Cascade Crew

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 7:22 pm Post subject: Electrical system dead

Ok, I finally got my 84 camaro home today........... and started going through things.....both door hinges are fixed so it opens and closes w/o any sag, now I"m onto find out why everything electrical is dead. Battery is brand new w/ a full charge, the cables are connected right and there's no damage to either cable. Any ideas? Anything on the computer need to be reset that I'm missing?

Shultzy...I'll go out tomorrow to the garage and get some photos taken. So that way everyone can see this urban legend I have spoke about.

Xophertony · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 9:26 pm Post subject:

whats so urban legend about it?

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 10:51 pm Post subject:

hehe I think he is just kidding a bit. We gave him a hard time because he talked about his car but never could produce evidence that it exists. Really just a ploy to encourage him to post up pics Wink

Not sure about the computer in your car. You said both cables are ok - does your car have a fusible link? Might want to check that. Other than that and grounds I guess you have to get the meter out and start running the problem down.

I look forward to seeing the pics Cool

-Schultzy

Xophertony · Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 11:41 pm Post subject:

next his camera will be broken, or "at my friends house" when we all know people w/o digital cameras can't have friends..... Laughing

ok that was fun...

get a test light and slowly move away from the batery testing things untill you find the point where the power stops (not start by going post to post on the battery) once you find the dead link (hopefully an easy one like a ground strap) replace it and keep going.... once you cleare all the wiring under the hood and move into the cockpit area start of course with the leads going to the fusepannel. if they are juiced then check all your fuses.... then the leads coming FROM the fuse pannel. if all that is good and still no turnover check the wires @ the starter while a friend (real or imaginary) turns the key, if you are not getting power @ the starter tear into the columm.....

good luck. a test light is your best friend right now.

Schultzy89GTA · Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2005 6:40 pm Post subject:

hehe, now you got it Wink

-Schultzy

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 3:17 am Post subject:

two black wires, one is a lead and one is a ground......touching, ground each other out. Fixed that and.......OMG I have power....still won't start. Dash lights are good, headlights, turnsignals, brake lights, parking lights, heater, Power windows amazingly... buzzer switch works for a few seconds and dies, I get the normal accessory postion idiot lights (Check engine, Fasten belts, E brake). When I turn it to start it makes a buzz sound, and nothing happens. What should I be looking for next. allegedly the carb has problems, but I won't be able to start ruling stuff out until I can crank it over.

85 T/A WS6 · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:18 am Post subject:

scott in wa. · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:31 am Post subject: starter

Well,
If you can jump the hot wire from the battery straight to the starter solenoid with a screw driver, ( a big one, you will see the sparks) and the engine rotates, maybe ignition switch.
I have done this on my old blazer

Scott

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 6:55 pm Post subject:

It probably would have cranked over yesterday, if I'd been smart enough to put the clutch petal all the way to the floor Embarassed

now the fun begins......that stupid carb.

Sellmanb · Member Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 727 Location: Tigard, OR

Heh, clutches are overrated, right? Wink

I didnt realize that these cars came with carbs on their V6's lol. If it's been sitting for long enough, I'm sure it needs rebuilt (read: varnish). Screw around with the choke and see if it helps heh.

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Fri Nov 25, 2005 1:03 pm Post subject:

Not even getting gas up to the carb........I put some fuel stabalizer in the tank and am going to put about 5 gal's and see what luck I have next. I'll start checking for crimped lines and see if I'm getting it up to the fuel pump at least.

Sellmanb · Member Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 727 Location: Tigard, OR

If you are certain it's fuel related. Then take the outlet line of the fuel pump off.

Have someone turn the key for a couple seconds, you should know if the fuel pump is working/getting fuel very quickly heh.

After that, it narrows it down a lot more.

If you put some fuel in the carb does it fire up?

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 1:20 pm Post subject:

Well even with a burst of starter fluid down the venturi, it still won't start.....

any other ideas..cranks over no problem, does not fire.

chevymad · Posted: Sat Nov 26, 2005 6:04 pm Post subject:

Go back to the 3 basics. You need fuel, compression, and spark then it should run. If you have all 3 then there are a couple other things liked plugged exhaust, but start with those 3.

You're eliminating or attempting to eliminate fuel as a problem source by using the starting fluid. Still doesnt fire though, so you need to check spark. First thing to do is pull a spark plug and make sure its not wet or fouled out, indicating too much fuel.

Have you done a compression check? If the car's sat a long time the cylinders could have dried up and you wont have any. First check all cylinders dry. If they're low squirt 3 or 4 good squirts of oil in each spark plug hole and check again. If the compression comes up with oil, either the cylinders have dried out or the rings are bad. If they still don't have compression you have a valve problem. If the compression comes up with the oil put all the plugs back in and try to start it again. Sometimes this will be enough to get it to run(and smoke big time). Many times once you have it running the rings will seat back in and the motor will be fine after.

Pull the coil wire and hold it about 1/2" away from a metal ground. Use insulated pliers unless you like electricity. Have somebody twist the key for you. Should jump 1/2" pretty easily. 1/4" with a nice blue spark. If there's no spark move the wire closer and see if there's anything at all. If its there but weak, its probably the coil. If it's not there at all, you'll need to diagnose the ignition system. Take a test light and connect it between ground and the - terminal on the coil. (green wire i think, definately not the pink heavy one) Crank the engine, the light should flash. This indicates the ignition is working properly. If it flashes yet you dont have spark, replace the coil. If the light is on but not flashing there's probably a 90% chance its the ignition module. But first disconnect the timing connector (does that year 2.8 have one? If it has vacuum advance it wont) and try that. If there's no light the ignition isn't getting power, check again on the + side, should be steady power there with the key on. If not you'll have to trace the ignition power back through to its source. If you have power on the + but nothing on the - side then the coil is likely shorted.

Let us know how you make out. Normally I would NOT suspect the coil on a GM product. However, I've had several 2.8s that had weak(looked OK really) spark that had me stumped for awhile, and a new coil cured them. Not sure why that application seems to be an exception though.

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2005 1:39 pm Post subject:

pulled each spark plug........just a lot of carbon buildup, cleaned each one.....cranked it over.....same problem exists. Also checked the firing order from distributor to cylinder banks, everything seemed to be as it was supposed to be. I'm not sure if the compression should be a problem as this car was driven up until March of 2005, when allegedly the carb stopped working right.......I wish I had another LC1 that I could look at to see how its hooked up and see what mine might be missing. Anyways, I'll keep you guys posted, thanks for the advice/help so far.

AKMark · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:57 am Post subject: I'm close

If I can help. I've got an 86 and would love to help you with yours. I've been through most of my electrical and installed the factory RR Defog from scratch (silly to have a car without it!).

Available most days, and email is best.

mp

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 12:38 pm Post subject:

I appreciate the offer mark.......I got most of the electrical working on it, I just can't seem to get the car to fire if you read the above posts, so that's where i"m at now.......this has kind of been a progressive post of me figuring (with some crewbie advice) out this 84 I picked up and trying to get the thing running. I have until approximately january 27 to do so....

Quasi-Traction · Posted: Tue Nov 29, 2005 5:55 pm Post subject:

Anyone know a trick to getting to the distributor retainer bolt loose on a 2.8L? I tried for like a solid hour.... #$%^&*

Used every extension, deep set, short set, u-joint style socket I had and a combination of regular open ended wrenches, tried from the top of the motor, tried crawling under the car and getting at it from the bottom....couldn't do it.

Couldn't see a vaccum diaphram on the distributor at all. Does it need to be moved/adjusted for timing purposes? (hoping I didn't waste an hour for nothing) I'm about 90 percent certain now that my problem is ignition/spark related to why the car won't start....I'm checking the coil tomorrow....

compression tested it today......seemed right where its supposed to be.....which is good..I guess.