cranks but won't start. (Page 1/5)
2fast288fierogt JAN 13, 08:29 PM
First of all it's a 1988 2.8 fiero GT, I was taking it for a spin a few days ago. Next thing I know I'm out of gas. It turned it back on for me a few times as I tried to make it home and I made it, barely. Luckily, I only got maybe .4 miles away before I ran out. I let the car sit in front of my house for a couple of days before I walked to get gas and actually tried starting it back up.


In those couple of days I did some manifold work, which may or not be the source of the problem. I'm not entirely sure, but I'll get to that in a bit. I'm thinking it's either the spark or the fuel. or both? I've had the car for a couple of years and I've ran out of gas a couple of times before. It always turns back on though, after I put some more gas in. Until now, I put about 7 gallons in the car today and it still doesn't start, cranks really nicely just as always but no start.


I was thinking that there's no spark because I sprayed some starting fluid on the inner surface of the throttle body but it still wouldn't start. It's been raining alot, I was thinking maybe the rain got on my battery and burned something out and now theres no spark? I wanted to check the spark plugs but I'm not sure how and don't want to break anything. I was tugging on the rubber cover for the spark plug but didn't want to rip it so I left it. I did have the black vent off that goes over the battery, I heard if you leave that off in snow it can cause damage to your electrical system, does the same apply to rain? I was also thinking that maybe the fuel pump sucked up a bunch of garbage from the bottom of the fuel tank and now theres no fuel pressure? Maybe both?


I was also thinking that it might be because I currently have two different exhaust manifolds. I personally don't think this is why but maybe, you never know I guess. I'm trying to get the car to pass the smog check here in California and when the car ran out of gas I was just finishing up changing out the aftermarket parts in the engine bay to stock. The reason I was taking it for a spin was to try out the stock intake I had just installed. A few days ago when the car ran out of gas the car was running with fiero store sprint exhaust manifolds. The one in the rear has a huge crack.


The last couple of days while my car was sitting in front of my house without gas, I swapped the rear manifold, I took out the cracked fiero store sprint exhaust manifold and put in a stock one. I didn't change the front exhaust manifold though, so right now I have a fiero store sprint exhaust manifold in the front and stock in the rear. The reasons I only put a stock exhaust manifold on the rear and left the fiero store sprint exhaust manifold on the front are because I don't think the smog guy is going to notice it, or I'm hoping at least. If he notices it by eye or the machine picks up that something isn't right I can always just change the thing. It's pass or don't pay so I figured it's worth a shot. It's not cracked or anything, and it seems like alot of work to change, I've read a few threads on that dreaded front exhaust manifold.



I was thinking it would run OK with two different exhaust manifolds right? Maybe just sound different? Maybe it'll still pass the smog? I do have the stock one that goes to the front, like I said I can always change it if I don't pass the smog check. Anyway at this point in the story I swapped out the rear exhaust manifold it took me 2 days, I had to wait 1 day for my local auto parts store to get the gaskets. The engine bay is 95 percent stock except for that one fiero store sprint front exhaust manifold but you can't even see that thing so I'm feeling excited. I swapped the rear manifold so in my mind theoretically my car should be ready to pass the smog so I went and got gas, put it in and what a let down, cranks but won't start. Just my luck, it decides it doesn't want to start right when it's ready to get smog checked.



When I bought the car the tags were good until July, so it's been a little over 5 months since I've driven this car around legally, anywhere further than around the block that is. Usually I just search around and read on here but I felt like I might as well post something this time because why not? If I try to fix this myself I'd probably spend way too much time and effort and cash on things that don't even need fixing, so here I am. It's never given me any problems in the 2 years I've had it, I always keep up with changing all the fluids and stuff like that. I'm not trying to spend too much on things that aren't broke, I just want it to turn on so I can smog it and enjoy driving the car again because I love this car, and I wanna take my girl friend to the movies.



It's always turned on and ran like a champ, I feel bad for leaving the vent open and letting the battery get rained on, and letting the car run out of gas too but hey, you live and you learn right? I'm not sure how to diagnose exactly what needs fixing, and I don't have much tools either, prettymuch just basic stuff. Thanks ahead of time. I hope I didn't make this too long, I'm sure there's some stuff I can probably cut out or that I forgot to mention but I'll be here ready to answer any questions. In the two years I've had the car I've never looked at the spark plugs or the fuel filter, don't really know how to get to them, so I'm not sure how those are looking.

[This message has been edited by 2fast288fierogt (edited 01-13-2017).]

Patrick JAN 13, 08:34 PM
OMG... we need paragraphs.

[EDIT] One empty line between paragraphs would've been sufficient... but hey, I'm not complaining.

[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 01-13-2017).]

Gall757 JAN 13, 08:41 PM
Ha ha ha ha.....

now you have them!

[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 01-13-2017).]

2fast288fierogt JAN 13, 08:42 PM
Sorry, First post longer than one sentence. There goes my first impression haha.

[This message has been edited by 2fast288fierogt (edited 01-14-2017).]

Gall757 JAN 13, 08:52 PM
So you are in Ontario.......California?

When you run out of gas in a Fiero, you run the risk of over-heating the fuel pump. You should listen for it when you turn the key on...it should run for a few seconds and then turn off. It could be a lot of other things...but that is a start.
viperine JAN 13, 08:54 PM
That was dizzying to read. Too much info.
First start with simple tests. Can you hear the fuel pump prime when you turn the ignition to "on" prior to cranking? Don't crank just yet. Is the check engine light turning on with the key in the "on" position?

No check engine light will reveal a failure to communicate with the computer. I recently had this issue and it was related to the fuse box, which took a thorough going-through to correct.

Have you checked the fuses? There are a few that will kill the car if blown, notably the injector fuses. Break out a test light and verify all fuses are good in their corresponding ignition positions.

As for starting fluid, pull the vacuum line off of the intake manifold near the distributor/EGR valve tube area. Use a spray can straw and spray starting fluid into this port for an attempt to start.

Let us know how these simple tests go before we jump to any conclusions.
Patrick JAN 13, 08:54 PM

Here's something else to check...


quote
Originally posted by Gall757:

The standard test to see if the ICM is working.

When the car does not run, crank the starter and watch the tach. If it does not move, there is no primary ignition, which would be either a bad ICM, pickup coil, or ignition coil, or wires and connectors for those items. If the tach does move up a little, say 300 rpm, shoot some starter fluid in the throttle body to see if it fires up. If that happens, you have a fuel delivery problem.
2fast288fierogt JAN 13, 09:10 PM
It's a city called ontario, in southern California. I just got in it and checked for fuel pump sounds. I turned the key to accessory mode and I can hear what I'm assuming is the fuel pump for a few seconds and then I hear my fan up front start spinning up. I checked the fuel pump fuse and it looks good. I'm gonna keep checking all the other things you guys are telling me about, thanks again I really appreciate all of the feedback. It is confirmed that yeah I'm pretty sure I'm hearing the fuel pump.
Patrick JAN 13, 09:14 PM

quote
Originally posted by 2fast288fierogt:

... and then I hear my fan up front start spinning up.



Must be awfully hot down there!

Why is your fan coming on?
2fast288fierogt JAN 13, 09:57 PM
Sorry about that, I'll try to summarize it a little next time. Yes I hear the fuel pump, pretty sure. Yes the check engine light is coming on when I put it in "on mode" I didn't notice it before because my gauge cluster cover doesn't let me see it straight on. Service eng. Soon it sais. I just checked the fuel injector fuses under the driver side dash TBI inj 1 and TBI inj 2 look good. I started checking all of them and bat wdo was no good so I changed it, the rest looked perfect. I can't find one of those little straws but I'm trying it without it. Hold on, when I pull the vacuum line, after I spray do I put it back on to try to start it or leave it off? I tried leaving it off and putting it on it won't start either way.
Cranks perfectly though like I said.

quote
Originally posted by viperine:

That was dizzying to read. Too much info.
First start with simple tests. Can you hear the fuel pump prime when you turn the ignition to "on" prior to cranking? Don't crank just yet. Is the check engine light turning on with the key in the "on" position?

No check engine light will reveal a failure to communicate with the computer. I recently had this issue and it was related to the fuse box, which took a thorough going-through to correct.

Have you checked the fuses? There are a few that will kill the car if blown, notably the injector fuses. Break out a test light and verify all fuses are good in their corresponding ignition positions.

As for starting fluid, pull the vacuum line off of the intake manifold near the distributor/EGR valve tube area. Use a spray can straw and spray starting fluid into this port for an attempt to start.

Let us know how these simple tests go before we jump to any conclusions.