Heating / Cooling System Malfunction When driving When warm
Q: A/C compressor does not always come on. Seems to come on more often when car is cold but not always the case. Has plenty of freon I would think since when it does work the lines sweat.
A: Lines sweating is not the way to judge. You need to pressure test acurrately. Ed
Heating / Cooling System Malfunction Happens always Always
Q: The blower fan is working. Radiator fluids are fine. When calling for heat , both hot and cold air blows from the discharge near the floor. Hot air comes out through the small orific in the center. Cold air comes out the side of the plastic discharge tube. Where is the cold air coming from? Is it easy to fix?
A: Possible mixing door jammed open. Should shut the cold air off and it is not. Ed
Q: code shows a fault with the cam sensor, service engine light comes on and off when warm. Car starts fine and runs fine. I tried to remove the cam sensor and see if the cam magnet was still in place but I think the sensor came apart since I could not see in the hole. Since I did this the service engine light stays on.
I don't know what the internal part of the sensor looks like and was wondering if the sensor was broken and should I try to pull the remaining part out of the mounting hole.
Thank you, Tim.
A: I have a 1990 Oldsmobile Delta 88 with the 3800 engine and had cam sensor problems also. It sounds like you should remove the water pump to get a good look at the opening(20mm ,I think)in the timing chain cover to be able to diagnose your problem accurately. If you remove the sensor and the hole is still obstructed, you must remove anything in the hole before installing a new one. The sensor consists of what you see on the outside plus an o-ring and a magnet facing inside. If it came apart, the magnet is smaller than the opening so it probably would not block the hole, it would fall inside. This sensor is responsible for telling the ECM(computer)the position of number one cylinder and when to begin firing the injectors for the SFI(Sequential Fuel Injection). If it is not working properly, the ECM sends a "simultaneous" signal meaning instead of sequentially supplying fuel, they fire all the time. The car will run but gas milage will suffer and in my case, after a while, my car became hard to start and would not accelerate quickly without bucking and sometimes backfiring. You're original "intermittent" problem is typical of a bad sensor. The "constant" problem now is probably from your attempt at repair in which you have completely eliminated the signal it was sending altogether. If you remove the water pump, I believe your repairs will be much easier and you will be more sure of a proper installation.
Electrical / Lighting Systems Won't Start Happens always Not applicable
Q: The drivers side window won't go down.
The new motor in the window works, and the switch is stuck in the forward position, but when unstuck, it continues to do nothing.
A: If it's possible, change over the 'broken' switch plug to a plug from a switch that does work.....
Then check the system that way....
Then you know you just need to get one new switch....
Electrical / Lighting Systems Won't Start Happens always Not applicable
Q: My car will not start unless I get a boost; I thought maybe I needed a battery and I bought one and my car ran fine for about two weeks then I woke up one morning and it was doing the same thing; something is draining my battery;I've had the alternator and starter and battery checked and those or ok; but a mechanic told me it was an electrical problem and he didn't know how to fix it; what do I need to do.
A: Attach a load tester devive to the battery and close all doors etc. Remove the fuses one at a time to locate which circuit is the problem. Ed
Heating / Cooling System Malfunction Happens always Always
Q: When on a/c the air will only blow out at floor or defrost vents. If control is hit or bumped it will come out the a/c vents. We have tried three or four used controls but they will only let it come out the same top or bottom vents. One person told us that the control had to be the exact part number as the one we have. This one is not the climate control type ,just an all electronic unit. The part # is 16148154.
Thanks for any help on this.
A: Sounds to me like a loose connection near the control unit. In one of the plugs perhaps is causing this problem. Ed
Q: the car is making alot of noise around the crank but only when the idle is low engine seams to be runing well with no noise when you eccelerate but when i took the belt of and started the car there was no more noise but all other components has been elliminated.
A: CHECK THE HARMONIC BALANCER AT THE FRONT OF ENGINE (BOTTOM PULLEY WHERE BELT RIDES) COMMON FOR RUBBER TO COME LOOSE AND MAKE KNOCKING NOISE. IF NOT THAT THEN POSSIBLY FLYWHEEL HAS A RADIAL CRACK AROUND WHERE IT BOLTS TO BACK OF CRANKSHAFT. PRETTY LABOR INTENSIVE, TRANS WILL HAVE TO BE REMOVED.
Ignition System Malfunction When starting Not applicable
Q: I have a starting problem on this 3.8LT. The 'service engine' light stays on, and I also get a code 41.
I've changed the cam sensor, crank sensor, fuel pump, filter, and checked the fuel pressure (40-45lbs). I've also changed the ignition switch.
The engine will start 5 to 10 or 15 times, and then it won't start. When it is running, there are no drivability troubles. Sometimes you can turn the switch off, and then turn it back on again, and then it will start.
Does this sound like it could be the computer, or the ECM?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
A: The ECM is located under the passenger-side dash panel, or the right kick panel.... Loosen and remove the computer, but leave it still plugged in....
Start and idle the car; then take a pen and tap - tap - tap in the middle... firmly....
Also hold side to side, and then twist or flex the computer enough to warp slightly.... if the car quits or idles rough... yes, you need a computer.... Ed
Electrical / Lighting Systems Won't Start When stopped Not applicable
Q: The 'service engine' light stays on. It won't start sometimes, it may start 10-15 times, then it will not start.
I've replaced the ignition switch, cam sensor, crank sensor, TPS sensor, ECM, and the computer, and nothing works!
I get a code 41 fault. There are no driveability problems.
I can turn the ignition switch off and then back on again, most of the time it will start. need help.... thanks
A: When you crank the engine and then stop right away, and the engine has not started but the key remains in the on position as if the car was running, can you always hear the fuel pump 'buzz' for a second and then stop?..... If not, there's a fuel pump problem.
Try this... if the car won't start for you, have someone bang on the bottom of the fuel tank firmly a few times while you hold the key in the starting position and see if the engine starts... Ed
Ignition System Other Not applicable Not applicable
Q: Problem is very simple. No sounds but I'm unable to turn my car off. The key is locked in the on postion and the car continues to run fine. I am just unable to turn the key switch off.
A: try to wiggle the key as you turn it to off position.
Try to wiggle the gear shift and turn steering wheel back and forth to get key out.
Electrical / Lighting Systems Making Noise When stopped When warm
Q: After driving, under the hood there is a device that clicks like a mechanical timer with wires.
It ticks faster just before it stops ticking. Any ideas?
Q: The car has a 3.8L V-6 engine. Someone said the gas lines
are a metric size; I can't tell what size they are due to the rust
that is around them.
I need to replace everything from the engine to the fuel tank,
including the fuel filter.
Do you have any suggestions? Thanks for any help you can give.
A: Once you have the old lines apart, you only have to match
the thread pitch on the connections at either end.... The
diameter will be close.... Ed
Heating / Cooling System Malfunction Happens always Always
Q: It's hot here in Louisiana... 105 degrees....
The air conditioner blows hot air, at a normal flow, but I had the pressure checked, it read 120 on one side and 0 on the other side.
The man told me he had never heard of this. It
should have been 120 and 120. not 120 and 0.
What could be the problem?
A: It should read 120-180 on the high side and 40-24 on the low side..
The evaporator core or the flow to the evaporator core is seriously restricted......
Also watch for a defective compressor... Ed
Heating / Cooling System Malfunction Happens always Always
Q: I got an 1987 park ave, and when I go to use any of the climate controls, I can hear the fan spinning (on hi, it really sounds like it's pushing), but barely anything comes out of any of the vents, with any selection. I already replaced the control computer (the thing in the dash with the buttons on it) and I noticed that the vacuum bottle was broken, so I replaced that too. I figured that would fix the problem, but it hasn’t.
A: There are mixing doors that have to move to direct the air to all the different selected places....if this system is in-op...you will have this problem......Ed
Q: Drives and starts beautifully, except that when the car is warmed up, I am slowing down or braking while going downhill, the car stalls. If I keep the accelerater pressed down, then it does not stall. However, this is quite worring as it happens frequently and the power steering drops out. Thank you!
A: this car has several problems that could cause this. the crank sensor and the mass airflow sensor have been updated for this problem. there is also a new updated prom. the throttle body needs to be cleaned and the minimum air rate and tps need to be reset. what i would try first is have the fuel injectors removed and cleaned by a profesional. call the buick dealership service dept. and ask them where they send them to be cleaned.
Q: My son is about to buy a 1983 buick park avenue and was told by the seller that it would not pass state inspection because of the exhaust system.
He was told that there was trouble with a pin or rod in the exhaust system. Have you ever heard of that? Please let me know if you have.
A: Do you live in a smog-check state?
A common method of disabling pollution controls was (is?) to slam a steel rod or crowbar through the honeycomb of the catylitic converter thereby causing it to break and fall out. This leaves a hollow, non-functional core. This used to work because it LOOKED like you had a converter, even though it didn't do anything. (much less obvious than removing it totally)
Todays sniffer machines make this a moot point. Plus, if you are caught with deliberatly disabled smog equipment, there is NO LIMIT to how much you must spend to get it to run right -- versus a limited dollar amount they can force on you per year (each year) fixing poorly running car.
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