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'97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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my13personalities
Novice
Oct 21, 2011, 3:53 PM
Post #1 of 18
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'97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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Ok, here's the deal...Last night, I ran out of gas (happens often), so after I put enough in from my emergency gas tank to get me 50 yards to the gas pump (no I couldn't push it, I'm a female, it's a Bonneville...much easier to push my Honda), I put $20 in it, put air in my very low back tire, and then noticed I had no heat. Anti-freeze my first thought, so first thing this morning I filled it up to the "hot" line with 50/50..cheap Advanced brand. 3 hours later, I check it, that tank is empty. First question. Does it go somewhere else or should it remain at the full line always?
So, I filled it up again. Drove it two blocks to daycare, and before I even got near my starting point the engine light (that's always on, but wasn't on way to daycare), starts blinking. I go back home, look under the hood. Still full. But I notice when I start it up that the engine is smoking a little. I figure, must be because there's a little more in there that should be, so it's just excess burn off.
Anyway, I also noticed, when I try to see where the burning oil is coming from, that there are 2 wires, that look like they should be connected to something, just hanging. I turn off the car, try to restart it, and nothing. I hadn't even touched anything yet. Why did this happen? I found where the one was supposed to go, it was rectangular, with little fastening clips on either side. Seems it just falling off would be unlikely. The other, a round tip with 3 little holes inside that, whatever it hooks to, would have prongs to go inside. I can't find that "whatever." The car still won't do anything. It just clicks when I turn the key, but all of the lights and radio work fine.
Help please! I'm pretty capable, and if it's an easy job, with easy to reach places, I can fix it myself. Between this car and my other I just put over $600 in them less than 2 months ago. I don't want to put much more.
The other is a '94 Honda Civic that just needs a catalytic converter. Which car should I fix first/ Could I replace the catalytic converter on my own easily with minimal automotive skills?
If you read all of that thanks! Sorry it was so long, but I figure the more details, the easier to figure out the problem.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 21, 2011, 4:39 PM
Post #2 of 18
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Re: '97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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Are you serious? Routinely running out of gas! That kills fuel pumps which will make $600 bucks look cheap.
Drive the Honda as I think the other needs way too much money right now by reading your post.
BTW converts unless rust is an issue are killed by an engine not running properly usually,
T
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on Oct 21, 2011, 4:48 PM)
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my13personalities
Novice
Oct 21, 2011, 4:43 PM
Post #3 of 18
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Re: '97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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So are you saying the fuel pump is my problem?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 21, 2011, 4:49 PM
Post #4 of 18
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Sorry - look back as I edited my own post. Fuel pump alone if that's it isn't the only problem. Probably need a head gasket and tons more on that car,
T
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 21, 2011, 4:53 PM
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Re: '97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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No, he didn't say you need a fuel pump. He was pointing out that your total lack of care and maintenance for your car will cost you big in the end. You just can't treat a car like that if you expect to drive it long.
At this point you need to have a shop check it out thoroughly including pressure testing the cooling system. You may have already done serious damage to it.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 21, 2011, 4:55 PM
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Re: '97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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Which personality is this? LOL
The Bonny has a resevior tank which you had filled up, but found empty. There is also a radiator cap. When the engine is cold remove the radiator cap from the radiator and look to see how much coolant is in there. You might have a coolant leak which you will have to figure out.
To figure out the no start, you need to see if you have 3 things. 1- fuel pressure 2- spark 3- injector activity while cranking the engine.
You need a spark tester to see if you have a strong blue spark. You need a fuel pressure test gauge to see if you have fuel pressure when cranking the engine. You need an injector noid light to check for injector pulse while cranking the engine. Once you figure out what is missing, you can figure out why what ever is missing is missing.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 21, 2011, 4:57 PM)
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my13personalities
Novice
Oct 21, 2011, 4:59 PM
Post #7 of 18
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Re: '97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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Oh okay. I was under the assumption that this was a help forum...not a lecture forum. And if you read my post thoroughly, you'd know that it has been maintenanced..."less than two months ago."
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my13personalities
Novice
Oct 21, 2011, 5:02 PM
Post #8 of 18
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Re: '97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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Well, I was the nice one, until smart ass smarty pants replied! now I'm the bitchy one! lol Thanks though everyone for your help.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 21, 2011, 5:03 PM
Post #9 of 18
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Re: '97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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Get serious................
You frequently ran it out of gas
The engine light is on and you ignore it
You run it out of coolant and continue to drive it to your destination
You abuse the vehicle up one side and down the other and now you want some forum to fix it all like it was nothing. You deserve a lecture.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 21, 2011, 5:07 PM
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Easy HT, we really don't know what the other 11 personalities are like..
Some of the advice may be useful. You just have to get through the mine field.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 21, 2011, 5:07 PM)
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my13personalities
Novice
Oct 21, 2011, 5:09 PM
Post #11 of 18
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Re: '97 Pontiac Bonneville won't start
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Lol. Are you a member of PETA (people for the ethical treatment of automobiles)? Well thanks for the lecture. That helps me a great deal to figure out why my car won't start. Anything else? I have been neglecting my laundry for a few days. Want to complain about that too? I drove my car 2 blocks with no antifreeze because I was closer to home than anywhere I could get any, it was 8:30 pm and I have 3 kids that I had to bath for bed. So excuse me for putting my children before a machine Mr. self righteous!
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 21, 2011, 5:12 PM
Post #12 of 18
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You can justify it any way you want. The bottom line is YOU are the reason your car has problems and I can't fix that.
If you think a new engine is cheaper and less convenient than a tow truck then just keep driving it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 21, 2011, 5:15 PM
Post #13 of 18
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Ok you made a little boo boo. Time to move on. Now, lets figure out the problem.
Do you have
Spark
Fuel pressure
Injector activity?
Coolant leak
Where is the coolant going or leaking from?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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my13personalities
Novice
Oct 21, 2011, 5:26 PM
Post #14 of 18
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Okay MC Hammer, you're failing to understand that I already know what you're telling me, so your lecture is pointless. It's a backup car that once it costs more than I'm willing to spend will be meeting it's fate at the junkyard.
There's nothing, just a click when I turn the key. I have checked the ground and haven't seen signs of a leak. I also couldn't open the other cap to see if there was anything inside. And the oil was a little over the full line, the engine was smoking a little just before I turned it off for the last time. But what confuses me the most is the two wires that weren't connected to anything. They are coming from the engine, like I said I found where the one should go, but not the other. Seconds before, the car turned over just fine, then the next...nothing.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 21, 2011, 5:32 PM
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Can you take a picture of the two wires and send us the link or post the pic in here?
You coolant tank may be full, but your radiator could be empty. You really need to get the cap off and not with a hammer.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 21, 2011, 5:33 PM)
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Discretesignals
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Oct 21, 2011, 5:37 PM
Post #16 of 18
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Just to let you know Gen 2 3.8L are bad about the coolant passages around the EGR pipe of the plastic upper intake disentigrating. When this happens the cylinders fill up with coolant causing a no start or a start that breaks off starter motor noses and bends connecting rods.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 21, 2011, 5:38 PM)
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my13personalities
Novice
Oct 21, 2011, 5:39 PM
Post #17 of 18
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I knew I should have taken the pic. I'll try now, but it's dark out. I may have to do that tomorrow. And I've gotten that cap off before when I was checking my fluids (omg..yes, I actually do do maintenance sometimes!) lol. I don't know if this helps, but about a week ago, I plugged my phone charger into the lighter and it wasn't working. I changed the fuse and it immediately blew. Three fuses later I gave up. Now that I'm at this point, I'm going to check the main fuses under the hood tomorrow when it's light again. But idk if that may have been the first sign of a bigger problem.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Oct 21, 2011, 5:42 PM
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The cigar light fuse popping shouldn't cause a no start. Check your lighter sockets for pennies or other metallic objects your kids may have dropping in there.
The lighter is the least of your worries. Pull all the spark plugs out and disconnect the electrical connector from the ignition control module. The module is underneath the three ignition coils. Crank the engine and see if any coolant flies out of the spark plug holes.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Oct 21, 2011, 5:45 PM)
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