Car Does Not Start

[1sickRamAir]

Hi, I have a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am Ram Air. It has 58,000 miles, no remote start device,but is equipped with keyless entry. The service engine soon light came on about a week ago, and i didnt have time to check it out. My wife went out to start it on morning and all it does is crank over, every now and then it tries to fire but ends up just dying....i changed the spark plugs and wires, maf sensor, checked injectors and pump, left key on for 15 minutes still nothing..if the car would run i would take it to someone,,so any help would be greatly appreciated..

[fluffybunny]

V6 right? are you sure you have good fuel pressure? try to release the fuel pressure by pushing in the schrader valve on the fuel line then turn the key on and check the schrader again. if youve got good fuel pressure then, have your icm checked out, its at the back of the intake manifold under the coils i believe........ good luck

[1sickRamAir]

yeah it is the 3.4V6. I checked the fuel pressure with a gauge and it reads 57lbs and the coil pack is firing all the spark plugs..

[fluffybunny]

its not backfiring is it? only other things i can think of are injectors, timing and compression. if youre sure the plugs are firing, and so long as the injectors are pulsing you should fire lest your out of time, and i havent heard of anyone losing their timing on a 3.4, sorry wish i could help more.

[Slade901]

Try removing the intake hose and expose the throttle body and spray some starting fluid and try to crank the engine and see if the engine stays for a few seconds until it consumes the starting fluid.
If the engine does stay running for few seconds when using a starting fluid then the problem is fuel related.

Fuel injectors might not be opening properly. Possible culprit would be the CTS (Coolant Temperature Sensor).
Normal working CTS, will give the right temperature signal to the Computer and the Computer will in turn will let the fuel injector open longer for the initial start up.
If the bad CTS tells the computer that it is has a very high temp then the fuel injectors might not open longer at startup and so it won't start at all.

[ponchonutty]

Did you have the ignition switch recall done yet?

[1sickRamAir]

ended up being the CTS(coolant tempature sensor)thanks for all the advice, maybe someone will have the same problem and read this....and no the dealer told me the only recall available right now is the turn signa emergency flasher recall....

[Slade901]

what the CTS cleaned first and tested, or was just replaced it immediately?

[1sickRamAir]

i really dont know. I had it towed to a shop, the guy said he had seen the CTS act up in alot of the new grand am, aleros and malibus......i was just glad its fixed

[pauluk2w]

Originally Posted by 1sickRamAir

i really dont know. I had it towed to a shop, the guy said he had seen the CTS act up in alot of the new grand am, aleros and malibus......i was just glad its fixed

I have the same problem on my 1999 grand am I travelled home from work in it (2 hour drive) parked it on my drive, and has not statred since.
the engine turns over and on rare occasion fires up but splutters and dies. any ideas??

[1sickRamAir]

Originally Posted by pauluk2w

I have the same problem on my 1999 grand am I travelled home from work in it (2 hour drive) parked it on my drive, and has not statred since.
the engine turns over and on rare occasion fires up but splutters and dies. any ideas??

does it actually start up? or just act like it almost is going to start?