96 Pontiac Bonneville No start Please Help

[quad_guy13]

i have a 96 bonneville that ran great i came home one night and parked it got up the next day for work and it wouldnt start for the live of me. It cranks and has a new battery but wont fully start. The engine is getting gas but if backfires it you crank on it too long. I took the ground plate off and cleaned that up it seemed to help i was able to get it started but i had to pump the hell out of the gas pedal and even then it was hard. Immediately after starting the check engine light came on and began to flash, the manual says its a misfire. Does anyone have an answer i need to get it fixed ASAP i have a trip planned soon and i plan on using the car. I will take any advice i can get, i head it maybe the mass air flow sensor. Let me know thanks

[billn2]

There are a lot of things that cause these cars not to start. You have to just take it one step at a time. When you say the engine is getting gas, do you mean the there is fuel pressure or is there fuel pressure and the injectors are firing? You may have fuel pressure, but if the inectors don't fire it does'nt matter. Have you checked for spark? To check the injectors they make testers that plug into the connectors, but I just use a test light. To check for spark it would be helpful to have a spark tester. You have to verify whether or not you have spark and fuel before you go any further.

[quad_guy13]

well i got the car to start but i had to pump the pedal and it stayed on but the check engine light started to flash on and off. I spoke to a friend and he suggested the same thing too. I appreciate the post, how do you go about checking the pressure or for a spark i like working on cars but by know means am i a qulaified mechanic. Please let me know if you can give me a few pointers.

[maxwedge]

You need a fuel pressure gage connected to the test port on the fuel rail to check pressure, a cheap spark tester will check for spark. You should get it scanned for a code first, though.

[quad_guy13]

can u get one of those at autozone you think? and if so where do u hook it up at?

[maxwedge]

There is port on the fuel pressure rail almost looks like a tire valve, look for at least 45 psi.

[billn2]

When the engine starts, does it ever smooth out ( I'm assuming the engine is running rough-misfiring since the check engine light is flashing), and does the check engine light ever stop flashing? How long does it stay running? Have you tried to drive it after you get it started?

[quad_guy13]

I found the fuel pressure valve, i am going to autozone tomorrow to get a scanner. I cleaned the mass air flow sensor and it started right up no problem, it runs a lil rough but then smooths out but the check engine keeps flashing. I havent taken if for a drive yet i am a lil worried i might get stuck on the side of the road. I will keep you all updated on the situation and the codes i get tomorrow from the scan tool. Thank you we are getting somewhere now hopefully

[quad_guy13]

I got the scanner hooked it up and everything and it gave me a reading of cylinder 1 misifiring? Is that just a bad spark plug ? if so how do you change one of those i can change them on my truck but this bonneville has 3 plastic peices around every two plugs how does that come off or is it not suppose to let me know what you think. Thanks

[maxwedge]

Make sure you have spark to that plug first.

[quad_guy13]

well i firgured out where the plugs are on this engine and well i put the 5/8 socket on it and it shattered Maxwedge is there a tool they sell for removal of those things. its -15 degrees outside and i think that may have had something to do with its destruction. Anyway do u know if they sell and tool to remove a busted plug please help anyone

[maxwedge]

What shattered, if the plug porcelin, a good plug socket still can remove the plug if you have it seated down on the base of the plug, you shouldn't be having these issues.

[quad_guy13]

Sorry for the delay its been too cold to work on it. I shattered the hole plug the porcelin and everything. I think the bottom part of the spark plug fell into the cylinder. I cant even retrieve the rest of the plug stuck in the black because i cant get to it without raising the engine. Any ideas??? i dont know how to tear the head apart and even if i do what would i do? Should i just bite the bullet and bring it in or is there a cheaper way anyone please help

[Mickey#1]

I'm not sure why you think anything fell into the cylinder when it sounds like you don't have the base of the plug out yet. Are you using a good quality six sided socket?

[HotZ28]

It’s highly unlikely that the threaded portion “fell into the cylinder”. It is too large to fall in! Have you removed the strut-tower brace to help access the rear plugs? The rear plugs are not that difficult to remove with the strut tower brace out of the way. Spray some PB-blaster around the base of the plug and let it set overnight, then the remnants of the plug should be easy to remove.