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CAR WON'T START UP?

Tiny
LOTTO510
  • MEMBER
  • 1991 BUICK LESABRE
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 200,000 MILES
I have a 91 buick lesabre custom, and it is a hard car to start. We have replaced spark plugs, the coil, battery is still new and alternator, and new mass air flow sensor. It seems like the car starts after a while of not using it, and when im using it I cant turn it off cause it wont start back on for a long time. It turns on every morning when I wake up. But we took it to a mechanic and they thought it was the computer so they put a new 1 in and it still is acting the same.
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Tuesday, October 20th, 2009 AT 2:03 PM

24 Replies

Tiny
JERRYGOODWRENCH
  • MECHANIC
  • 77 POSTS
Sounds like the crank sensor or a faulty fuel injector that has too high of a resistance when it gets warm. Unplug ea injector and check resistance with a good ohm meter.should read around 11 ohms. Try that..

Also

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-cranks-but-wont-start

Please run down this guide and report back.
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Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 AT 4:58 AM
Tiny
THESENECA
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1991 BUICK LESABRE
Engine Performance problem
1991 Buick Lesabre 6 cyl Automatic 110000 miles

we were on the interstate & the car quit. Coasted to exit - finally started after 10 mins or so.

That evening - would not start.
Next morning - started and was turned off and restarted 6 times or so as we ran errands. Last time it would not start.

Next morning - went to get the car and it started.
Battery is good, starter is good, Maybe something with gettting fuel?
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Welcome to the forum, if your saying it cranks good, but won't start, when the problem occurs, have a helper crank it while you check for spark at the plugs, if you have spark everywhere, use a gage and check fuel pressure. Also, check for trouble codes. How long since a tune-up?
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MIKEL02
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1991 BUICK LESABRE
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 88,000 MILES
The car does not start on cold days and gives me some trouble on other days
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-1
Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ZACKMAN
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,202 POSTS
1. Always start by making sure the battery is fully charged. ("Well, I have lights and radio working") is not what we consider good battery. Take the battery to an auto parts store and have them load test.
2. Check you engine coolant temperature, crankshaft position, and camshaft position sensors.
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:54 PM (Merged)
Tiny
KENMUL71
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1990 BUICK LESABRE
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 210,000 MILES
I have a 1990 buic lesabre with lots of miles always a reliable vehical, but one morning I started it to go to work and it cranked for an unsual ammount of time befor starting. After work it would not start. I found that it had spark and spraying starting fluid into the air intake had no effect. Also when depressing the accelerator while cranking produced a slight backfireing sound from the air intake I am thinking it has slipped a tooth on the timeing. I cant find my haynes manual to check the trouble codes please tell me what you think. I also have a check engine code of 41
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
MASTERTECHTIM
  • MECHANIC
  • 4,749 POSTS
Trouble codes wont hlp in this case. These timing chains are known to break at about 100k miles. Can you check the compression(this will be a real easy way to diagnose). Also check spark at all towers of coils, one at a time. Possible to have one bad coil
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HUNTR5050
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1990 BUICK LESABRE
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • 67,500 MILES
1990 Buick Lesabre Injectors wont pulse when high humidity after setting all night. Pull it into the shop and let it set a couple hours and it will start. Put new fuel pump in and crank sensor before I realized it was a moisture problem. Any suggestions?
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
As far as the injector pulse, are you missing voltage or ground? You have to test when problem is ongoing. Any applicable mil codes? Engine cranking, do you have spark at the plugs? Use a gage and check fuel pressure. If the computer doesn't see an rpm signal, it won't ground the injector/s.
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HUNTR5050
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
There are no codes. Could this be an ignition module problem?
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
It's possible, can't be sure. Any spark at the plugs? Use a noid lite and check for injector pulse. If no pulse, check for voltage, usually goes hot when you turn on the key.
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
HUNTR5050
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I took the ignition module off and it was all blistered on the bottom, put a new ignition module on and started right up. This is the first time the car has started sitting outside allnight in two months.I am going to drive it and see what happens. By the way I did have spark at the plugs all along. Thank you very much for your time and the help.
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JDL
  • MECHANIC
  • 16,098 POSTS
Glad you got it going your way.
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:55 PM (Merged)
Tiny
PFEATHER
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1990 BUICK LESABRE
Engine Performance problem
1990 Buick Lesabre 4 cyl Front Wheel Drive Automatic

i have a car that will start and run will idle forever. Once it is put into drive it dies. What could be the proble.
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
ERNEST CLARK
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,730 POSTS
This sounds like a bad fuel pump. You'll need to install a pressure gauge and take a reading at idle and as you apply the throttle. If pressure drops more than the factory spec, then your pump is bad.

This could also be a sensor problem, such as the throttle position sensor, maf sensor, etc. If your fuel pump checks out, the I'd check each sensor and compare them to spec. If you need the specs, let me know.
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TDOGGY187
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
  • 1990 BUICK LESABRE
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 132,000 MILES
My Buick ran just fine before I left Long Island. Then I moved upstate "into the real cold" and now it will not start in the morning? I had a local guy look at it and he thought it might be the fuel filter so he replaced it. But seems like that did nothing. Any help would be appreciated.

I recently had a water pump done.

Also the battery dies when I had it on Long Island one time because I left the lights on. Had to jump it but it ran fine after that. No problems at all.

Did have a tough time starting it one evening. But I think it was out of gas. Once I put gas in it started after a few tries.

Please Help Thanks
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,747 POSTS
Hi:
here is a test. When the car doesn't want to start, give it a shot of starting fluid. If it starts up, the problem most likely is fuel related. Have the fuel pump pressure tested under the same conditions, cold.

Also, you may want to have the computer scanned at a nationally recognized parts store for trouble codes. Most stores will do it for free and it may be very helpful.

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TDOGGY187
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Opened up the hose to the air cleaner and sprayed some starting fluid in there and still won't start. I'm not sure what it is now. I took out the battery and tried a good battery but no luck either. It was about 40 degrees out the other day and it was really trying to crank over but not totally. Could it need spark plugs? Although they look pretty clean. Today it is 50 degrees. Going to go out there and mess around with it some more. Since I just had the fuel filter replaced and it was clogged pretty good I'm leaning towards needing a new fuel pump? I also put some dry gas in there and no luck. I have one more dry gas and a bottle of fuel injector cleaner I'll put in today also. Any help is appreciated. This has me very puzzled?
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,747 POSTS
Hi:
If it won't start with starting fluid, there must be a problem with spark. If you check for spark, you should be getting a strong blue spark across the electrode. Let me know what you find there.

Joe
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:56 PM (Merged)
Tiny
TDOGGY187
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Where should the spark be coming from? I actually sprayed inside while the wife was cranking it over inside the air cleaner hose and it went on fire! Is that suppose to happen? Spark across the electrocode? Please help thanks

P.S Someone suggested it could be that the fuel line froze? But 50 degrees it should of thawed out right?
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Tuesday, August 4th, 2020 AT 4:56 PM (Merged)

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