As Nick said "strangest breakdown at a dragstrio"

[thunder]

So last night was my first time at the drag strip. I made the drive all the way to island. It was my first run off the night or ever for that matter and i was taking it easy. Left the line at idle shifted at about 5500 into second and at about 3000rpm in second gear the car simply shut off...The car didnt sputter, didnt make a noise or a rattle or anything. It just silently shut of but the lights and gauges and electrical stuff stayed on. i kept it in neutral and kept trying to turn the key but nothing

So i rolled to the end of the track in neutral so i wasnt blocking anything and on the road to get back to the pits i still had some momentum so i tried pooping the clutch and turning the key, this also did nothing so i ended up blocking the road back to the pits. To those that i blocked the road for i apologize and do feel ashamed for that.

Back in the pits me and 2 buddies tried bringing the car back to life. Heres what we found
-Starter works if u arc it directly from the battery but wont start by turning the key
-Motor turns over fine
-no fuel at fuel rail(full tank of gas)
-nothing is leaking
-Doesnt seem like fuel pump is kicking on
- no blown fuses
In other words we have no idea what happened and im really hoping someone can lend me there brain and help me figure this out.

[KirkEvil]

sounds like your fuel pump died

[thunder]

sounds like your fuel pump died

Wouldnt explain the starter not turning

[KirkEvil]

Did you check your ignition relays along with the fuses? When you cycle the key to the run position, can you hear the fuel pump prime?

[thunder]

in the run position the fuel pump doesnt make a a sound. i also tried tapping it. Do you know where the ignition relay is?

[KirkEvil]

Im not familiar with your setup, but if it is LT1 style, you should be able to look under the main fuse box cover for diagrams. If you have an owners manual, it should give a full list of all electrical components that run off each fuse/relay.

[thunder]

well my car has an Lq4 swapped in so thats part of the problem why i cant find things

[KirkEvil]

so you have an ls1 harness and two main fuse blocks on the driver's side?

[thunder]

so you have an ls1 harness and two main fuse blocks on the driver's side?

ya one under the hood and one on the side of the dash

[KirkEvil]

The starter and fuel pump relays are unrelated. I know you said that the fuses were checked, but the IGN fuse is the only link between the starter and pump.

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww42/KirkEvil/NJFBOA/IMGP1139.jpg

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww42/KirkEvil/NJFBOA/IMGP1141.jpg

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww42/KirkEvil/NJFBOA/IMGP1142.jpg

http://i704.photobucket.com/albums/ww42/KirkEvil/NJFBOA/IMGP1143.jpg

[sweetbmxrider]

grab a test light and don't be stupid, jackstands whatever. get under the car and have someone try to turn the car over while you check to see if the small purple wire is getting power on the starter. if it is its the starter, if not it could be ignition switch or clutch safety switch or possibly other things. you could also bang the starter with a hammer to free it up if it is getting power on the small wire.

take the test light to the back of the car and probe the gray wire for the fuel pump feed. have someone cycle the key and see if it has power for a couple seconds to prime it. if it does its the fuel pump, if not its elsewhere in the circuit. you could try hitting the bottom of the tank to bring it back to life if it has power, like with the starter.

fuse #5 on the dash should be the pcm ign fuse. it supplies power to the fuel pump.

[thunder]

thanks kirk for the diagrams.

And we checked the fuel-pump and its not getting power and the starter is not triggering.

[Blacdout96]

Sounds like a relay problem, maybe you have a the fuel pump and starter running off the same relay? did you do the ol swapperoni of relays to see if anything changes?

[sweetbmxrider]

check the relay, its behind the foot plastic next to the clutch pedal. the pink wire is the constant power, dark green/white is the pcm fp relay control signal wire, the black/white is the relay ground, and the gray is fuel pump power lead. see what has what, turn the key to see if the pcm activates the relay for 2 seconds to prime the pump.

edit: possible vats issue, didn't realize it also had starter disable in it. security light?

[thunder]

when i turn the key the security light does not come on. where checking the relay next to the clutch now

[thunder]

Ok so the relay next to the clutch pedal is not even getting power

[thunder]

im gonna try by passing the vats system

[sweetbmxrider]

i would, if the bulb doesn't light during bulb check then you can't be sure it has a fault. you may be able to scan for a trouble code though i think it would light the cel.

[thunder]

So i tried bypassing the VATS reader in the ignition and still were getting the same problem. also i tried all the suggestions posted... still no good. Im lost and at loss for what could be wrong. any help is welcome

[V]

tap on the fuse box? worked for Brian at Island.

[thunder]

tap on the fuse box? worked for Brian at Island.

haha i tapped it,shook it, whispered sweet nothings to it and even read it a story about the courageous Thomas the tank engine to motivate it. Still no luck

[V]

well then, basically like someone previously said, grab a voltmeter and get to work. Start at the battery and check everything, as you move through power distribution blocks and so forth. make sure all fuse boxes have the power they should as well as all grounds being good. Work your way to the igniton switch at the base of the column. make sure you are getting power there and at all respective wires. Check main grounds for the PCM too. Its long and annoying work to check everything but right now, the only real way.

[thunder]

ya man. i spent the whole day playing with **** and eliminating possibilities. i guess my weekends home from school are gonna be spent checking things with the voltmeter. Until then im open to ideas

[1984camaroz28]

You need to check and see if your getting voltage to the pump.... If you are You have a bad pump

[thunder]

You need to check and see if your getting voltage to the pump.... If you are You have a bad pump

already checked. zero voltage to pump

[1984camaroz28]

How did u check it. the pump will only turn on for a few seconds to prime then shut off until the ecu sense cranking

[S.J.SLEEPER]

check grounds on rear of driverside head,
try jumping the clutch pedal switch

then try this:

vats reader will do nothing if contact problem in switch. look under the column for a yellow wire (2 wires together) make sure they aren't the airbag wires!!!(follow them to a plug with safety catch on it if so , they are the airbag ones)

take a spare key, strip the 2 yellow wires going up the column, touch one wire to each side of the chip in key, (holding them there, have someone turn the ignition to start it) if it starts the buy a new ignition switch or purchase resistors equaling thechip & bypass it.

[JL8Jeff]

Did you check the clutch wiring that won't allow you to crank the engine if it thinks it's still in gear? Maybe something came loose or grounded out and it thinks it's in gear all the time so no crank or fuel pump.

[thunder]

check grounds on rear of driverside head,
try jumping the clutch pedal switch

then try this:

vats reader will do nothing if contact problem in switch. look under the column for a yellow wire (2 wires together) make sure they aren't the airbag wires!!!(follow them to a plug with safety catch on it if so , they are the airbag ones)

take a spare key, strip the 2 yellow wires going up the column, touch one wire to each side of the chip in key, (holding them there, have someone turn the ignition to start it) if it starts the buy a new ignition switch or purchase resistors equaling thechip & bypass it.

Ya i checked the grounds. and i used resistors to bypass the vats reader and still no luck

[NastyEllEssWon]

Did you check the clutch wiring that won't allow you to crank the engine if it thinks it's still in gear? Maybe something came loose or grounded out and it thinks it's in gear all the time so no crank or fuel pump.


he said it doesnt have one because it used to be auto and was swapped by a backyard mechanic.

[r0nin89]

Have you thought to make sure the ignition switch itself is passing voltage through it? I mean if its not giving voltage to the pump, and your missing voltage in other places, and the starter isnt kicking thats the first place I would look.

I cant speak for your car but most ignition switches have an IGN 1 and IGN 2. Perhaps its only dead on one channel hence lights etc still working.

[ins0mnia24]

Sounds like your Ignition Switch under your dash behind the knee bolster
It is also tied in with Powering the PCM and the PCM allowing the starter and fuel pump to engage..
A long with your clutch switch...


You can usually verify it is not working by checking your ignition harness going to your coil pack..
Unplug it turn the key on but don't start it and check for voltage on the Pink/Red wire...

[Firebird67dude]

Wouldnt explain the starter not turning

When my fuel pump went the starter wouldnt work, replaced fuel pump and i was good to go.

[deadtrend1]

When my fuel pump went the starter wouldnt work, replaced fuel pump and i was good to go.

interesting. I never heard that.

[alamantia]

Where is the fuseable link located in that car?

[sweetbmxrider]

i was thinking about fusible links but couldn't determine if they were on the same one. they all attach to the small post with the red cap over it on a stock setup. being a swap car, wasn't sure if they are even there still.

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

It moves. I saw it trap 117 mph last night.

[thunder]

it moves. I saw it trap 117 mph last night.
it got past 2nd gear!!!!

[JL8Jeff]

So what was the actual problem and solution? :?: