1990 Buick Electra Park Avenue Ultra / 3.8 / SFI / OHV 6 cyl. ( body type 4 s)
No start after heavy rain. Waited 3 days and car started and ran good.
Next week, no start and AAA installed a new battery. Started and ran good.
Next week, no start, Home to daddy. Dried engine with blower and started and ran good.
2 days later, no start, checked fuel pressure at rail ( spec. 47 psi.) 40 psi. on my Gage.
… unplugged spark plug And unscrewed plug, installed plug into wire and wired the end of spark plug to neg. … got a good Spark.
1 day latter, start and ran good. Nothing done to car
3 day’s latter, no start, installed new plugs, wires, air filter, then notice that the coil looked like it overheated
And melted the module. ( installed new (junk yard) coil and module. Car ran good for several miles then
Stalled out at traffic light. Started up right away.
Car stalled like that several times and started right away but ran great.
Car still ran better and sounded good, no knocks, great Acceleration.
Now the Car wont start at all. Can hear the fuel pump turn on in fuel tank.
friend with scan tool ( not old enough for 1990) said that there is no spark and the anti- thief is activated …. should I try a new coil, store bought?
??? how to keep from spending on new coil and other parts just for fun…
??? does the anti – thief RADIO, only turn off the radio , or does it disabled the car ( no spark )???
Thank for reading. hope that I gave you enough info to help us.
engine will crank strong and long, the outside air is about 50 F… sprayed wire dry on most all wires.
when I check for a spark it is there.
Does you key have a black chip on it?? I am not sure if you have a VATS system or not that is why I ask.
If the car cranks fine, why was the battery replaced? Have any of these no starts been no crank situations? Or has it always been cranking fine?
You mentioned wet conditions a couple of times. How often is moisture around when the car is having troubles?
If your fuel pressure spec is 47psi but you’re only getting 40psi then that is certainly a problem - though it seems likely that you have multiple problems. Did you happen to change the fuel filter & check the pressure again?
changed coil and module and is running now. going to replace fuel filter and then see if there are any more problems. I will let you know but i think i got it running ok for now. will check fuel psi again. thanks for your report on the car.