The large connectors are the ones iam concerned with i only see the white and the grey connectors in the pics but not the black one?What iam looking at is the terminal opens where they go into and connect to the fuse box terminals they shouldn't be open.They should be closed so make a good connection.In the pics some of them look open compared to others in the pics do you see what iam talking about?

No, I don't see them to be open to the point of not connecting, but I'll take it apart again and have another look. I didn't bother with the black (large) connectors because I checked the fuses across the top and have power on both sides, and that would indicate a good connection, wouldn't it? I'll have another look to check if they are open too much, but I doubt that the terminals are the fault. The only reason to question them was the fact that I did (once upon a time) get life at the guage and the pump. But only once. Might that just have been a coincidence?

What would be the common cause of no spark, an empty indication on the fuel guage, and the security light staying on only for a few seconds after the key is turned on?

Okay, just opened it up again, black connector photo attached. Should I try to bend some of the pins?

I call it more then coindencie most likely a poor connection or bad fuse box i have seen a few bad fuse boxes here and there.There really isnt any common reasons for all those things to go wrong.I really wish i was there to help you out you cant see the terminals that are open more then the other ones?They should all look closed.What i do is take a little pick and insert it where the terminal starts to bend and go back down into the terminal.I bend it closed on one side of the bend and then the other side.Also when the bolts holding the connectors in arent tight causes issues also.

I did try to open some of the pins, almost impossible to get something in to open them up. I tried to remove a pin through the bottom to make it easier to spread, but couldn't get the pin to release. I pulled the blue plastic pin holder, still was unable to push the pin out. What a PITA. I will open the box again and try harder to spread the pins some. I even used an ice pick, and even that was too big to get into it to spread it open. Will give it another try.

I opened the fuse box and used a tiny flat screwdriver to pry open any of the pins that looked to be a problem, put everything back together, and nothing has changed. Still no fuel guage, no fuel pump action, no spark. We touched on this before, how about the CPI? I read that it controls the entire starting sequence. You said it might be a bad fuse box, should I go to the junk yard and pull one tomorrow? Along with a CPI? Another BCM?

For whatever it's worth, I went to the junk yard today and bought a very clean fuse box, complete with all the fuses and relays. Removed the original one and installed the new, and nothing. No improvement. Should I give up on this?

Alright while cranking the engine do you have power out of the grey wire from the underhood fuse box?Also do you have a constant power to both sides of the fuel pump fuse?

Welcome back. I checked and there is power at the fuel pump, while cranking and also while at rest. I noted this last week, but unsure of what you mean by "to both sides". With the fuse in place there is power to both sides, but not when the fuse is removed. Isn't that the way it's supposed to be?
As for the "grey wire from the under hood fuse box", I see two grey wires, one goes to the 10amp fuse that reads Injector (L4), the other to Controls IGN 1. They both show power while cranking and also when not cranking but with the key in the on position. Can't remember if I mentioned that I can get the pump to come alive if I jump the relay,.

So the grey wire has power all the time at the inline connector back by the gas tank?If so the fuel fuel pump would be running all the time if your ground to the fuel pump was good
Have you checked the actual fuel pressure yet?

You asked if I had power while cranking at the grey wire from the underhood fuse box. I said there are two grey wires in the fusebox, and I said what they connected to. There is power at both these fuses when the key is in the on position, and also while cranking. I guess I was not clear about the location where you wanted me to check the grey wire. I didn't know that you wanted me to be looking at a grey wire at the fuel pump.

I never checked the fuel pressure, don't have a guage, but there is a lot of pressure when I depress the valve on the fuel rail.

Getting back to the grey wire, do I have to drop the tank to be able to get at the connector, or is there another junction where I can access it?

Right behind the gas tank there is a inline connector you test there if there is fuel pressure then the pump must be working.They rent fuel pressure testers at auto zone.

I'll jack the car, locate the connector and check the grey wire for power. My guess is that there will be power. It's Sunday night here now so I won't be able to get a fuel pressure tester until tomorrow. Is there anything else I can check at this time?

On the fuel injector connector one wire will have battery voltage with the key in the run position.The other wire will have a pulsing ground while cranking.To check the pulse ground get a led test light.

Another day. Checked terminal at the injector, 12v on one pin, no pulse to ground on the other while cranking. Still don't have a fuel pressure guage, but there is good pressure at the rail when the pump has been run and the valve is depressed. There is no spark to the spark plugs, never has been. What could be causing that?

The anti theft will shut down the injector pulse but not the fuel pressure or the spark.See if you can rent a code reader from auto zone while your there i want to know if we can talk to the computer or have codes.Could be a failed ecm.

Maybe another clue. Forgot to tell you that the trunk release remote button isn't working anymore. It was working at the beginning of this starting problem, I used it to open the trunk before I jacked the car up. i'm going to unbolt the main ground to see if there is any corrosion. Could a bad computer be the reason for no spark at the plugs, and no pulsating ground at the injector?

Okay, I'll try to rent a reader at NAPA, already tried Auto Zone, they won't do it. I might have to buy one, does it need to be anything special beyond OBD ll?

Yes the computer controls spark and injector pulse.So you live incalifonia?I would get one that can read live engine data there is a nice one on amazon that can do that for like 50 something.

Just had a buddy come by with a scanner. He plugged it in and it came up ECM error. He said he doubted the ECM was bad, he seemed to think I had a bad ground. Will check grounds next. So I will look for something that will read live data. I live in NY.

So the scan tool wouldnt connect and read the car or you got a code saying that?

The reader hooked up to the connector, the reading said ECM COMMICATION ERROR. Could a bad ground be the problem?

This is what I can gather at this point. There is no spark. The fuel pump shows no life with the key in the on position (not even for a few seconds) and not even when cranking. It will pump when I jump the relay, and the pressure seems good at the valve on the fuel rail. The fuel guage is pegged empty and I know there is a half tank of gas. The injector plug has 12v on one pin, no pulsating ground on the other, The remote trunk opener does not work, it did last week. Security light goes on for a few seconds when the key is turned on, then turns off. The SERVICE ENGINE SOON light stays on all the while when the key is in the on position. There are no instrument panel illumination.
I HATE THIS CAR!

I posted the trouble tree for the no commucation with scan tool but it asks you if you can talk to the bcm because that is the gateway to the ecm.Does your buddies scan tool read the body control module on on your car?The problem i have been running into with helping you is you dont have a scan tool to see what you can talk to read codes etc.

I'll try to buy a code reader tomorrow.

If you bought a scan tool that can read the bcm etc on your car new would be over 500 used a few hundred the new ones on amazon are the otc nemsyis i have a mac task master which uses the same software.

Bought this on Ebay for $50, should be here by the end of the week.
NEW MS509 OBD2 Scanner Code Reader Live Data Via Your PC with Data (Item # 281026898903)
I hope this will help.

I doubt it reads the bcm?Which it asks in the trouble tree i posted for no com with the scan tool.Try skipping that part on the trouble tree and see what you find.

Will do, I'll let you know when I get the reader. Probably not until after thursday.

I'd really like to keep trying to figure this out and not wait until the reader gets here. Is there any one component or condition that will cause all the symptoms this car is exhibiting? No spark, fuel pump and fuel injector issues, no instrument panel lights, inop trunk remote opener? And there might be other symptoms I haven't discovered yet.

Heres the problem the dash lights trunk opener are controled by the bcm the other things you just mentioned are controled by the ecm.So its a blend between the two.

Your last post has left me confused: "Heres the problem the dash lights trunk opener are controled by the bcm the other things you just mentioned are controled by the ecm.So its a blend between the two."

I'm wondering now if we were barking up the wrong tree with the first diagnosis? Here's why, the other things (you now say are controlled by the ECM) are the fuel pump, no spark, and the fuel gauge, so what made you suspect the BCM if the ECM is what controls the fuel, spark, etc? Could this have been a ECM problem from the get go?

Let's go back to the beginning, and I am certainly not an expert, so please correct me where I am wrong. If I recall correctly, the dash lights and the trunk control were not originally in play, both were operational before I changed the BCM, now they are not. The original problem was a no start condition, nothing to do with the dash lights or the trunk release. First symptoms were no fuel pump life, (without jumping the relay) no spark, and an erroneous fuel gauge reading. (empty) That's all. Your first analysis was that it sounded like a BCM problem. So I installed another BCM, put it through the 'learning' procedure, and it didn't correct the problem. But now you say it is the BCM that controls the items that were working at the start of this repair, and it's the ECM that controls the fuel, and spark, not the BCM. So maybe I should have been looking at the ECM from the beginning? Is the ECM an acronym for the 'computer', and do you think I need to replace it?

The fuel gauge runs thru both the bcm and the ecm the ecm is the engine control module which is really the pcm powertrain control module because the transmission computer and egine computer are combined.Put the old bcm back.in.and see if the trunk release and dash lights work?

Already did that, and they still don't work. Maybe I screwed the BCM up by taking it in and out a few times? I did read something about avoiding "static electricity", which I did not guard against. Hopfully when I get the reader I will be better able to gather some good data.

Where is the ECM located and should I be looking at replacing it?

I have never had one of my tester bcms one i was handling or a new one damaged by static.The pcm is on the passenger side under the cowl at the base of windshield outside the car.Then under there you will find a rubber boot with 10mm nuts holding it down under there is your pcm.I wouldn't look at changing it yet.So did you try linking with the ecm with your old bcm?The hard part is you can try to talk to the bcm.because on those cars when i cant talk to the ecm i see if i can talk to the bcm.

I didn't ask where the PCM is, I asked where the ECM is
located, since that it the item you said controlled the fuel pump, spark, etc. And I don't know how to go about "linking with the ecm with your old bcm". As you requested I did reinstall the original BCM, if that is what is meant by "linking". Sorry for my lack of fluency in automotive speak, but I am an amateur.
Sorry, but I have no idea of what you are asking here: "The
hard part is
you can try to talk to the bcm.because on those cars when i
cant talk to the ecm i see if i can talk to the bcm."

I did some reading and came across some info that suggests that I might have a bad crankshaft position indicator, so I just went to the auto parts store and bought one. Where is it located? I thought the (what looks like a probe) above the starter with the plastic connector plug was the CPI, but the plug is not the same as the unit I bought, so I am wondering if I am looking in the wrong place. This is a 2.2L 16 valve 4cyl.

Alright heres where you got confused in a earlier post i explained how on your car your ecm/engine control module and your Tcm/transmission control module are combined into the same unit making it a pcm powertrain control module which is where i just told you it is.As far as a bad crankshaft position sensor goes thatwould only explain the spark not lack of the fuel pump working gas inop etc.Its located on the side of the engine block facing the radiator.But before you install the new one you can test old with a multi meter it should be some where around 800 ohms when they test bad they read as a open circuit.So please test it and let me know what the readings are before replacing it.Also you said you couldnt read codes data/unable to link to theengine computer with your buddies scan tool.I was asking if you tried to read codes etc with both the old bcm and the used bcm plugged in?Also i was saying makes it hard that you dont have a scan tool to try to read code's etc on the bcm.Because when you are unable to link or read data on the engine computer the first thing you do is see if you can link read data to the bcm.Hope this helps to clear up any miss understanding you had with what i said.

ECM, TCM, PCM...oh, I forgot BCM, this bitch sure does have a lot of M's. I'm trying to make sense of it all, it's a lot to grasp for my level of (modern) automotive diagnosis ability. And to tell you the truth I forgot what BCM was installed when we used my buddies scan tool. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, I'll be hunting in the morning, helping with dinner in the afternoon, so it looks like I'll be occupied for a while, and until my scanner arrives I'm probably just spinning my wheels. Another thing is that I work overseas and will be going away on Sunday, won't return until mid December. It looks like this window will be closed until I get back home. If I do get to work on the car before I leave I will post on this forum. Thanks for all your help, and I still hope to get it squared away when I return.

Lets not forgot the sdm.for the air bag lol.

How could I forget the SDM, my bad. I just rechecked my schedule, I'm in DC Sunday, home Monday night, leaving again Tuesday evening, then gone until mid December. If the scanner arrives before I leave, I will plug it in and let you know. If not we'll have to pick up where we left off when I get back. Think we'll get this to fly before Christmas?