Guest Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 I am helping a friend who's 89 Reatta is taking a vacation by not starting for a while. Chart A-3 page 6E3-A-19 to 25 in the 89 manual "Engine cranks but wont run" is pretty well written. As is fuel chart A-5 that follows. From them if you don't have gas going to the injectors you "apply battery voltage to the pump test connector" to check out the fuel pump. My question is "Is the green pigtail below the air duct from the air filter to the throttle body the fuel pump test connector?"Any help is appreciated.It is rather amazing all the things that can keep a Reatta from starting. It take seven manual pages just to cover most of them. Makes one long for the good old days when you only had to check for spark at the plug, gas spraying into the carburator by the accelerator pump, see if the timing was right and the engine was turning over. To me it looks like getting the emissions down and gas mileage up really complicated the engine controls alot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brolliar Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 The question above is mine. The computer lost me for awhile and then found me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 Actually the first thing I do is pretty much "check for spark and gas". Pour a 1/2 oz. of gas into the manifold and see if anything happens. If something happens on crank, is lack of gas. If nothing, is something else.Is really not that difficult to check, everything has an analog to my 1963 Corvette Split Window (admittedly with Rochester FI and Delcotronic ignition), is just "different".Besides, what is seven pages to troubleshoot "does not start" compared to 50 pages (guesstimate - do not have one handy) on how to install a child seat in the owner's manual ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brolliar Posted September 9, 2002 Share Posted September 9, 2002 Padgett, the owner did as you suggested following an earlier post of yours on this subject. He put in i/2 oz gas in the vacuum port and the car started and ran until that gas was used up. He repeated the test two more times with same results. A number of things effect the gas flow to the fuel rail. The ECM runs the fuel pump for two seconds after the car key is turned to start and then if no pulse signal is recieved by the ECM it cuts off the fuel pump. We're now trying to determine per the manual Chart A-5 if it is the pump, the signal to the ECM, the ECM or a wiring connector problem or ECM ground problem. The pump relay was recently replaced.Thus I asked the question about the fuel pump test connector. The manual just mentions it in passing and it looks like it is located in picture 201-0 Fig C in the manual. I thought someone forum member might have used it before.Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Once past the put a "dollop in and it runs for a few seconds", the next thing to check for is pressure in the fuel rail. That is what the schrader valve on the rail is for. Should have some pressure by turning key. This splits the problem again: no pressure and either the pump is bad or you have a blocked fuel line. Pressure and no run then the injectors are not pulsing. If injectors not pulsing then it is the ESC, ECM, or wiring. Troubleshooting is mainly a matter of splitting systems in half until there is only one component left to be bad. Somethimes it is quick, other times not so.Now what I would like to know is why Netscape tried to put everything above on one line in the edit screen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry yarnell Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Yes, the single green connector pigtail under the brake booster (I think the lead is grey)is the feed for the fuel pump.Apply +12 volts, and the pump should run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 10, 2002 Share Posted September 10, 2002 Had a simular wire on the mini-vans. The wire was used to get gas up the the motor. We used this on the assembly line for this purpose. Funny but we were in production for quite some time before management found this out. Before that we would crank and crank the new van.......to get fuel to the motor...This should also be used when replacing fuel related item,,,,tank, filters, etc......ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reatta guy Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 Hi:Check the fuel pump relay for your problem.Art the other Reatta Tec Advisor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 Thanks, Art, sounds like a good idea. You should also <span style="font-style: italic">hear</span> the fuel pump run for two seconds when turning the ignition ON. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry yarnell Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 Another 'no start' cause that's starting to show up, is the crank sensor. It tells the computer (and ign. module) which cylinder shoud get a squirt of fuel and spark. When this rascal goes south (and they can be intermittent), you get neither. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 Thanks to everyone for all the help. Padgett, I agree completely with "Troubleshooting is mainly a matter of splitting systems in half until there is only one component left to be bad.". Art, the fuel pump relay was replaced last weekend. RedReattaRuss, the owner does hear the pump run for two seconds after he turns the key on. Then the pump stops, as the manual says it should if the key is on and the engine is not running. Harry, I believe the crank sensor was replaced this spring. Of course it could have gone bad again since then. The problem was intermittent with the engine stopping sometimes while driving but then starting again later. Now it cranks but won't start at all unless gas is added at the throttle body vaccum port. I (Dick) am helping becaue I have an 89 manual and the time (being retired) to review it.A question, is it possible to apply 12 volts to the fuel pump test connector and then if the pump runs and moves fuel to the injectors start the car? I'm considering this only to see if the car will then run. This would narrow the possible problem causes to things like the ECM, the pulse signals coming to it and some wiring and connectors. Or will apppling 12 volts to the pump test connector and starting the car screw something up like maybe the ECM? Any and all comments are appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brolliar Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 Well I certainly need to check and see if I am logged on before I post something. The previous post is mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry yarnell Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 Absolutely. Apply 12 volts to the green connector pigtail. That's what they did on the assembly line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Brolliar Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 Harry, thanks for your reply. Let me make sure I was clear in my question. I am asking can I apply 12 volts to the fuel connector and while that connector still has the 12 volts applied to it turn the ignition key and try to start the car? Since it is someone else's Reatta I sure don't want to say something that is wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry yarnell Posted September 11, 2002 Share Posted September 11, 2002 yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jim Piro Posted September 12, 2002 Share Posted September 12, 2002 If there is no pressure at the fuel rail, maybe the filter needs to be changed?The manual, on fuel filter changes, says if the car stops, change the fuel filter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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