Cadillac Repair: Cranks, wont start, cadillac catera, 1997 cadillac catera

Question
QUESTION: I know you can help me-you have before. My son's 1997 Cadillac Catera has started right up, until last week. He was in and out of it all day, then just cranked, and would not start. We thought he was out of gas, put a gallon in, and started right up. Drove fine, a week later, same thing. Tried the gas trick, didn't work. Tried a new fuel filter, no help. Towed it home, put another gallon of gas in it, started up again. Drove it for one day, same thing. Now no amount of gas will do the trick. His gauge shows he has 3/4 tank of gas. "Low Fuel" light never once came on. We tried the battery trick with removing cables for a while to re-set system, with no luck. Fuel is not leaking anywhere. We can hear the "whirr" of the fuel pump when key is turned in "on" position, but it just cranks, cranks, cranks. All dash lights function. It just sounds like it is out of gas all of the time. Please help. He has 4 more weeks of college and must have transportation.Thank you so much.

ANSWER: Try spraying a little bit of starting fluid in the engine as you crank it and see if it attempts to start. If it does, Check your fuel pressure and fuel volume as most likely the fuel pump is weak and not providing enough pressure or fuel volume to the engine.

These pumps run at such a high speed and the ONLY thing that cools them is the gas in the gas tank and when the tank gets low the pump is not totally cooled and heats up to the point that it starts to fail.

If the starting fluid trick does not try and start the engine, make sure you hve ignition to the spark plugs as you try and start the engine.

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QUESTION: Okay, I am going to ask a dumb question. How do I tell if I have ignition to the spark plugs? The starting fluid trick did not start the car. It just cranks.
Thank you,
Beth

Answer
You stated: We tried the battery trick with removing cables for a while to re-set system.

Answer: removing the battery cables will NOT reset the system, All it will do is screw up the learning sequence of the computer.

As you are cranking the engine pull off one of the spark pklug wires and hold it about 1/4" away from any nmetal object and see if it sparks.