Hey guys! This is my first post here but I'm no newb around cars.


I just sold my '98 SC2 automatic to my friend. The transmission runs fine when it's cold but when it warms up it only stays in 1st gear. Any thoughts on this? The fluid and filter are new (<5000 miles).


I sold it with a brand new battery and it started up with no problems. Now that we've changed ownership the stupid car has decided to quit running. It will crank as long as the battery holds out but it won't ever run. We sprayed starting fluid into the throttle body and would run as long as we kept doing that. I pressed the Schrader valve on the fuel line to see if any gas was getting to the injectors and nothing came out. Am I right in assuming that fuel should have sprayed out of the valve? Does this sound like the fuel pump has gone bad?


BTW, in looking under the car this afternoon, I noticed a "small black box thingy" by the fuel tank that had a harness connector attached to it. We were trying to see if we could find the harness to the fuel pump in hopes that we could test it somehow with 12V. It was on the driver's side just below the filler neck. What is this "box"? Where is the fuel pressure regulator? Any thoughts on how I could test the fuel pump? I've got a pressure tester but I'm not sure what kind of connection it has. I have to go find it! Can I connect it to the Schrader valve and test fuel pressure while cranking the engine?





Somebody help please! Thanks in advance! [img]smileys/smiley1.gif[/img]

 

Is there a fuel pump reset switch somewhere that I could try?

 

Seems like I read something about '98s (and other years) having bad crankshaft position sensors. Could a bad CKP cause a "no-start" condition? Where is this sensor located on the engine and how can I test it?

 

the sensor will be located at one of the ends of the engine, but im not exactly sure which one, and yes, it could cause a no start issue

 

How would I go about testing the crankshaft position sensor? Does this year ('98) have a problem with that sensor?

 

First, you THINK it's a fuel problem, but have you verified that you're getting spark?


If you DO have spark at each plug wire, then it could be that your fuel injection relay or fuel pump relay has failed. The car WILL crank with a failed relay, but will not start.


By the way, when was the fuel filter changed?Chances are this isn't the problem, as you probably would have noticed a decrease in performance before the filter clogged entirely. MY money is on a relay.

 

I'm pretty sure it's a fuel problem. I did verify that there is spark, so that's not it.


I finally found my fuel pressure tester but it only reads up to around 11-12 psi or so. I might as well throw it away!


I don't remember when the fuel filter was changed last but I don't think that could be the problem. There was never a decrease in performance. It just ran one day and not the next!


When you say "relay" do you mean "fuse" or is there an actual relay somewhere that I can test? Is there a fuel pump fuse that I could test? I sure hope it's a fuse and not the pump! I really don't want to change the pump!


Would the "black box thingy" that I found under the filler neck be the fuel pump harness and relay?


I'm just full of questions! [img]smileys/smiley4.gif[/img]