally Posted by rjolly87 (Post 1622408)
When you say that it cut out, and then power returned, was it acting like you shut the key off, which would involve a dead car, followed by warnings lights and everything coming on after a few seconds, or did you look down to see the dash lit up immediately?

Is the engine cranking at all, or is it cranking fine, but just not starting?

Lost power, can't really remember what lights lit up but when power cut out and shortly returned i didn't crank on it, it just came back. The engine cranks just fine, in fact it has started a couple of times but immediately died within 5 or 6 seconds of starting.

beefhat Apr 3, 2017 08:56 PM


Originally Posted by beefhat (Post 1622409)
Lost power, can't really remember what lights lit up but when power cut out and shortly returned i didn't crank on it, it just came back. The engine cranks just fine, in fact it has started a couple of times but immediately died within 5 or 6 seconds of starting.

When i was thinking it was the cat converter i first drilled a hole before the converter and it started up and ran for like 3 minutes or so but ultimately died. I replaced the exhaust and still nothing.

Tech II Apr 3, 2017 10:48 PM

If the car cranks but doesn't start, have someone spray carb cleaner into the intake while cranking....if it starts and runs, as long as you spray, then we know it is a fuel delivery problem.......

You say the fuel pump works, but did you check actual pressure?

What you have is a multiport engine.....what this means is, 1-3-5 injectors are wired in parallel, meaning they fire at the same time......the same for 2-4-6 injectors....now if one injector goes bad and shorts out, or if a harness shorts out, the injector driver for all 3 injectors in the ECM will shut down due to high current....

So if it runs with carb cleaner, AND fuel pressure is ok with a gage, then it is the injector circuit that has to be checked....could be an injector, harness, or ECM......I have run into a few problems where rodents have built a nest under the upper plenum, and have eaten the insulation off of the injector harness, causing problems....

Each injector should ohm out at 12 ohms.......to check without taking the plenum off, disconnect the harness to the injectors, and ohm out circuits at terminals C and B, and then at A and D, to the injectors, not the other half of the harness connector.......with 3 injectors in parallel, they should ohm out at 4 ohms.....If infinite, open circuit......if higher than four, one or two injectors open......if zero, a short.....

beefhat Apr 8, 2017 02:41 PM

Pressure?
 

Originally Posted by Tech II (Post 1622412)
If the car cranks but doesn't start, have someone spray carb cleaner into the intake while cranking....if it starts and runs, as long as you spray, then we know it is a fuel delivery problem.......

You say the fuel pump works, but did you check actual pressure?

What you have is a multiport engine.....what this means is, 1-3-5 injectors are wired in parallel, meaning they fire at the same time......the same for 2-4-6 injectors....now if one injector goes bad and shorts out, or if a harness shorts out, the injector driver for all 3 injectors in the ECM will shut down due to high current....

So if it runs with carb cleaner, AND fuel pressure is ok with a gage, then it is the injector circuit that has to be checked....could be an injector, harness, or ECM......I have run into a few problems where rodents have built a nest under the upper plenum, and have eaten the insulation off of the injector harness, causing problems....

Each injector should ohm out at 12 ohms.......to check without taking the plenum off, disconnect the harness to the injectors, and ohm out circuits at terminals C and B, and then at A and D, to the injectors, not the other half of the harness connector.......with 3 injectors in parallel, they should ohm out at 4 ohms.....If infinite, open circuit......if higher than four, one or two injectors open......if zero, a short.....

According to ebscohost website my vehicle should run between 34-47 psi, i gauged it and got readings around 38-39 psi, but i looked at what AutoZone says my fuel pressure regulator is supposed to put out and it just says 47 psi, wondering if i need to be running closer to 47psi instead of 38psi regardless of what ebscohost says...

Tech II Apr 8, 2017 10:59 PM

38-39 PSI should keep it running....

Did you try spraying carb cleaner into the intake to see if it would stay running as long as you spray?

If it stays running, then do an ohm check on each injector harness to the injectors....you are looking for 4 ohms in each circuit.....

beefhat Apr 13, 2017 11:35 PM


Originally Posted by Tech II (Post 1622466)
38-39 PSI should keep it running....

Did you try spraying carb cleaner into the intake to see if it would stay running as long as you spray?

If it stays running, then do an ohm check on each injector harness to the injectors....you are looking for 4 ohms in each circuit.....

​​

Been slowly working on it, getting ready to check injectors tonight. I checked the vacuum line to the pressure regulator and there wasn't any fuel inside of it...

I'm sure I'll be back on here before too long needing more advice, you're an amazing help, thank you for everything so far....

beefhat Apr 14, 2017 12:21 AM


Originally Posted by beefhat (Post 1622504)
​​

Been slowly working on it, getting ready to check injectors tonight. I checked the vacuum line to the pressure regulator and there wasn't any fuel inside of it...

I'm sure I'll be back on here before too long needing more advice, you're an amazing help, thank you for everything so far....


Checked injectors exactly like this guy did in this link: https://youtu.be/ValTYJUfPA8 -- I'm getting high readouts on injectors #: 4 & 5. Kid in video says that's due to corrosion, wondering if that would be the case...

beefhat Apr 14, 2017 01:43 AM

Disregard last post
 

Originally Posted by beefhat (Post 1622505)
Checked injectors exactly like this guy did in this link: https://youtu.be/ValTYJUfPA8 -- I'm getting high readouts on injectors #: 4 & 5. Kid in video says that's due to corrosion, wondering if that would be the case...


Must have had something messed up, i re tested them and #5 is 1/4 of the ohms the rest of them are. All injectors are between 11.5 - 13.5 ohms except injector #5 which is reading 3.5 ohms.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:35 AM.


© 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands