Need some help here. My sister parked her 88LS into her garage and now it wont start. Engine turns over but will not start. You can hear the fuel pump come on. After cranking for awhile you can smell gas from the exhaust. Checked for fuel at the fuel filter, and there was when the ignition key was turned on. I checked for spark at the spark plug and there was a spark. The check-out with an ohm meter on the ignition coil was good. Put a new ignitor on , still no start. Checked the timing belt and it looks good.

Read about the main relay that could also be a problem on other threads.
Could this main relay also be the problem on this 88LS too? And where would it be located on this car.

Any help much appreciated!

AL

 

its the coil, or ignition module. Its also located in the distributor. if u can, pick up a new (pre owned) distributor from a wrecker. bolt that baby on, and watch her start!!.

unless u been playing with sparks (welding body parts and using the car as a ground, or arking positive wires to the fuse box), Its highly unlikley that u popped the relay.

thats my $.02

good luck

 

Ok got a service manual, removed that main relay for testing. Not easy to get out from under the dash. It checked out good. Re-installed it...turned ignition key on to see if any codes... there were none. Turned the key to start...gee sounds like the engine wants to start now...a second try and it started up. Been over a year garaged like this.

Now I'm not too sure why it started up now after just checking the main relay. I didnt do anything more to the car after installing a new ignitor. I did drop the relay just before checking it out. Guess that tells me better get a new relay.

Doesnt the relay controls the fuel pump? And why didnt it start after I had checked for fuel at the fuel filter fitting? There was gas coming out as the key was turned on. (new pump 1.5 years ago) Or am I missing what else that relay controls.

Car's idle speed was over 2100 rpm and would not come down after warming up. Found a metal vacuum tube filed open by the throttle cable rubbing onto it...bypass with a rubber hose but only dropped to 1800rpm.

Finally got it down closer to normal ,700 rpm by turning the idle screw adjustment in 2 1/2 turns. I checked to see if the car idles up under an electrical load to prevent stalling (ac , head lights, etc,) but it dropped. Dont think that's normal.

That high idle speed tells me turning the idle screw that much is not the fix... something else is not right that cause the high-idle. All the vacuum hose were checked out good .

Anyone have suggestions on where to look at next?

TIA, Al