Please help me fix this car.

[papabear]

Ok this car is about to drive me nuts. When I bought it the engine ran fine. I could just hit the key and the car started right up. I droped it off to have the transmission rebuilt and now it has problems. When I drove it home from the trans shop it was acting like is was running out of gas so I put some more in it just to be safe. Sitting ideling it seems fine but put it in gear and it acted up. Once I got it home I parked it until I could look at it. Now it will not crank at all. The engine turns over and acts like it wants to run but it just never does. My question now is there some wire or something that they may have disconnected when they dropped the transmission? The car is a 1984 T-type and I find stuff on gnttype.org to help me trouble shoot this problem but it all seems geared toward 86-87 cars. Someone please give me a hand before I sell this car.


Thanks
John..

 

[Stealthfxxr]

no start

Hey John, check you cam and crank sensors. I put my car in the garage one day went out to start it a week later and it would crand but not start. Followed the trubleshooting guide that BFH send me and it pointed to the Coil/Module so i borrow Cool84's and same thing. For grins i relaced the crank sensor and it started backfiring throught the exhaust. Relaced the Cam sensor cap and it fired right up. I even had a mechanic look at it it and he told me my MAF was bad so i bought a new onr didnt help thou.
I would check the crank sensor first, thesee car are starting to show thier age I think i've replave every sensor on my car now just to be safe. Good luck.
Dale

 

[papabear]

Stealthfxxr

Thanks for the reply. Is there any way to check these sensors or is it just a replace and try sort of thing? I just found it odd that it was fine then after the transmission shop it did not work. I am used to non computer cars so this one is just a little fustrating. I got a rebuilt engine and transmission and my car will not run is not a good feeling. Also it seems like the 84-85 is not as popular as the 86-87 making it harder to find information. Speaking of which what kind of troubleshooting guide did you use on your car? Any extra help is greatly appreciated.

John..

 

[crazygn]

You don't want to just buy and replace the parts, you sould test them first to make sure because a cam sensor is about 120.00 and just the cap is about 40-60.00i don't know about the crank sensor.

If you look thru all the no start post on the next few pages there is a test that buick from hell puts on there to help out , do the test and let use know. And check the ground on the back of the motor where the trans bolts to the motor.drivers side of the motor trans on the top.

good luck

 

[Bat]

Lots to check

If you haven't already looked at other no start post you should. BFH has come through with a lot of help. I'm just throwing in my .02 here. Is the fuel pump pumping? When you turn the key you should hear it. If not check wires for a loose connection. A bad ground could also cause it.

 

[Buick From Hell]

Here's a copy of the troubleshooting post!

Below are links to repair manual pictures to reference from:

ECM Plug
Sensor Plugs

You'll need to get at the ECM and the cam & crank sensors to do some voltage tests. If you have a NEEDLE type voltmeter, it may work better for these tests, as it will visibly "swing" when the sensor switches open & close (IF they're working okay!)

Here goes:

First, test your meter and ground! (see ECM Plug) Check connection A-6, "ign, ECM fuse" for 12 volts. (for ALL tests, BE SURE the negative lead of the voltmeter is connected to a GOOD GROUND!)

#1- (see ECM Plug) With the key off, disconnect the ECM A-B connector. With the positive lead of the voltmeter, probe the B-5 connection (highlighted yellow, this is the crank sensor signal) Crank the engine and watch the meter...you should have varying voltage from 1 to 7 volts.
If NOT okay, proceed to #2.
If you ARE seeing correct voltage, your cam & crank sensors are okay, and your coil and/or ignition module may be the problem! You need to loosen the coilpack, and check the BLUE wire for 12 volts, key on. If it DOES have 12 volts, then the problem is likely the ignition module.

#2- now probe the A-11 connection... (highlighted green, this is the cam sensor signal). Crank the engine...you should have varying voltage from 1 to 9 volts.
If it IS okay, THE CAM SENSOR IS FINE, AND YOU ONLY NEED TO TEST THE CRANK SENSOR IN ALL FURTHER TESTS!
If it's NOT okay, there's no cam sensor signal!

Plug the ECM connector back in, and head for the sensors!

#3 (see "Sensor Plug") Unplug the cam sensor plug. Turn the key "ON" ...On the MODULE SIDE of the plug, probe the "A" wire for voltage, after which probe the "B" wire for voltage. You should have between 5 and 11 volts on BOTH wires.
If you ARE seeing correct voltage, THEN: with the negative lead of the voltmeter, probe the "C" wire, and with the positive lead probe the "A" wire. You should have between 5 and 11 volts. Note the results, then REPEAT THIS TEST WITH THE CRANK SENSOR PLUG!

If ANY of the sensor plug tests FAILED, you have a probably ignition module problem...
If ALL the sensor plug tests PASSED, then PLUG IN the sensor plugs, and proceed:

#4. Test the cam sensor: Probe the "B" wire of the cam sensor, then crank the engine and watch the meter. You SHOULD have varying voltage between 1/2 and 9 volts. REPEAT THIS TEST WITH THE CRANK SENSOR!

If either sensor fails this test, then it's possible that sensor is bad! If they PASS this test, it's likely the ignition module, or the connections TO the ignition module are bad)

Hope this makes sense!

 

[papabear]

Buick From Hell,

Thanks for posting that for me. And thanks to everyone for all the ideas it is helping. I got out there yesterday and found the ground wire on the drivers side firewall (braided steel strap) was not connected. I could not get to the bolt I think it should go to my hands are just to big. Is it alright to run a new ground from that screw on the firewall to a lower bolt on the transmission? I am planning on running a 14 guage wire with soldered ends down to a bolt a little more accessable. Will not having this ground hooked up cause anything else to go bad? Just want to know if it maybe fried anything. If it did the trans shop will be picking up the tab for not hooking it back up right. Again thanks for all the help. When I rerun the wire tonight I will let you know if it fixed it.

John..

 

[crazygn]

Yea i don't see y you cant run a new ground thats a little easy to get to.

Man i was on the money with the ground i'am just getting to good at this.Or maybe i've just had all the problemswith my car.

 

[papabear]

update

Ok here is an update on the car. I checked everything according to Buick From Hells list and it all looks good. So I got a 86/87 style coil and module from redregalt on here in the parts section. I also bought all the stuff from caspers to swap it over. Put the coil in yesterday and still nothing. It will turn over and I can smell gas at the exhaust after turning it over a few times but it will not start. I am about to the end of my rope on this one. Any ideas or suggestions on where to go from here? Just fustrated at this point the cars got less than 50 miles on the engine and trans and I can't drive it. Any help is appreciated.

John