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Engine wont start

Tiny
MY01Z28
  • MEMBER
  • 1987 BUICK RIVIERA
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 145,000 MILES
My 1987 cutlass ciera wont start up. It makes a higher pitched noise when it turns over and I can smell fuel, but it wont turn over.I don't know if I am getting any spark. What are some options, or how can I read a engine code for this?
Monday, December 27th, 2010 AT 4:47 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
I'm not sure about the high-pitched sound? Visibly check for spark at the plugs, engine cranking. You can use a known good spark plug or spark tester to check for spark. You pull a spark plug wire from plug, stick tester in boot, ground metal part of tester to metal part of engine, have helper crank it, while you watch for spark.

To check for mil codes, you place jumper wire between terminals A & B of the datalink connector, lower edge of dash. You turn the key just till the dash lites come on, no further, no crank. Then the mil starts flashing, you count the flashes to get the codes. Your looking for two digit codes.
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Monday, December 27th, 2010 AT 5:13 PM
Tiny
MY01Z28
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  • 4 POSTS
Ok thank, you I have checked the code and it's 12. I went to autozone and they said it was " No Tack signal to ecm" what could this code mean in ways of fixing the car.
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Thursday, December 30th, 2010 AT 10:49 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
It means your in diagnostic mode, key on, there is no rpm/tach signal. Were there any other codes besides code 12? Did you visually check for spark at the plugs?
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Friday, December 31st, 2010 AT 4:21 PM
Tiny
MY01Z28
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Yes it has spark, fuel and compression but all the engine does is role over and wont start kind of out of options and am going to take it to a shop.
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Saturday, January 1st, 2011 AT 5:48 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Is there an injector pulse?
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Saturday, January 1st, 2011 AT 7:39 PM
Tiny
MY01Z28
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Dont know how to test that. I did purge the fuel valve on the fuel rail and it does squirt out, so I fugured that ment it is getting fuel. Going to check again for codes to see if anything else flashes besides a one then a two.
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Sunday, January 2nd, 2011 AT 9:58 PM
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
You can check for injector pulse with a noid lite. The autostore should have them?
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Monday, January 3rd, 2011 AT 3:46 PM

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