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91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run


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Quixiotic1
Novice

May 16, 2012, 1:22 PM

Post #1 of 12 (1666 views)
91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

My 91 Camero just came out of the dealership...I towed it there because it wont run...it trys to start..occasionally it will start go a couple of feet then die. Dealer ran all kinds of tests..they are giving it back to me ...still not running...telling me they cant find anything wrong with it...no trouble codes. Is there a typical problem with this year and engine that someone can help me with..I read somewhere that it may be a ignition control module...how can i tell if that may be bad? Dont know much about the car...JUST BOUGHT IT..DROVE IT HOME...then it quit running. ugh


Quixiotic1
Novice

May 16, 2012, 1:45 PM

Post #2 of 12 (1642 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

it ran perfect when this dumb blonde test drove it..do i have some luck or what???


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 16, 2012, 2:06 PM

Post #3 of 12 (1627 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

You're going to try to convince us that the dealer couldn't get it running and gave up?



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Quixiotic1
Novice

May 16, 2012, 2:21 PM

Post #4 of 12 (1621 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

I know a little about cars...yes that is exactly what I am saying ..they are telling me "Unfortunately we dont have any testers for any models older than 95..I live in Elko Nevada..podunk town. They said they ran vacuum..its good...fuel pump..its good..no trouble codes..they said they didnt check the injector resistance levels..and they 'suspect" I might have a bad ignition control module...then they said..how much money do I want to dump into the car chasing..trying to find out what the problem is...I asked them..you dont need special equipment to check injector resistance..just a regular electrical tester...so guy is checking on price of ICM and going to call me back...but Im trying to get a sense of which direction to go with this problem.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 16, 2012, 2:57 PM

Post #5 of 12 (1615 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

Has anyone tested basic things when it won't start like injector pulse, fuel pressure and spark?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Quixiotic1
Novice

May 16, 2012, 3:11 PM

Post #6 of 12 (1610 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

I told them to keep car until we locate problem. I told them they can test ohms on injectors with a simple electrical tester..he seemed puzzled by that...he said ..no we dont have engine analyzer for that year of car..I told him...you dont need an analyzer to test the ohms..just a normal electrical tester. So it looks like if a computer cant tell these guys whats wrong..Im outa luck ...unless I can be the computer..lol. I did ask the shop guy to check the injector ohms next..and if thats good.. then try replacing the ICM because I read alot of forums that said those affect idle and stalling..Question...if the catalytic converter is bad..will it give a trouble code?. ...so I guess I gotta know more than this shop does so I can tell them what to do to the car. So Im relying on you guys out there to guide me. I truly appreciate your help!!! So far they said...fuel pump is good and no vacuum leaks...and no trouble codes.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 16, 2012, 3:16 PM

Post #7 of 12 (1605 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

If you continue to use the dart board method of diagnosis, you're going to throw a lot of money away. I really find it hard to believe a dealership would give up on the car unless you just refused to pay for their time.

Here is how these problems are approached.

All "crank, no start" conditions are approached in the same way. Every engine requires certain functions to be able to run. Some of these functions rely on specific components to work and some components are part of more than one function so it is important to see the whole picture to be able to conclude anything about what may have failed. Also, these functions can ONLY be tested during the failure. Any other time and they will simply test good because the problem isn't present at the moment.
If you approach this in any other way, you are merely guessing and that only serves to replace unnecessary parts and wastes money.



Every engine requires spark, fuel and compression to run. That's what we have to look for.

These are the basics that need to be tested and will give us the info required to isolate a cause.

1) Test for spark at the plug end of the wire using a spark tester. If none found, check for power supply on the + terminal of the coil with the key on.


2) Test for injector pulse using a small bulb called a noid light. If none found, check for power supply at one side of the injector with the key on.


3) Use a fuel pressure gauge to test for correct fuel pressure, also noticing if the pressure holds when key is shut off.

4) If all of these things check good, then you would need to do a complete compression test.

Once you have determined which of these functions has dropped out,
you will know which system is having the problem.


If you give me results from every one of these tests, I can give you a much better idea of where your issue is.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Quixiotic1
Novice

May 16, 2012, 3:22 PM

Post #8 of 12 (1599 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

Thank you...I will ask shop if they checked those things...all they told me was they couldnt find anything wrong...so I assumed they checked all that...but I guess I shouldnt assume anything at this point because they sound a little clueless...thank you for you help...I will probably follow up tomorrow after they do more tests. Regarding money..no...I told them I want it fixed...money never entered the conversation..I can afford about $1500 to find/fix problem so right now im not too freaked out....yet.


Quixiotic1
Novice

May 16, 2012, 3:32 PM

Post #9 of 12 (1596 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

There is one thing I forgot to mention...there is a dash light that comes on when you turn on the key that says...infl rest. Also when I say car wont run...I start it..it idles rough...dies..I leave it sit for awhile..it starts...drives a few feet..dies...then wont turn over ..so weird...when I test drove it ..it ran fine...ran fine on the way home..when i hopped into it to go get it registered...it wouldnt start acted/sounded like it was running out of gas over and over...I only drove it about 20 miles from the people I bought it from.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

May 16, 2012, 3:41 PM

Post #10 of 12 (1592 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

That is just the air bag light. You have a problem with that system somewhere.

It isn't going to do any good to ask them if they did all that because they will just lie and say yes. You need a qualified tech to go through that testing and determine what's dropping out and something definitely is.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



nickwarner
Veteran / Moderator
nickwarner profile image

May 16, 2012, 7:07 PM

Post #11 of 12 (1577 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

I know a little about cars...yes that is exactly what I am saying ..they are telling me "Unfortunately we dont have any testers for any models older than 95.. They have nothing but a generic OBD2 scanner and are idiots. This isn't a hard car to fix. Take it to someone who has more than a cheap scanner and a crescent wrench. Any money you give these guys you may as well flush down the toilet.


Quixiotic1
Novice

May 16, 2012, 10:12 PM

Post #12 of 12 (1564 views)
Re: 91 Camero RS 3.1 wont run Sign In

Thank you so much...I will know more tomorrow...the service manager was SUPPOSED to call me at close of business to discuss route to take...but he flaked..so have to wait til the a.m....have a wonderful evening all...:)






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