EFI car spark plugs cause a crank with no start!?

[ls1mike]

So the Buick I have been working on is all done. Runs nice and smooth. Did the following. Intake gasket, valve cover gaskets, hoses, water pump, new radiator, shift kit, new transmission fluid and a bunch of other small stuff. Go to start it, crank but no start. I think "Weird" I have spark, fuel and of course air. I pull the plugs they look bad, so I decide to replace them. Stock gap is .057 to .060. The ones I pulled were just under .080. New plugs and started first crank. Was just weird to me. I have never had that happen on an electronically controlled car that was running when I started working on it. I have to assume that having the correct gaskets installed and correct fuel curves made the 20 year old spark plugs just not enough.

 

[StevieC]

Sometimes it's just a weird coincidence. I swear someone is messing with us on the regular sometimes though.

 

[Alex_V]

I've seen numerous cars start and run more-or-less fine on plugs worse than .02" over spec gap, but I've also noted how much quicker and cleaner a 3800 V6 started with a set of new Delco iridiums. Strange that it wouldn't start at all, though.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: Alex_V

I've seen numerous cars start and run more-or-less fine on plugs worse than .02" over spec gap, but I've also noted how much quicker and cleaner a 3800 V6 started with a set of new Delco iridiums. Strange that it wouldn't start at all, though.

Yep, the plugs when pulled were wet with fuel. We put Delco Iridiums in there. Thing runs really nice now. Makes good boost. [censored] kit really helped.

 

[andyd]

You disturbed a bunch of stuff doing the intake gasket. Air flow sensors ,etc. The engine took a few seconds to figure out where it was. Mean time fuel was pumped as normal , no air, coupled with large gap.. Flooded Had you let it st overnight, it may have started normally. New plugs along with all the other stuff , means you won't be back under the hood for awhile.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: andyd

You disturbed a bunch of stuff doing the intake gasket. Air flow sensors ,etc. The engine took a few seconds to figure out where it was. Mean time fuel was pumped as normal , no air, coupled with large gap.. Flooded Had you let it st overnight, it may have started normally. New plugs along with all the other stuff , means you won't be back under the hood for awhile.

We let it sit over night. It was a crank and no start until the new plugs were installed. Started ran perfect. I have never seen anything like it.

 

[Whipcitywrencher]

Originally Posted By: ls1mike

Originally Posted By: andyd

You disturbed a bunch of stuff doing the intake gasket. Air flow sensors ,etc. The engine took a few seconds to figure out where it was. Mean time fuel was pumped as normal , no air, coupled with large gap.. Flooded Had you let it st overnight, it may have started normally. New plugs along with all the other stuff , means you won't be back under the hood for awhile.

We let it sit over night. It was a crank and no start until the new plugs were installed. Started ran perfect. I have never seen anything like it.

If you unhooked the battery that may have been the reason why it didn't want to start right away

 

[ls1mike]

Battery was not unhooked over night, it was before that, but remained hooked up after the initial cranking and not starts.

 

[emmett442]

80 thou is a pretty big gap. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but these old pigs use a waste spark system. Perhaps the resistance was just too high with the old plugs. After removing the intake, it's certainly possible that a little coolant made its way onto the plugs as well. That wouldn't help either. Then, after they were fuel fouled, there was no hope.

 

[ls1mike]

Originally Posted By: emmett442

80 thou is a pretty big gap. And, correct me if I'm wrong, but these old pigs use a waste spark system. Perhaps the resistance was just too high with the old plugs. After removing the intake, it's certainly possible that a little coolant made its way onto the plugs as well. That wouldn't help either. Then, after they were fuel fouled, there was no hope.

I bet you are right. There was no way to get all the coolant out. I cleaned out what I could but I am pretty sure it there was still some in there.