1996 Buick Regal Not Getting Fuel

Tiny
CLAUDE1991
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 BUICK REGAL
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 155,000 MILES
In our 96 Regal, it is not getting fuel through the injectors.

Background is:
It has been dying intermittently for awhile. Due to water in the fuel tank we think (between a 1/4 and an 1/8th a tank it would die. We replaced the filter, put in a couple of gallons of gas, and it would run again after trying to start it a few times).

This time however, it died, put some fuel in, it started back up, ran fine for 3 miles or so (in which time we put an additional 10 gallons of fuel), then it died again.

I came to it, opened the fuel line on the fuel rail, and thought the gas was watery still (didn't have a lot of gas smell). So I emptied a couple of quarts out the tank, by leaving the fuel line off the fuel rail, and filling a couple of empty containers. I hooked it back up when, I saw the fumes from the gas leaving the bottle neck, while it was spraying in the fuel. And I confirmed it was pumping good fuel, after I got home with the vehicle.

Still would not start.

After further diagnosis, it seems the fuel injectors are not opening up at all. Maybe they could all be clogged, but I doubt it would happen all at the same time? I was able to tell this by A: exhaust does not smell like raw gas, and B: took the fuel rail off, and watched while it was being cranked. Nothing came out of them.

Also tried swapping the fuel rail in from my car, 97 Lesabre, with the same engine. Still didn't work. The injectors were slightly different though, so not really a conclusive test.

Also, I have not done a pressure test, but when you open the fuel line it is under a decent amount of pressure, based on how much fuel sprays out.

So what would you guys suggest? Could one of the injectors have gone bad, and messed something up in the PCM? PCM driver circuit?
Friday, June 4th, 2010 AT 9:00 PM

2 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
The fuel pressure looked ok? It has to have 40p.S.I. Minimum in order to properly pressurize the system. Holding a finger over it doesn't work. I'd suspect you have a bad or weak fuel pump. Or relay
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Saturday, June 12th, 2010 AT 6:18 PM
Tiny
CLAUDE1991
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Yes, the fuel pressure was good, 38 pounds, with a nearly dead battery from all the cranking haha.

After further diagnosis, I arrived at either the crank sensor, or the ignition control module. It was the later.

So, car is running now, well sort of, I think the neutral safety switch needs replaced, but that is a different issue.

Thanks for the help,
Claude
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Saturday, June 12th, 2010 AT 8:58 PM

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