I am having serious issues getting my Cat to run right. I don't know what it is. I had a check engine light on for O2 sensor which I assume is what made her idle crappy. It also read idle air valve once. I also ordered a crank position sensor, and a valve cover gasket. While waiting I took off the idle air valve and cleaned it off and put it in and started the car. Then I took the mass air flow sensor to inspect it and took the bolts off the connector male end part and blew it out in there and reassembled and starter it up. Then changed the valve cover gasket and then it would not start. I have inspected around to see if I broke a ground wire, nothing. All six relays under the hood click when voltage is put to them and there is fuel to the fuel rail. Coolant Temp sensor reads 4.99 with a volt meter and the book says it should be at 5, it also is new. Coil readings are close to what the books says they should be. I get spark to all the plugs and I smell fuel on the end of the plugs when I take them out. It just does not seem to fire. Any one can help to why it is not starting?

 

I would say you cracked a valcum hose,I would check all valcum lines for cracks. If there is to much air coming in the intake it will not crank no matter if you have gas and spark. I would start checking there first.

 

You said you smell fuel on the sparkplug... Is it flooded? Have you tried holding the gas pedal to the floor while cranking? If it is severely flooded, you need to:
1. pull all the plugs, if they are black or soaked in fuel, throw them away
2. pull the fuel pump fuse
3. spin the engine over (with the plugs out) several times
4. put a light squirt of oil in each cylinder
5. spin the engine over again
6. put in new, properly gapped spark plugs
7. make sure everthing is connected properly...hoses, wires, air filter housing etc.
8. put the fuel pump fuse back in and start the engine

 

Got it started thank you for the advice. Hopefully the O2 sensor fixes the low idle I am having. I'll let you know.

 

Oh yea it was flooded or it washed the cylinders because it was either having the plugs out and cleaning them up or the oil I put in the cylinders but it started right up. Thanks again.

 

Ok guys thank you for the help so far but still chasin this idle problem. I put the new O2 sensor in and for the most part the idle is way better but the engine light came on reading FF46 (idle control valve coil 1)which is a new one and then yesterday It read FF23 (failed fuel supply). Sometimes it feels like it loses power. The idle if not on 800 which before it never idled there before unless my foot was on the gas too. But sometimes it seems slow to come down and the idle is all over the place like it is confused. So now I have changed plugs, wires, cap and rotor, O2 sensor, coolant temp sensor, crank position sensor, flushed out the fuel system, Egr Valve, all 6 of the relays under the hood. I am going to change the oil, and continue to reset the computer and drive it to see if it does not adjust to the new parts. Is it normal for a car to take some time before adjusting to new parts? Does anyone have any suggestions that can lead me to making things right once and for all.

 

Have you checked the mass air censer for oil,if thats clean after that I would-clean all your plastic electric connectors under the hood. I used the computer type canned air to clean them,after that I used electrical grease so they wouldn't cored again. I wasn't having idle problems,mine was no start from time to time. For now this fixed it I have no more circuit fail codes. I didn't stop under the hood I cleaned every connector and relay in the car this way. So hopefully I will not have any more problems for a bit I hope this helps.