'91 buick regal....No start?

[tomogchi]

Ihave a '91 buick regal, And recentely is started to be not starting.. I started looking for dead wires, (no spark) and found none loose. So I went and took off the Coil packs, to see if there was a burn mark or to see if i can see a short. Put em back on, she started. Ran good for about 3 days. sooner or later, i started her back up and she was a hurtin unit.... id just tap the gas, shed wanna stall.(like she was onyl runnign on 3/4 clynders or something). So i got A new set of spark plugs and wires. Seemed to fix the problem at the time. Now i went to start her up agian this morning, No start.,... agian.... Geta code 23/42, adn i always get the 42 for a no start (its suttin liek the ecm doesnt talk to the pcm or suttin...)
I took off the coil packs, agian, and looked at the plate they sit on. Looked fine, looked underneath it, its fine..Looked at the plug (that goes into the plate, fine...
My father says the coild packs r good... But i have no clue on what else to check... The car sat for abotu 4 months before i got it, and when idid get it, it had no headlights...(still doesnt...) Could these 2 maybe be related or something? I dunno, btu the No start has got me...

[Hypsi87]

Originally Posted by tomogchi

Ihave a '91 buick regal, And recentely is started to be not starting.. I started looking for dead wires, (no spark) and found none loose. So I went and took off the Coil packs, to see if there was a burn mark or to see if i can see a short. Put em back on, she started. Ran good for about 3 days. sooner or later, i started her back up and she was a hurtin unit.... id just tap the gas, shed wanna stall.(like she was onyl runnign on 3/4 clynders or something). So i got A new set of spark plugs and wires. Seemed to fix the problem at the time. Now i went to start her up agian this morning, No start.,... agian.... Geta code 23/42, adn i always get the 42 for a no start (its suttin liek the ecm doesnt talk to the pcm or suttin...)
I took off the coil packs, agian, and looked at the plate they sit on. Looked fine, looked underneath it, its fine..Looked at the plug (that goes into the plate, fine...
My father says the coild packs r good... But i have no clue on what else to check... The car sat for abotu 4 months before i got it, and when idid get it, it had no headlights...(still doesnt...) Could these 2 maybe be related or something? I dunno, btu the No start has got me...

There is an ESC module that has four wires going to it. check that. Also try checking your MAF, I realize that it is not throwing a MAF code but they almost never do, but they will throw a 42 because the rich condition will foul plugs.

here are some other things to check. But I would try the MAF before anything elese because a code 42 would not keep the engine from starting. A bad MAF would make it run REAL BAD.

1) BYPASS line is open or grounded
2) EST line is open or grounded
3) PROM or CALPACK not seated properly in the ECM
4) Poor connections between ignition module and ECM
5) Poor routing of EST harness and/or poor quality ignition wires (EMI induced electrical noise)
6) Faulty or incorrect ignition module
7) Faulty ECM

[tomogchi]

Yeah... not to sound dumb, but ne idea on were the maf sensor is?
I dunno why... i took the coilpacks off agian, wiped the connectors, put em back on, nothing. Wiggeled the brand new spark plug wires, she ran for abotu 2 secs..Switched the 1/4 and 2/5 coil packs for the heck fo it... she ran for about 10 seconds... then no run.... Placed the coil packs back... maybe 5 sec run.. wiggeled the plug wires, maybe about 10/15 secs, and then she died... treid to start agian, and onyl a few times, i got her to jump, like she was gonna start. Now ihave nothing....im like wth...... I was wondering if you could takew the wires that goes from the coil pack plate to the pass. top of the engine out... if so how... it looks pretty far in there, and im wondering if that couldnt be the porblem or something..
Bill

[tomogchi]

Okay.. i deffinetely know shes getting spark... that stuff sucks.. lol.. Just for shiz and giggles, i tried hitting the catylitic converter. She made the soudns that she was gona start... Now shes stuck there.......Is there a possibilty theres a bad groudn somewere? i mean,that would keep a car from starting?

[tomogchi]

....Replaced all 3 coil packs.... thought maybe my gas tank gage was off... added gas.(like 2 1/2 gallons (93 octane)) and now she seems liek shes over starting? shes makes more of a whirr noise when she starting then what she use to do..Batterys has a charge, so it does turn over by itself... I can hear the gas pump up to the motor. Any ideas? she did run fine at one time..

[AZeline]

fuel filter possibly? Just a shot in the dark.

[tomogchi]

Hmm..Fuel Filter seems fine..... There is gas up to the fuel filter, and after. put gas in one end of the fuel filter, didnt take long... (maybe 10 secs) for a cup full of gas to go through......Kinda lost on were to look.... and thsi aint a good time of year to go and spend a coup[le hundred bucks on a car..... gotta get ready for x-mas....Any other ideas on what to check?

[tomogchi]

there is gas on the spark plug, after i just tried to start it..... She has spark.... but maybe nto enough to.....to start maybe? any possibility that my emc (or w/e it is called) is bad?

[AZeline]

Well you actually shouldn't see gas ON the spark plug because it's suposed to burn off. I assume you pulled the wire as a troubleshooting measure. You're engine may be flooding if that isn't the case. If it is flooding, you may have an issue with your injectors (or carb but I don't think you have one of those antique things )

If you feel this isn't an issue, yeah, I'd start looking into the Electronic Control Module (EMC)

Some Auto Parts stores may be willing to hook up their diagnostic equiment to the EMC to see if there is a problem.

General rule of thumb for engines is if all the usuals (ie. good spark and good fuel delivery) seem ok, Try the computer after that.

Good luck and keep us posted so others can learn too.

[Zahmin89]

Your codes are 23 and 42?

23 is: Intake air temp sensor error (low temp indicated)
42 is: Ignition bypass circuit error

Your air temperature sensor is part of your bypass circuit, test the sensor or get it tested to see if it's working. if it isn't, chances are this could be your problem.