ALFAGTV6.COM

Car starts. Positive fuel pressure at cold start injector and at all 6 injectors. Cam timing spot-on. Ignition timing spot-on. Plugs new. Plug wires new. Fuel pump new. Iginition switch new.

Tested positive pulse at cold start injector and all 6 injectors. Move air flap and fuel pump runs corrrectly. Fuel pump relay clicks when air flap is moved. Tested for positive grounds between chassis and engine. Coil tests to be good.

Engine fires when cranking with key in "start" posistion. When key is released to "run position" engine dies as if loses fuel pressure or ignition ignitor fails to trigger ignition in "run position".

Fuse in fuse box position #4 must be kept out of car. With #4 fuse installed, starter engages by itself and fuel pump runs constantly with key out of ignition. Car has battery master kill switch installed in trunk. The moment you turn the switch on to energize car, all of this happens related to the #4 fuse. With #4 fuse out of fuse box, car functions "normally". Starter engages in "start position", car tries to start, but when key released to "run position" car slowly dies after a few seconds.

Is this the sign of a bad ignitor???? Or can you PLEASE help me to direct me to what to test next. Remember this is the car that has been sitting 18+ years without running. I have posted previously on the Forum with other issues and have received excellent help. The car is almost there. I hope someone can help me make this car run properly again. Thank you.

Chuck
(Tearing my thinning hair out! lol!)

You have the dreaded "starts and stalls syndrome". It's very likely your 6 main injectors are not firing. The car will start on the cold start injector alone. It's activated when the engine is cranking. When you stop cranking, it shuts off, car dies.

On another note, it really really helps if you say what type of car you are working on (I assume it's a GTV6, but it could be an Alfetta, or a Milano). It's also important to know what engine you have and what year your car is. I normally don't even answer tech questions if I don't have that information. It's too much trouble to write a detailed diagnosis only to find out it's an Alfetta with Spica, not a GTV6. If it's a 86 GTV6, it's going to be a different diagnosis than a Turbodelta, and different from a 1.8 turbo 75, and different from a Motronic 75.


If you haven't already found it, check out my GTV6 L-Jetronic tech article here: www.hiperformancestore.com . Just scroll down to the tech article section.

Greg,
www.hiperformancestore.com
www.okinjectors.com

Greg,
My apologies! It's in the title of the post but not in the text. 1984 GTV6.

Oop, my mistake, now I see it there! Anyway, in that case, yes, it's the dreaded starts and stalls syndrome. Check my L-Jet page for clues. I would start with the two things that are most likely to prevent the main injectors from firing. First air leaks, it would have to be a big one, or a lot of small ones, but that could be the problem. Second, check your injector grounds. If that doesn't do it, check your ecu to injector signal with a noid light. If that's good, and you have fuel pressure, compression, spark and all timing issues are on spec, that means the injectors are corroded shut.

Greg
www.hiperformancestore.com
www.okinjectors.com

Greg,
I've printed your great article! (all 39 pages!) This weekend I'll be literally going through the injection system step by step. Lots of great information! Thank you very much. I'll report upon completion what I find. I'm expecting some interesting results.

This car arrived with everything from firewall forward (electrical and mechanical!) in cardboard boxes and was disassembled around or over 13 years ago. I've assembled it from pictures under hood, online, and the shop manual (where aplicable). This is some kind of "quest" now. It stopped being a car to "fix" a long time ago!

Again , I'll update ASAP. I bet those who've read any of this will be interested in what I unearth.

Thank you!
Chuck

Update:

Project is on hold.

I have had to stop working on the Alfa due to the neighbor's Cadillac CTS dying literally in front of the house! I fix some of his old tree farm trucks and equipment from time to time. You know, old run of the mill stuff abused by the daily work the trucks and box vans are supposed to do at a tree farm.

The Cadillac CTS is a back breaking job since I have to take out the old motor and put the "new" junkyard motor in. I've had to borrow a special tool from a friend to do the timing belt. I've fabricated other "tools".

So, after the Caddy rolls out it will be back to the electrical gremlins of the GTV6. I'm really happy that the GTV6 engine starts and sounds good, now to just keep it running!

Chuck