Guest Posted August 3, 2000 Share Posted August 3, 2000 Drove to store got back into car and it wouldnt start just cranked...waited five or ten minutes then started fine...this senario<BR>occured three times today<P>Any suggestions before it goes to Buick doctor fro repairs.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2000 Share Posted August 28, 2000 i have a 90. similiar problems. drive 20-30mins, stop and shop, but then dirtyword car would not restart....until about 20-30min waiting period. was the fuel pump...that was in Nov 99...and just now had the fuel pump replaced again!!<BR>G&U Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 28, 2000 Share Posted August 28, 2000 My 89 failed exactly like groucy above described and it was fuel pump too.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wally888 Posted August 28, 2000 Share Posted August 28, 2000 Dave -Your old car is still slow to start! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted August 29, 2000 Share Posted August 29, 2000 For the last few weeks my 89 is having starting problems too. Will crank, but will not start. After about 5 mins. of trying it will kick off. When doing so a great deal of white and black smoke. The white smoke does not appear to be water vapor, much too light for that. Then the car will run fine. It's in the shop right now. They claim fuel presure is at 40 lbs at crank. The fuel pump does turn on for 2 seconds. They want to change the ECM, but has no codes. They did replace the filter. Frankly, I don't think that is the problem. The ECM was replace about a year ago. The coil pack and ICM was replaced about two years ago. Anyway if you do find a fix for yours, please post so I can get more ideas. I sure hate to spend money and the problem not be fixed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wally888 Posted August 29, 2000 Share Posted August 29, 2000 My 89 used to start before I could let go of the key.Then started taking 2 or more 5 second tries.The other 89 sitting in my driveway is slow to start-3 or 4 seconds but always starts w/ 1st try.Both have good wires and plugs,new air filters,new fuel filter on multicrank, so I pulled IAF from both and cleaned.Didn't help the slow starter,will report on multi/try one tomorrow.Ran all code tests-all in tolerance and close on both cars.Can Oxy. sensor be cleaned? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wheresjim Posted August 30, 2000 Share Posted August 30, 2000 Hey Wally,<P>I'd say no. The sensor is sensitive, especially to most cleaning solvents (you see on most cans of carb cleaner to avoid the Oxy sensor). They are usually only like $30-50 or so with the pigtail so I'd just go ahead and switch it out.<BR><P>------------------<BR><B>Jim Gough</B><BR>www.esprinkles.com<BR>www.reatta.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 30, 2000 Share Posted August 30, 2000 The problem with the ECM is it won't set codes for most problems. If it definitely has spark, the only other items are fuel and air. The ECM does drive the fuel injectors and they should be able to check to see if they are pulsing on and off. A really simple test is a stethyscope held to the injectors while cranking. They make an very audible click when operating. 40psi with engine off and key on should be adequate, mine runs 43 psi. Does the fuel pressure drop off shortly after turning the key off? This would indicate a possible leaky injector (black smoke).The IAC is supposed to retract slightly when the engine is started to give a slightly higher idle immediately after starting. If this is sticking in the low idle position, there may not be enough air to start (black smoke?) You might try depressing the throttle very slightly to see if this helps. Not too far or it will go into clear flood mode and shut the injectors off. The last item might be the fuel quality. Water in the fuel or poor volatility will cause a hard start, if at all. Oddly enough, I have found regular 87 octane seems to start more easily than the higher grade fuels. I don't know why this is so, but I got that suggestion from the local Buick garage and it does seem to make a difference. Items such as the O2 sensor should have nothing to do with starting. The car starts in open loop and many sensors are not active until it goes into closed loop after it has run for a bit, or longer on a cold start.<P>------------------<BR>Hal, btk@vbe.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wally888 Posted August 30, 2000 Share Posted August 30, 2000 Wheresjim,<BR>too late! I cleaned both w/ some electrical<BR>spray I bought and used on light switches(especially the potentiometer for dimming) didn't help potent. but rescued a window switch which previously needed a very hard push.(this all prompted by some comments on forum about using WD-40 in switches-whoa!)<BR> Results of cleaning IAF's ,zero,both same,.I only cleaned the carboned plunger and seat,not any electrical.<BR> Do any canned injector cleaners get results? I bought 2 cans(brands,forgot but one was 2x's as much $'s as other).Applied to 1 89 I have now and a 91 I sold-couldn't tell any difference.<BR> On to plan B(not sure what that will be)<BR> Comparing readings from the 2 oxy sensors-one presented zero at times but both were very active in the 16 to 70 range?<BR> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wally888 Posted August 30, 2000 Share Posted August 30, 2000 OOP's Another "senior moment"! Actually I cleaned Idle Air Sensors-haven't gotten to Oxy S's yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howard Posted August 30, 2000 Share Posted August 30, 2000 I have had much sucess with WD40 on switches including headlight and power window. I however would not use anything on the sensors like that.<P>Just as an aside, my 89 is still in the shop for the hard starting problem. They have no idea whats wrong with it. They put in a new ECM, that did not solve the problem. I'm happy to report they are putting the old one back in without charge. Most shops would say no return on electrical parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2000 Share Posted September 5, 2000 A comment on the black smoke at startup. My wife took my car the other day and I noticed it gave one light puff of black smoke when it started. This was a cold start. This is a brand new engine with all new sensors. My car does not have a catalytic converter, so it may be more noticeable but I believe this is a product of the priming shot the ECM gives the engine when it starts. When the engine is cranked over, the injector timing is not known so the ECM commands all the injectors open for one shot and when the engine starts the cam sensor starts the sequential operation. I'm going to look at this a little more closely to see if my comment about listening to the injectors while cranking is valid. I may be in error. I wonder if some of the hard starts are the failure of the priming shot(ECM)?<P>------------------<BR>Hal, btk@vbe.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 5, 2000 Share Posted September 5, 2000 Listen to 2Seater, stay away from anything above 87 octane. I have hard starts and the car runs rough when I put in a higher grade.<P>My ECM was replaced two weeks ago (cost $161.00) when it was put in I was told that it may not be the problem, it may be the chip thats inside the ECM.<P>My car has allways started rough. according to the previous owner, it did it to her too and she like me just got used to it. <P>Above all else, wherever you take it to get serviced, ask for a mechanic who is familiar (If not with Reatta's) with Riviera's!!!!<P>If they won't let you accompany the mechanic in the back so you can see what the hell they are doing, ask for your keys back, cuss them out and leave.<P>You'll see a big change in the "We don't know what it could be!" attitude.<P>Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wally888 Posted September 5, 2000 Share Posted September 5, 2000 I am still persuing the cause of hard start on two 89's.One of them just takes a little longer than desired(2 seconds) and previous owner reports problem started after replacing fuel pump.Used to start w/ key touch.<BR> The other one is intermittant(it used to start w/ key touch).Sometimes from cold it is necessary to crank several times(a few seconds).Always starts good when eng. is hot.<BR>At other times, cold, it starts but RPM drops and sometimes stalls after very rough attempt at idle.<BR> Have not used Techtron yet as I have no place to go! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2000 Share Posted September 6, 2000 One guy I know had a problem after the fuel pump was replaced also. The "pulsator" above the fuel pump was leaking and allow the fuel to leak back inside the tank. The cure was to discard it and replace it with fuel injection hose. The only way to know is to check the actual fuel pressure.<P>------------------<BR>Hal, btk@vbe.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wally888 Posted September 6, 2000 Share Posted September 6, 2000 I have thought about writing Firestone and Ford ,OOPS ,cross that out!! Buick and Teves<BR>re. brakes and several other problems that reoccur on R's.<BR> If owners had a kit including pressure gages for fuel and brake pressure,and several other things.........<BR> Of course I would want them to install them on the cars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 6, 2000 Share Posted September 6, 2000 There is a Memory Calibration Chip that goes into the ECM thats suppose to help with the extended crank problem. It's listed in the All-Data T.S.B. section of the CD for Reatta's. If you have a certain Mem Cal # it lists what the upgraded # is . I put the upgraded # in my "89" and it helped a lot. The chip controls how much fuel is injected on start up. I'll get #'s and post on this thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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