No Start

[chriskinzel]

I just replaced the 2 prong coolant sensor and now it won't start. When ii took the sensor out I lost some coolant (about 1/2 gallon) down the valley. The car turns over but will not fire. Did I get something wet that ii shouldn't have? Does it just need to dry?
Thanks in advance
Chris

[scottfab]

I just replaced the 2 prong coolant sensor and now it won't start. When ii took the sensor out I lost some coolant (about 1/2 gallon) down the valley. The car turns over but will not fire. Did I get something wet that ii shouldn't have? Does it just need to dry?
Thanks in advance
Chris

Possibly got coolant on the coils but I would start at ground zero.
Assume nothing.
Check spark (pull one plug and listen for spark)
Check fuel pressure.

Since it is cranking you can rule out the common "no start" culprits.

[chriskinzel]

I assume you removed the Plenum?
I assume you unplugged and plugged the electrical connections to the DIS?

What is the DIS?

[scottfab]

I wouldn't be pulling the plenum or replacing the engine just yet.
Run some simple check first.
Do you have a good spark a the plug end?
Do you have fuel pressure?

[chriskinzel]

45 PSI fuel Preasure, but no spark. Will it dry out?

[chriskinzel]

Distributorless Ignition System......black box bolted up under rear of Plenum with dialectric greese between black box and Plenum.
Several electric plugs are mated to DIS from underneath and from the rear of the Plenum area.

I didn't totally pull the plenum, just lifted the front. I didn't unplug the DIS.

[chriskinzel]

Thanks for the reassurance. I have a box fan blowing down on the plenum now. I will wait until tomorrow and try it again. I just get scared when things don't work as planned. Thanks again!!

[scottfab]

Thanks for the reassurance. I have a box fan blowing down on the plenum now. I will wait until tomorrow and try it again. I just get scared when things don't work as planned. Thanks again!!

this should work. You might inspect each connection at the coils and as was mentioned. Check the drainage in there. Should be no standing water.

[chriskinzel]

OK got up this morning and tried to start the beast on the way to work. Still no start. I am at work for the next 48 hours, so when i get home on Tuesday I guess I will repull the plenum and see if there is any conections that I missed. The drain works good, and I did flush with water. It seems like this car is either go fast, or no go at all.:(

[rhipsher]

Im with Dynomite on this. DIS modual may not be unplugged at the modual but might have come unplugged at the other end at the coil. It will crank all day long but wont start. Its a tight spot to get your arm down in to. But I'll bet thats it. It happens to me 50% of the time when I have to lift the plenum.

[chriskinzel]

OK this is not fun anymore. Just pulled the plenum and all wires seem to be plugged in. I checked everything in sight under there, and all lookes OK. still no spark! What am I missing?:-x

[scottfab]

Time to review what things you may have done since the last time
it ran ok.
There are still no codes set?
The starting circuits are all stock ?(no bypass of starter circuits)
Just making sure.

Have you had any of the connectors to the DIS off?
Did any of the wires get pinched when the plenum got put back in?
Without having a code set this could get difficult to isolate.
Focusing on the DIS would seem correct.
Find out if it's getting 12v.
You'll absolutely need the factory manual for this.

[chriskinzel]

Thanks for the ideas Scott. The car ran fine with the exception of the low coolant code (I think is was 15) befor I replaced the sensor. I did lose a lot of coolant wile replacing the sensor. No codes, no pinched wires, turns over OK but no spark. I did rinse with water os there would not be antifreeze residue in the valley. I have bypassed the VATS and the cluch safety switch. Like I said, it ran fine into the garage. I am going to try to take all electrical plugs apart and spray the with cleaner tomarrow. If that doesent work I think I will just shoot it and put one of us out of missery.

[Marc Haibeck]

Check the INJ1 fuse. If a fuel injector power wire gets caught under the plenum the fuse can open and then there won't be any power to the coils.

Best of luck.

Marc

[scottfab]

Check the INJ1 fuse. If a fuel injector power wire gets caught under the plenum the fuse can open and then there won't be any power to the coils.

Best of luck.

Marc

Well there ya go. From the voice of experience and the author of "Been There Done That". He wrote the book, lost the book then wrote another.

Sure hope it's something fairly fixable like the fuse and not the DIS. The output drive FETs on that board are fixable but not easily found.

[chriskinzel]

I checked all the fuses the other day. I was hoping I shorted something out with the coolant and just needed to replace a fuse. They where all good. I am going to pull all electrical conections, blow out with air then reconnect with dielectric grease. If it still wount start it is over my head and I guess I will try to find a mechanic. Does anyone know of a good LT5 mechanic in Utah?:cry:

[scottfab]

I checked all the fuses the other day. I was hoping I shorted something out with the coolant and just needed to replace a fuse. They where all good. I am going to pull all electrical conections, blow out with air then reconnect with dielectric grease. If it still wount start it is over my head and I guess I will try to find a mechanic. Does anyone know of a good LT5 mechanic in Utah?:cry:

Do you have a shop manual? I forget.

[chriskinzel]

IT'S ALIVE!!:) After pulling the plenum for the 3rd time i decided to put dielectric grease in all electrical connections. I thought i had gone them all, and then I found a plug that was not plugged in! it was the one that plugs in to the rear on the coils. It was just hanging there! I put a little grease on it and plugged it in. Reinstalled the plenum (I am getting good at that) and it fired right up!!!:dancing

Thanks to ALL for the sujestions. This is the best group of people ever. I hope to meet some of you in the near future

Thanks again for all the support
Chris

[scottfab]

IT'S ALIVE!!:) After pulling the plenum for the 3rd time i decided to put dielectric grease in all electrical connections. I thought i had gone them all, and then I found a plug that was not plugged in! it was the one that plugs in to the rear on the coils. It was just hanging there! I put a little grease on it and plugged it in. Reinstalled the plenum (I am getting good at that) and it fired right up!!!:dancing

Thanks to ALL for the sujestions. This is the best group of people ever. I hope to meet some of you in the near future

Thanks again for all the support
Chris

Real good news and must feel great.
Good job. You don't need no stinking mechanic.
You ARE your mechanic :dancing

[captcorvette]

Congrats! I really like success stories. Of course encouragement and help are standard fare on this site. Really lots of good folks on this site. :dancing

[mike100]

Don't feel bad, you are not the only one who had to pull the plenum a couple of extra times. Every owner of these cars should know their way around the top of the engine anyhow.

I fixed a vaccum leak just to find out an hour into the drive that my injectors were crap.

then i fixed those only to find out some of the pcv oil mist was leaking out of the i/h gaskets I replaced during the port work- so I had to do that twice too, once I changed my choice of gasket sealer.

[chriskinzel]

Thanks again for all the help and emotional support. I feel like a idiot not seeing that wireing harness just laying there though. Looking forward to the Las Vegas meet to see some of you!
Thanks again
Chris:handshak:

[rhipsher]

See I told you. I knew thats what it was.

[scottfab]

this should work. You might inspect each connection at the coils and as was mentioned. Check the drainage in there. Should be no standing water.

Yup, this was the #11 post. Lucky #11
On my first plenum pull I had to get back under there two more times
to fix stuff. Don't worry about it.