Can't start grandma's '92 Eldorado - no fuel getting to throttle body - Help!

[Casey86]

Hi All,

Ok, after 15 years of sitting we have decided to start Grandma's '92 Eldorado 4.9L.
The car looks new, super low mileage but started to stall years ago so she parked it and gave up driving.

We can't get fuel to the throttle body. Anybody know what may be the problem? Spark gets to the plugs, the solenoid near the tb works. We also burned out the starter finding that out.

Do we need to remove the front exhaust manifold to replace the starter?

Any help on what usually causes this fuel problem will be appreciated.

Casey

[Dave Shepherd]

When the key is first turned on the tank pump should run for 2 seconds can you hear it, remove the gas cap and listen.  Gas is pretty varnished up after 15 years so there will be issues here no matter what, can we assume there is fresh gas in there now.  You wasted a starter here without any prior diagnosis, if the pump runs, get a " noid" lite remove one of the injector connectors, plug in the noid lite and see if it flashes while cranking. Also you could spray some carb cleaner in to the TB and see if it tries to start.  You may be able to wiggle that starter out without removing the man.

[curly]

After sitting for 15 years, the fuel pump is most likely permanently stuck.  I'd start by draining the fuel tank and installing a new pump.  A failing fuel pump may have been the source of the stalling when it was parked.  My reference book shows the engine is a Port Fuel engine, not a Throttle body engine. Are the injectors (2) located on the Throttle Body or are there 8 injectors in the manifold?

I read a tip on-line that if your remove the upper engine torque strut, bracket and electric cooling fan, the starter will come out the top with out having to remove the exhaust. No personal experience on that.

T Lewis

[TJ Hopland]

Are you sure its a 93?   A 93 would have had multiport injection.   I think 90 was when the 4.5 went from throttle body injection to multiport.    The multiports have a test port of the fuel rail so its pretty easy to check for fuel pressure.   

[936CD69]

1990 thru 1995 4.5 and 4.9L were all multiport. I believe Dave was referring to checking one of the 8 injectors for pulse. TJ is correct about a pressure test port on the fuel rail.

My money is on a failed fuel pump, at least for the no start issue now. Be careful using any more than a squirt of carb cleaner, the O2 sensors on these engines are very easily damaged by carb or throttle body cleaning.