'93 engine turns but car won't start

I have 1993 Grand Am with a fuel-injected engine. Normally when you turn the ignition you hear the fuel injecting and the car starts. As of yesterday when I turn the ignition now I can hear 2 clicks like it's trying to inject the fuel but can't. This happened all of a sudden. I don't know if this is related to the problem,but the day before yesterday I had driven it through a vicious rainstorm and was practically sailing through huge puddles of water which I could feel splashing hard into the underside of the car. But it was working fine the next day before it just stopped.

The first item is to check the fuel pressure to see if the fuel pump is working. When you turn the key you should hear it coming on by hearing a noise in the fuel tank. It sounds like the fuel pump may have gone out.

could it possibly be a bad starter

It could also be moisture, since you went sploosh through some serious water, by your description. If you know what to look for, try to use a hair dryer on all the plug harnesses at the various engine-mounted controls you can see. I have to presume whatever engine you are using has the coil-packs hidden, but you may see the plug-in harness to try to dry out.

I know it sounds a bit off-the-wall, but the way U described the water deal, sounds like the engine area got drenched.

I'm not %100 sure where my fuel tank is located. Where I think it would be is covered by a plate. All I hear are clicks but they sound like they're coming from the hood. Would the fuel pump just go out without any warning signs? My car was running perfect until the flood.

The fuel pump is located inside the fuel tank which should be under the back of the car. I would also take some advice from the other replies and try to dry the electrical components under the hood out. If this is a V6 the coils and ignition module are located on the front of the engine and could have gotten drenched with water. Remove the wires from the coils and dry them out. Also, is the engine turning over or just clicking. If it is not turning over then the starter solenoid could have gotten wet and has shorted out causing the starter to fail to engage. I suggest you have the car towed to a garage and explain what happened and they should be able to get the car running.

you say it clicks when you try to start it, do you mean like a dead battery or starter gone bad click? if you turn on your key and don't try to start it, does the fuel pump run for 30 seconds then shut off? if so its not your fuel pump.

Have you tried jumping the car, or swapping out batterys from a good car? maybe a bad battery or alternator (because of the water your alternator could be bad & made your battery go dead). If it doesn't start when jumped, but your fuel pump runs, its your starter clicking, take it off and have it tested before you get a new one, autozone test for free.

my guess is its a bad alternator & it took a day for your battery to go dead so it wouldn't run.

Damn. The car I had the tools in is going to be out of town for a couple of days. Assuming water on the engine parts is what's wrong,is it possible that it will dry up on it's own?


you say it clicks when you try to start it, do you mean like a dead battery or starter gone bad click? if you turn on your key and don't try to start it, does the fuel pump run for 30 seconds then shut off? if so its not your fuel pump.


Well the lights and everything come on fine so I assume it's not the battery or alternator. But instead of hearing the fuel inject when you turn the ignition,you just hear 2 clicks. Then the engine will turn but it won't start.

OK,now I have my tools. Now here is a better explanation of my problem. When I turn the keys in the ignition I can hear 2 clicks sounding like they're coming from under the hood. If I try to start the car the engine will rotate fine but it won't start.



I've just removed the ignition module and am inspecting it but so far that doesn't seem to be the problem. If the starter looks simple enough to remove I'll do that and get it tested. But I've never done it before so I'm just hoping I can pull it off.

If the motor turns over fine its not the starter. As far as the ignition module you will not be able to see if its bad by looking at it, and I don't think there is a way to test it. At $150 its an expensive try. Do you have spark? I would test for spark before going any further. You will need a spark tester & 4 long plug wires.

If you have spark you can rule out the ignition module, crank position sensor, coils, coil housing. Check for spark on all 4 cylinders.

The clicking you may be hearing from under the hood could be the relay for fuel pump kicking on and off. Do you hear the pump run at all? When you turn the key on (but not engage the starter) you should hear it run for 30 seconds then shut off, if you don't 1. check the fuse, 2. try swapping the relay with one of the other's if they are the same number.

One more thing to check, when you turn on the key do you get a check engine light? If it comes up and then goes off that tells you your computer it getting power.

Do you have spark? I would test for spark before going any further. You will need a spark tester & 4 long plug wires.

If you have spark you can rule out the ignition module, crank position sensor, coils, coil housing. Check for spark on all 4 cylinders.


I know for certain that I don't have a spark tester. I assume you check for spark on the ignition module,so does it need to actually be attached to the coil packs and everything to be tested or can I take just the ignition module itself to Autozone and get it tested?



The clicking you may be hearing from under the hood could be the relay for fuel pump kicking on and off. Do you hear the pump run at all? When you turn the key on (but not engage the starter) you should hear it run for 30 seconds then shut off, if you don't 1. check the fuse, 2. try swapping the relay with one of the other's if they are the same number.


Where would I find the relays? I can't locate my fuel pump or fuel tank under the car in order to listen for anything. I can see the fuel filter,but everything looks to be covered in shields or plates. All I see is a tube running from where I put gas in and that tube disappears into the middle of the underside of the car which is all blocked off with large shields.


One more thing to check, when you turn on the key do you get a check engine light? If it comes up and then goes off that tells you your computer it getting power.

My dashlights all come on.

your relay will be under the hood on the passanger side of the firewall, there should be 3 relays there.

A spark tester is nothing more then something you can attach the sparkplug wire to one side, then the other side clamps to a ground (bolt), you can pick them up for around $10 at any autoparts store, some look like spark plugs, some are adjustable and look strange, just tell them you want to verify you have spark and they should send you right too them.

the only way I know to test the ignition module is to have everything hooked up like normal (yes the ignition coil needs to be attached), then take the coil housing off like your going to change the spark plugs, set coil housing back on the cam covers upside down, plug wire connector back in, check spark with a long plug wire & spark tester.

your tank should be just behind the fuel filter, im sure it has a skid plate on it, but its up there. lay under the trunk area of the car and have someone turn on the key (without starting the car) if you hear nothing then the pump isn't turning on. (check fuses & relays first) after that i'd guess fuel pump, but im not an expert.

What is the firewall?

Nevermind,found'em I think. I'll check them out tomorrow when I have light again.

Thanks for all the help. Well,I got it fixed and it was the fuel pump. Cost me a pretty penny too. And I found out that 1993 Grand Ams don't have fuel pump relays.