1G HELP me bring this DSM back from the grave !!!

[gunner4usa]

Finally, my brother-in-law gave the 90 GSX up after 5 years of it sitting. His father used to go and start it once a week, but that was at least three years ago. I gathered up some common tools and a jump box and headed down to see what the car would even do. I put some mystery oil in the cylinders and let it sit for a week. When I went back, turned the motor over by hand with no problems. Next, I went through and changed fluids and just about anything else you could think of before starting a car that has been sitting for a long time. Hooked jump box up and it cranked. Realized it was not getting fuel or spark. Replaced the MPI with a replacement and another ECU for the car. It still cranked but no spark or fuel. Check engine light cycled when the ignition was turned on, like it is supposed to. I got a copy of DSMLink and went down this weekend to see if I could figure out what was going on by using my laptop. When I hooked the jump box up this time, the check engine light did not cycle and the car would not crank at all. The other warning lights come on in the dash like the coolant and brake light. I tried combinations of the new and old ECUs and MPI relays. Please, if anybody has any ideas on this, please let me know. I really do not want to rent a trailer to get it up to my house without knowing if it will be something simple, $$$ or not to get it going.

 

[gunner4usa]

At least cleaning it up a bit made me feel somewhat better about taking this project on.

 

[malick67]

Looks good at least. I just started quite a project myself

 

[wrencher]

Check the fuses at the positive battery cable, I've had bad connections there before. One fuse powers the MPI relay, another the ignition switch last cooling fans.
Do you notice anything rlse not working on the car, lights, fan,headlamps etc?
From there I would check & see if you have power & grounds to the ECU.

 

[gunner4usa]

Check the fuses at the positive battery cable, I've had bad connections there before. One fuse powers the MPI relay, another the ignition switch last cooling fans.
Do you notice anything rlse not working on the car, lights, fan,headlamps etc?
From there I would check & see if you have power & grounds to the ECU.

wrencher,

It seems like stuff like radio, lights and comfort stuff is coming on, just not the ignition system including the ECU. It worked one week and I thought I was just going to have to diagnose the no spark no fuel. This past weekend, I couldn't even get it to cycle the Check Engine. I will let you know after this weekend. I am going to rent a trailer and bring it up to the house so I don't have to take the hour ride there and back. I need to get a set of shop manuals so I can run through troubleshooting step by step. I will try your suggestions though and let you know what the outcome is. Thanks.

 

[DSM1G90]

Did we flush out the gas tank to rid of the old gas that is now full of varnish and changed the fuel filter?

Easy test is to take the intake manifold hose off and shoot some starter fluid and see if the motor catches or not.

If it catches for a few seconds, I'd call the fuel delivery system is all but gummed up with old varnished fuel.

 

[gunner4usa]

Did we flush out the gas tank to rid of the old gas that is now full of varnish and changed the fuel filter?

Easy test is to take the intake manifold hose off and shoot some starter fluid and see if the motor catches or not.

If it catches for a few seconds, I'd call the fuel delivery system is all but gummed up with old varnished fuel.

DM1G90,

Yes, I went through and changed fluids and just about anything else you could think of before starting a car that has been sitting for a long time. I took the time, since they it appeared that the fuel pump power mod was done, running a wire straight from the battery to a relay. I opened up the panel and ended up draining the tank and replacing the fuel pump. After all of that, I also rewired the pump back to the stock way just in case what was already done was messed up.

 

[jimsgsx]

So is that a yes on you changed the fuel filter? Maybe change the fuel line also. I would probably try to start it and take off fpr on end and see if any gas is in there just to be sure it has fuel. If that is good then check your injectors. I am sure it is something very simple. Did you check fuel pressure?

 

[gunner4usa]

So is that a yes on you changed the fuel filter? Maybe change the fuel line also. I would probably try to start it and take off fpr on end and see if any gas is in there just to be sure it has fuel. If that is good then check your injectors. I am sure it is something very simple. Did you check fuel pressure?

jimsgsx,

Thanks for the advice. Once I get it cranking again, I probably will need to consider replacing the lines and injectors if the same problem persists. There was an extra set of injectors in the back of the car.

 

[mercaholik]

I wouldnt start replacing all that yet, you dont even know what your issue is. You gotta be careful but I've done it on numerous cars with no issues. Un bolt the fuel rail and pull the injectors up enough so you can see if they spray. Have a trusted friend crank it for just a sec. If your not getting fuel or spark I would check the cas for correct operation.

 

[gunner4usa]

I wouldnt start replacing all that yet, you dont even know what your issue is. You gotta be careful but I've done it on numerous cars with no issues. Un bolt the fuel rail and pull the injectors up enough so you can see if they spray. Have a trusted friend crank it for just a sec. If your not getting fuel or spark I would check the cas for correct operation.

mercaholik,

I will put this ion my list of things to try first. My biggest issue is just getting it to crank again. I am going to take the completely dead battery out of it this weekend and replace it with another one. Hopefully by doing this and hooking up the jump box, I can at least get it to power the ECU again and actually crank. It will be very nice if it is just something simple because then I can focus on starting to build it back up.

 

[BoostedBeaver]

Start with your previous statement and get a good battery in there. You can use the jump box to insure the new battery does not die but just the new battery should turn it over.

If the check engine light persist follow this link to identify a bad ecu....

https://www.ecmtuning.com/wiki/ecurepairhome

I also found this post by steve a while back "One sure fire test is watching the Check Engine light when you turn the ignition on. If the CEL doesn't come on for about 5 seconds and then go off, the ECU isn't working. You may have a blown MPI fuse, MPI relay problem, or loose battery terminals but those are actually lower chance items than the caps eating your ECU."

You can always have the ECU tested by Tom and Dave over at ECMlink for a small fee if your troubleshooting continues to point at the ECU.

Robert

 

[gunner4usa]

Start with your previous statement and get a good battery in there. You can use the jump box to insure the new battery does not die but just the new battery should turn it over.

If the check engine light persist follow this link to identify a bad ecu....

https://www.ecmtuning.com/wiki/ecurepairhome

I also found this post by steve a while back "One sure fire test is watching the Check Engine light when you turn the ignition on. If the CEL doesn't come on for about 5 seconds and then go off, the ECU isn't working. You may have a blown MPI fuse, MPI relay problem, or loose battery terminals but those are actually lower chance items than the caps eating your ECU."

You can always have the ECU tested by Tom and Dave over at ECMlink for a small fee if your troubleshooting continues to point at the ECU.

Robert

Robert,

Thanks for the information. Hopefully I can trailer the car to my house this weekend and then get to mess with it a lot easier than taking an hour drive each way to where it is now. Problem now, I might have to wait until next pay week to get battery because I have to rent trailer from U-Haul. My car dolly won't quite work with the AWD. I am hoping the new battery makes a world of difference. Once I get to that point, I will update all that have taken their time to reply. Thanks again and hope to let you know something this weekend.

 

[92gsxbafaro]

also i would check your cas if you arent getting spark, getting fuel pressure but no actual injector pulse

 

[o0GuitarKid0o]

Have you ever considered the starter decided to jump off a cliff? Old car never no, Things get crazy.

 

[gunner4usa]

ever consider the starter decided to jump off a cliff? old car never no

o0GuitarKid0o,

Yeah, I considered that. I am just trying to get a list of things from everybody's thoughts on the matter. Once I get it up here, to my house, trying to jump the starter may be added to the list of to-do's

 

[Maes]

What I would do is get a good battery just sounds like you don't have enough current to crank. If nothing happens after that then check the starter. If it does start to crank spray a very small amount of starting fluid on the intake filter and start cranking it right away. Mine sat for 6-1/2 years I used some seafoam in the gas tank and added a little bit of new fuel and had the starter tested. I also charged the battery, then sprayed a small amount of starting fluid cranked the first time.

 

[gunner4usa]

also i would check your cas if you arent getting spark, getting fuel pressure but no actual injector pulse

92gsxbafaro,
Once I am able to get it cranking again, and I check the injectors, I will be checking the cas also. If I have read correctly, with the key on, I can manually turn the cas and should hear the injectors, correct?[DOUBLEPOST=1415154417][/DOUBLEPOST]

What I would do is get a good battery just sounds like you don't have enough current to crank. If nothing happens after that then check the starter. If it does start to crank spray a very small amount of starting fluid on the intake filter and start cranking it right away. Mine sat for 6-1/2 years I used some seafoam in the gas tank and added a little bit of new fuel and had the starter tested. I also charged the battery, then sprayed a small amount of starting fluid cranked the first time.

Maes,

I am definitely starting there. Hopefully, I have luck with this. I have emptied the tank already and changed the filter and pump. I will add some fuel and treatment in there right before trying to crank with the new battery. Batteries are expensive now a days. I can remember $60 being expensive for a battery. They are crazy now.

 

[Maes]

Yes they are you can say that again haha. Was in sitting in a garage or was it sitting outside?[DOUBLEPOST=1415155307][/DOUBLEPOST]

92gsxbafaro,
Once I am able to get it cranking again, and I check the injectors, I will be checking the cas also. If I have read correctly, with the key on, I can manually turn the cas and should hear the injectors, correct?[DOUBLEPOST=1415154417][/DOUBLEPOST]

Maes,

I am definitely starting there. Hopefully, I have luck with this. I have emptied the tank already and changed the filter and pump. I will add some fuel and treatment in there right before trying to crank with the new battery. Batteries are expensive now a days. I can remember $60 being expensive for a battery. They are crazy now.

Also how do you know it wasn't getting spark? did you have someone pull the plug wire when you were trying to crank? did you put new spark plugs in it? Your main issue just sounds like your jump pack isnt kicking out enough current to a battery that sounds like it has a dead cell or more

 

[gunner4usa]

Yes they are you can say that again haha. Was in sitting in a garage or was it sitting outside?

It was sitting under a cover for the longest time, but then the cover was finally removed for the last year or two. It looked black before it was cleaned up a bit.

 

[Maes]

It was sitting under a cover for the longest time, but then the cover was finally removed for the last year or two. It looked black before it was cleaned up a bit.

All your bushings and everything are going to need replaced just so you know, bearings don't like it either

 

[gunner4usa]

Yes they are you can say that again haha. Was in sitting in a garage or was it sitting outside?[DOUBLEPOST=1415155307][/DOUBLEPOST]
Also how do you know it wasn't getting spark? did you have someone pull the plug wire when you were trying to crank? did you put new spark plugs in it? Your main issue just sounds like your jump pack isnt kicking out enough current to a battery that sounds like it has a dead cell or more

I did replace the plugs. I had my son crank it, when it would crank while I held one of the plug wires checking for spark. The jump pack is good though, I just will also be cleaning the terminals when I put the battery in.[DOUBLEPOST=1415156160][/DOUBLEPOST]

All your bushings and everything are going to need replaced just so you know, bearings don't like it either

Main concern for me at first is to get it going. Bushings and bearings will be on a case by case basis. One good thing is that it wasn't sitting in grass, it was on a concrete parking slab.

 

[Maes]

Thats a good thing. You shouldn't have to much trouble at all if you're worrying about it getting it started it. 4g63's are like tanks man!! I've had mine since 2002 and its never failed me only tranny rear end and a few other things but it has always started easily keep me posted

 

[gunner4usa]

Thats a good thing. You shouldn't have to much trouble at all if you're worrying about it getting it started it. 4g63's are like tanks man!! I've had mine since 2002 and its never failed me only tranny rear end and a few other things but it has always started easily keep me posted

I definitely will keep you posted

 

[DSM1G90]

Did we try the starter fluid trick, per chance?