90 riv needs help...could use advice...

[reatta90riviera]

my baby, a 90 Rivera, me and my friends think that might have jumped the timing. We're not sure if this could be the problem or it could be something else.

Also, does anyone else have any suggestions of what else to check? The car wants to start, there is good fuel pressure, good flow rate, changed the fuel filter and the fuel pump, and the spark plugs are fairly new. It acts like not all the cylinders are firing and just back fires out the intake.

Thank you for your help, maybe together we can get this car back on the road. I would like to fix her instead of getting rid of her, I went to Philly, PA to get her two years ago.

[NTX5467]

You can chunk parts at it or get it to a shop with computerized diagnostics and let them check it out (for a fee that will probably be a good bit less than the cost of the parts you might purchase in your "hit or miss" diagnostics, with all due respect).

On a fuel injected engine, "good fuel pressure" does not work as it used to as it generally takes a minimum pressure to fire the injectors. Similarly, flow rate does not work as it used to, either.

It could also be a ignition-related issue (coils/coil pack and/or ignition module), not to mention the "wiring" of the spark plug wires to the spark plugs being what it needs to be.

On some of those motors, there was an "interruptor" magnet that worked the cam position sensor from the camshaft sprocket. I don't recall if your vintage used that, but they would fall out of the sprocket and the computer would lose the signal. There's also a crankshaft position sensor on the backside of the timing damper.

The mass air flow sensor could also be having issues.

You might pull a valve cover and spin the motor over, to see if the rocker arms are moving smoothly or if they are not moving smoothly or even moving at all. Then you can look to see if the timing mark is closely matching TDC when #1 cylinder is at TDC.

I don't know where you'll end up with this deal, but if the car was worth buying in the first place, it should be worth fixing too (whether you go it yourself or you end up paying someone to fix it for you). Was it running when you bought it or did the driveability/starting issue surface later on? I presume there is fresh gas in the fuel tank?????

Please advise . . .

NTX5467

[Rawja]

If I can make a suggestion:

Post your query in the Reatta Section of these forums. We have an unequaled amount of expertise on this generation of the Riviera.

[reatta90riviera]

My friend 88blue90black posted it on the reatta section...both him and I are working on this car...but thanks!

Hope you have a wonderful day!! and I hope I can get me baby going again...Thanks for the advice so far...I will make sure to keep you all posted on it's condition...

[harry yarnell]

This sounds like classic crank sensor failure...

[JohnD1956]

Clean the bracket that the spark module sits on. It is a two piece bracket. clean between the two pieces of the bracket.

Last time I did this I put on some of the grease that can be purchased at an electrical supply house, intended for connections between copper and aluminum. That particular car had intermittent problems but they manifested themselves when the engine compartment was damp. Last time I took the entire bracket apart ( over a year ago) and reassembled, the problem has not resurfaced. Try this before doing the crank shaft sensor

JD