HELP HELP! Suspected fuel/spark issue

[callmesteveo]

I am really hoping that someone can shed some light on this ongoing issue I’ve been having with my Sunfire. It’s a 1995 2.2L with like 129,000 miles. My problem is this…I was leaving my buddies late last night and when I started my car it took a few seconds of cranking, as it sometimes does, before it finally started up. Once started I could feel it was idling kind of sluggish. When I put it in reverse and pushed on the gas the car rumbles as if it wants to die but it still moved very slowly and sluggish. Made it to the street and put it in drive and it was doing the same thing. You push on the gas and it just wasn’t driving/pulling/catching/getting then power it should (however you want to word it) but it was just sluggishly moving. Then once it had been going for a sec it would catch all the sudden and you get the pull you should be with how hard you’re hitting the gas. Then it would start rumbling again. Then whenever you slowed down or stopped it would start all over again. Made it back to my buddies house and had my friend, who is above average in car knowledge, and let him drive it. It did the same thing. I wasn’t paying that much attention but he said it wasn’t going above like 3000 RPM. We just barely had the power to make it back up his driveway. We have concluded that it’s obviously something fuel or spark related. The car runs fine other than this issue. I have had this happen a few times before last night where I would push on the gas and not get the power that I should but in the past it would happen quickly and then stop. Never to the point that I couldn’t drive anywhere. I do often have to crank it for a few seconds when starting for it to finally come on. The check engine light has been coming on for a couple of months now. I’ve noticed it comes on most usually at night or on days when it’s wet and rainy. Brought it to get the error code read and apparently my fuse that controls the car lighter is blown and that also controls the error reader. I’m assuming it’s a 02 sensor or sensor of some kind. My buddy and I just not even two weeks ago did some basic maintenance on the car. We changed the air filter, fuel filter, oil + oil filter and spark plugs + wires. The car has run fine since then up until last night. When we were changing the spark plugs there was one (the one on the far right looking at the engine) that had oil on it. We thought maybe it was just from all the grimey stuff on/around the plugs on the engine heating up and leaking in.

Well that’s about all the info I can think to give guys. As I said, we’ve concluded it’s the spark plugs or maybe the fuel pump. Or something else fuel related. Don’t believe bad 02 sensors would cause this, would it? Or maybe a bad PVC valve? Any input would be greatly appreciated. My buddy and I are going to check the spark plugs after work today and go from there. Definitely going to try and find and replace that fuse so we can see why my check engine light is coming on.

 

[melsg5]

You need to get the check engine light problem corrected so that you can determine what the code is. You can also try a fuel pressure test and check the fuel pressure regulator by removing the vacuum hose and looking for gasoline. If you see gas you need a new regulator.

 

[callmesteveo]

You need to get the check engine light problem corrected so that you can determine what the code is. You can also try a fuel pressure test and check the fuel pressure regulator by removing the vacuum hose and looking for gasoline. If you see gas you need a new regulator.

Thank you thank you sir! I'm not too familiar with doing that pressure check but I pretty sure my buddy will know how. That check engine light is the first thing we're going to try and figure out though. Any theories as to the oil on the one spark plug?

 

[melsg5]

Pull the plug again and check it since you werent sure if it was contaminated when you removed it.

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[callmesteveo]

Alright I am back today with a small update. Due to the weather we weren’t really able to do a whole lot after work yesterday. I got to my friend’s house and we tried starting it just to see if sitting over night did anything. It didn’t. When we tried then the car wouldn’t crank up. Well, it would crank but just wouldn’t start. I just did my fuel filter a couple weeks ago and I know what my fuel pump sounds like and I didn’t think I was hearing it engage and neither did my buddy. So we started moving towards the fuel pump. Well we braked due to weather and went out to dinner. We planned to come back and do an actual check to see if the fuel pump was working but just for the hell of it we tried starting it again. It started this time! Though it was idling very rough though. Didn’t even try driving it anywhere as it was obvious it wasn’t going to make it. After about 10-15 min it stuttered and died on its own. Got it started again and tried revving it up. It revs to exactly 4K, backfires/misfires and then rumbles down to almost dying. Tried many times and it will not go over 4K and does the same thing every time you get it up that high. We were able to check the fuse that I was told was bad and it wasn’t. The fuse is fine and the 12v for the car lighter works fine. Found out you just have to push whatever into it harder than usual. So I don’t know why the error code reader wasn’t reading any codes to those people. We weren’t able to check the spark plugs for oil or do anything else really. We’re both kind of at a loss. He is thinking it might be something ECU related. I disagree. It seems very much like a fuel issue of some kind…

 

[melsg5]

and my previous question about performing a fuel pressure test and checking the regulator for a leak, did you do those 2 things? Can you try getting that ECM code?

 

[callmesteveo]

and my previous question about performing a fuel pressure test and checking the regulator for a leak, did you do those 2 things? Can you try getting that ECM code?

no sir, due the weather we weren't able to check much yesterday evening. it was storming pretty ferociously all evening and we didn't have much shelter underneath my buddies carport. We'll be back at it again today though. Just wanted to give an update on what was happening.

 

[callmesteveo]

Alright I am finally back with another update. I still have not performed the pressure check as was suggested. Sorry, my buddy is kinda the one calling all the shots since he knows all about this stuff and he has said we don't need to do it. If I had a ride to get one and the know how to do it alone I'd be happy to try it. But here's what else we've done...

Bought a ODB2 code reader to check the codes but since the car wont start now its impossible to get the codes off it.

Bought and planned to install new coils but before we got started by buddies dad told us of a little trick to test the coils. So we took out one at a time all of the new plugs we put it, put them back into the wire, touched them to something grounded and tried starting the car. Every one sparked just fine, which as we were told, means the coils are working just fine.

Next we disconnected the fuel line from the fuel filter and attempted to start the car and nothing happened. Its my understanding that if the fuel pump was working at all then it would be trying to pump fuel when the car is being started and therefor should be leaking/spraying fuel from the line we disconnected. Went to get a new fuel pump and just for shits and giggles we brought my fuel relay switch to replace. When auto zone saw my relay switch they said it was in horrible condition and that it could very easily be the cause of my problems. It was rusted very badly and had what looked like heat bubbles or something on the top. We replaced that and it didn't help at all.

I have ordered a new fuel pump online (for $100 compared to $265 in store!) and it should be here this week I'm hoping.

I have never replaced a fuel pump but all I've ever heard is bad things about how difficult it is. My buddy seems really sure that we can get to it through the backseat so as not to have to drop the exhaust and all that jazz. I cant find anything definitive on that matter online. Some say no way its not possible and others say it is.

Any suggestions, advice or anything of any kind you can tell me?

I know it seems like I am not taking the advise being given but please understand that between the money I have available and the person I have helping me, it might not be the easiest thing for me to do some of the stuff asked.

I am just hoping that I didnt just waste $100 on this fuel pump and its something else.

______________________________

 

[callmesteveo]

Alright I am finally back with another update. I still have not performed the pressure check as was suggested. Sorry, my buddy is kinda the one calling all the shots since he knows all about this stuff and he has said we don't need to do it. If I had a ride to get one and the know how to do it alone I'd be happy to try it. But here's what else we've done...

Bought a ODB2 code reader to check the codes but since the car wont start now its impossible to get the codes off it.

Bought and planned to install new coils but before we got started by buddies dad told us of a little trick to test the coils. So we took out one at a time all of the new plugs we put it, put them back into the wire, touched them to something grounded and tried starting the car. Every one sparked just fine, which as we were told, means the coils are working just fine.

Next we disconnected the fuel line from the fuel filter and attempted to start the car and nothing happened. Its my understanding that if the fuel pump was working at all then it would be trying to pump fuel when the car is being started and therefor should be leaking/spraying fuel from the line we disconnected. Went to get a new fuel pump and just for shits and giggles we brought my fuel relay switch to replace. When auto zone saw my relay switch they said it was in horrible condition and that it could very easily be the cause of my problems. It was rusted very badly and had what looked like heat bubbles or something on the top. We replaced that and it didn't help at all.

I have ordered a new fuel pump online (for $100 compared to $265 in store!) and it should be here this week I'm hoping.

I have never replaced a fuel pump but all I've ever heard is bad things about how difficult it is. My buddy seems really sure that we can get to it through the backseat so as not to have to drop the exhaust and all that jazz. I cant find anything definitive on that matter online. Some say no way its not possible and others say it is.

Any suggestions, advice or anything of any kind you can tell me?

I know it seems like I am not taking the advise being given but please understand that between the money I have available and the person I have helping me, it might not be the easiest thing for me to do some of the stuff asked.

I am just hoping that I didnt just waste $100 on this fuel pump and its something else.

Read more: http://forums.automotive.com/70/920...le-fuel-spark-issue-of/#9220624#ixzz23dc1NiSY

 

[melsg5]

I doubt you can change it through the back seat. Test the old pump once you get it out by directly applying power to it.

 

[Zimgxp]

A fuel pressure check could save to alot of time and $ throwing parts at it. Check the little stuff first. The codes will be in the computer. Check with the key on engine off.