Saving big dollars

[PHILB]

I am not wanting to buy another car , I have a VX Commodore 2001 V6 3.8l i'm wanting do up bit by bit a few issues with starting I have replaced all sensors , instead of going too a mechanical workshop , I want to purchase the SRS Diagnostic Tool (ALDL) & the cable not looking to pay big dollars , so long as I can get faults erased and a printout of what I need in parts , I can get the parts for my car and repaired well under what a mechanic charges . I have had Supercheap , a mechanic and Auto Sparky Scan and diagnose errors on ECU erased codes and all good , then next day car won't start cranks over no spark turn key off and on for about 20 minutes and it will start drives good but fuel economy is crap , stop and park for more than 10 minutes car won't start this happened just in the last 11 months . ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? .

 

[TazzI]

Theres two main concerns there..
1) Erasing codes in the ECU does nothing helpful in anyways. If a fault popped up, this should be read out and looked into. If the mechanics did not provide you with the fault codes, or indicating clearing them will help.. then they were not useful in anyway. You could have done this yourself by pulling of the battery terminal which clears ECU faults.

2) The words cheap and diagnostic tools tend to never go together. Most genuine tools will cost upwards of a couple thousand plus subscription costs ontop of that. (Snapon, GM, ect). When it comes to diagnostic tools, the old saying "you get what you pay for" truly does apply.

If your looking to do engine/transmission diagnostics on your VX V6, you will want to look at getting the ALDL Cable plus "Advanced Engine Diagnostics"(AED) package.
If your looking to do srs airbag diagnostics on your VX V6, you will want to look at getting the ALDL Cable plus "SRS Diagnostic Tool"(SDT) package.

As for your actual issue, the fact the car is not cranking over could be a security lockout. A failed ABS module (Causes engine light, ABS and airbag to display) which can cause loss of communication in car thus security cannot verify. Could be a wiring issue, key ring, BCM... ect. Would need more information about whats going on such as whatever fault codes were displaying before being cleared.

 

[PHILB]

Theres two main concerns there..
1) Erasing codes in the ECU does nothing helpful in anyways. If a fault popped up, this should be read out and looked into. If the mechanics did not provide you with the fault codes, or indicating clearing them will help.. then they were not useful in anyway. You could have done this yourself by pulling of the battery terminal which clears ECU faults.

2) The words cheap and diagnostic tools tend to never go together. Most genuine tools will cost upwards of a couple thousand plus subscription costs ontop of that. (Snapon, GM, ect). When it comes to diagnostic tools, the old saying "you get what you pay for" truly does apply.

If your looking to do engine/transmission diagnostics on your VX V6, you will want to look at getting the ALDL Cable plus "Advanced Engine Diagnostics"(AED) package.
If your looking to do srs airbag diagnostics on your VX V6, you will want to look at getting the ALDL Cable plus "SRS Diagnostic Tool"(SDT) package.

As for your actual issue, the fact the car is not cranking over could be a security lockout. A failed ABS module (Causes engine light, ABS and airbag to display) which can cause loss of communication in car thus security cannot verify. Could be a wiring issue, key ring, BCM... ect. Would need more information about whats going on such as whatever fault codes were displaying before being cleared.

I have replaced the crankshaft sensor 3 times code P1372 which has come up on the Supercheap & and Auto Eletrician scans keeps saying malfunction after clearing code errors it starts straight away no lights come on during driving on the dash , it is all good until next day then it cranks over but no start engine lights stays on all other dash lights go off , I have to turn the key off and on without starting may take 15 - 20 minutes until the engine light , abs and all dash lights go off and car starts no problems after starting it is only until I park for more than 10 minutes , I have to go thru the same ritual with the key , yes just found out I need the ALDL Cable and the SRS Diagnostic Tool package , which I have found Envyous Customs sell and living in WA .

 

[chrisp]

May be it’s time to check the DFI module and it’s connector. Have a read of this - http://easyautodiagnostics.com/gm/3.8L/ignition-module-and-crank-sensor-test-1

 

[TazzI]

I have replaced the crankshaft sensor 3 times code P1372 which has come up on the Supercheap & and Auto Eletrician scans keeps saying malfunction after clearing code errors it starts straight away no lights come on during driving on the dash , it is all good until next day then it cranks over but no start engine lights stays on all other dash lights go off , I have to turn the key off and on without starting may take 15 - 20 minutes until the engine light , abs and all dash lights go off and car starts no problems after starting it is only until I park for more than 10 minutes , I have to go thru the same ritual with the key , yes just found out I need the ALDL Cable and the SRS Diagnostic Tool package , which I have found Envyous Customs sell and living in WA .

Sounds like a failed ABS module to be honest...

A quick way to work that out is next time it does it, try disconnect the ABS module and see if all the warnings disappear ad if the car can start straight away.

Another way of working that out is if the airbag light displays, but then disappears by it self... this indicates this is a communciation issue.. which is usually caused by a failed ABS module (usually.. not always).
SRS airbag lights do not clear/disappear by them selves, if there is an actual fault (Even history faults), it will set a fault code which will only disappear after being dfixed and then cleared with a scantool. So if it turns off by it self, I would take a looksy at the ABS module... its a common failure.

Also, if the ABS module is causing communication problems, this will also cause problems with scantools being able to communicate with the car.