Car is my '97 Z28 M6 (see .sig), and it ran fine yesterday on the way home.

This morning I'm getting ready to go to the airport (dumb luck!), and I go to crank it up. It starts for a very quick moment and then dies. I thought, that's strange. I crank it again and it never even tries to start. Tried many more times over a period of a few minutes--crap. Same thing, starter spins the engine nice and fast (new Opti battery), but no hint of it starting.

Any ideas where I should start before I spend a few hours with the shop manual?

-Rob

 

Might try the manifold air pressure sensor,and connecting harnesses.My02

 

id pull off #1 spark plug and see if it sparks. just have someone crank the car while you hold the plug in the wire boot... if you dont see any spark then its probably your opti. i suppose theres a likely chance its your coil but im not real sure how to test it. did you check all your fuses?

 

5/31 update:

While I was away on my trip (this started when I needed to go to the airport), my wife called a tow-truck to get it to the dealer. The driver said my car starts up just fine when he arrives.

I get back home, and sure enough it starts up just fine, drive it to work yesterday.

Today, I'm at gas station getting ready to leave, and it doesn't start again. @#$@#$!! I tried starting it about 15-20 times over a period of an hour (waiting for tow truck). Some times it started only to barely idle--giving it gas causes it to just about stall, then it stalls.

I have it towed to my house, and Autotap say there are no codes. I hook up my fuel pressure gauge to the fuel rail (near the FPR), turn the ignition on, except it reads 0. Shouldn't it be at pressure when I'm starting the car? I tried pressing the shrader valve with my finger nail, and sure enough I don't appear to be getting gas. Could this be the fuel pump, or could a clogged fuel filter do this?

Thanks for the help so far. I haven't tried the #1 plug yet since I think my fuel pump (stock) may have died--what do you guys think?

-Rob

 

After reading the shop manual for a while, I noticed there is a fuel pump relay. I pulled the relay and put it back in--it starts & runs!

I'm going to replace this relay with a new one first thing Monday. Has anyone else had a fuel pump relay or relay connector become faulty?

Of course, I'm not possitive I've fixed it until the next time it leaves me stranded.

 

anyone?

 

I spoke too soon. It will run 2 times out of 3--taking it out for a drive. When it won' t start the fuel pressure at the fuel rail is 0. I think I either have a fuel pump going out or I have a faulty connection--although the latter is getting less likely given that I'm starting to be able to predict when it won't work.

For the 2 times it runs, I would take it out for a 10 minute drive, and pull back in my garage. Turn it off, let it set for 2 minutes, and then it won't start.