ok, i got a replacement Idle Stabilizer Valve from ians, tested ok, and put everything back together. car wants to start but won't!!! what the heck is going on, i made sure i put everything back the way it was, everything is plugged in, fuses replaced, all that jazz... NO RUNNING CAR <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" /> <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" /> <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" />

any ideas???

 

It usually takes a good 10 seconds of cranking to get fuel pressure back up, to get the car to catch...but sounds like you've done way more than 10 seconds of cranking. When my car had fuel pressure but not quite, it would catch kind of but not start...So double check all the lines around the fuel stuff...

Is your TPS in the "clicked" position? Idle stop screw adjusted OK? (its a small allen bolt with a hex bolt over it to prevent it from moving around....it controls how much the throttle plate closes).
Those connectors at the back of the engine that rested on the intake manifold...those connections tight? I think 1 is O2 sensor (doesn't matter for starting) and the other is speed or reference sensor (matters).

Are all the vac lines where they belong? The vac line diagram under the hood was pretty useful for me...

Hope this helps some...

 

Check your speed & reference connectors at the back of the engine. Putting on & off the intake-manifold can wiggle those things loose.

 

vac lines and sensor wires are intact... car runs sparsely, and dies... less than a second of running... now if i hold the throttle slightly open, the car runs at about 800-900 rpm, sounds like it's not runnin on all cylinders, and after it does that for a few seconds, it surges (throttle in same place) to about 3000, then goes back down, sputters, and if i dont blip the throttle it dies... this SUCKS!!!

any more ideas?

i thought this was going to be done now!!! <img src="graemlins/c.gif" border="0" alt="[ouch]" />

 

Didn't somebody say something about the intake manifold gaskets covering the injector hole if installed backwards?

 

Sounds like you forgot to plug in your AFM! My car did exactly the same thing when I forgot to plug my AFM back in after installing my headlight wiring kit. I know its something that you probably did, but I suggest you double check it.

 

[quote]Originally posted by tazman:
<strong>Didn't somebody say something about the intake manifold gaskets covering the injector hole if installed backwards?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Yes.
The #1 intake manifold gasket...it goes on oposite of the other 3. If you dont put it on oposite, it will sit OK, but it will cover the injectors kind of...imagine putting a big paper gasket in front of your injector..

ERAU944...do you remember putting that one on backwards (the right way)??

Ribs suggestions sounds good too!! sounds very good...and also very nice and easy to fix

 

ok, still no start unless throttle "blippage"

the gaskets are on correctly, the afm has been unplugged/replugged several times... what the heck... i'm done for tonight but tomorrow night i'll give the afm switcheroo a shot.

thanks for all the help!!! i'll post tomorrow night and let you all know whats up

 

oh as a side not, the AFM was not unplugged at all until after this started... this is weird

 

What year is the car? What all did you remove to relpace the valve? What was the original problem?

 

car: 85.5 Automatic

original problem: erratic idle - 1200-1600 rpm in neutral or park, steady 1400-1500 at stoplights. suspected stuck idle stabilizer valve.

items removed:
fuel rail (moved to the side not completely removed
intake manifold - completely removed, gasket for manifold to throttle plate replaced
ISV - replaced with known working ISV, vac lines/hoses checked OK

all items were then replaced, and the car would NOT start! only if i held the throttle slightly open would it start then the instance described in above replies happened... very confusing!!!

thanks for the help so far guys... runnin out of ideas??

 

Could be a vacuum leak on some of those hoses under the intake-manifold. When I replaced my ISV, I noticed that those hoses were kinda old. As it turned out, I ended breaking about 2 of of those lines because they were so brittle.

 

When you get the car started does it have a loud sucking noise? It sounds like the vacuum hose to the brake booster is off. Or it has a vacuum leak elsewhere

 

vac lines : good
booster line : connected....
this is really ticking me off!!! i had to run out and check the brake booster i had remembered reminding myself to make sure to put it back. it rained today so no go with any repairs, but tomorrow i'll get back into it. any more ideas would be appreciated, you've all helped a bunch already!!!

thanks,
-Mike

 

This is a long shot---but the ISV is "directional" in that the flow is supposed to go in a certain way. Could you have put it on backward???