Car Does Not Start Up After Starter Replacement

[ssdoeg2]

Howzit everyone,

I changed out my starter on a 1991 ls and ended up with hydrolock due to water leaking into right rear cylinder from rear water bypass. After removing spark plugs and clearing it out and putting it back together it turns over and tries to start but won't. During the replacement of starter some of the connectors broke (cracked) when removing them and the hoses were extremely brittle also. I put connectors back together as good as I could. I first verified fuel by removing fuel line on drivers side by dipsticks and when I crank engine fuel shoots out of fuel line so i believe it's getting fuel to the fuel rails.If I spray starter fluid engine will run. Anyone with any ideas on where to start in terms of sensors that connectors were pulled off of or hoses that need to be looked at real good. Haven't run codes yet as I had to go to work. Thanks for all your help.

[landar]

If the engine will run on starter fluid being sprayed into the manifold and you have fuel at the rails, then it sure sounds to me like several or more fuel injectors are not working. Perhaps due to broken wires or connectors going to the injectors. I would check the codes to see if you can gain additional insight.

So, based upon your hydrolock experience, would you recommend draining the coolant from the block before doing this job?

[ssdoeg2]

If the engine will run on starter fluid being sprayed into the manifold and you have fuel at the rails, then it sure sounds to me like several or more fuel injectors are not working. Perhaps due to broken wires or connectors going to the injectors. I would check the codes to see if you can gain additional insight.

So, based upon your hydrolock experience, would you recommend draining the coolant from the block before doing this job?

Thanks for the reply Landar. Regarding the hydrolock,I put those blue paper towels in all the intake openings to keep out junk and also in the rear radiator bypass and I think the water wicked up and slowly wicked over to the paper towel in the rear manifold opening next to it. I'll take a look at the injector connectors but I put a dab of silicone on all of the edge of the connectors to hold it in place as all the tabs broke off when removing them. Again thanks for the reply and thanks to all for your valuable posts on troubleshooting.

[ssdoeg2]

If the engine will run on starter fluid being sprayed into the manifold and you have fuel at the rails, then it sure sounds to me like several or more fuel injectors are not working. Perhaps due to broken wires or connectors going to the injectors. I would check the codes to see if you can gain additional insight.

So, based upon your hydrolock experience, would you recommend draining the coolant from the block before doing this job?

Thanks for the reply Landar. Regarding the hydrolock,I put those blue paper towels in all the intake openings to keep out junk and also in the rear radiator bypass and I think the water wicked up and slowly wicked over to the paper towel in the rear manifold opening next to it. I'll take a look at the injector connectors but I put a dab of silicone on all of the edge of the connectors to hold it in place as all the tabs broke off when removing them. Again thanks for the reply and thanks to all for your valuable posts on troubleshooting.

Ran codes but none came up other than continuous flashing o/d light. Also answering the question of draining coolant from block before doing this job is a good idea. Now that I look back I remember some water pouring out of rear water bypass bridge when I finally popped bridge off under the wire harness and thats when it probably filled rear cylinder. Just wondering if I can pop off fuel rail with injectors on to see if injectors are spraying fuel properly.

[curiousB]

Maybe go buy a $15 fuel pressure gauge and hook into the fuel rail to see what pressure is when cranking. At some point you need data to either prove or disprove a theory. A small cost for a tool that will be helpful in the future.

$15.99 http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=92699&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

[ssdoeg2]

Maybe go buy a $15 fuel pressure gauge and hook into the fuel rail to see what pressure is when cranking. At some point you need data to either prove or disprove a theory. A small cost for a tool that will be helpful in the future.

$15.99 http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=92699&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

Thanks for the reply! I think I'll do that before I start tearing up the connectors to verify they're still good. The car ran fine other than the intemittent starter problem before I attempted the replacement. I'm a little frustrated but I'm not giving up yet.

[ssdoeg2]

Maybe go buy a $15 fuel pressure gauge and hook into the fuel rail to see what pressure is when cranking. At some point you need data to either prove or disprove a theory. A small cost for a tool that will be helpful in the future.

$15.99 http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItem.do?itemid=92699&CategoryName=&SubCategoryName=

Thanks for the reply! I think I'll do that before I start tearing up the connectors to verify they're still good. The car ran fine other than the intemittent starter problem before I attempted the replacement. I'm a little frustrated but I'm not giving up yet.

Just an update on my problem and a question. Took engine apart back down to intake manifold being off. Yesterday when I was spraying starter fluid and engine ran (sputtered but ran) some white smoke came out by rear left side of engine. I assumed I did not seal it up good so thats why I tore it back down to clean the gaskets and put a better seal on it. While I had the intake off I put voltage on all injectors and heard them all click and when I turned the intake over to look at injectors

I noticed that they were wet from the residual fuel left in the fuel rail. So I believe the injectors are OK. The lower intake chamber is now back on with the injector

connectors on and on saturday I'll repair the other broken connectors (Distibutor connector, coolant temperature sensor, bsvs and another connector on front water bypass pipe) with spade terminals and then reinstall the rest of the parts. I believe the engine runs off the cold start injector but then has no fuel from the primaries to keep it running so If after I reinstall everything and I end up having this same problem any tips guys on where to go from there. I'll probably get a mobile mechanic to look at it next week if I'm unable to resolve this. Thanks to all for your help.

[VBdenny]

90% of all starting problems are electrical. Knowing where the starter is always concerns me but keeping my car inside in a southern climate helps a lot on my 90.

[killerFatty]

I just checked Alldata and the second step of starter replacement is drain the engine coolant. Its for my 93 LS, but I assume the procedure is identical for the 91. Here is the link incase you want to see it. I wish you luck.

http://www.alldatadiy.com/alldata/AFI~V21026084~C41277~R0~OD~N/0/41746052/56620557/56620562/110767916/34853741/34863246/34863686/34863822/34850021/147167774

[ssdoeg2]

Howzit everybody,

Got everything back together and the car started right up. Unsure what fixed the problem but I did redo some wiring to some of the broken connectors and resiliconed the gaskets. Also put on some Arnott upper control arms and the car runs and feels great. Just wanted to thank you all for your replies and troubleshooting tips. I don't consider myself a mechanic in any way but I will do my part and try to help others with problems that I may have come across because of the help you guys gave me. To all of us weekend warriors new to this forum and the LS itself take the time to go thru the thousands of previous posts to find problems and symptoms similar to what you're getting and you'll probably get your answers to your problems. It's unfair to all these great guys on here to keep asking question after question every step of the way in your troubleshooting process. I had a T-bird supercoupe a few years back and the supercoupe forum was also great but a lot of the good guys slowly pulled out of the club due to people asking question after question and not taking the time to view previous posts. Would really hate for that happen to this club. Anyways thanks again guys for all your help. I'm going to attempt the t-belt water pump replacement on the 1995 LS I recently picked up at a great price in a few days. Landar and CuriousB, you guys ever make it to Maui the beers and PuPus(Hawaiian for appetizers)are on me.

[curiousB]

Glad to hear she is running again. I just did my TB and water pump last weekend so its fresh in my mind. Went very well. Go see my wrap up post and you can get follow the links to helpful sites plus my 2 cents.