Car not starting, Computer??

[87gn199]

Hi, my car was not starting, I figured it was the old gas at first, but now I notice when I connect the battery I dont hear the noise (not sure what it was, injectors priming) coming from the engine bay I use to hear. Is this a case of a bad Computer?

If so any for sale on long island?

 

[JimP]

What you were hearing was the fuel pump priming when you would turn the key on. By what you are describing the fuel pump isn't running. Take a look at Steve Woods site http://www.vortexbuicks-etc.com/, there is a very good write up in the trouble shooting section for no start conditions.

 

[novaderrik]

does the check engine light come on when you turn on the key? if not, check the fuse in the fuse box under the dash for the ecm and make sure the orange wire by the battery is hooked up.
while you are under the checking fuses, look at the fuses for the fuel pump and injectors.

 

[87gn199]

I am pretty sure the fuel pump is fine, cant check again cause I just drained the tank, but I did hear a noise coming from there when I put the key it last.

I think I am incorrectly assuming a noise should come from the bay (no key in car), here is why

I remember once trying to start my car and didnt connect the battery well enough and all the power shut down due to not enough power to crank I guess, I went to the engine bay and tightened the battery terminals, and clearly remember hearing a distinct loud noise from near the injectors or something (my friend even made a comment). I do not remember if I had the key in the car or took it out, so now I am not sure if there IS suppose to be that noise or that noise only happens when you put the battery in while the key is in the 1st or 2nd position? Hopefully this means everything is fine with ECM. Ill get some gas and use that link to trouble shoot and report back. Thanks for the help Jim!

Also when I put key in 2nd position, only the "Service Engine Soon" oil and volts light light up, is this a sign of ECM?

EDIT just saw your post Derrick, no the Check Engine light does not turn on, I just put gas in it, I hear the fuel pump, I dont hear injectors priming, yes the orange wire is in and the fuses are fine. (maybe it does, see edit 3, in that case it does turn on)


EDIT 2: So no check engine, no injector priming, I assume its the ECM BUT the "Service Engine Soon" or SES light does come on, I think this mean something wrong with cam sensor.Going to go see if any auto parts stores rent a noid light to see if injectors are getting anything.

TL;DR
SES light on, no check engine light, no injector priming noise, fuel pump good. spark plugs sparking. Fuses ok.

EDIT 3: Sorry about beeing a newbie, is the SES light considered the check engine light? or are they two separate lights? I dont see where the check engine light is suppose to be.. my other car has both so I just assumed the buick did also

TL;DR
SES light on, no check engine light (or maybe yes if it is the same thing as service engine soon light), no injector priming noise, fuel pump good. spark plugs sparking. Fuses ok.


EDIT 4; Sorry about all the edits, but I pressed in the schrader valve and only air came out (I just dropped tank, cleaned it and changed fuel filter, I guess I have air in the line) going to compress the valve and prime the fuel pump till fuel comes out. Hopefully this is the problem, but I still didnt hear the injectors priming so probably not.

 

[87gn199]

Pressed the Schroder Valve in on the fuel rail, only air came out. Tried again after priming the fuel pump a few times and nothing comes out now.
Bad fuel line??

EDIT 1.1: Decided to check the fuel filter to see if there was gas there this is what happened:

1) Unscrew back part of fuel filter, NO GAS, all dry (even though I primed several times earlier).
2) Prime 2 times, nothing. 3rd times gas drips out

 

[87gn199]

Update:
Got gas coming out of the Schrader valve now. When to put the schrader cap back on, and dropped it while screwing it on . No idea where it is, (I assume the cap is not 100% necessary to atleast start it, correct me if I am wrong). I tried starting it, it doesnt turn over, kinda gives a dudu, but doesnt turn. My fear is the Shrader valve blocked the starter or something, or maybe the battery is weakened (i hope).

Still not sure if injectors are working.


Any idea how to hand crank the engine to see if that schrader valve cap I dropped is blocking anything?

 

[GullsGN]

I am pretty sure the fuel pump is fine, cant check again cause I just drained the tank, but I did hear a noise coming from there when I put the key it last.

I think I am incorrectly assuming a noise should come from the bay (no key in car), here is why

I remember once trying to start my car and didnt connect the battery well enough and all the power shut down due to not enough power to crank I guess, I went to the engine bay and tightened the battery terminals, and clearly remember hearing a distinct loud noise from near the injectors or something (my friend even made a comment). I do not remember if I had the key in the car or took it out, so now I am not sure if there IS suppose to be that noise or that noise only happens when you put the battery in while the key is in the 1st or 2nd position? Hopefully this means everything is fine with ECM. Ill get some gas and use that link to trouble shoot and report back. Thanks for the help Jim!

Also when I put key in 2nd position, only the "Service Engine Soon" oil and volts light light up, is this a sign of ECM?

EDIT just saw your post Derrick, no the Check Engine light does not turn on, I just put gas in it, I hear the fuel pump, I dont hear injectors priming, yes the orange wire is in and the fuses are fine. (maybe it does, see edit 3, in that case it does turn on)


EDIT 2: So no check engine, no injector priming, I assume its the ECM BUT the "Service Engine Soon" or SES light does come on, I think this mean something wrong with cam sensor.Going to go see if any auto parts stores rent a noid light to see if injectors are getting anything.

TL;DR
SES light on, no check engine light, no injector priming noise, fuel pump good. spark plugs sparking. Fuses ok.

EDIT 3: Sorry about beeing a newbie, is the SES light considered the check engine light? or are they two separate lights? I dont see where the check engine light is suppose to be.. my other car has both so I just assumed the buick did also

TL;DR
SES light on, no check engine light (or maybe yes if it is the same thing as service engine soon light), no injector priming noise, fuel pump good. spark plugs sparking. Fuses ok.


EDIT 4; Sorry about all the edits, but I pressed in the schrader valve and only air came out (I just dropped tank, cleaned it and changed fuel filter, I guess I have air in the line) going to compress the valve and prime the fuel pump till fuel comes out. Hopefully this is the problem, but I still didnt hear the injectors priming so probably not.

Ok, a few things here. The SES light is the check engine light. You will not hear the injectors priming. What you may hear from the engine bay is the relay for the fan clicking on. It's the big one on the drivers fender. If you want to get fuel out of the schrader valve you put power to the brown connector that is hanging with the green one doing nothing behind the alternator ( the green one is a tach pick up). This will power the fuel pump without starting the car. The proper way to drain the gas tank is to remove the schrader valve and put a hose there and add power via that brown connector. There is no light on the dash that tells you the cam sensor is bad. I very much doubt it is your ECM.

 

[TurboTGuy]

First, check the Orange wire on the right side connector on the ECM. Make sure there is a good connection. Follow it to the battery and make sure it's not damaged or grounded anywhere.

 

[87gn199]

New problem, turn key, belt turns a little bit, then you get a clicking noise. Hopefully this doesnt mean the starter is out

 

[TurboTGuy]

New problem, turn key, belt turns a little bit, then you get a clicking noise. Hopefully this doesnt mean the starter is out

That sounds more like a low battery. Charge it up.

 

[87gn199]

That sounds more like a low battery. Charge it up.

Thanks for info, seems like the case since the lights were dimming, going to charge it up over night and clean the terminals

 

[87gn199]

Car Started!

Guess I just had to bleed the fuel rail since so much fuel came out of the line when I dropped the tanks and changed filter.
Thanks for the help TurboT, Gulls, Jim and Derrick.

 

[TurboTGuy]

Good to hear!