Hard Starting Issue
 

Hi All i am new to this forum and hope that you can help me i am from the UK, and i have just purchased a Olds Cutlass supreme 3.1 Fi Convertible 1992.
Generally i have a few jobs to do to it , but it is a good project and one i am hoping to enjoy.
I purchased the car recently, but had viewed the car about a year ago, at that time it started up ran a little rough but, it had been stood for a few years.
Now i have purchased it and my first job is to get it going, my first thing was to throw about 20ltrs of fresh fuel in and a fuel additive.
now to get the car to fire up i need to put my foot all the way to the floor and is the only way it will start, cold or warm!
we ran it for quite a while eventually getting it to run at 1500rpm with holding the throttle out this took a while but, it will not tick over its-self as soon as you release the pedal it dies and i have to hold the pedal to the floor again to restart it and it is as if it is over fueled ??
Any help would be appreciated, :confused:
Thanks

P.S car only has 60,000 on the clock

Welcome to the forum Phillip!
Do you have any service soon or engine lights on?
Can you tell us besides the 20 Litres of fuel, What fuel additive did you use?

Hi Thanks for the reply, it is just a fuel additive treatment , eg to clean injectors , the brand i don't think you would have in america, its just a additive you put in when you fill up, like Redex.
No check engine lights at all , and the only thing i have is after it got up to temperature the fans did not kick in so check gauges light was on. but that is a separate issue.
No lights initially.

If you can find Sta-bil it may initially help with the sour gas quite a bit.
I am not sure how much % ethanol you have there, but STA-BIL Ethanol Fuel Treatment in the UK link below would at least get the petrol treated.
Adding some more fresh super or high octane with the sta-bil would also help.
Products Archive - STA-BIL
Have you done any tune up work like new spark plugs/wires fuel filter etc?
Possibly pull a few spark plugs and take a look at the condition, even post a photo if they look dirty or fouled , install some new ones may be a good place to start too.

Thanks for the reply, i did remove a plug to see the condition, a little sooted but to be expected with the situation,
The Plug also had a very strong spark,
I am a mechanic but do not know much about these engines and the auto choke etc, there is quite a lot going on!
I would expect for it t run even if the spark plugs weren't the greatest etc, its the fact that unless you put your foot right to the floor it will not even attempt to fire. what i really want is to spend as little as possible getting it running, once its running and i am happy it will get a full overhaul, but i am thinking something isn't working correctly, obviously parts are not as easy to get as in the states.

its not going to run on super old gas, i think i would drain the tank first, then replace the filter

Thank for the reply, i ran it at around 2000 revs for nearly an hour so i would expect it to run? or at least fire?

OK, this is a little confusing...

The car cranks ok, but won't fire......

If you hold the accel pedal all the way(or partially?), the car starts.....If it only starts holding it all the way, this is known as clear flood mode, and you must be running rich.....

Have you checked operation of the IAC valve?

If you release the accel pedal, it immediately dies?

So you are able to keep it running, by depressing the accel pedal? AT what rpms? How low can you go before it dies on you?

Have you tried to check for codes? Don't need a scan tool, this has flash capability, by grounding A to B in the ALDL connector...

Is the air filter oK? Have you checked the vac line to the fuel pressure regulator for fuel?

Do you have access to a scan tool, to read data? Reading coolant temp, MAP, and and O2 once running would be helpful.....does it go into closed loop?

I assume this is a multiport engine and has no cam sensor?

Also, that old gas is not a good situation...

Hi thanks Tech II and everyone else that has posted,

Right i will go through the questions first.

Yes it cranks but will not fire.

but it will fire if you hold the foot to the floor and only to the floor nowhere in between,

If i release the pedal it dies immediately

to get it to run i would hold foot to floor once it fires keep it there for a few seconds it would hunt at around 4500rpm then i would gently back the throttle pedal off and i could get it down to 1500rpm over a minute or so but every single time you release the pedal it dies immediately
and if i started it with the foot to the floor and let it go it would also die.

Yes it is a 3.1 multi port FI , i do not know if it has a cam sensor?
how can i check the operation of the IAC valve?
Vacuum line has not been checked.
Air Filter is Good
i haven't checked for codes as i am not sure i have a connector? but as i have no check engine light i presumed there probably isn't any.
and i would say i am well past the old fuel now!

Has anyone a pdf manual for this engine? and also details on how to check the codes by grounding A + B what flashes?? etc

Multiport engines do not have cam sensors...

Does your CE light come on when you turn the key to the "on" position(engine not running)?


If it does, use this link:

https://www.gmforum.com/specificatio...cks-**-278820/