Hi,

I have a '97 Z-28 6speed (350 v-8) with 153,000 miles. Car usually runs fine, and I have owned it for ten years. I have had various small issues with it that I have managed to repair, but the car has always started when I turned the key. Not so today after work. I drove to work today and drove around at lunch with no problem, but then I went to go home this afternoon and......it simply won't start. It turns over just fine, and the first few times it almost started. But now it just turns over. I searched the forums and it seems that there are a lot of starting issues, but none exactly like this. It has been running fine, and now suddenly it just won't start at all. I am going to try a few things, but I was just looking for some advice. Thanks.

Some additional info:

Like I said, it has been running fine, but a few days ago the check engine light came on for about four hours. It cleared the next day and nothing has happened since. I am going to hook up the code tester and check it out anyways.

Spark plugs and opti were replaced at 95,000 and the car now has 153,000. Passed smog with flying colors last year.

About 3 months ago, out of the blue, the car wouldn't start after three tries and running the starter motor for several seconds. It then suddenly started like always. It had never happened before, and it hasn't happened since (until now, of course).

Thanks for your help!

 

Welcome to the Forums!!

You want to go ahead and check your coil and ICM. Here's a quick test you can do:

Unplug the coil wire from the opti side (or if you have a spare spark plug wire, disconnect the coil wire from the coil and connect the spare to the coil), then hold it near something metal and have someone crank the car. If you get spark, it means that the problem could be the fuel pump or the opti. If you don't get spark, then it is most likely the ICM.
This just happened to me and it turns out that both my coil and ICM were bad.

Check this website to see how to test the coil. It also has really good info on our LT1's

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Do the crank test with the coil wire first. I bet you its the ICM. Then come back and let us know how it went.

Good luck and kill Rustanks!!!


x01660

 

When an engine cranks but does not start, the usual problems are either no spark, no fuel, or broken engine resulting in no compression. You have to take a look & see what condition you have.

 

Thanks guys. I wanted to add that I just checked the codes, and I am pulling a p0100 (and no others), Mass airflow sensor circuit. Do you think that the MAF could go out and cause the motor to not start at all? Should I replace the MAF based solely on that code reading or should I try other things first? I have never replaced the MAF in this car.

 

Trust me. Do the spark check I listed above. Let us know how that goes. It will save you a lot of time. This just happened to me. I just got my Z running a week ago.

Good luck and kill Rustanks!!!


x01660

 

The engine should be able to start and run with the MAF wiring disconnected. Check the basics first, before starting to change things.

 

i have had issues with my maf coming lose in the truck. when the air cleaner hose comes lose from the tb the motor will not run. if the maf is showing no air flow im assuming it will not let fuel into the system by not firing the injectors. check your injectors with a noid light to see if there firing.

 

The 97s use both a MAP and a MAF. The PCM does not look at the MAF until it goes into closed loop. While in open looks it looks only at the MAP. The engine will start OK with no MAF but it may run poorly when it goes into closed loop.

 

Thanks everybody.

I tried tightening all of the MAF and intake hose fittings (they were extremely loose), but that didn't work. I need to check the basics (spark, fuel, compression), but I can't do that until I tow the car home tonight.

In the absence of actually being able to work on the car yet, I have been searching the forums for other ideas. The VATS system came to mind when I remembered that my Security light popped on a few weeks ago for an hour or two and then went off. The security light is on while I turn over the car now, but I don't know whether or not this is normal (I think that all of the idiot lights light up while turning over and then go out when the car starts). I also checked the fuses underneath the hood and they were all good. The battery connections are good and the car is still turning over strongly.

I will tow the car home tonight and check the basics over the weekend. I still cling to the hope that this is something relatively simple because it happened so suddenly. There were no "symptoms" leading up to it. One minute it was running fine, the next minute it would not start.

I'll let you know what I find; in the meantime any additional suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!!!

 

try cleaning the key (little ***** on ignition key) and spray some electrical cleaner in the key hole. you can do a vats bypass
4th Gen LT1 F-Body Tech-PassKey/VATS
4th Gen LT1 F-body Tech Articles
http://shbox.com/1/vats_bypass.jpg