Printable View
Replaced the valve cover gasket, reconnected everything, it started and ran for about two minutes then stalled. I tried to restart it and nothing. I checked the battery and it's fine and I have a full tank of fuel. I disconnected the battery waited a few minutes and reconnected it. It started but only ran a minute. I tried connecting my OBD scanner and it will not connect to the computer. It is a 2009 with about 45k on it. Anyone have any ideas what I should do next?
Check to make sure your PCV valve is connected correctly and make sure the gasket is seated properly. A vacumn leak will cause it to stall out.Quote:
Originally Posted by brutus831
I understand that but that doesn't appear to be the problem. All connections are good. As of now it will not turn over at all. When I turn the key nothing happens. I checked the battery and I have 12.4volts. I am beginning to think somehow the computer is on the fritz. As I said I cannot connect with the OBD scanner. Can anyone think of anything that would give these symptoms that isn't the computer?Quote:
Originally Posted by 05Aveo
Have you checked the ground from the engine?
is it cranking over and just not starting, or you turn the key and its utter silence from the Engine compartment? a good place to start from is Check your fuses and relays to make sure you didn't blow a fuse or fry a relay.
Does the headlights work? The dash cluster and then nothing or is anything working at all. There is a fuse on the battery cable itself need to check there and work your way through the fuses. I would also get the battery check for a load test. Really boggled. Did you remove the coil pack pack? did you plug the cam shaft sensor back in? it is on top with the cover. Sometime if that is not connected all the way that will not let anything start because it is a computer fail safe. Make sure the cam shaft sensor is seated and if you did pull the coil pack then you make sure the ignigter wire is seated as well.
Not likely a problem with the computer. Could be but not likely. I think you should double check everything you touched when you did the work. I have found with my years of working on cars and motorcycles, the usual culprit is something you overlooked while doing whatever work your were doing. Double check every connector you took apart. Pull them apart and put them back together. Double check everything you touched. We all make mistakes.
Good luck and let us know what you find, You might be able to help somebody else.
Todd54219
I'll start with the questions first. When turn the key it does nothing. I have lights and the idiots light on the dash work. I have 12.4volts on the battery and remember it did start twice before. The curious thing i did notice before but forgot to say was that there was no check engine light. I did remove the coil pack I had to to get to the bolt in the center of the valve cover. I did not unplug it though. I undid the ground and the was enough to get the coil out of the way. All fuses are good buy the way. I did remove several of the sensors around the valve cover area so I could move the harness out of the way. Not that is out of the way here is where I stand. I went back and checked the connectors I removed during my work and pulled them off and reseated them. I "think" the cam sensor was not seated right but it appears set now. I checked the battery again 12.4volts and tried again. Now I have an intermittent check engine light and a buzzing/clicking sound coming from the cpu when the key is in the on position. The click seems to coincide with the check engine. There is obviously something not quite right I just haven't found it yet. Nothing looks out of place. I am making progress and I appreciate the help.
FYI I didn't turn the key to start after I saw the flashing Check engine and the clicking. This is happening when the key is in the on position.
Checked the connectors again and I got the Check engine to quit flashing in the "On" position. I went ahead and and tried to start and it fired right up. It ran for about two minutes and shutdown and the check engine came on. Since I had the check engine still I put my scanner on it but I did not get any codes but the yellow emission light is on the scanner. I tried to start it again and nothing the check engine light went out again and the scanner will not connect to the cpu. This is extremely frustrating!
sounds like a power loss to ecu or a bad ecu.
with key on the check engine light should be on until still. I think flashing signals something in codes or history delete, something like that, but with the key on, you have communication if it lights up.
If the light is out on key on, then the ecu is either not powering up or the ecu is bad.
Any clue as to why? When I can get it to run it sounds good.
On my '05 the cam position sensor wire is squeezed in next to the upper timing belt cover and also the deco cover. Don't know if your '09 is similar, but if it it, I'm wondering if during the VC gasket replacement, you could have pinched that wire and caused it to short. If that happened it could explain a no start condition, and an ECU problem as well. Is that possible on your '09?
Clean that ground also and the surface that it touches really good. I think avguy has part of it possibly because if you pry around that sensor like I did when I was taking my head off then you will crack it pretty easily. They are not really expensive to replace either just takes a little bit of time as you well know. It is coming and going that makes me feel it is a ground problem. Run good when it is gives me that confident you got the plugs all back in right. Can't be the EGR it seems. Fuel rail wires are plugged in it sounds. Yeah ground sounds more like the culprit. Make sure there is a star washer and there is a real good clean contact.
I didn't have to pry the valve cover off. I have a plastic putty knife I managed to work in there. I took mine time and was very careful not to use a lot of pressure on the cover. It was cold and I was afraid I would crack it. I will give the ground cleaning a try when I get home tonight. If that doesn't fix the problem it is going to the dealer tomorrow. I have to get the car back on the road. When I finally firgure this out I will let you know what it was.
Defintely redo the ground point. It sounds like a grounding issue. I always use copper shield or copper based anti-seize on all my ground connections as well as my battery terminals. It gives them a solid electrical connection as well as protects against corrosion. Coppershield is what we used on all critical connections at the power plant when I used to do that kind of work. Copper based anti-seize is nearly identical.
Then like you said, if that doesn't take care of it send it to the dealer. It may end up being an ecu like rabbit suggested.
Boy, do I feel stupid. It was the ground cable. Thanks everyone for all of the suggestions. Apparently when I was putting everything together I put the bolt in hand tight and never put a wrench on it. I was so focused on all the other connecters I forgot about it. I tightened it up and now she runs like a champ. Here's a picture of the little bastard that was giving me so much grief.
Attachment 7974
Since some of you were asking about the 2009 valve cover and coil pack location I snapped a couple of extra pictures.
Here is the valve cover with the slide cover in place over the coil pack.
Attachment 7975
The biggest pain about this is the way the wiring harness wraps around the valve cover.
Attachment 7977
Here is a picture with the slide cover removed showing the coil pack.
Attachment 7976
Again thanks for all your help.
glad it was resolved, and simple to boot.
Glad to hear the problem is fixed -and cheaply too!
I never knew the newer engines had a coil pack that snapped directly on the plugs like that. It reminds me of how they are on the chevy V8 pickups. The plus side is no plug wires to change!
glad that was the fix.