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89 gp wont start??


brutedawg20
03-21-2007, 06:14 PM
Hey guys, i have a 1989 grand prix, 3.1L. This car really isnt driven all that much. I use it to keep the insurance down on my truck....another story. well i had the car sitting in the parking lot at work over winter, because when it got cold the battery kept going dead and it would need jumped. and couldnt have it at home not running. well i went and picked it up the other day....charged the battery, put it in the car. it started fine and ran fine the whole way home. i go out the next day, it wont start. it cranks and cranks.....its getting fuel i checked the schradder valve, fuel comes out. i bought a new battery because the old one tested bad.
now this car had a GM alarm system in it that doesnt work....the horn is bad, i dont know if that has anything to do with my problem. its almost like im not getting spark. the coil packs were replaced last year, and its funny it started fine a day ago. any thoughts? thanks in advance.
oh also i checked every fuse i can find...all good.....and the injectors were replaced like 3 yrs ago and the car has been run on premium ever since. (mechanic recommended)

richtazz
03-22-2007, 09:22 AM
Welcome to AF!

You need to determine if you have spark. You can either use a spark tester, or pull a plug, lay it on a good ground, and have someone crank the car. Since the car sat so long, it's possible a varmint of some sort chewed on some wires, and driving it severed the last threads holding it together. Check for spark and post back, then we'll go from there.

brutedawg20
03-22-2007, 08:27 PM
thanks for the reply. i tested for spark tonight with the screw driver test, i didnt get any spark at all. i pulled the cap off of the valve by the throttle body and gas will shoot out when the car is cranked. why would i not be getting spark now? i checked the wires going to the coil packs....nothing looks chewed or broken. and they are only 2 yrs old. any thoughts...thanks in advance.

richtazz
03-23-2007, 05:56 AM
Check the wires going from the CKPS (CranK Position Sensor) to the ICM. The harness runs from the back of the block (near the RF axle), under the front of the engine (near the harmonic balancer) and then to the ICM. The CKPS is located in the back of the block, just above the oil pan rail, and the wires also are near the rear exhaust manifold. They could be rubbed through or burnt.

brutedawg20
03-23-2007, 06:51 PM
funny thing.....i grabbed a bottle of starting fluid today and took off the air filter, sprayed a little in there and the car started right up and now is running fine. drove it up to the gas station and put some fresh gas in it and am having no problems at all now. so ill take it as it is. i do appreciate the help though.

Necrobater
04-05-2007, 09:43 PM
musta not got the spark tested properly. Its not hard to not get a good ground or whatever when checking for a spark. Best to do it at dusk so its easier to see the spark. What is the screwdriver test? Doesnt sound too safe =P

Glad you got it figured out. Bad gass sucks, heh. Keep some HEET in there since its not driven much, especially in the winter time, then if you have fuel line freezeup, u can just pour the HEET in the tank and it should get going pretty wuick.

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