1986 Calais won't start

[kdleblanc]

My 1986 Calais won't start. Was working fine till check engine light came on and immeditaly shut down. Has not started since. We change the serpintine belt, the coil pack and the crank sensor and it still turns over but won't start Help please!

[crazy Jim]

sound like fuel pump issue but check for fuel and spark first to narrow it down.

[kdleblanc]

Thanks I will try this

[Ian Szgatti]

the 86 Calais has throttle body injection?

I don't associate check engine lights with fuel pumps, whether electric or mechanical.

[kdleblanc]

Originally Posted by Ian Szgatti

the 86 Calais has throttle body injection?

I don't associate check engine lights with fuel pumps, whether electric or mechanical.

Thanks because I believe it is getting fuel. there is no fire

[Ian Szgatti]

Originally Posted by kdleblanc

Thanks because I believe it is getting fuel. there is no fire

You need to check the ignition modual then. I guess this car has a cap and rotor as well... wouldn't be a bad idea to check out the wire from the coil pack to the distributor... could have a voltage leak there.
Basically though start with the easiest things first and move on to the more complex. Are you familiar with using a multi-meter? So long as you are there are no doubts you'll find any electrical problems.

You also need to figure out what code came up when the check engine light came on... for a minute i'll assume you don't know how to get the codes... do this:

1. get a small piece of wire.
2. locate your diagnostic port
(usually under dash on drivers side, it is a 12 pin connector)
3. out of the top six slots, the far right two are, from left to right, pin B and pin A.
4. put one end of the wire in B and one end in A.
5. turn ignition to on position. light will blink like so...

1 flash (pause) 2 flashes (pause) <--- code 12
the PCM will give this code first, and will repeat the code three times. The codes after it are what your looking for.
example:
4 flashes (pause) flash <---code 41, ignition control (3100v6)

Again, this is assming you don't know how to do this. After you get the code, post the code if needed. Code reading is amoung the first steps in diagnostics. After that I'd be more than happy to tell you how to test various ignition control components right up to the computer. Good luck

[crazy Jim]

Originally Posted by Ian Szgatti

the 86 Calais has throttle body injection?

I don't associate check engine lights with fuel pumps, whether electric or mechanical.

maybe the "check engine" light is unrelated to the issue causing the engine not to run.

Also, I know the car is OBD1 but OBD 2 cars will throw a code because of a bad fuel pump, only the code is generic and you have to run down a long list of things associated with the code.

[maxwedge]

No viable info out of any of this until we know what engine is in this car, 2.5 or 3.0 6cyl, 2 completely different ign systems.

[kdleblanc]

Originally Posted by maxwedge

No viable info out of any of this until we know what engine is in this car, 2.5 or 3.0 6cyl, 2 completely different ign systems.

It is a 3.0 engine 6 cylinder

[maxwedge]

Ok if you have spark and it will run with carb cleaner sprayed into the intake then it is a fuel problem. Check fuel pressure at the rail, check for pulse at the injector harness, use a noid lite. Check the ign/ecm fuses also. This is all basic diagnostics. Of course the code is kinda important also.