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92 Camaro 305 TBI cranks but won't start


mddaniel
08-23-2008, 09:49 PM
Cranks but won't start. Usually easy to start even when cold outside. Went to get gas and took a while to start (a few minutes), drove home and no performance issues on trip home and parked at home but now won't start since. I few times I have run battery down cranking and recharged.
Fuel pump was replaced two years ago (with only 10k to 12k). I started diagnois by removing fuel line after fuel filter and appeared to have pressure since I don't have fuel pressure guage (and no test valve on TBI).
Next, I added a little gas directly to the carb and no change. I then changed the distributor and rotor and again no change.
I will get a spark tester tomorrow.
What next if I have no spark? Or if I do have spark?
Also, after reading some issues about VATS, I did use another spare key but that probably is not enough to determine if VATS is problem or not.
Thanks in advance for any help!!!

Morley
08-24-2008, 01:40 AM
I will get a spark tester tomorrow.
What next if I have no spark? Or if I do have spark?
Also, after reading some issues about VATS, I did use another spare key but that probably is not enough to determine if VATS is problem or not.
Thanks in advance for any help!!!
If it will crank over, then VATS is not an issue. VATS uses a starter enable or interrupt relay to prevent it from even turning over.
Look down the throttle body while someone cranks it, do you see fuel being sprayed? If not it can still be an ignition problem.
If you have spark, then obviously you don't have fuel. All you need is fuel, air (always present) and ignition.
If you have fuel pressure but the injectors aren't spraying, check injector fuses and ECM fuse. If thoes are good and you have spark it could still be ignition related. The ignition module sends a refrence pulse to the ECM to let it know the engine is cranking, then the ECM fires the injectors. If the module checks good (auto parts store can check it) and the injectors won't fire, then either the ECM is bad or the wiring to them or from the ignition module to the ECM.
If there is no spark, have the module tested. Replace it only with an AC Delco unit, the others WILL fail.
If the module checks good and you have no spark, check the pickup coil (down inside the distributor). If this is bad it will require disassembling the distributor.
Check this article for troubleshooting a distributor. http://www.mightyautoparts.com/pdf/articles/tt71.pdf
Also there is the secondary coil..the one the wires hook to.

Genopsyde
08-24-2008, 02:45 AM
Well, he said he poured some gas directly into the TBI and it did not fire, so my guess is that there is no spark. I'm willing to bet it's the ignition coil.

mddaniel
08-25-2008, 09:03 AM
Thanks for the information. I did not get a spark tester this weekend but will today or tomorrow.
Is it the ignition coil that supplies "spark" to the distributor? And is there a relatively simple test to determine if the coil is the defective link? Can a parts store test a coil or is replacement the only option?
thanks again!

Genopsyde
08-25-2008, 07:08 PM
get a haynes manual. it shows in there how to test a coil.

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