My 1997 pontiav bonnevile won't start..th interior
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Hi,
My name is Ben and I'm your guru, i.e., mentor, an influential teacher or popular expert: a management guru. - origin from Sanskrit, 'weighty, grave', for today.
As you evaluate my advice and suggestions, there are a few things you must keep in mind:
• I did not diagnose your problem and am therefore only able to evaluate what you tell me. For example, if you ask me a fuse location, that doesn't mean that I can tell you the reason why the fuse blew.
• A thorough diagnostic approach involves the use of technical equipment, such as voltage meters. scanning equipment and other sophisticated devices.
• Lastly, fixing one problem can very easily reveal a problem with something that you might consider unrelated. However, you must keep in mind that I can only evaluate and suggest based on the information that you provide.
Subject: Pontiac Bonneville won't start. (I'm presently restoring a 1994 Pontiac Bonneville SSEi that had the same problem.)
Your description of the problem:My 1997 pontiav bonnevile won't start..th interior lights are coming on but its not clicking what do i do
Discussion: Late model vehicles are highly computer controlled to reduce emissions, maximize fuel economy and improve consumer comfort. The various control systems in vehicles are interrelated and controlled by multiple computers that constantly monitor vehicle performance through a myriad of sensors located throughout the vehicle. Based on information received, the computers adjust the vehicle performance through a series of valves, switches and motors. You must use a scanner to unlock the information stored in your car's computer. Your Bonneville is OBD II compliant.
A Scan Tool can be used to read and erase trouble codes, display, record and play back LIVE diagnostic data and perform other tests allowed by the vehicle maker. Scan tools that cover vehicles 1982 to present are available at your local auto supply dealer.
You don't indicate any diagnostic tests to date. A dealer or your local mechanic will charge $100-$200 to perform a diagnostic scan. However, AutoZone will provide a thorough scan for FREE.
Anyone who tells you that a modern vehicle can be diagnosed without a scanner with the problems you have set forth is merely guessing. You car has a computer and memory and probably knows exactly what the problem is. That on-board computer is just waiting for you to ask, "What's wrong". Many of the suggestions cited below will require the use of a pressure guage, and a code scanner or a code reader.
This is how your problem is solved in my shop. Out of the box, I'd say that you have a problem with the fuel management system or one of the system sensors that is causing the on-board computer to make adjustments as best it can. However, there's a good chance that it's something simple and inexpensive like a camshaft position sensor or a bad fuel pressure regulator.
This is where you'll start.
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging (AutoZone will loan you the instrumentation FREE of charge)
Step 1. Start with the pre-check:
Do a Thorough Visual Inspection
Do a thorough visual and "hands-on" underhood inspection before starting any diagnostic procedure! You can find the cause of many problems by just looking, thereby saving yourself a lot of time.
• Has the vehicle been serviced
recently? Sometimes things get
reconnected in the wrong place, or
not at all.
• Don't take shortcuts. Inspect hoses
and wiring which may be difficult to
see due to location.
• Inspect the air cleaner and
ductwork for defects.
• Check sensors and actuators for
damage.
• Inspect ignition wires for:
- Damaged terminals.
- Split or cracked spark plug boots
- Splits, cuts or breaks in the ignition
wires and insulation.
• Inspect all vacuum hoses for:
- Correct routing. Refer to vehicle
service manual, or Vehicle Emission
Control Information (VECI)
decal located in the engine compartment.
- Pinches and kinks.
- Splits, cuts or breaks.
• Inspect wiring for:
- Contact with sharp edges.
- Contact with hot surfaces, such as
exhaust manifolds.
- Pinched, burned or chafed insulation.
- Proper routing and connections.
• Check electrical connectors for:
- Corrosion on pins.
- Bent or damaged pins.
- Contacts not properly seated in
housing.
- Bad wire crimps to terminals
Step 2. Instructions:
Check the entire fuel delivery system.
Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Instructions
1. Check the Pontiac Bonneville fuel delivery system if the engine starts running rough, stalls out in traffic or won't start at all.
2. Relieve system pressure. Disconnect the negative battery cable and loosen the gas cap to let pressure drain from the system. Attach a dual tube pressure gauge to the test port and drain fuel into an approved container.
3. Disconnect the fuel pressure sensor vacuum hose. Check for fuel in the line. If there is fuel present in the line, the fuel delivery problem is likely caused by a faulty fuel pump pressure regulator. If there is no fuel in the line, reattach the vacuum hose and continue with the fuel delivery diagnostic.
4. Twist off the fuel pressure test port cap and attach a pressure gauge to the fuel pressure valve if one is not already connected. Reconnect the negative battery cable and turn the key to the first position. Do not start the engine.
5. Check the pressure gauge. It needs to register between 45 and 48 psi. Start the engine and let it idle. Check the gauge again. It needs to register approximately 46 psi. Leave the engine on and remove the vacuum hose. Check the gauge one last time. It needs to register approximately 50 psi. Pressure that's too high indicates a malfunctioning pressure regulator. Low pressure indicates a clogged fuel filter or a broken fuel pump that needs to be replaced.
6. Cut the engine, relieve system pressure again and remove the negative battery cable.
7. Clean the fuel filter inlet with compressed air to remove any dirt that might come loose and contaminate the fuel supply as you remove the fuel filter. Pull the filter out at the male filter fitting and disconnect the remaining connections to the filter. Remove the filter.
8. Examine the filter for clogs and replace it if necessary. If there are no clogs, the fuel delivery problem is probably caused by a breakdown in the fuel pump itself.
DO NOT RUN OUT AND BUY ANYTHING YET! This was only the opening act.
The final step.
Even if the vehicle now starts, the following is a must.
All of the above systems are monitored by GM Powertrain Module (a.k.a. on-board computer). A diagnostic scan retrieves any inform related to the malfunctioning parts and tells you precisely what is wrong. Perform the scan diagnostic now.
All the best,
Ben
PS. Long answer because I love Bonnevilles
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