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Cadillac Repair/1988 cadillac eldorado wont start

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Expert: - 11/19/2009


Question
I recently was given an 88 eldorado. the ignition was popped and a screwdriver is being used, the car had sat for a year or so and no gas was in it, i put gas and had to jump start it but it wont stay running but if i poor gas into throttle body it only runs till i stop. when it kicks over and runs off fuel being poured in i can actually pump the pedal and get a couple responsive revs out of it but then it stalls. i poured a couple gallons of fuel . the pump turns on but no fuel seems to make it to engine. i am going to replace filter but after clearing codes and running a diagnostics check the code B122 is displayed i am guessing this is not the primary problem and the real problem is not registering on display

Answer
First, its been far too long since I worked on one of these. They were kind of like in a transition between the real Eldorado of 1985 and the other real Eldorado of 1992. I will tell you right now, when you get it running, change the steering column because driving a car with a broken column can lock up on you--Nothing like that feeling going around a corner(LOL).

The Deville started VATS in 1990, but I seem to remember the older Eldos starting in 1988-1989. The system was different than the 90 because like the trans AM, Corvette of that era, it would crank.

If you have the keys--is there a resistor chip in the key?

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Rob Painter

Expertise

Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?

Experience

Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.

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