Without warning, my daughter's '97 SL2 will not start. It has about 170,000 miles. The engine cranks over but the cranking speed seems a little slower than normal. I checked for spark to the spark plugs - found good spark. I put my fuel pressure gauge on the Schrader valve on the fuel rail. It showed no fuel pressure even while cranking, but when I removed the gauge and opened the valve manually, fuel sprayed out pretty forcefully. So I suspect my gauge connection was not opening the Schrader valve to provide a good pressure indication. So basically, I think I have good fuel pressure. I checked the fuses related to fuel. The battery is fairly new (I measured 12.8 volts across the battery) and I replaced the starter last summer. I also replaced the ECTS and spark plugs within the last 6 months. The headlights and dash lights come on strong while cranking. I sprayed starting fluid in the intake and it didn't even act like it was trying to start when I cranked it. Also tried to start with WOT.

Any help will be appreciated.
Gary

 

I know this may seem redundant, but check ALL your fuses carefully, both the ones under the hood (UHJB) and also the ones inside the car (UDJB). Sometimes they look good but there's no connection .....

 

Thanks Oceanarcher, I checked all the fuses again and all were good. Also I can hear and feel the fuel pump relay click when I turn the ignition key. I've done a few other things since then too. I again verified I have ignition and I get a good spark across all 4 coil terminals. I opened the fuel Schrader valve again with a screwdriver and fuel sprayed profusely hard. Then I hooked up my fuel pressure gauge to the Schrader valve again and I now think I have a good connection because a little fuel dribbled out as the Schrader valve opened. I turned the key to "ON" for a few seconds. Zero pressure on the gauge while ON or while cranking. But when I push the release button on the gauge to relieve the fuel pressure, no fuel enters the clear drain tubing on the gauge assembly. So I'm still not certain whether my gauge is getting a good pressure indication. Bought a new fuel pressure test gauge. It's still showing no pressure. I can hear the fuel pump turn on for about 3 seconds when I turn the key, so I know it's getting power. I pulled the spark plugs and they are wet with fuel. I dried them and left them out for a while to weather off any raw fuel that might be left inside. I tried another start after that and it started and ran for about 2 seconds and then died. No restart. I already mentioned above I already replaced the ECTS with the newer brass version, so I'm thinking I shouldn't have the rich starting problem. I tried starting with the auto tranny in neutral in case the neutral safety switch was the problem. I cleaned some very minor corrosion on the battery terminals.

So I don't want to replace the fuel pump unless I'm 100% sure that the pump is bad, because the tank is full of gas. And I don't trust that I have 0 psi fuel pressure because it sprays out so hard when I open the Schrader valve.

Any other thoughts?

Update: I finally got a fuel pressure reading of 40 psi. I think that's below the acceptable range. Can someone confirm? I got it to run for about 10 seconds with a lot of throttle and it then died. I would like to make sure my new ECTS is good but it's impossible to get my multimeter probes on the ECTS terminals while installed. Is it common that a new ECTS can be bad and cause a rich start condition? I got it Advanced Auto and the outer portion is plastic, the end that goes into the head is brass. I'm going to replace the fuel filter and hopefully increase the fuel pressure at the fuel rail.

 

40 PSI at the rail, should be a good number. Whether it is a perfect number or not I'd have to look it up. Where is Zero is not a good number.
The hard part right this min to me is this;
You have spark
You seem to have fuel
and assuming no major vacuum leak or probems with the throttle body it shoud try to start using starting fluid. Never had one not try to start if the problem was that they were out of fuel.
Or why did it later try to start?
These are complex cars as any computor controlled car is. I think it is time to try to read the computor out for error codes to see what it thinks is going on 'cause guessing is not going to do much.

 

The Haynes manual says 31 to 36 psi (with vac hose attached, I guess to the FP regulator?), at idle which I can't make the engine do. Rich Pin's video got 47 psi at idle. At least my fuel pressure decay is basically 0, which makes me believe the pump is good and no system leakdown. I finally got the old fuel filter off. What a royal pain for a routine maintenance item.
Got the new fuel filter installed. Once I got all the air displaced, it started and idled great. I've never had a no start situation with a car that sat still all night, due to a plugged fuel filter. I'm just glad I didn't go to the trouble and expense of replacing the fuel pump. Funny part is I hooked the fuel gauge to the Schrader valve afterward and still only got 38 psi during idle. But it starts instantly, idles perfectly, has good driveability, and accelerates really well. The ECU never threw a code (CEL) and still doesn't. The CEL light bulb checks good. So I think I'm done for now.
Thanks for the help.

 

I have never had a fuel filter plug on a fuel injected car, had more than a few plug on a carbureted car though. Basic rule of thumb still works, if you can't blow through them, they are plugged.