Just Bought my first Fiero and not starting :(

Dajinn · Post by **Dajinn** » Sun Jul 02, 2006 11:20 pm

1986 2.8l V6. It turns over but does not start. I tried changing out the coil and spraying starter fluid into the intake manifold but still nothing. Can anyone else make any suggestions on what else to check? I'm not very familiar with how to read a multimeter but if I need to get one to troubleshoot other things please let me know. I'm going crazy with this thing. I just bought it last week so this is my first Fiero and unfortunatly I'm not very familiar with the history of THIS one.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:18 am

First, check spark. Have a friend pull a spark plug wire and see if it sparks against a ground. If not, therin lies one of your problems. If so, move on to check fuel.

To check fuel, push in the pressure relief valve on the fuel rail. If you get a faceful of gas, you have pressure. Then check the injectors (not quite sure the easiest way to do this on a 2p8).

If all this checks out, then time for an engine swap.

MNFatz · Post by **MNFatz** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:19 am

Ignition module. 99 times out of 100 that's the culprit on these things. Located inside the distributor. About a 10 minute job to replace. If you're not getting spark and you've got fuel pressure, that's likely the problem.

After you replace it, you might have to floor the accelerator while you crank to clean up the flooding. That instructs the ecm to shut off the fuel injectors.

befarrer · Post by **befarrer** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:49 am

I would think igntion module. If it was getting spark, the starting fluid down the intake would do something.

Dajinn · Post by **Dajinn** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 1:37 am

Thank you all for the responses. I will pick up an Ignition Module from Autozone tommorrow and try it out. If not I'll be moving on to the fuel system and see if it has any pressure. Hopefully the Ignition Module does it. I'll let you all know how it goes.

The Dark Side of Will · Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:10 am

Get a service manual. Haynes or Chiltons may not be worth much, but they're better than nothing.

However, www.helminc.com has the real stuff.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 9:19 am

Dajinn wrote:Thank you all for the responses. I will pick up an Ignition Module from Autozone tommorrow and try it out. If not I'll be moving on to the fuel system and see if it has any pressure. Hopefully the Ignition Module does it. I'll let you all know how it goes.

Why don't you fucking check before buying the module?

You're blindly spending money. Why not do the things that are easy, and free? Those should be the first steps when any car doesn't start. Just because a couple random guys on the internet said it could be the module, doesn't mean it is and that you should go buy one right away. Pop the decklid, and spend 10 minutes to be sure.

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:50 am

Aaron wrote:
Dajinn wrote:Thank you all for the responses. I will pick up an Ignition Module from Autozone tommorrow and try it out. If not I'll be moving on to the fuel system and see if it has any pressure. Hopefully the Ignition Module does it. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Why don't you fucking check before buying the module?

You're blindly spending money. Why not do the things that are easy, and free? Those should be the first steps when any car doesn't start. Just because a couple random guys on the internet said it could be the module, doesn't mean it is and that you should go buy one right away. Pop the decklid, and spend 10 minutes to be sure.

ugh, he is an asshat, but he is right. your gonna need an ignition module sometime in the future anyways, but chefck for spark and fuel first,

turn the key to the on position but do not crank over. Do you hear a hum from the centerconsole? yes, continue, no your fuel pump is likely dead continue anyways.

on the right hand side of the intake look down and you will see a schrader valve (like a big valve stem with aluminum cap) unscrew the cap and press down on the pin, if fuel sprays out your fuel system is working.

if you have good fuel pressure and gas in the tank, (dont trust the gauge), continue.

Pull one of the rear spark plugs, take a picture and post it here using www.photobucket.com so we can see it, when its out, lay it on the strut tower so the thing is grounded and you can se it through the back window. Crank the car over and see if it sparks. If yes, you may have weak spark , or fine spark. Continue.

If you dont have spark, change the module out see here http://realfierotech.com/phpBB/viewtopi ... ion+module

ok, now if you still dont have spark, you may need a coil. A cap and rotor and plug wires will make a car run like shit, but it will atleast start, so dont buy those just yet.

Whats gonna suck is if you have fuel and spark, now you have to set your timing as someone may have fucked with your distributor. You can pull the oil fill cap, and have someone crank the car, and look at the rockers, are thye moving? If not your timing chain might be broken (unlikely, but worth checking).

Report back after you do all of this, and we can help more. And dont mind aaron, hes been kicked off more forums than I have been a member of. (social retard)

Dajinn · Post by **Dajinn** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 11:29 am

wow.. Extremely helpful and informative responses. Thank you soo much. Yeah I decided I was gonna go ahead and spend the money to buy a new module, cap and rotor since I dont' know the history of the vehicle. All the parts are all fairly inexpensive anyways. Also didn't really know how to check the fuel pressure but thank you for telling me about the schrader valve by the intake. I'll check all of these and get back to you all. As for the fuel pump, yes I can hear it turning on when I turn the key over. Sparkplugs, I'm assuming when you say the rear ones it is the ones facing the firewall NOT the rear bumper is that correct? Whats the easiest way to get to those?

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:00 pm

NO REAR= THE ONES IN BACK THAT ARE EASY.

MNFatz · Post by **MNFatz** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:01 pm

Our apologies for AaronZ34. One of the best things about this forum is anyone can post what they want, but unfortunately we always have a few clowns to deal with.

Keep doing what you're doing and let us know how it goes.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:07 pm

MNFatz wrote:Our apologies for AaronZ34. One of the best things about this forum is anyone can post what they want, but unfortunately we always have a few clowns to deal with.

Keep doing what you're doing and let us know how it goes.

What the fuck?

Keep doing what you're doing? Just blindly going into the autp parts store and buying an item because 1 person suggested it?

That's brilliant. I mean, don't take the time to actually DIAGNOSE the problem.

Series8217 · Post by **Series8217** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:08 pm

Aaron wrote:
MNFatz wrote:Our apologies for AaronZ34. One of the best things about this forum is anyone can post what they want, but unfortunately we always have a few clowns to deal with.

Keep doing what you're doing and let us know how it goes.
What the fuck?

Keep doing what you're doing? Just blindly going into the autp parts store and buying an item because 1 person suggested it?

That's brilliant. I mean, don't take the time to actually DIAGNOSE the problem.

He's not talking about WHAT you are saying, but rather HOW YOU ARE SAYING IT.

whipped · Post by **whipped** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:13 pm

MNFatz wrote:Ignition module. 99 times out of 100 that's the culprit on these things.

I didn't even blink here.

They're cheap, they always break, and he's mostly eliminated fuel as a problem.

Dajinn · Post by **Dajinn** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 4:42 pm

Okay... I got the cap & rotor off, took out the ignition module and cleaned the base. I can't however figure out how to get this metal/magnet section off the distributor. The Pick-up coil is attached to the inside/underside of it however I can't get it off. The book says to remove the distributor however after taking it out I still could not see how to remove it. Any ideas?

MNFatz · Post by **MNFatz** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 5:01 pm

Look toward the bottom of the distributor--down toward the gear that mates up to the crank. There's a rollpin that you have to knock out to remove the distributor shaft from the housing.

After you pull the distributor shaft out, you'll be able to get the pickup coil out.

While you have the distributor out...

Check the o-ring that seals the distributor housing to the intake manifold. That's a pressurized seal that frequently leaks. Replace it while you have the distributor out. You can get one at the local autoparts store. Just bring in the old one and have them match it up; it's a generically sized oring.

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 5:11 pm

HEY, wtf is that magnet? Im serious my car dosent have that and runs fine without it.

Shaun41178(2) · Post by **Shaun41178(2)** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 5:46 pm

My distributor doesnt' have that metal ring in there either. I have no idea what that is or ever seen it before.

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:34 pm

dajin can you please take more pictures of that distributor, especially the pick up coil. It would make sense to have a permenant magnet around the rotor that sits above the pick up coil, but mine dosent have one, and aparently neither does shauns?

Everyone else on this board is cool enough to do a motor swap that uses DIS.

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Mon Jul 03, 2006 6:36 pm

whipped wrote:
MNFatz wrote:Ignition module. 99 times out of 100 that's the culprit on these things.
I didn't even blink here.

They're cheap, they always break, and he's mostly eliminated fuel as a problem.

thats just bad advice. plain and simple. Also we all knoow of dougs write up, and should be better at helping people than we are.