Dannysthename

So I have a 1997 Camaro SS, the car cranks but does not start. Will try to give as much info as possible. The car has a new battery, new spark plugs and wires, new alternator, new fuel pump, new relay and new fuel filter. When I crank the car I do not hear the fuel pump, the check gages lights are on but the car has a full tank of gas. Starting fluid does not help start the car. I've checked the fuses they are fine. Don't think it's a starter issue but I'm no expert. Any bit of help would be great.

Injuneer

At any point, have you:

- scanned the PCM for codes

- checked the fuel pressure

- checked for spark at the coil, and at the plugs

What does the "SECURITY" light do when the starter is cranking the engine?

How many miles on the engine?

Has the Optispark distributor ever been changed? If so, what brand?

The "Check Gages" light (there is only one) covers the coolant temp, system volts, fuel level and oil pressure. What does your fuel gauge read? A problem with the fuel gauge and not hearing the fuel pump could be related to the connector for the pump sending unit near the rear axle. Are there any other dash warning light that stay on?

Courtesy of Shoebox

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

Dannysthename

So I'm not able to get a pcm reading, I'm figuring I can't because I can't get the engine to turn over. The security light turns off when cranking, the car has 117888. The fuel Gage is also reading full. I bought the car 5 months ago so I've yet to change or look at the distributor, and will see if I can check the fuel pressure and the coils. Thanks a lot

Injuneer

You can scan the PCM at any time, pulling stored codes. What do you mean by "can’t get a reading"? The scanner won't connect, or it connects but shows no codes? Have you disconnected the battery recently, as part of your attempts to get the car started? That will have cleared the stored codes.

If the fuel gauge reads full, and you know it isn’t full, and you can’t hear the fuel pump at all, could be the result of the connector in the photo I linked being disconnected. If you just turn the key to "run", does the fuel pump prime for two seconds?

Dannysthename

Yes the battery has been disconnected, the tank is full and the gauge reads full as well. When turning the key without trying to start the engine I am not able to hear the fuel pump prime so when I try to "start" the car all I get is the engine cranking.

Here are all the codes I've recorded that the vehicle has had since purchased
P0131 - O2 Sensor Circuit Low Voltage Bank 1 Sensor 1
P0161 - O2 Sensor Heater Circuit Bank 2 Sensor 2
P0336 - Crankshaft Position Sensor A Circuit/ Range Performance
P0410 - Secondary Air Injection
P1641 - Malfunction Indicator Lamp Control Circuit
P1642 - Vehicle Speed Output Circuit

Know that will all these codes the car still ran, it wouldn't start anymore after the new fuel pump was installed, it ran for 2 minutes after the new pump was in and then it just died.

Injuneer

What brand/model fuel pump?

Check for 12 volts at the fuel pump connector in the photo I linked. You will have to be there with the meter, while someone else turns the key to "run", because the pump is only powered for 2 seconds. When you crank the engine, the PCM looks for pulses from the Opti cam position sensor before it starts the pump.

Dannysthename

Precision Fuel Pump Part# A43041

Will check voltage from the car when I get a chance and will get back with you.

Injuneer

Application says it fits a 97 Z28, but free flow (30 GPH = 114 LPH) and pressure (30 PSI) look too low. Stock pressure is 43,5 PSI. Mentions 4 wires, only 3 on the stock pump. Connector on O'Reilly's shows only 3 wires.

https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/p...a43041/4615415

You can also test the pump, bypassing the PCM interlock and the relay, by supplying 12 volts to the fuel pump prime connector near the PCM (single red wire):

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

Dannysthename

Dannysthename

I can also hear the pump in the back when it's connected to power

Injuneer

You may be hearing the fuel flowing through the fuel supply line, through the fuel rails, out through the pressure regulator and through the return line. The prime connector is wired directly to the gray wire coming off the fuel pump relay, and connected to the connector near the rear axle.

Do you hear the same sounds for two seconds when you turn the key to "run"? You are adding the fuel permit signal from the PCM and the fuel pump relay to the circuit. The prime connector bypasses those.

Dannysthename

Okay so when I supplied power to the prime wire I was able to hear the flowing sound from the front of the car and right from the pump, but that's the only sound I heard. I didn't know whether or not to try to start it while giving the prime wire power so I tried to run the engine with and without powering the wire and still no luck.

Injuneer

Try and pull codes again. P1371 for the cam position sensor in the Opti shuts down fuel injectors. That code does not turn on the SES light, and does set when the engine is cranked, and there is no low res signal from the Opti. But it can take a while for the code to set. You need to crank it continuously for several seconds. While cranking, watch the tach. If the Opti is producing the required pulse signal, the tach needle will move upwards a few hundred RPM.

Next is the fuel permit signal the body control module (BCM) sends to the PCM to activate the injectors. The VATS system can read the key resistance correctly, but a fault in the BCM could prevent the fuel permit signal from being sent. Sets code P1626.

Dannysthename

Needle in the tach does not move at all, only the oil gauge move. I continuously let the car crank so I could see if I could get a code reading but it wouldn't connect, I really was just draining the battery.

Injuneer

If the scanner will not connect, check the fuse for the cig lighter. That provides 12 volt power to pin 16 of the diagnostic connector.