ok guys and gals.....lookin for someone to give me good directions on replacing the coil pack on my firebird.....starting there cause I am not gettin any fire..started and ran now backfires like a shotgun...added a fuel additive to remove any water...the car sat for 6mo..and the guy has a rag for a gas cap..(like a 3 gas cap would kill him..any how...it ran then started a few more times and seven started on a cold start nest am..then nothing but a sputter and an occasional backfire..so i figured a new fuel filter and plugs wires and coil pack is the best starting point....any other suggestions...even though I am a girl...I don't mind gettin my hands dirty.


Tina

I posted some info on your intro on taking off the coil packs, but some other things you may want to try to see what your problem is...

Get a metal object (cut off clothes hanger is perfect) and take off one of the wires from the spark plug. Stick one end of the clothes hanger into the wire against the metal part, and set the other end of the clothes hanger about an inch or so away from a metal surface to see if she arcs when you try and start it. That will show if you've got fire.

To test your fuel system, i'd borrow or find a pressure gauge and make sure you have sufficent fuel pressure through the lines. Injectors are also a possible issue.

Another thing to try, is remove the MAF (mass air flow sensor) its a black box like thing in the throttle body. Just unplug it and see how it runs. If it runs better unplugged thats obviously the issue.

Get back to me after you've tried those things

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thanks..i will try anything at this point...I am having a tech stop by tomorrow with a scanner..the darn thing ran..then stopped and only backfires now will not start..I am wondering if the crankshaft sensor was messed up by the leaking water pump?...or if the cam shaft sensor has screwed up sending bad sinals to the coilpack causing a miss fire..it is getting fire..the fuel pump works i can hear it and smell gas..the oil smell like a gas mix too..I plan on changing all the fluids and plugs wires and filters..this backfire thing has me puzzled..thanks for the suggestions

One more thing you might want to check out, is the catalytic converter. I had a similar problem like this with my s-10. It wouldn't start... and was backfiring.. I was puzzled to death. Changed everything, (which in the long run was ok too...) anyways

I suggest either disconnecting the exhaust from the manifolds, or even take out the oxygen sensor from the manifold, that might give you some extra airflow, if it is that... Or just cut it off, its hard to test for cat converters anyways.. But, i cut mine off with a Dewalt Reciprocating Saw... but, thats me.. as soon as i took it off, it ran like a champ...

Just something else to think about.

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Ron
2001 Pontiac Firebird
3.8L V6 Vroom Vroom
Just purchased, so no mods yet

Had the same thing happen with mine 2 times 1 time it was the crank trigger, other time it was the ignition module.

When a coil pack goes out you get real bad missing, but I don't remember alot of backfires.

Good luck