car wont start

[98blackbeauty]

reading through your posts sounds like you got gas ok because of back fire. that indicates bad spark dumping in gas then get spark and its flooded so it backfires. Crank sensor definately would cause this.

[BKrause]

ok my buddy didn't make it over last night with the tech 2 but i did also notice one other thing.. when turning the key to the ON position theres like clicking/slapping noises coming from the fuse boxes in the front engine bay.. mainly like the lower one.. all the fuses are good.. besides air pump fuse, 30a.. other than that everything seems fine?!?

[1BADAIR]

if it backfired it can hurt the maf .

[BKrause]

i tried unpluggin the maf and starting and still nothin.. this sucks! i really need my car runnin by friday.. i got a little cash but not much.. and id like to fix whatever needs fixed myself to save money. im only a college student.. otherwise i would call hot rod conversions, just dont have that kind of cash

[meissen]

Hey Brent,

1) You said you're using a 2002 PCM - do you happen to still have your original PCM or was that part of the deal that you sent him yours?
2) Are you getting any Service Engine Soon lights when you try to start it?
3) When you say all the fuses are good except the air pump fuse - what do you mean? Does it keep blowing that fuse specifically, did you remove the AIR pump and yank the fuse?

[BKrause]

yeah he is sending my pcm back, should have it sometime this week.. and yup i get both service engine soon lights.. service engine soon light stays on. service vehicle stays on for 3 seconds then turns off then turns back on and stays on. security light stays on for 5 seconds then turns off. the air pump fuse is 30a(?) and it had a 25a in it that was blown so i put the ABS 25 A in it and still nothing.

[BKrause]

ok just hooked up a tech 2.. tried multiple times and it couldn't read the pcm.. but it did read the bcm.. but i don't know if it matters or not but i didn't even realize it until after my buddy left but when he tried hooking up the tech 2 he selected 1999 trans am ls1.. not 2002.. the pcm is out of a 2002.. would that make a difference or no?

[DETROITMUSCLE]

Anyone else think it could be a VATS issue? the security light seems odd.

[meissen]

Security light turns off, that's not VATS. It should only stay on for 3 seconds, so whether it's 3 or 5 should be mildly irrelevant as long as it's turning off... especially with the symptoms he has with it wanting to die the moment he gives it gas in reverse, etc.

If you have the cash, go to your local O'Reilly auto parts and they will rent you an OBD2 code reader. It's about $110 to rent it but when you return the reader they refund you the $110 entirely. You basically buy it, use it, and then return it for a full refund - that's how their tool "rental" program works. That way you don't have to be dependent on your friend with the Tech2 though it might give more info than the code reader will.

Either way - with the SES lights on you NEED to find out what codes are being thrown to properly diagnose what is going on with your car. Trying to troubleshoot/diagnose what's going on without knowing what SES codes are being thrown is like getting a mail order tune - it's a blindfolded shot in the dark.

[BKrause]

my buddy is comin back over tonight after i get outta work.. gonna get this sorted out.. thanks for the help

[gary]

trying to troubleshoot/diagnose what's going on without knowing what ses codes are being thrown is like getting a mail order tune - it's a blindfolded shot in the dark.

x100

[BKrause]

haha, we'll im broke.. i wish i had the money for a dyno tune.. 600 is too much for me. il get the codes here in a few..

[BKrause]

buddy couldn't make it so i went and rented a scan tool from oreilys.. that one doesn't read either..


so the past hour iv been under the car trying to check all the grounds and wires and everything seems good.. i just dont get it. i can't seem to find the ground that the pcm is connected to though.. and iv checked all of the fuses..

im running out of options here, i guess its just wait and see for my pcm to get here

[BKrause]

if anyone is near mount morris or is willing to head out here il throw ya some cash to help me solve this problem

[gary]

If the scan tools are not reading then you most likely either have a bad connection at the PCM or the PCM is bad. Hope the other PCM is the cure. Good luck