87 Olds 98 regency no start

I already have this posted in the 98 forum and I am getting a lot of help but I need a little more so i decided to ask here too.

I just bought an 87 Olds 98 Regency Brougham and it wont turn over.

It trys to turn over but it just wont get started.

Replaced the coils and the battery is fully charged.
(still no luck)

I got spark after changing the the coils (2 out of 3 had spark before now all 3 have spark)

Pretty sure I have good fuel pressure (I can hear the fuel pump start up)

All electrical work.

Any other ideas are welcome.

You're going to find that most of the same peopele post in both threads because of the close similaritiy in the cars.

You're going to find that most of the same peopele post in both threads because of the close similaritiy in the cars.


O thanks I should've guess that. (They are pretty similar cars)

Can anyone tell me where the crank position sensor is for this car.

I don't want to start pulling out things randomly.

If you have spark the cps is good, spray carb cleaner into the intake see if it fires, if so check for injector pulse with a noid lite, and get a gage on the fuel rail to check the actual pressure.

well i have fuel pressure but i never thought that the fuel injectors might not be working.

so i spray carb cleaner into the intake to see if it fires?

is it as simple as removing the fuel injectors and spraying some carb cleaner into where they would usually spray?

Even easier. Remove the air hose and spray in the throttle body.

Even easier. Remove the air hose and spray in the throttle body.


U are a real asset to automotive forums. I would be completely lost without this forum and your help.

I probably would have spent major $$$$ to take the car to a shop.

I'm just glad my auto tech teacher recommended this website before he switched schools, my new teacher doesn't want to help he just says "part of learning is figuring it out the hard way."

So without your help I would basically be screwed.

I'm going to spray the throttle body tomorrow when I can go and buy some carb cleaner.

Is there something else I can use for this test besides carb cleaner?
(would regular gas work)

Carb cleaner will not work (its a cleaner )you need starting fluid or gas,and be extreemly careful with the intake hose off,good luck

I have come to the conclusion that my Chilton manual is basically useless.
(I wish I still had my shop manual I can't find another one for sale anywhere)

The air intake is the hose connected to the air filter correct?

If so I just remove it and spray starting fluid or gas into there or is there something else to take off?

I am almost positive the fuel injectors are not firing correctly, they look like they are original from 1987.

Check your other post for new info. If you do manage to get it running, run a few tanks of gas with a good injector cleaner. Don't forget about the fuel filter change. Chances are it's original too.

Yea I just talked to the original owner and he basically abused this engine.

The only thing he did was keep it clean.
Getting it detailed every week and new wheels whenever it needed it.

My goal is to get this car back into tip-top shape.
In order to do that I have to get it running.

I really dont have the budget to buy a new engine for the car.
(thats the deal I made with my mom, if I don't get it running by the end of March I either have to take it to the dealership to get it fixed or buy a new engine, regardless it'll dip into my entire life savings)

I will replace whatever I have to replace and do whatever is needed to get this car running.

To get back on topic.......

I didn't spray the starter fluid into the throttle body yet, basically because I don't completly understand the procedure.

Like I said I'm a hands on/visual learner so I'm going to need some detailed instructions on procedures.
(I just dont want to mess up, I don't want to have to go back and fix something I messed up)

Tri-power already saved me once, I was about to find a way to pour gas straight into the throttle body, which could've resulted in a major fire.

So I guess I'm just trying to ask what EXACTLY do I have to do in order to get to the throttle body?

Spark and fuel should get the car started right?
I have spark so fuel must be whats missing?

I know error is human but I'm trying to make as little as possible.

Carb cleaner will not work (its a cleaner )you need starting fluid or gas,and be extreemly careful with the intake hose off,good luck
FYI, use carb cleaner all the time it will at least kick the engine to verify spark.

My hood says that the timing does not need to be adjusted.
Is that true or can my timing being off be a factor of my car not starting.

I bought some starting fluid ($1.59) from Auto Zone and told one of the workers about my car and he said it must be the timing?

He thinks my spark plugs are not firing at the right time causing the problem.

He also told me I do not need a timing light to check/set the timing.
If so how do I do this?

Yes and no. The timing could be off causing a no start situation and no you can manually set the timing. When you replaced the cracked rod, did you have to move the cam shaft at all? When the previous owner drove the car without oil, he may have spun a bearing, bent something trhowing of the timing. I have worked on a dodge aries in which the main bearing was no good causing the timing to jump. Like I said in my very first post to you, There have been more damage caused than you think. Everything internal in a motor is cause and effect. If one part goes bad, chances are it will start a chain reaction. In the case of no oil, all parts will be affected.

So even if I lightly spray starting fluid into the throttle body it may not start because the timing could be off that badly?

When I replaced the rod I moved the cam shaft, but the car was having this problem before I fixed the cracked rod.

I put the cam shaft back on in the exact same way I took it off.
So that may be the problem.

My last post was a typo. The computer sets the timing. The only way for a person to adjust the timing is to remove the gears and turn them. Otherwise the computer advances and retards the timing.

Spray it and see, then go from there. Do you mean you didn't line up the timing marks on the cam and crank gear, how could that happen?

My last post was a typo. The computer sets the timing. The only way for a person to adjust the timing is to remove the gears and turn them. Otherwise the computer advances and retards the timing.

If the computer messed up setting the timing wouldn't I get a code?

Spray it and see, then go from there. Do you mean you didn't line up the timing marks on the cam and crank gear, how could that happen?

I am going to spray it right after I type this message and then I am going to either edit in my results or just post again.

From what I could tell when I put the cam and crank gear I lined up the timing marks. Almost dead on to eachother. And both looked to be in working order but I may be wrong.

I just thought that it maybe the timing had slipped.
It is time for a new belt I wish I would have changed it when I had the engine out. But I wasn't thinking.

Is there a way to check the timing without the light?

I just thought that it maybe the timing had slipped.
It is time for a new belt I wish I would have changed it when I had the engine out. But I wasn't thinking.


That's why I said in the first post reguarding your motor, that you should have the motor completely redone. That way you wouldn't have to keep pulling it out to repair things.

It's worth the effort to get it right the first time so you don't have to keep going back in and redoing work you have already done.


Goes by the saying "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

In our race cars, if something goes in the motor, the motor is pulled out and completely overhauled.

I wish I took your advice aftrer I get it started I'll have to change the timing and may end up in the same predicument.

I sprayed the starting fluid and nothing happened

After about 10 tries the car back fired under the hood.

I looked behind me and smoke came out of the tail pipe (smelled like ass)
Then I looked at the engine and everything looked okay so I tried again and it started for a little while. Then cut off when I stopped giving it gas.

I would say it was on for about 10 seconds at most (but it started)

Now its back to its old symptoms.
Trying to turn over but it wont.

Is this a sign?

Should I try the starting fluid again?

Or should I start looking around the fuel system to find the problem?

You need professional help here befor you really blow something up!!

Reman small block on its way.

GTP DAD helped me find one.

I'm just going to get all new parts for it, start from scratch, and take much better care of it than the previous owner did.

Well if it tried to start, you can address the fuel system. It might solve the problem for no, till you can swap the motor. Get a pressure gauge and test the fuel rail for pressure. I believe the pressure is 45 lb on your car. I"m not sure on that year. keep the ignition on and observe if there's a drop. if the pressure holds then try to turn it over and observe the pressure. You might have a weak pump or pressure reg. Just keep in mind that it might run but no guarantee it will run right, pending what damage was caused by the no oil situation.