-
Go Back   Automotive Forums Car Chat > Chevrolet > Lumina
  #1  
Old 10-16-2013, 10:07 PM
Chris2007 Chris2007 is offline
AF Newbie
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 58
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Started having acceleration problem a few months ago (stumbling? Kicked or whatever when attempting to accelerate over 50+ back then). Mostly remained a higher speed problem. Got worse 1.5 weeks ago. Today, Walmart battery died again. Friend jumped me, I ran it for 5 minutes, put it in gear - it gave up the ghost.

He looks at it - saw some sparking around the plugs. Pulled a plug - great long spark. Valve with cap, inner plug when depressed made a geyser of gas and you can hear the fuel pump. Fuel filter changed last week. Don't scream - wires and plugs nearly 4 years old. Sprayed starting fluid in intake, each time car would start with gas on the floor, but ran horrible and I could rev the engine, but died when I released the gas.

Disconnected battery, no change (but measured current draw, didn't seem like anything there, nothing to do with not starting, just wondering if there was a short somewhere).

Payed an idiot to replace ignition module about 3.5 years ago. Whenever it rains car won't start until I put a heat gun or spot lamp on my wiring in back of radiator/fans for a short time. No rain today though. I wish I could say that was the problem ...

Haven't tried to pull any codes yet. He visually inspected fuses and relays. I didn't check anything inside the passenger compartment yet. Nothing was added to the fuel system at all. Other then the ignition module nothing was done to this car since I got it almost 5 years ago, had 88k, now has 192'.

Any clues gang? Computer, a sensor? We're stumped for the moment. Thanks in advance.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-17-2013, 10:31 AM
Tech II Tech II is offline
AF Fanatic
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,017
Thanks: 70
Thanked 618 Times in 610 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

You can have a geyser and not have enough fuel pressure.....need to get a fuel gauge on that schraeder valve....

Need to check for spark on all 6 cylinders....check the vac line to the fuel pressure regulator for gas.....

Have you been losing coolant?
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-17-2013, 10:32 AM
jdl jdl is offline
AF Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 794
Thanks: 1
Thanked 40 Times in 39 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Have you given it a tune-up, recently? Also, use a gage check fuel pressure, check fuel injector pulse, engine cranking.

If it won't idle clean throttle-body and idle air system.

Check applicable trouble codes.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-17-2013, 11:30 AM
Chris2007 Chris2007 is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 58
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tech II View Post
You can have a geyser and not have enough fuel pressure.....need to get a fuel gauge on that schraeder valve....

Need to check for spark on all 6 cylinders....check the vac line to the fuel pressure regulator for gas.....

Have you been losing coolant?
Not loosing coolant (except from places where I should be .

If you weren't getting proper fuel pressure, wouldn't the plugs be dry? I could rev the engine with the gas peddle (while ether was being sprayed in the intake).

I ordered wires and had the plugs for 2 years (!!!). I just need to throw them in, hopefully today. I'll give that a shot.

This car has how many computers? The main or only one is behind the coolant runoff, or a couple feet behind that inside the passenger compartment? Is there another controller somewhere? I have a hankering to give all that a gander. Maybe bad capacitors .
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-22-2013, 06:48 AM
jeffcoslacker's Avatar
jeffcoslacker jeffcoslacker is offline
Lactose the Intolerant
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 6,410
Thanks: 4
Thanked 52 Times in 51 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Your ignition module and coil packs sit in the area you described having to force dry in order to start the engine in wet weather.

I'd start here. Trying to second guess a problem when you already have a big one is asking for confusion.

When your IM was replaced, he may have damaged a coil pack or didn't get the little gaskets that water-tight the terminals that go from the coil packs to the IM placed properly. Or they may have just fell apart from age once taken apart...I don't remember if you get new ones with a new IM...probably depends on the brand you buy.

Make sure all the connectors to the IM are solid and not missing clips or keys that hold them tight...
__________________
You made three mistakes. First, you took the job. Second, you came light. A four man crew for me? F**king insulting. But the worst mistake you made...

...empty gun rack.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-22-2013, 09:16 AM
Chris2007 Chris2007 is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 58
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker View Post
Your ignition module and coil packs sit in the area you described having to force dry in order to start the engine in wet weather.

I'd start here. Trying to second guess a problem when you already have a big one is asking for confusion.

When your IM was replaced, he may have damaged a coil pack or didn't get the little gaskets that water-tight the terminals that go from the coil packs to the IM placed properly. Or they may have just fell apart from age once taken apart...I don't remember if you get new ones with a new IM...probably depends on the brand you buy.

Make sure all the connectors to the IM are solid and not missing clips or keys that hold them tight...
But I'm getting spark. Doesn't that rule out ignition components?

I still have to change plugs/wires for this job. I tried to pull the computer from it's housing yesterday, removed everything and discinnected it, but it was awful stubborn. Someone told me to just keep pulling. I may try again.

Also disconnecting the fuel injector connector near the shrader valve and oil fill cap and monitoring anything happening across those 2 pins with a multimeter showed no activity. On my friend's 2005 Ford minivan the same test, with the engine running and the connector connected obviously, there was obvious activity. I'm thinking the computer, although others are telling me it's shorted injector/s, though Ican't see how I wouldn't "see" fi pulses on account of that.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-22-2013, 10:36 AM
Tech II Tech II is offline
AF Fanatic
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,017
Thanks: 70
Thanked 618 Times in 610 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

There is no injector harness connector near the oil fill cap.....only thing I can think of is the two wire connector for the cam sensor....

The fuel injector connector is by the alternator....

If this is multi port(big letters on top of engine), the injectors are in parallel(1-3-5, and 2-4-6)......reading the resistance with a meter should show 4 ohms....anything higher there is an open.....reading zero is a short......need a schematic to know which wires to probe....mice are known for building nests under the upper plenum and eating the harness to the injectors.....not saying this is your problem, but the ohm check could lead to that....

A shorted injector or harness, would cause too much current flow, and the injector driver in the ECM(computer), would shut down the injectors....
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 10-22-2013, 11:06 AM
Chris2007 Chris2007 is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 58
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tech II View Post
There is no injector harness connector near the oil fill cap.....only thing I can think of is the two wire connector for the cam sensor....

The fuel injector connector is by the alternator....

If this is multi port(big letters on top of engine), the injectors are in parallel(1-3-5, and 2-4-6)......reading the resistance with a meter should show 4 ohms....anything higher there is an open.....reading zero is a short......need a schematic to know which wires to probe....mice are known for building nests under the upper plenum and eating the harness to the injectors.....not saying this is your problem, but the ohm check could lead to that....

A shorted injector or harness, would cause too much current flow, and the injector driver in the ECM(computer), would shut down the injectors....
Ok, but at that connector would any activity be visible while cranking.

I'll slap my buddy around for telling me it was related to fi
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 10-22-2013, 09:52 PM
Tech II Tech II is offline
AF Fanatic
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,017
Thanks: 70
Thanked 618 Times in 610 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

How many wires in that connector?

Will the car start if you spray carb cleaner into the intake, while someone cranks the engine?
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 10-22-2013, 10:04 PM
Chris2007 Chris2007 is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 58
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tech II View Post
How many wires in that connector?

Will the car start if you spray carb cleaner into the intake, while someone cranks the engine?
we didn't use carb cleaner but ether or starter fluid.

2 wires in that connector
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 10-23-2013, 01:17 PM
Tech II Tech II is offline
AF Fanatic
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 5,017
Thanks: 70
Thanked 618 Times in 610 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

That two wire connector does not go to the injectors...

Does the vehicle start if you spray ether, and stops when you stop spraying?

Did you check for spark on all 6 cylinder?
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 10-23-2013, 02:29 PM
Chris2007 Chris2007 is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 58
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tech II View Post
That two wire connector does not go to the injectors...

Does the vehicle start if you spray ether, and stops when you stop spraying?

Did you check for spark on all 6 cylinder?
Haven't checked all 6, just the 1 so far. Have to take the battery to get charged today.

The car stopped running when I let off the gas. The ether got it going, had the peddle on the floor besides. I could rev the engine also, but it died when I let off on the gas.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 10-23-2013, 11:54 PM
Schurkey Schurkey is offline
AF Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 894
Thanks: 14
Thanked 58 Times in 58 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris2007 View Post
saw some sparking around the plugs.
I'd be concerned about voltage leakage between spark-plug boot and the plug. Any chance the spark plug(s) are cracked?

Do you see corona light along the spark plug wires, or sparking around the plugs if you crank the engine in the dark?
__________________
.
.
For the good of the Free World, DEMAND COMPENSATION FROM CHINA for their release of the Virus Originating in the Wuhan Laboratory, released (intentionally or negligently) into the world in 2019 (VOWL-19). Ten trillion to start with, increasing as needed from there, PLUS compensation for the sickened, and "wrongful death" settlements for the families of those who didn't survive. END trade with Communist China.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 10-28-2013, 02:01 PM
Chris2007 Chris2007 is offline
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 58
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: 1992 3.1 died, starts with starting fluid sprayed in intake, sort of

Well bought a fuel pressure tester. Definitely read in excess of 40 psi. Guess it ain't the fuel pump.

Got to find time to change plugs and wires. Hopefully tomorrow.
Reply With Quote
 
Reply

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD

Go Back   Automotive Forums Car Chat > Chevrolet > Lumina

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:04 PM.

Community Participation Guidelines | How to use your User Control Panel

Powered by: vBulletin | Copyright Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
 
 
no new posts