codynimoensmom Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 I was going down the highway and suddenly my car starts to spudder so I stepped on it and it just spuddered worse then the car reeked like gas and it quit running. Now it won't start. It makes the sound as if it's trying to turn over but it doesn't. It's a 1993 with a 3.4L rebuilt 2215 miles ago, oil was changed earlier today, spark plugs were changed a month ago. Any ideas??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns87 Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 maybe a fuel pump? injectors? Unfortunately all of our cars seem to have the same symptoms with different causes. Test the fuel pressure if you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Fury Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 maybe a fuel pump? injectors? Unfortunately all of our cars seem to have the same symptoms with different causes. Test the fuel pressure if you can. Yes. It sucks ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codynimoensmom Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 How do I go about testing it? I will wait a few hours for the 5:00 rush hour to be over and then maybe I will be able to hear the fuel pump hum with the turn of the key (or lack of it) to help find the cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns87 Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 They sell fuel pressure gauges that plug onto the "schrader (sp)" valve on your fuel rail. The valve will look like a tire pressure valve (cap included), and the gauge goes on it just like a tire pressure gauge would. Try it with just the key on, and with the car running. Should be in the high 30s, lows 40s PSI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codynimoensmom Posted August 14, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 They sell fuel pressure gauges that plug onto the "schrader (sp)" valve on your fuel rail. The valve will look like a tire pressure valve (cap included), and the gauge goes on it just like a tire pressure gauge would. Try it with just the key on, and with the car running. Should be in the high 30s, lows 40s PSI I can't try it with it running when the car won't start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GP1138 Posted August 14, 2008 Report Share Posted August 14, 2008 They sell fuel pressure gauges that plug onto the "schrader (sp)" valve on your fuel rail. The valve will look like a tire pressure valve (cap included), and the gauge goes on it just like a tire pressure gauge would. Try it with just the key on, and with the car running. Should be in the high 30s, lows 40s PSI I can't try it with it running when the car won't start. I think he meant "without". Either way it should hold that much pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns87 Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 "mi scusie!" Yeah I guess I meant: If you have a friend with you, see if your friend can watch the gauge as you crank the car. Also, try it with the car in the on position. Once the car is off, it should hold most of the pressure too IIRC. Sorry for the confusion. My typing has been sub-par lately Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I suspect a botched timing belt job. or a fuel pressure regulator let go... or a CPS failure...... hmmm You are saying that it cranks but will not start? DOES IT HAVE SPARK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuminaPower92 Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I suspect a botched timing belt job. or a fuel pressure regulator let go... or a CPS failure...... hmmm You are saying that it cranks but will not start? DOES IT HAVE SPARK? Check all of these. Also Do you hear the fuel pump. If not, you could try either banging on the tank while starting or, spray some brakleen in the throttle body to see if it starts. if it does and shuts off, usually is a fuel pump. Check the relay as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 The gas smell would lead me to think that the fuel pressure regulator failed.. Try pulling the vacuum line that plugs into the fuel pressure regulator and see if gas drips out, or if the vacuum lines are wet with fuel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockfangd Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 also check for a fuel leak. I doubt it but nothing surprises me anymore lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuminaPower92 Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 also check for a fuel leak. I doubt it but nothing surprises me anymore lol Specially with a W BODY! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
codynimoensmom Posted August 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I went to try again and see if I would have some kind of strange luck and be able to just get it to start and run enough to move it off the highway but no luck there. LuminaPower92 - There is nothing leaking from it, I did look under it both when it first happened and when I went back and saw nothing at all. Crazy K - It does crank but it won't turn over. When I went back the battery was getting pretty low from the flashers being on so I rolled up the windows and closed the sunroof and then I tried to start it (wanted them closed before I might use any juice left) and it was too low to really even try to start. I did have my son sit in the back and stick his head thru the pass-thru to listen for the fuel pump hum, which he didn't hear. Now he could have just missed it being as we were on a highway where it's not all that quiet and he is only 8 years old and although I showed him what the sound is like on my boyfriend's Grand Am he could have not noticed it. I wasn't able to check the fuel pressure or if it's sparking because of the location it's in right now. It's being towed today to a shop since I got a notice on it that I have 24 hours to have it off the highway or it will be impounded. I'm starting to wonder if the other issues I have been having could be more related to this failure to start then I first thought. When the car is driven around it has had a harder time starting the longer it's driven and will just not start after too many starts, but after waiting a few hours then it will start again. A friend told me that the starter needs to have a shim put into it and that would fix it. Then about 3 months ago my check engine light started coming on so I checked the codes and it was reading #33 or #34 (can't remember which one) and #43. The car has always seemed to "shake" more then most cars when at a idle, but if I press on the gas not even enough to make the engine's rev sound any higher then it was the shaking will shaking will stop. In overdrive the car has no power at all and when going above 45 MPH it sounds like when you put a standard tranny in 5th gear when you're going 20 MPH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted August 15, 2008 Report Share Posted August 15, 2008 I hope the shop will take care of the problem for you! I think TGP Nick is onto something though. My car did the same thing and smelled of fuel when the FPR went bad. Those codes seem to indicate the engine likes to run too lean, so I'm guessing fuel system. Fuel pump or FPR. Shaking at lower RPM can also be a sign of a bad injector. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 hard start when warm = weak fuel pump IMO. probably both the pump and regulator have failed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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