1988 Cadillac Cimarron Cadilac Wont start

Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
  • MEMBER
  • 1988 CADILLAC CIMARRON
  • 2.8L
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 138,538 MILES
Car had sat for about a year at father inlaws. Put a new battery in it, changed plugs and wires, put some new gas in it because it was on empty already. It started up but ran rough like it had a miss. Trouble shot that to coil pack (#3 & #6) not firing. Changed it out and she ran great for about 30 min. Parked the car and went back to try and start it and wont start. It will sputter and start for 2 seconds but never reach that leveled out idle. Fuel pressure is 35 -37 lbs running. When the eng is off and key on fuel pressure is 40 - 43 lbs and when I block off return it goes to almost 60 lbs, at the moment I don't remember if pressure switch is good. I bought a new pump but at this point I don't see it'll fix the problem. It started and ran great 2 times all day which leads me to believe its electrical or something is malfunctioning. I verified injectors are working, verified TPS is with in specs. I found EGR valve is not functioning properly but that will not prevent the car from starting. I verified the car is getting spark from all three coil packs, plugs are firing a red or white spark. I checked fuses under the dash all good. Checked for trouble codes and their were none. Checked for loose connections found none. Found a problem with cooling fan but I didn't chase it (fan switch or temp sensor). Performed a leak down test and all passed and did a compression test and it passed. Presently at a complete loos as to why it wont start and when it does their are no symptoms, runs like new.
Monday, November 24th, 2014 AT 11:10 AM

24 Replies

Tiny
CADIEMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,544 POSTS
SOUNDS LIKE THE FUEL SENDING UNIT SOCK IS CLOGGED. YOU WILL NEED TO REMOVE THE FUEL TANK. REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP AND SOCK ON THE SENDING UNIT. YOU SHOULD FLUSH THE TANK ALSO. THIS CAR SAT TO LONG. YOU WILL NEED A LIFT TO REMOVE THE FUEL TANK.
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Monday, November 24th, 2014 AT 11:48 AM
Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
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I guess the big question is then why do I have 40 - 45 lbs and does not change till it starts and then it drops to 37 if I have a fuel blockage.
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Monday, November 24th, 2014 AT 12:22 PM
Tiny
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THAT'S NOT ENOUGH FUEL PRESSURE RENT A GAUGE AT THE PARTS STORE AND CHECK IT. IT WILL CHECK GREEN OR RED THEN YOU''LL KNOW.
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-1
Monday, November 24th, 2014 AT 1:21 PM
Tiny
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WILL IT START IF YOU USE STARTING FLUID?
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Monday, November 24th, 2014 AT 1:26 PM
Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
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I have a fuel gauge, that's how I'm monitoring the fuel pressure. I have a dealers repair manual and it says fuel pressure should be 40 to 45 lbs key on.

No I haven't tried starting fluid but I did remove a vacuum line and filled it with fuel and it didn't start.
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Monday, November 24th, 2014 AT 3:46 PM
Tiny
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IT SHOULD NOT DROP UNDER 40 POUNDS. YOU CAN REMOVE THE SOCK OR JUST REPLACE IT.I WOULD TRY THE STARTING OR CARB FLUID IN THE THROTTLE BODY TO SEE IF IT WILL HELP. YOU SHOULD DROP THE TANK AND CHECK FOR A ROTTED HOSE IN BETWEEN THE FUEL PUMP AND THE SENDING UNIT. THIS WILL ALLOW THE FUEL SYS. TO SUCK AIR INSTEAD OF FUEL. THAT IS WHY YOUR LOOSING FUEL PRESSURE. IF THEY SIT TO LONG THAT LITTLE 3 INCH HOSE GOES BAD ALSO. CK. THIS CAR HAD A RECALL ON THE FUEL TANK SENDING UNIT THE GAUGE WOULD ALWAYS READ FULL.
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Monday, November 24th, 2014 AT 5:02 PM
Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
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Just watched two YouTube videos. So even though the fuel pressure is 40 - 45 the give away is its doping down to 37 and it shouldn't.
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Monday, November 24th, 2014 AT 5:50 PM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
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IT SHOULD NOT GO UNDER 40 ! YOU NEED TO CK. THAT 3 IN. HOSE FIRST!
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Monday, November 24th, 2014 AT 10:45 PM
Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
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Ok ill get back, Purchased new pump kit. Ill check lines also. Thanks
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Tuesday, November 25th, 2014 AT 3:42 AM
Tiny
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OK THE HOSE COMES IN THE KIT.
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Tuesday, November 25th, 2014 AT 6:12 AM
Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
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I replaced fuel pump and filter. The dang car started up and ran great for about a hour. I turned it off came back today and it started up for about 5 min and died. Wouldn't start so I tried starting it with starter fluid and she started right up. I removed starter fluid and she dies. So its in that area somewhere. Fuel pressure didn't change with new pump and filter still stayed about 37. So that was a waste of money. I would assume I need to check wire harness and make sure it is operating correctly. I wouldn't assume all 4 injectors die and come back alive. Any suggestions what to check that would make the injectors come and go.

Thanks

Bill
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Friday, December 5th, 2014 AT 7:50 PM
Tiny
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SO THE PUMP WAS BAD LIKE I THOUGHT. NOW GO TO THE RELAY PANEL UNDER THE R/SIDE LOWER DASH PANEL AND CK. THE FUEL PUMP FUSE AND SEE IF IT'S BLOWN. YOU MAY HAVE SHORTED SOME WIRING SOMEWHERE.
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Friday, December 5th, 2014 AT 8:24 PM
Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
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The pump is working. Key on and it shows 40lbs on pressure gauge. It always showed 40 lbs on pressure gauge. New and OLD. I shot starter fluid in intake and she ran with 40lbs on pressure gauge and when I stopped the starter fluid she still showed 40 lbs on the gauge. I don't know how you came up with fuel pump was bad. Ill check the fuse but if you ask me it wouldn't work if the fuse was blown. I'm leaning towards theirs a short in the operation of the fuel injectors. Either harness or ECM or something that controls the injectors. Got anything I can do?
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Friday, December 5th, 2014 AT 10:18 PM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
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IT WOULD NOT START WITH THE OLD PUMP AND NOW IT HAS STARTED WITH THE NEW ONE. SO START BY CHECKING THE FUEL PUMP AND INJECTOR FUSES. CK THAT U HAVE POWER ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FUSE WITH A TESTLIGHT.
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Saturday, December 6th, 2014 AT 6:41 AM
Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
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Yes power on both side of fuse, and for the record it did start and run and do exactly what its doing now with old pump in. Not starting. It wants too sputter every now and then and then nothing. Eng does cranks over. Ive checked spark, Ive check for flooding. Ill let it sit for a 1/2 hour and it'll act like it wants to start and then it will some times.
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Saturday, December 6th, 2014 AT 9:42 AM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
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AFTER U REPLACED THE PUMP THE CAR STARTED RIGHT UP AND RAN FOR 1 HOUR. THE PUMP WAS YOUR PROBLEM. U NEED TO RECHECK YOUR WORK. BECAUSE THE REASON IT WON'T START IS BECAUSE THE PUMP IS NOT SENDING FUEL TO THE THROTTLE BODY. CHECK FOR A CLOGGED FUEL FILTER. SINCE I CAN'T SEE THE CAR I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TELL U TO GO FROM HERE.
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Saturday, December 6th, 2014 AT 11:04 AM
Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
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Look your the expert I'm not but I don't think its the pump.
I dug into my theory a little deeper and this is what I came up with
Bank A&D was 1.0 Ohms
Bank B&C was 4.0 Ohms
Fuel injector
#1 Cylinder 12.3
#2 Cylinder 10.1 yes 10.1
#3 Cylinder 12.2
#4 Cylinder 12.3
#5 Cylinder 12.1
#6 Cylinder 1.1 yes 1.1

Still think its a pump.
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Saturday, December 6th, 2014 AT 12:08 PM
Tiny
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THIS CAR SAT FOR FOR 2 YRS. IT HAS MORE THAN 1 PROBLEM. IT RUNS ON SPRAY WHICH TELLS ME IT WOULD RUN IF FUEL WAS GETTING TO THE INTAKE EVEN WITH THE INJECTOR PROBLEM. INJECTOR 2 AND 6 NEED TO BE CHECKED TO SEE WHY THEY ARE NOT GETTING 12V. U WILL NEED TO CK. FOR A OPEN OR SHORTED HARNESS TO THOSE TWO INJECTORS. BILL I'M TRYING TO HELP U THE BEST WAY I CAN I'M NOT AT THE CAR WITH U AND THIS MAKES IT HARD.
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Saturday, December 6th, 2014 AT 4:46 PM
Tiny
CHAMBERSWE1
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These are ohms not volts, Book says each injector should read no less than 12 ohms.
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Saturday, December 6th, 2014 AT 9:10 PM
Tiny
CADIEMAN
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YOU WILL NEED TO REPLACE THE INJECTORS AT 2 AND 6 THEN. BILL DID U CK. THE 10AMP. INJECTOR FUSE IN THE DRIVERS FUSE PANEL? DO YOU HEAR THE FUEL PUMP PRIME UP WHEN U TURN THE KEY ON?
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Sunday, December 7th, 2014 AT 6:07 AM

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