Getting engine stalling while driving and won't start at all now even though it turns over well and I EDIT: "think" there's is fuel pressure. I checked plugs wires and tested ignition at each coil post but #6 'snaps' at only half the frequency of the others or eratically so I replaced that coil and still get same effect on #6 post and no fire-up.

So after having recently replaced plugs, wires and a coil now I suspect the Ignition Control Module.

Easy swap or not? Should I be aware of anything before this newb goes in?

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Mark
The Familyman's Trans-Am
Intense 3.4 MPS, Intense FWI, Intense PCM, copper NGKs TR55's, MSD wires, MSD coils, BWD ICM, MagnaFlow High Flow Cat, drilled 180 'stat, solid front mount, Monroe Max Air rear shocks, Moog rear mounts, Moog suspension bushings, cleared front corners, 190,000 miles

One of the easist things you can replace.

7mm socket on the ICM wiring harness, and a 5.5mm socket on the coil bolts, lift the coils straight up, and the ICM should pull straight up also.

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Andrew - owner/operator of Bonnevilles Unlimited

2004 Bonneville GXP | 60k | White Gold Tricoat | custom built supercharged 3800 hot rod | garage queen
1997 Corvette | 55k | Silver Metallic | Z06 wheels | Date-night Hauler/Parts runner
2014 Town & Country Limited | Cashmere Pearl | 95k | Family Hauler
2002 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Sport | Black| 260k | Official Bonneville Hauler

Thanks Andrew

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Mark
The Familyman's Trans-Am
Intense 3.4 MPS, Intense FWI, Intense PCM, copper NGKs TR55's, MSD wires, MSD coils, BWD ICM, MagnaFlow High Flow Cat, drilled 180 'stat, solid front mount, Monroe Max Air rear shocks, Moog rear mounts, Moog suspension bushings, cleared front corners, 190,000 miles

Ive been getting the same thing happening to mine. But gonna do a tune up before I really start digging. Report back so we know if the ICM fixed your problem.

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New ICM did not fix my problem. I might be wrong about fuel pressure. Maybe the new fuel pump and filter may have gone bad already.

In testing again for the discharge off the coil terminals I'm no longer thinking that coil terminal #6 is necessarily bad just because it doesn't discharge as frequently as the others. #6 terminal, compared to the others, has a much greater air gap to cross to discharge against something else and so it probably does not discharge until a greater resistance is bulit up, so less frequent but larger discharges, perhaps. IDK, and I'm getting tired of chasing ghosts out of this thing...so I may have to give in to the stealership approach for this one.

Anyway, while trying to practically flood it on one start-up attempt I noticed no smell of gas like I did the first time I tried that, so I'm now thinking its a fuel pressure issue.

I would start with replacing fuel filter, that was changed only a few month ago with the new fuel pump, maybe my rusty fuel filler tube flange is already got it plugged up again.

Before I start, can someone point to a good "Suggested check list" for checking fuel supply/pressure and how test on each?

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Mark
The Familyman's Trans-Am
Intense 3.4 MPS, Intense FWI, Intense PCM, copper NGKs TR55's, MSD wires, MSD coils, BWD ICM, MagnaFlow High Flow Cat, drilled 180 'stat, solid front mount, Monroe Max Air rear shocks, Moog rear mounts, Moog suspension bushings, cleared front corners, 190,000 miles

Simply get a fuel pressure tester, connect it to the rail, and check the pressure. With the key off, with the key on (primed), with the engine running, and if you can, at WOT. Post your readings here.

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Andrew - owner/operator of Bonnevilles Unlimited

2004 Bonneville GXP | 60k | White Gold Tricoat | custom built supercharged 3800 hot rod | garage queen
1997 Corvette | 55k | Silver Metallic | Z06 wheels | Date-night Hauler/Parts runner
2014 Town & Country Limited | Cashmere Pearl | 95k | Family Hauler
2002 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Sport | Black| 260k | Official Bonneville Hauler

I pull both wires off the coil & have someone crank it over, spark should be strong enough to jump the 1 inch gap.

Poor man's fuel pressure test - Turn to run 2 or 3 times for 2 seconds & then press in on the fuel test port. Fuel should spray out, position your hands so fuel can't spray you in the face. Make sure all spilled fuel evaporates before trying to start or doing any other testing.

If you have fuel & spark then you should check fuel injector pulse & also try starting with the MAF sensor unplugged.

Edit - You can also try starting with the cam sensor unplugged.

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2006 Chevy Monte Carlo SS

Poorman pressure test says..no pressure. That is if I am testing the correct valve on the rail. The one right in front on top of the rail with the small threaded plactic cap, right in line with the oil filler cap?

After turning in over for 20 seconds with gas pedal depressed, if I then press in the valve stem nothing comes out, no pressure. Not even barely a film of fuel.

What steams me is that on one of the 40 start attempts so far today, she just recently actually started up and ran at high idle for about 10 seconds, but then died. And ten tries since with no luck.

So I have been moving fuses around without any effect. Can;t tell from the manual if one is dedicted to the fuel pump. Wouldn't it be a relay somewhere?

Its a either a relay, Fuel pump or maybe the Fuel Pressure regulators that are my next targets.

Suggestions on Next Diagnosis Steps?

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Mark
The Familyman's Trans-Am
Intense 3.4 MPS, Intense FWI, Intense PCM, copper NGKs TR55's, MSD wires, MSD coils, BWD ICM, MagnaFlow High Flow Cat, drilled 180 'stat, solid front mount, Monroe Max Air rear shocks, Moog rear mounts, Moog suspension bushings, cleared front corners, 190,000 miles

Turn the key to "ON" where the dash lights up, and listen for the fuel pump to whir. If it does, great. If not, then I hope someone else chimes in...

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2012 Chevrolet Cruze Eco - Current car

1999 Buick LeSabre Custom - Former car

Learn from the mistakes of others, that way when you mess up you can do so in new and interesting ways.

I'm sure there's a relay but I don't know where it is on the 2000's. I also can't recall seeing a single faulty fuel pump relay on this forum. Good news is that I think you can get to the fuel pump through the trunk. I'd remove the wiring harness from the pump & check for 12 volts there. Remember the pump only runs for 2 seconds when the key is turned to run. You'll need a helper, if you turn the key to run the power will be off before you get back to the trunk.

PS - Got gas?

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2006 Chevy Monte Carlo SS

Both the relay and the fuse for the fuel pump is in the rear (under the back seat) fuse block. The 2000s have a 2 speed fuel pump control module that is located I believe by the passenger side wheel well, inside the trunk. The red wire going to that module should have 12 volts. If it does, the relay and fuse are fine. The gray wire should have around 12 volts for the 2 seconds when the ignition is first turned on. That's the control for the high speed.

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*Gone, but not forgotten* - Black 2000 SSEi, HIR Headlights, Angel Eyes fogs, 3rd brake light overlay, hi-flo cat, 180 degree thermostat, HS 1.9 rockers, LSx yellow springs, Intense FWI, PCM, shift kit, push rods, and 3.4 Pulley. ZZP Power Log.

FYI, there's no reason to press the gas when trying to start. It will do nothing. Your car doesn't have a carburetor. If you fully press the gas to it's limit and crank, the PCM will not fire the fuel injectors, but the rail should still pressurize. This is intentional so that you can clear out the manifold if the car is flooded.

Troubleshoot for power as suggested above. Where did your 'new' fuel pump come from? Were there any driveability problems before the no-start symptoms? If not, ignore the filter. It would go 'bad' slowly over time. Honestly, far too many people change their fuel filter far too often trying to troubleshoot another problem. Fuel filter issues would be more obvious in WOT conditions, not starting or idling.

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93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
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I listened carefully for the pump prime wirl while turning the key to ON from the back seat and with the trunk pass-through opening open. No pump prime sound - just a click from the back seat fuse box and nothing esle. I'm 99% sure now that the new fuel pump crapped out. Will replace relay first though.

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Mark
The Familyman's Trans-Am
Intense 3.4 MPS, Intense FWI, Intense PCM, copper NGKs TR55's, MSD wires, MSD coils, BWD ICM, MagnaFlow High Flow Cat, drilled 180 'stat, solid front mount, Monroe Max Air rear shocks, Moog rear mounts, Moog suspension bushings, cleared front corners, 190,000 miles

If you do the check Archon mentioned, you will save the money from a new relay. No sense in throwing parts at the car until you know they are bad.

myfirstbonnie / Archon: totally agree with that approach, I don't have a multimeter and my one car supports a very busy family so I don't want to wait untill "who knows when" the shop can get around to diagnose then order and replace the fuel pump under warranty. If it's not the relay I will return it for refund.

willwren: thanks for the info on the fuel filter - I agree and will keep it for the next major tune-up. The current filter has only been in there for 4 months or so.

There were no problems at WOT and I actually performed quite a number of WOT runs literally just just before I had last turned off the car. The only recent symptom was that the car had been stalling a number of times a few days earlier but would restart. This symptom started the day I got my car back from LIM gasket replacement. They also replaced the vacuum lines and T's, VC gaskets, a bad fuel injector #3 that had been causing a P0203 injector circuit open and P0303 misfire. these codes went away and no others have come up. I will be returning to this out-of-town shop if it's not the fuel pump.

The fact that it did actually start-up once yesterday and ran at high idle for 10-15 seconds before dying is what bugs me. Does this hint to anything or perhaps at least rule out anything?

so many issues....this car needs a shrink!

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Mark
The Familyman's Trans-Am
Intense 3.4 MPS, Intense FWI, Intense PCM, copper NGKs TR55's, MSD wires, MSD coils, BWD ICM, MagnaFlow High Flow Cat, drilled 180 'stat, solid front mount, Monroe Max Air rear shocks, Moog rear mounts, Moog suspension bushings, cleared front corners, 190,000 miles

If you are planning on doing work on your car, you may want to add a meter, and test light to your collection of tools. Neither are very expensive.

Before purchasing a new relay (many places will not accept returns on electrical parts) remove the cover to the rear fuse block, check the diagram and locate the fuel pump relay. It will have a number on it. Look for another relay with the same number and swap them.

Although I haven't heard yet of one going bad, it doesn't rule out the fuel pump speed control module being the problem.

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*Gone, but not forgotten* - Black 2000 SSEi, HIR Headlights, Angel Eyes fogs, 3rd brake light overlay, hi-flo cat, 180 degree thermostat, HS 1.9 rockers, LSx yellow springs, Intense FWI, PCM, shift kit, push rods, and 3.4 Pulley. ZZP Power Log.

Update: Bad Fuel Pump, so it wasn't the ignition coils, ICM, or fuel pump relay either...

so after trying to start it all weekend I had the car towed to the shop Monday and of course she starts right up for them and runs like a beast...

My mechanic is a good guy and although he didn't see a stall with his own eyes he agrees with my diagnoses that my 4-month-old pump is bad and he will have it replaced under warranty, covering all costs including labor and the tow! FYI: pump brand is Carter

Funny statement from my mechanic: "Didn't you have someone bang on the fuel tank with a stick while you tried starting it? I thought he was BS'ing, but he says that helps more often than not to diagnose a bad pump. He says the tow must have jarred something like a stick pounding would have.....too funny...

FWIW FYI: I ran across this interesting thread on stalling, citing a bad IGN1 fuse # 11 connection: viewtopic.php?f=18&t=16749&p=177559&hilit=IGN1+fuse#p177559

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Mark
The Familyman's Trans-Am
Intense 3.4 MPS, Intense FWI, Intense PCM, copper NGKs TR55's, MSD wires, MSD coils, BWD ICM, MagnaFlow High Flow Cat, drilled 180 'stat, solid front mount, Monroe Max Air rear shocks, Moog rear mounts, Moog suspension bushings, cleared front corners, 190,000 miles