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2001 Buick Regal crank but no start condition

Tiny
PHERRON
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 BUICK REGAL
  • 3.8L
  • V6
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 90,000 MILES
The code reader shows no trouble codes. It has fuel, has good fuel pressure at the rail, has spark all 6 plugs, has injector pulse all 6 connectors, already replaced fuel pressure regulator (was found leaking) and throttle position sensor, and verified all injectors spray fuel (forceful but narrow stream). I feel it should at least run. It cranks fine, I can see valve train motion, it does try to fire occasionally but dies instantly. I tried to clean injectors with sea foam using an extra fuel pump to the rail pumping sea foam and it actually started and idled but would die if you touched the pedal. It does have fresh fuel. Im lost as to what to try next. HELP
P.S. The odometer has also quit lighting up. I don't know if that could be related to anything
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Saturday, September 6th, 2014 AT 9:44 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
What is the fuel pressure reading?

What do the spark plugs look like? Do they have any dark coloring on the electrode?

Have you done a compression test?

Have you tried spraying some starting fluid or carb cleaner into the intake to see if it runs?
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Sunday, September 7th, 2014 AT 5:27 AM
Tiny
PHERRON
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
The fuel pressure was between 58 & 62 before the regulator and 48 & 52 after.
The plugs were black carbon covered like it had been running rich but iridiym plugs fired with a nice white hot spark any way I cleaed them no change
Yes I've tried starting fluid and got a little better response but still no start would kind of idle at full throttle for a few seconds.

Compression done on front half and all good, had trouble getting tool in the back three but they popped loudly like the front when cranked with plug out
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Sunday, September 7th, 2014 AT 7:28 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
I don't know how you are testing fuel pressure but there is no such thing as "after regulator" pressure. There is a service port to read pressure and that is the only place it is read from. If that engine isn't running, there should be no range of pressure. There should be one very specific pressure reading.

Have you scanned the computer or codes?
Do you have a scan tool to read sensor data?
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-1
Sunday, September 7th, 2014 AT 7:39 AM
Tiny
PHERRON
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
I'm talking about gettin fuel pressure in line just before the fuel rail and again at the Schrader valve on the fuel pressure regulator
and yes as I said before I've scanned and has absolutely no codes
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Sunday, September 7th, 2014 AT 8:46 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
You're still making no sense on the fuel pressure. What is the max pressure at the test port when the engine is cranked?
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Sunday, September 7th, 2014 AT 8:51 AM
Tiny
PHERRON
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
As I said 48 to 52 at the test port or schrader valve. The higher rating of 58 was at the fuel line that feeds the injector rail. Needless to say I am within speck per manufacture on both readings.
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Sunday, September 7th, 2014 AT 9:41 AM
Tiny
WRENCHTECH
  • MECHANIC
  • 20,761 POSTS
Then it leaves you with someone trying to analyze the sensor data in the computer looking for something that is out of whack. You could have a temp sensor reading inaccurately and feeding too rich of a mixture or something on that idea.

I am still not comfortable with your fuel pressure testing. The only reading that matters is the one at the test port and that one is too low. The spec is 52 to 59 and you should be seeing the high end of that scale with the engine not running.
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Sunday, September 7th, 2014 AT 9:53 AM

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