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88 bonneville - no start


boilrman
03-19-2010, 08:27 PM
Long read, but all help appreciated.

I recently purchased this bonneville and ran it 500 miles last week to and from work. I changed the spark plugs on Sunday and installed some NGK plugs.(looking to try to improve gas mileage, but this may be biting me in the butt right now, not sure) car ran good Monday-Wednesday. Thursday night it ran bad, lack of power, jumpy. It has been a bit jumpy from the get go, but thought it possibly flat spots on the tires, as it sat for 2 years before I got it.

Anyway Thurs night after getting home, shut down car and within 5 minutes tried to restart it, it turned over several times and then almost come to a stop while cranking, then repeat. I tried to start it off and on for 1 1/2 hour when it started. It ran poorly, but after that I stopped and started it multiple times and it started no problem. Fuel pressure was 40psi with key on, 32 with engine running and back to 40 when I removed the VAC line from the pressure regulator. I changed the fuel filter and the car ran great, no loss of power anymore.

I drove the car to work today, car ran great this morning, restarted about 11:30am and then again at 3:10pm. Made the trip home and shut it down and now it will not run. I checked the spark at the coils and found the center coil not firing. I purchased a new one and car will still not run. I rechecked for spark on all 3 coils, good. I hooked fuel pressure gauge up again and still get 40 with the key on.

Is it my fuel pump?

Spark Plugs? Go back to AC Delco?

Mickey#1
03-19-2010, 09:32 PM
Which NGK plugs did you use?
I'd pull at least the front 3 plugs & see what they look like.

skyler610
03-19-2010, 09:44 PM
Ngk plugs work great in alot of foreign cars I would go back to delco fuel pressure sounds ok check the timing but the main thing and this is what it sounds like is the firing order make sure you didn't get ur wires crossed...

boilrman
03-20-2010, 08:58 AM
I got it running this morning. I got out my Haynes manual and started reading a bit.

I first looked at the plug wires. I found that I had indeed crossed 2 wires. While it sounded better trying to start, it still would not run.

I then decided to pull the spark plugs to look at them and noticed a strong fuel odor. I looked in the manual for a gap setting and noticed it read .060(I gapped the plugs at .045 on Sunday because that is what the sticker on the radiator support read and that is what the old plugs were gapped at). So I regapped all 6 plugs and turned the motor over with them out to blow out any fuel. Reinstalled plugs, cranked over the motor and it started right up.

I appreciate your guys ideas on getting this taken care of. It is nice to know I can use this resource to bounce off ideas and get help. Sometimes I just forget to start with the basics and start blaming other things, when I should start first with air, spark and fuel.

Thanks again.

boilrman
Chad

boilrman
03-20-2010, 08:31 PM
The car ran great when I posted above. I drove the car a bit later and it had poor power and some hesitation. Now the car is not running again.

I have tested each coil pack with a voltmeter and they all pass. I then placed a spark tester inline with 2 of the wires and it lit the bulb so I am thinking the ICM is good. I changed plugs back to AC Delco R44 and gapped them at .045(VIN 3)

I changed the fuel filter the other night, but I am concerned about the fuel pressure. I get a 40 when the pump primes, and then it does slowly fall. When the car was running it would fall to 32.

Any ideas would be appreciated............again.

boilrman
03-20-2010, 08:32 PM
Ngk plugs work great in alot of foreign cars I would go back to delco fuel pressure sounds ok check the timing but the main thing and this is what it sounds like is the firing order make sure you didn't get ur wires crossed...


timing is not adjustable

boilrman
03-21-2010, 07:27 AM
I changed the fuel filter the other night, but I am concerned about the fuel pressure. I get a 40 when the pump primes, and then it does slowly fall. When the car was running it would fall to 32.




Well I found another source that states fuel pressure when running should be 25-35 psi. So that would lead me to believe that the pump is putting out the proper amount of pressure. I think I may try to change the fuel filter again, after all the car did sit for 2 years, but yet I dont understand why it has taken 2 weeks for things to break loose unless maybe the filter in the tank has disintigrated or something.

boilrman
03-21-2010, 09:24 AM
Well I decided to pull the oxygen sensor to see if the catalytic converter may be plugged. With the OS removed the car starts and runs, so I am getting new exhaust.

Do you think it is just age that may have caused the failure or is there something I should look for?

Jrs3800
03-22-2010, 08:07 AM
Ngk plugs work great in alot of foreign cars I would go back to delco fuel pressure sounds ok check the timing but the main thing and this is what it sounds like is the firing order make sure you didn't get ur wires crossed...

Thats a heck of a shot in the dark... who do you think makes AC Delco Plugs.........

Jrs3800
03-22-2010, 08:08 AM
Well I decided to pull the oxygen sensor to see if the catalytic converter may be plugged. With the OS removed the car starts and runs, so I am getting new exhaust.

Do you think it is just age that may have caused the failure or is there something I should look for?

This could be an age related issue... So what you have is an 88 Bonneville with a Vin 3 3.8?

If the Cat lasted that long it did its Job and it would be nice if that was your issue...

Is there emissions testing in your state? If there isn't you could use a Magnaflow Cat...

boilrman
03-22-2010, 05:18 PM
This could be an age related issue... So what you have is an 88 Bonneville with a Vin 3 3.8?

If the Cat lasted that long it did its Job and it would be nice if that was your issue...

Is there emissions testing in your state? If there isn't you could use a Magnaflow Cat...

correct it is a 88 Bonne VIN 3 3.8L

There is no emissions testing in Indiana. I just got the cat and piping from the local parts house and will weld it all in myself at the cost of about $215. Don't know if that is good or bad, but I don't think it is too bad.

With no exhaust hooked up it runs great. I have only ran it about 15 seconds so I don't burn the paint off the firewall.:rofl:

boilrman
03-25-2010, 07:24 PM
Well I am back to square one. The car will not start. I am at a loss for what is going on.

I checked it for codes and got a 13 and a 15, coolant temp sensor and oxygen sensor, both of which I probably set during all this. I have replaced the coolant sensor and the OS has a purple wire which I hear is a replacement.

I got some advice that it may be either the computer or the crank sensor, so I went to pick a part and pulled both and have installed both one at a time only to find out it still wont run.

The computer in the car was a reman and the one I got from PAP was a reman. Granted there is no way to tell if the parts I got were good or not.

Any ideas? All input much appreciated.

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