Saturn Sky 2009 Won't Start

Question:
I guess it all started after I replaced my starter. The first starter showed an absolute fail with a click and I replaced it with an autozone one. A week after driving, it failed so I removed the part and bought another, but an OEM AC Delco starter. That did the trick. I never correlated it, but I've been having intermittent crank no starts after driving the car to work, sitting then turning back on to go home. It starts right up when sitting in the garage overnight.

I assumed it was a air issue and replace MAF sensor. I replaced my exhaust under the belief of back pressure from the exhaust (I was rear-ended. Also why not). I was still having issues, so I took it to a GM dealership. They assumed since the negative battery connection clamp was changed it didn't have a solid connection and said that was the issue. So I have them pop on a new cable even though the volt meter never showed an issue.


 

A week later it showed the same exact results. I toke matter into my own hands. Replaced entire fuel pump to AC Delco and same as the four fuel injectors (I was under the idea of heat soak of a leaking injector). It has 115k miles on it so the spark plugs were changed at 100k. It's still resulting the same problem. I have no engine codes. Could my timing be off? The fuel pressure gauge shows fuel is being sent when primed.

Answer:
No, the engine timing would cause an intermittant won't start problem like this on your Saturn Sky or any other car. You say you replaced the fuel pump and that it shows pressure when being primed. What is the actual pressure? You nbeed to have a gauge on it and let us know the value.

If you are saying there is pressure when the car starts fine, because if thats is what you are looking at that will not help in diagnosis a not start on your Saturn Sky. You need to know what the fuel pressure is when the no starting problem happens.

Back preesure in the exhaust would not effect starting. That would give you a problem of poor acceleration or a check engine light. Most backpressure issues are caused by a plugged catalytic converter.

A loose terminal or battery cable would not give a crank and no start condition. That would give a no crank condition. These are two totally different things. The battery is for cranking over only, the fuel and ignition systems are for starting and running. People seem to get confused and say things like my car will turn over but won't crank. That makes no sense.

I would clean the throttle plate and bore real good. Then take it for a drive and blow it out by giving it a few good hard accelerations. Get a scanner to read live data and see what the coolant temperature sensor is reading. A false reading will effect fuel inector pulse rate- rich or lean. Also make sure the security / theft light is not on when the car will not start.


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