no spark or fuel

My brother owns a 95 Z28, 2 years ago he went out to start the car and fuel pump was not turning on. He replaced the fuel pump only to find out that the problem was it was not getting power. After more troubleshooting he found that he also did not have spark. The gauges are jumping around when he turns the key. The car will crank but will not get fuel or spark. the car wasnt involved in a crash or anything. I have searched and searched over the net on and off for the last year or so to try to find somebody with the same problem with no luck. Any thoughts of what this could be? bad ground maybe? he is ready to just sell the car and told me I could have it for $1000 but ill have to drive 6 hours to go pick it up and haul it back. so my second question is it worth the trouble to go and get it. Anytime I have dealt with a cars electrical system it has been a pain. Thanks for any help in advance (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/#)

You have the opti-spark ignition? Take coil wire loose from dist cap, hold close to engine ground, engine cranking, does a spark jump? Do you have 12 or 16 pin data-link connector? If 12 pin, you might be able to get mil codes, not sure it will help. You can check coil primary circuits. Pink wire usually goes hot with the key on, white wire has a pulse, engine cranking.

For what it's worth all data link connectors 94 and up are 16 pin. Need an OBD I hybrid compatalbe reader to get any codes.

but can a obd detect a ground problem?

A code that is thrown by the OBD system will not specifically detect a ground problem, but it could report that a high or low voltage at some sensor has been detected or that certain sensors are not functioning properly… This is information that COULD help you find the cause of the problem, but I would wager that the battery has run out of juice or has been disconnected at least once since the last time the car ran, in which case a code will probably not be thrown… (certainly not in an OBDI system)… but checking the codes would still be worth a shot…

If no codes are thrown by the diagnostic system, then the first thing I would check would be the relays are wires in the engine compartment as a bad relay or a melted wire or 2 could easily cause a problem like this… Then I would check the wires under the dash inside the car as a couple crossed wires here could also be the culprit…
Then I would probably try to follow the wiring diagram for the ignition system in your car because if both the fuel and spark lack power, but the gages still receive a signal…
Also, you could try consulting the fuel system wiring diagram for your car and use it to track and follow the fuel system wiring in your car to find the problem….just a thought.:2cents:

but can a obd detect a ground problem?

The OBD system is set up to only detect pollution problems. When the OBD II system was being set up many engineers wanted to take it further to detect all sorts of problems but in the end they decided that the OBD II would only detect pollution related problems which really sucks.
So no, OBD will not detect a bad ground.

so would 1000 bucks be a good deal? car body is in good shape new clutch, rotors, pads, tires it has 145k miles is it worth the headache?

I would say yes if the body, paint, and interior look good... That really is a nice car and with a new fuel pump, tires, brakes, rotors, etc... the fact is that the problem is likely simple and when you do find it, you will likely think..."how could this have caused all these problems?!?" You won’t find the problem right away, I would say YOU WILL NEED A WIREING DIAGRAM TO TRACK IT DOWN, but they are widely available and fairly inexpensive... I think you can get them from ALL DATA... I once had an electrical problem that I think I actually made a thread for on this site, but I my bizarre and unusual situation, I just magically went away after months of searching...go figure :smokin:
With a diagram, you will just need to find a relay or power junction that both the fuel and spark system share because both problems are likely being caused by the same thing…:2cents:
In the end, you will need to choose if it is worth the effort...but try to keeps in mind that chicks dig Camaros and Firebirds...after all, they don’t call it the F-body for nothin :ylsuper:

lol malletslinger...My GSXR picks up enough chicks:naughty:. I would call it an f-body for F***ing up dumbass imports around here but thats just my objective, get all the p-tang you want. Ive been an electrician for 5 years or so but electronic problems in cars can really aggravate me. If all else failed and I could not find the short(if that is the problem) would it be possible for me to install switches on everything? push button for ignition and switch for fuel? Forgive me it im wrong but I think opti runs off a sensor on Cam? Is there anyway I could do this? In my opinion chevy went way to far on their electronic system on this car? Thanks for everybodys input

Actually automotive electronic systems have become increasingly complicated overtime to meet the demand of more intricate engine management... Installing bypasses at specific locations could be possible at a couple different locations, but you may find that in trying to figure out where a bypass would work, you will likely find where the problem actually lies. As I said before, you need a wiring diagram…there is no getting around that fact.
I’ve personally never worked on a 4th gen camaro before so I can’t really comment on the specifics of its ignition system… but it seems to me that there cant be to many places a problem can occur that would affect BOTH fuel delivery and spark.
Just get the diagram, take some time to track the flow of power to both the fuel and spark and see where they cross paths. Start at the fuse box and work your way from there.