Oldsmobile/Buick Repair: 1998 buick regal supercharger, spark plug wire, screw driver

Question
QUESTION: I first noticed that their was a whining sound coming from the glove box. not load enough to hear over the radio, it was very faint. i have been getting very bad gas mileage. I went to start it the next day and it will start then shut itself off . we replaced first the outer fuel filter because we had replaced the fuel pump a year before that. did not work so replaced a fuel pump and still no go.Help???

ANSWER: HI TRACY,,WELL TRACY THIS IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO FIND WHAT IS GOING ON. FIRST OFF WE NEED TO FIND OUT IF THIS ENG IS GETTING SPARK [IGNITION WHEN CRANKING THE ENG OVER]..THEN WE NEED TO KNOW IF THERE IS FUEL PRESSURE. I KNOW YOU SAID THE FUEL PUMP IS NOT THAT OLD BUT THIS MAY HAVE WIRING PROBLEMS.IF YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW TO CK FOR SPARK OR FUEL PRESS LET ME KNOW. FIND OUT THE ABOVE INFO AND THEN WE CAN GO FURTHER..LET ME KNOW,,,TOM...

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QUESTION: I am assuming it gets spark, it does start but after about 30 seconds dies.We replaced the fuel pump a year ago and again yesterday and still no go.have checked the cluster of wires. all in working order,but still dies after running. help?

Answer
HI TRACY,OK THEN THIS IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO,GET THIS STARTED UP WHEN THIS DIES I WANT YOU TO REMOVE A SPARK PLUG WIRE AND PUT A SCREW DRIVER IN THE PLUG WIRE AND PUT THE SCREW DRIVER 1/4 INCH AWAY FROM ANY METAL SURFACE AND HAVE SOMEONE CRANK THE ENG OVER WHILE YOU LOOK FOR SPARK AT THE SCREW DRIVER AND METAL SURFACE.AS THE ENG CRANKS IT WILL ON AND OFF SPARK NOT A SOLID SPARK..YOU COULD DO THIS BEFORE IT QUITS RUNNING SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN IT DOES NOT START.MAKE SURE THE ENG IS OFF BEFORE REMOVING THE A PLUG WIRE AND DO NOT HOLD ON TO THE SCREW DRIVER WHEN CHECKING THIS OR YOU WILL GET ZAPPED[SHOCKED]..THIS WAY WE WILL FIND OUT IF THERE IS SPARK OR NOT..WE CAN NOT ASSUME ANYTHING AT THIS POINT..THE FACT THAT IT STARTS AND STOPS COULD BE A BAD IGNITION MODULE OR CRANK SENSOR..LET ME KNOW AND WE WILL GO FROM THERE..GOOD LUCK TOM..