91 Chevy Lumina Euro

[maddy b]

My question has to do with the replacing the starter. Once I have connected the start I get a sound like a fan is turning. The car will start but once I have turned the car off the battery will drain. Any ideas what I may have done to cause this?

[richtazz]

I assume the fan wasn't running before the starter swap?

[maddy b]

I will start at the beginning. The car would not start. I could crank it but it would not turn over. We took a look at the alternator and it was not getting much power so we replaced it. We tested the battery and that was just about gone and we replaced that. It still wouln't turn over so I thought that maybe there was a bad solenoid on the starter. We reploace the entire starter and the car would crank but woould not turn over. It is when we replaced the started that we started hearing the sound of a fan or something running. I replaced the cps. The car starts but my battery keeps draining. If I unhook the battery when the car its not running there is no battery drain. If I leave the battery connected while the car is not running the noise returns and my battery is drained of power. Could I get an intelligent response please?

[Mediaman67]

when you say "it cranks but doesn't turn over" that is the same thing - does the car act like it wants to start, but never does? if so, that's not the starter, it's another problem.

[dannym]

Originally Posted by maddy b

My question has to do with the replacing the starter. Once I have connected the start I get a sound like a fan is turning. The car will start but once I have turned the car off the battery will drain. Any ideas what I may have done to cause this?

On my 1990 Lumina Euro 3.1, while replacing the starter, I noticed that the oil pressure sending unit was damaged. I replaced it, and also had a problem with a sound of what turned out to be fuel being pumped to the rail continuously, draining the battery. I was sold a defective oil pressure sending unit (mine has the pressure gauge). As a fail safe, in case the fuel pump relay fails, voltage to the fuel pump is paralleled through the oil pressure sending unit. It is supposed to be a limp home protection, and should set a computer code normally (engine light did not come on). The defective sending unit was wired incorrectly internally, so even with no oil pressure, the fuel pump ran continuously, even with the ignition key off. It was an aftermarket unit. Replaced it with an AC Delco unit, and problem solved. Maybe the pressure sending unit got damaged while removing/installing the starter, it is in the path of removal. Listen near the fuel rail to see if the sound is coming from there, and not from a fan. You would be able to see the fan turning if it was the problem. The fans are controlled by the computer, which activates either or both of the fan relays located in the passenger side of the engine compartment, in the fuse/relay panel, accessible by removing the plastic cover. If the contacts of a relay have arced, and became welded closed, that could make a fan run continuously, and drain the battery. Removing the relays one at a time would stop the fan from running if that was the problem. Then open the relay and bunish the contacts, or replace it.