I had a 89 Camaro that quit running... I changed every thing I could think of... Come to find out it was the pick-up in the distributor.. It was only about $10.00....I had wasted about $150.00 on bull $hit... If it is just very week it may not have enough spark to burn the gas causeing it not to run but flood, but the starting fluid in alot more combustible... It also could be the ing.module.... Goodluck

 

Check your MAF relay and your fuel pump relay up on the drivers side firewall. You can try swapping them and seeing if you get any change in the vehicle starting or running. If no difference, test the relays. Be sure they have power coming in and going out by back probing them with the ignition in the on position. You should have power to the hot wire going in for about 2 seconds, and hear the relay click on then it will go back off. Power should also come back out for the same amount of time through whatever wire it calls for in a wiring diagram. You can also check for a good solid ground to the fuel pump relay, and if the ecm signal wire has power. If you get no power up to the relay power wire terminal, then you need to start checking connectors at the fron and rear of the vehicle, if you do have power but no power coming back out of the relay, then your relay is junk. I am willing to bet this is definitely a wiring problem somewhere in the fuel system. MAKE SURE ALL YOUR ENGINE GROUNDS ARE GOOD. Start with checking all connectors related to the system. Don't throw parts at the vehicle till you find the problem, youll end up saving yourself alot of time, money, and cuss words in the end. good luck!

 

Are you injectors firing at all?

It doesn't sound like wiring/FP relay to me. If it's getting 50 psi at startup then the pump sounds like its fine. Find out if your injectors are firing. What do your plugs look like?

 

Do you have spark? If so, pickup coil is probably ok. The module has 2 outputs, one to ignition coil for spark, other to computer. If output to computer is no good, computer will not fire injectors. Pull the module and have it tested at Autozone. Also check the wiring. The connector at the distibutor can pop off. If memory serves (I don't have my 'bird anymore) there are 2 connectors off the module, one to coil, other to computer, not just one.

 

...said it ran off starting fluid....I'd assume spark was there?

 

Oh sorry, i musta missed where he said he can hear the pump prime and had good fuel pressure. Thats what ya get from skimming the post sometimes. lol.

 

If you have VATS in the car I would check that as the injectors will not activate if the VATS is not happy.

 

What is VATS??

I had someone look at the car over tha past couple of weeks, and they are blaming the Ignition Module...the one that works with the chip type ignition key.

He also says to check for an inertia switch. I thought GM doesn't have those. Besides I am getting fuel.

The injectors are not firing.

 

Vehical Anti Theft System-VATS,yes it's the chip in the key. Do a search at TGO there is a write-up on it.

 

Huh? Which is it?

 

You guys are way off.

What we know: Car won't run now, used to run on starter fluid, MAF/MAP have no bearing on startup procedures, car had spark and probably still does.

You get fuel pressure, 50psi at the rail is a bit much. It should be 45psi. I would investigate 4 things since I just went through somthing similar to this.

#1 Spark Plugs and wires
#2 Fuel Pressure Regulator
#3 Injectors (make sure they are firing and not stuck open OR closed... like mine)
#4 ECM (your computer)

In THAT order.

#1Pull one of your plugs out of the head, plug the wire back into it, lay it on the block somewhere and try to start the motor and look at what color the spark is. If its blue, you have good spark. If its orange, you need new plugs and wires. (as a side note, make sure your battery is ok and not nearly dead when doing this as it can make for orange spark too.)

#2 Buy a replacement Adjustable fuel pressure regulator. They're about $50. Don't ask questions just do it. I know of more than 1 person who has had a bad unit and it makes you pull your hair out searching.

#3 Try to find a place around town that will rebuild fuel injectors. I paid $50 to get a set completely rebuilt and flowmatched to within 2% of eachother.

#4 As a last resort, switch out the ECM.