Hi Folks. I have a well maintained 1996 Z28, LT1 Fuel Injected 6-sp with 148K miles. Distributor, plugs, wires and water pump were replaced at 110K miles. Clutch has 100K miles, seems fine. A/C recently stopped, I scheduled.. now...

My battery was weak so I replaced it. The next day I took it out with son. It started and ran well. It was very hot and humid. Once home, I let son test drive. He let the clutch out with foot on brake and stalled. We discussed, he started car and stalled it again. Now the car will crank but won't start. We let it sit, no help. I disconnected battery thinking it might reset, no help. Starting fluid in air-filter, no help. Fuel pump works; I smell fuel at exhaust during attempts. Cranked without gas peddle to minimize flooding. I haven't checked for voltage at spark yet. What could be the problem?

 

Have you scanned it for codes? Have you checked the fuel pressure?

Pressing the throttle when trying to start it won't "flood" it. In fact, holding the pedal to the floor, then turning the key to start it puts the PCM in "clear flood" mode.

 

I can borrow a diagnostic scanner today. I haven't checked fuel pressure. I'm baffled that the problem started after two hard stalls from a new driver letting clutch out with foot on brake.

 

I scanned for codes, none listed. I used an Actron CP9175 OBD II compliant autoscanner. It only worked with key on.

 

I pulled a sparkplug, put the wire back on, had the metal side touching metal for a ground and had a buddy try to start. No spark at the plug. The plug smelled of fuel.

 

May be an issue with the Optispark distributor. There are no codes for failure of the cap and rotor components.

Check to see if you have spark at the tip of the coil wire.

 

Thank you Fred. I don't know how to test the coil and I hope that's it. From Google Images I can see which is the coil connection, http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...optispark.html. Should I pull that wire and ground it??

 

http://shbox.com/1/coil_testing.jpg

 

Jim, sending you an email. I can come by and help you check fuel pressure tonight if you want.

Check the coil the way Injuneer posted, too.

 

Thanks guys. My coil is different from the Shbox image. http://chevythunder.com/lt1_electrical_page.htm The image on the right looks like mine. I attempted to clear space to see how simple to remove the coil and noticed the ICM plug has clean oil inside and out. I don't have deep sockets so I can't remove the coil. I'll attempt to check resistance between the 4 leads using a mirror.

 

No deep sockets? What kind of engineer are you? :P

I can bring mine over tonight if you want.

 

Same here Jim...right over in Apex. If you need some help..just let me know.

 

The coil seems fine. The resistance between the three connectors and the coil line are all the same: 5850 ohms, so I don't need to pull it. I looked all over the engine and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong. Thank you rclearyiii. I'm checking fuel pressure within the next hour. I'm overdue for a spinning some tires... My garage is full of crap, I had to make a tent to keep the sun off and used a floor fan to help today. Humidity was tough today. 4birdman.... I'm "old" engineer with a dwelltach and nothing to use it on! Unless I can figure out how to use it on my 1969 CB750.

 

I know the feeling Jim...have a couple dwelltachs out in my garage as well along with dwellmeters..etc. I owned a cb750 some years back..was a great bike. Good luck on the car..I know it can get frustrating.

 

4Birdman stopped over [we work together, I didn't know he was 4birdman ;-)] and he measured the fuel pressure. 45 psi so it's not the problem. We checked if the sparkplug had power, none, the coil is not putting out a spark either with the car cranking. We removed the ICM (Ignition control module) from the coil. we agreed I should try to get another and see it helps. The cliff is getting closer to take it to the dealer for support. I'm not in the best shape to pay the bill but I need my baby running again...