96 Achieva don't start

Hi all, I have a 96 acheiva with the quad four engine. The problem is that I cannot get it to start. It will turn over, it has spark and fuel but still won't start. A service shop first told me it was the main computer, after replacing that, they said it must be the guage cluster because the computer they were using would not read the data. After replacing that as wel, stil nothing. Not sure where to go from here, any ideas please????

Welcome to AF!!

If you have spark and fuel then the issue either has to do with too little compression to fire the fuel or not enough fuel pressure to pass the injectors into the engine. Pull the plugs and do a compression check. If you find low compression you could have bent valves due to the timing being off or the timing is off so far that it will not start. Timing chains can be an issue on these engines. The compression test will tell you a lot. Also check the fuel pressure just bo be certain that there is enough for the injectors to work properly.

I will check out the fuel pressure this weekend, we did a compression test and it tested out good, but I don't know if we tested the fuel pressure. Will give that a try.
Any other ideas?

Thanks for replying, this car is kicking my butt and I am about ready to give it to charity, right it off and find something different to drive!!!

Terry

Any other ideas?


Terry

Did you reset your Passlock 1 after the computer replacement? Is your SECURITY or THEFT light flashing on the dash?

Ray

OK, I have some more info on this ghost car. I re-checked the gap on the plugs, checked the compression on the cylinders, and the fuel pressure. Now I had it running for about 30 minutes. I then shut the car off, then tried to start it again the next day and nothing!! The car turned over and it sounded like it wated to start but nothing.
I have checked as many wiring harnesses that I could for shorts or frayed wires and I couldn't find anything their either.
No lights come on on the guage and no codes or anything thing else with a Tech 2 hooked up.

Any more ideas?

so here I am in College park ga with the same problem, new coil, tower, module, boots, plugs, fuel pump and I removed the fuel injs to clean them.
no easy way to test fuel pressure so with the assumtion that a new pump is ok and the lines blown with shop air , good flow. Compression on these cars is a minimum of 100 and less than 70% difference between any two. I've got over 150 on all cyl. oily nasty gross engine and possible external head gasket leak. backfires through intake, kinda runs at less than 1500rpm
with aresol fuel sprayed into intake it ran for a while. before bursting into flames. So if anyone has any ideas please let me know. I'm curius if crank angle could be off. I'm giong to remove the balancer and see what I can Find.

tcconnection, did you check the fuel pressure first thing in the morning? It could be bleeding off. A bad check valve causes this.

Light Storms, Backfiring thru the intake sounds like the valve timing is off..

If valve timing was off do you think I'd have good compression?
I made the assumption that with 156psi that mechanicaly I was cool.
I'm going to check the chain today. Thanx for the tip.

Light Storms: No, if timing is way off, it will affect your compression. If it's only a tooth or so off, then maybe not.

Tcconnections: You never indicated whether you tuned this car up, to include (minimum) plugs, coil cover, and the plug boots. Your problem sounds like an ignition related issue. If a tune up was done (with quality parts, meaning no Bosch crap), then you could have an ignition module breaking down when it gets hot. One last thing, did you check the ECM fuse and the Cigarette lighter fuse. I believe that the ALDL is powered from the cigarette lighter circuit, and the codes would not be readable if the ECM fuse is blown as well.

might also be the crankshaft position sensor. sometimes they will start and sometimes they won't.....

try leaving your key in the on position for 10 min or more, no less.then try to turn it over
if this works we know the problem

I have the same car as you and a similar issue. Check to see if the amber light on your shifter console is lit. In my case, the car will not start if that light is not illuminated. Once it illuminates the car will start. My car is also shutting off while driving as well.

Has anyone solved this mystery yet? We have the same issue and still no solution, good compression, good spark, getting fuel, but won't turn over.

Has anyone solved this mystery yet? We have the same issue and still no solution, good compression, good spark, getting fuel, but won't turn over.

Welcome to AF.

Please check the date and do not resurrect old threads. It is highly recommended to start a new post with your issue. If anyone has a solution they may reply. Thread closed.