|
|
1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Caption
Novice
Apr 12, 2011, 11:21 AM
Post #1 of 16
(3771 views)
|
1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
Hello all, new poster here. I own an 1988 Buick LeSabre. I love this car. I've had an Altima, and a Hyundai Accent and neither can compare to the smoothness and power of this car (in comparison).
Lately my car would not start in the cold, and then once the weather warmed up it started perfectly fine. Okay, I figure it must be a faulty battery, I'll ignore it until it dies completely.
So I'm driving home one day when I notice it's getting significantly less power when I hit the gas. Sensing my impending break down I drive with my caution flickers on until finally I come to a stop and the car gets no power at all when I hit the gas. I pull over, shut off the car, and it won't start again. Let me say that when I turn the key it cranks like it would start any other time, but never turns over. It did this same thing in the cold when it wouldn't start. I try flooding the gas pedal and a couple of times almost get it started. I'm fairly sure it's the fuel pump and/or filter, but I'm not really a car guy, I learn how to repair the problems as they come and have only done an alternator and starter job on my own, although I will do this on my own once I know for sure what it is. So I'm thinking fuel pump/filter. Am I right? Am I totally off. Please help guys!!!
Edit: It's a 6 cylinder vehicle. Buick LeSabre 1988
If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.
St. Clement of Alexandra
(This post was edited by Caption on Apr 12, 2011, 11:28 AM)
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 12, 2011, 11:31 AM
Post #2 of 16
(3755 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
Caption
Novice
Apr 12, 2011, 11:37 AM
Post #3 of 16
(3747 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
Thank you for your speedy response. Is it going to cost me a lot of money to get this stuff fixed? There's a reason I'm driving an 1988 car, hahaha. Is there any way to test this stuff without these things?
And I guess it can't hurt to replace the spark plugs and the fuel/air filter anyway, maybe I'll get lucky. I'm sure they're due for it soon enough anyway. The woman who owned it before me maintained it well when it comes to oil changes but I don't know if she did the other basics routinely.
Edit: The car not starting in cold weather is coincidental? Also I really should have mentioned the check engine light has been on a while. Also, for the last month I drove it I felt there was a lot less power when I hit the gas then there normally was.
If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.
St. Clement of Alexandra
(This post was edited by Caption on Apr 12, 2011, 11:42 AM)
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 12, 2011, 11:43 AM
Post #4 of 16
(3740 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
SURE, you can try this method.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 12, 2011, 3:04 PM
Post #5 of 16
(3733 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
Go check on things on that list. Get the code it's got waiting. Remember a battery naturally has less amps when cold and if it doesn't check good the time to get a new one. Don't know yet - gotta test things. Pay for a diagnosis if needed If (it's on the maybe list) if battery is weak it could cause your alternator to overworks and need both!
If CEL staying on is flooding out convert(s) you are risking some big bucks. Fixing things on time almost always makes it less trouble and expensive or try the crystal ball and see what happens,
T
|
|
| |
|
|
Caption
Novice
Apr 12, 2011, 4:13 PM
Post #6 of 16
(3723 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
Thank you for all the helpful responses. Not sure what the wizard thing is supposed to mean though.. Do people who can't afford these tools and do things themselves hire people dressed as wizards to do the diagnostics...? Is there a way to rent these tools possibly? I'll say it again in case it wasn't clear the first time There is a reason I am driving a 1988 vehicle and not a 2011. I'm just saying I can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars on diagnostic tools when I can barely afford the parts to repair.
Edit: Ahh, I see, copy and paste. That explains why it's so vague.
If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.
St. Clement of Alexandra
(This post was edited by Caption on Apr 12, 2011, 4:15 PM)
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 12, 2011, 4:55 PM
Post #7 of 16
(3718 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
I guess some things need to be explained better.....
It means that if you don't want to, or can't do the required testing, you're alternative is a crystal ball.
We don't fix cars that way but you're welcome to try if you don't like out way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
Caption
Novice
Apr 16, 2011, 2:28 PM
Post #8 of 16
(3700 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
So in all of your time working on vehicles... hearing those symptoms doesn't give you any kind of guess as to what it could be? Is that what every single person who repairs their own vehicles on their own do? Buy this equipment (which you never said if I can rent it) and test it, and then do it? I spoke to a mechanic who is on retainer at my job and he says it sounds like it's not getting enough fuel. Probably a clogged fuel pump. Did he telepathically use the crystal ball and test my car to get that idea? I'm not asking for someone to tell me what it is exactly. My sisters fiance who is a mechanic for the post office said based on what I said it sounds like it's not getting fuel. Does he have the crystal ball too?
They do this on a show Car Talk, people call and tell the mechanics their symptoms, and they give them their opinion on what it is. Every once in a while they bring them back to see if they were right and they almost always are. I was expecting something like that from this place. Someone actually reading what I wrote, taking the symptoms, and coming up with a reasonable guess as to what it is.
Edit: What's the point of saying this is a site that helps people if all you do is copy and paste something but don't just give your own opinion as to what could be wrong with it? What do YOU think is wrong with the car based on the facts....
If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.
St. Clement of Alexandra
(This post was edited by Caption on Apr 16, 2011, 2:30 PM)
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 16, 2011, 2:43 PM
Post #9 of 16
(3693 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
Sorry, we do not guess at things. We systematically collect data and by knowing hos systems work, the data can help us isolate the problem.
I would be very curious to ask that mechanic on retainer, what exactly does an engine that's not getting enough fuel sound like? Does it have a different sound than an engine that is not getting any spark? This guy has magical talents. Can he get me the Lottery number too?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
Caption
Novice
Apr 16, 2011, 2:47 PM
Post #10 of 16
(3689 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
Look, I mean you no disrespect, I was under the impression you were just passing my post over with a copy and paste. But they do it on this radio show. You can look it up, it's real, it's legit. How do they diagnose without the tools? It's called Car Talk. I just wonder how they can do this on the radio and have constant proof that their advice is right without physically testing the car.
There has to be a way to come to SOME sort of educated guess based on the facts. I'm not a car guy,
If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.
St. Clement of Alexandra
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 16, 2011, 2:49 PM
Post #11 of 16
(3686 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
I think you should call the radio show. They are the magicians.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
Caption
Novice
Apr 17, 2011, 10:09 AM
Post #12 of 16
(3677 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
Yeah, they definitely sound like they know what they're doing. They're able to listen to the symptoms, and relate that information to a car they've worked on, that had those symptoms, and then say what was wrong with that car. Also, they have college educations, so probably have a lot of information to work with. It's not magic.. It's using your brain and coming up with a suggestion. When it happened to me, my first thought was "Fuel pump". The car has since been fixed. Fuel pump. Not magic. I was hoping to get some confirmation before buying the pump. Thanks. You've truly mastered the art of diagnostics.
Edit: What's the point of calling this section "Car Troubleshooting" if all you're going to do is copy and paste, and give absolutely no thought to what could be wrong? It's a joke.
If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.
St. Clement of Alexandra
(This post was edited by Caption on Apr 17, 2011, 10:12 AM)
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2011, 10:43 AM
Post #13 of 16
(3666 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
Look fool, your just an idiot now and your starting to piss me off. I wrote every work of that diagnostic procedure and it had helped hundreds of people diagnose their problems.
If you think the radio gurus are the answer, then call them next time and leave us alone.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
Caption
Novice
Apr 17, 2011, 2:34 PM
Post #14 of 16
(3659 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
I just don't think you gave any effort into solving my problem. You just copied and pasted something you wrote a long time ago. Plain and simple.
If you do not hope, you will not find what is beyond your hopes.
St. Clement of Alexandra
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 17, 2011, 2:36 PM
Post #15 of 16
(3656 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
Go preach to your radio Guru.
This thread is closed
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 18, 2011, 11:32 AM
Post #16 of 16
(3642 views)
|
|
Re: 1988 Buick LeSabre not getting enough fuel... I hope..
|
|
|
So how do you really feel Hammer? Didn't read the whole thing but LMAO!
T
|
|
| |
|
Auto Repair Home
SEARCH
WHO'S 
LOG 
2011 Dodge Nitro OBD scanner seems to drain battery in 10-20 minutes
Grounding Cable, 2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk
Howdy
