Exhaust System Chugging When accelerating Not applicable
Q: I think it could be a plugged catalytic converter but what would be the symptons of that? The engine runs fine but the sound comming out of the exhaust is a puffing noise and when ever you push on the gas the car shakes and vibrates and it looses a little bit of power but not much. It doesn't act up like this all the time, only sometimes.
Electrical / Lighting Systems Upgrade Not applicable Not applicable
Q: wiring / connections for radio/cd player
A: Go to http://www.crutchfield.com/S-ChN96k5L6My/tech/kb31.html for super-simple directions for determining which radio wire is which for any car. There's no need for a harness when you hardwire as per these instructions. Be sure you have a good multitester and that you ground the negative probe to an unpainted metal chassis point (I use electrical tape to keep it secure while I'm working).
Ignition System Won't Start Happens sometimes Not applicable
Q: Car will not start, sometimes. After sitting for a short time, starts & runs fine. Has been taken to Pontiac dealer, who said that 3 codes indicated ECM, ignition module, or crankshaft position sensor. Dealer's advice was to come back when it finally quits. The owner is a single mom who does not wish to be stranded in a Michigan winter. The dealer has already charged over $100 for this "advice". Any advice or history of similar problems & solutions would be appreciated.
A: I have seen this problem before. It happans after a long period of time. I beleive that you have one of those keys that has a built in security chip that after time the coating that protects it will wear off. If you have one of those keys and it does not work, the car won't start initially (or sporradically will start) then it has to reset the anti-theft device, then you are able to start the vehicle after 10 or so minutes. My suggestion is to have the key checked or replaced.
Heating / Cooling System Malfunction Happens always Always
Q: My 93 SSEi with automatic climate control has extremly low air flow from the vent system in all modes.
I checked the doors that switch between the floor, vents and defroster and they all seem to function and what air does come out comes out where it should.
The fan speed functions normally and I have removed and cleaned the fan.
The door behind the fan for outside/inside air also functions fine. I also cleaned the intake at the rear of the hood.
Is there an easy way (or anyway) to access the heater core and evaporator core to clean them off, does the air pass over both? (air flow is poor in both heating and cooling modes) or is there something else I have missed that may restrict the air so much?
On full fan-vent mode, with all but one vent closed, the one open vent hardly flutters a match when held in front of it.
Thanks in advance for any ideas!!
Greg
A: If air flow or volume has decreased then you have a leaking evap coil. This will have to be replaced. Does you a/c work ok? If not then this is more than likely the problem.
Q: I have just purchased a 1993 Bonneville SSEi with 81,000 miles. The care runs great excapt at times (either hot or cold) the engine seems ti slightly miss. The engine will knock occasionbally when pulling a grade under acceleration and has stalled twice in 750 miles.
I have read that this may be the crank shaft sensor, but haven't found any great detail. Could this be accurate? If so, is there an easy check?
Or should I just try replacing the sensor first? (How difficult a task is this?)
A: Try doing a basic tuneup, check your plugs and gap or replace them if you need to, correct your timing to make sure it's accurate, check the condition of the spark plug wires and the distributor cap and rotor. The knocking on hills can be caused by either a timing that is too far advanced or because the fuel you are using has too low of an octane rating.
Chris
genzaroff@hotmail.com
Heating / Cooling System Malfunction Happens always Always
Q: Where is the air contionerer filter located in the 93 Bonneville?
I need to find it so I can clean it.
Thanks!
A: under the hood by the cowl/firewall on the passanger side, its a passenger compartment air filter. if you have an ac problem, your evaporator could be externally clogged, only if no air comes from the vents on the dash in the ac mode and air comes through in the heater mode. you just replace them not clean them.
Electrical / Lighting Systems Malfunction Happens always Always
Q: My friend took out my ECU, and attempted to read my EEPROM on his EEPROM reading machine that is connected to a computer.
Everything went fine, except it said that the eeprom was blank. We attributed this to a possible not supported size.
The eeprom of my ECU is a 27C256. The ECU is model number; 16141470 and the EEPROM is model number; 16169588.
When we installed the unit back into the car,a 40 AMP fuse blew which was labeled ELC. After replacing it, and it did not blow again.
However as soon as we cranked the car I noticed that the Engine was idling very high (1200rpm, normal idle is about 970rpm ) Judging by the smell it was burning fuel pretty rich.
The check Engine light comes on, and The A/C does not come on, the Speedometer does not operate, The engine begins backfiring at rpms above 2600rpm, the radiator fan stays on high, even when engine is cold.
And when in drive, it is almost impossible to accelerate even with the pedal at the bottom of the floor. My question is this - Is it possible that the EEPROM was erased or the ECU was fried at the transient voltage spike that cuased the fuse to snap.
Also is this what GM calls limp-home-mode when it allows it just enough function to barely move?
If anyone has any insight as a way to fix this, or has experienced this before please drop me an email at- dreality@bellsouth.net
I would be very much appreiciative.
-Jonathan
A: Yes....yes....and yes.......
All of the above, and now you can locate a good used one or big bucks new one from the manufacturer......
Although computers are a wonderful thing.... don't underestimate the ability of the manufacturer to cost you a lot of dollars.....
They make things difficult on purpose... there are no simple programs that read or fix car things..... just to log in and interpret what your computer is doing is a 4500.00 piece of equipment... Ed
Q: When fuel tamk is 1/4 and below
car will stall or dog out when making a sharp turn or on/off a ramp. Car will not stall completely. When I fill up the tank it will never take the full or close to full amount.
A: So it only takes half a tank in gallons? Or only according to the gauge. Anyway, it sounds like you have a fuel tank pick-up problem and it has to come apart to see. Ed
Electrical / Lighting Systems Malfunction Happens sometimes Not applicable
Q: guages die or read high and trip meter goes blank.
A: IF YOUR GAUGE CLUSTER IS ALL ELECTRONIC IT COULD BE BAD BEFORE YOU REPLACE IT I WOULD SUGGEST TAKING IT TO A REPUTIBLE REPAIR SHOP AND HAVING AN ELECTRICAL DIAGNOSTIC DONE(APROX $35-75) AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL YOU
Q: After driving the car for about 45-60 min it begins to chug under acceleration, especially on the highway on slight uphill grades. It will continue to get worse and chug/miss under any acceleration. I have replaced the coil, module, plugs, and wires. the injectors checked ok when we ohm tested them. any ideas? scott
A: Have your catalytic converter checked. This is a quick and (should be) inexpensive test which involves drilling a small (about 1/8") hole in the pipe in front of the converter, and checking the back pressure (engine running) with a low pressure gauge. If everything is o.k., the hole is plugged with a small rivet, and move on from there. The symptoms sound like that's a good bet.
Ignition System Chugging When accelerating When warm
Q: ABOUT A HALF A MILE UP THE ROAD IT STARTS JERKING ONLY WHEN I ACCELERATE. WE CHANGED TEMP SENSOR, CAMSHAFT SENSOR, THERE IS NO CAT CONV. ON THE CAR, ALSO THERE'S NEW PLUGS,WIRES AND AIR FILTER.
A: 1;Check sparkplug wires to Distributor Cap and sparkplugs(firing order)2;Recheck Sparkplug Gap.
Drive Train / Driveline Chugging When accelerating When warm
Q: could a bad cv joint cause these above problems?? we replaced plugs, wires, air filter, camshaft sensor and temp sen. we now find out the driver side boot on the cv joint is tore, were not sure how long this has been that way so were unsure of how much damage has been done.
A: Usually the Cv joint will give you a vibration which at higher speeds could feel like an engine miss,it will also pop or click on turns, at any rate it needs to be fixed and should help your vibration if thats what your feeling
Brake System Malfunction When accelerating Not applicable
Q: 1988 Pontiac Bonneville SSE with ABS Brake system. Bought 3 years ago, with ABS light on and no other problems...brakes were all replaced last December (11 months ago)...unable to get ABS LIGHT off.
Now, Brake light is on all the time too. Brakes are hard to push down.
I took the car to 4 separate mechanics and one GM dealer.
All unable to diagnose problem. GM lost their manual and therefore could not get codes, but did say that they thought it was the accumulator motor and recommended that I replace it all for about $2,000.oo.
This is nuts, is there any alternative for a 14 year old car? I have been told that I can't disconnect the ABS system, because I will then loose the power assist and be left without any brakes at all. HELP PLEASE.
A: check the wiring to the abs-accumulator, its only bad wiring if you are lucky
Electrical / Lighting Systems Other Not applicable Not applicable
Q: No one seems to know how to turn off the daytime running lights on my 1998 Pontiac Bonneville and and I came upon your site and didn't find it on the list. I need to know where the correct fuse is and what to do, please.
Thank you,
Shannora
A: Your owners manual might say where the fuse is. But if you're like me you lost that years ago. An easy and fast way might be to bearly put on your parkin' brake so that there is NO preasure added to the brake. It works for sure on 97-up GM vehicles.
Electrical / Lighting Systems Won't Start When starting Always
Q: When I turn the ignition, the dash board lights go on, but car dosen't start.
It won't even click. There's no spark from spark plug wire.
A: If the dash board lights go out while holding key all the way over in the start position, the problem is in the battery power low or the starter may be defective...
If the lights stay on while trying to crank the engine over, I would be checking the ignition switch.... also the neutral safety switch.... Ed
Q: There's a loud knock in the engine. While I was driving car down the interstate, I accidently knocked it into reverse, while driving about 75 mph. I then pulled it back into low drive (1) and then into drive.
Afterwards, I still drove the car about 35 miles to home. Then I discovered a loud, bad knocking in engine.
A: Use a long screwdriver - carefully - held up to one of your ears to check all over and find where the noise is loudest....
Oil pan / front / middle / back / left or right / valve cover etc, etc, etc......
What ever part is closest to the loudest part is the one or ones making the noise...... Ed
Q: I'm trying to find how to put the oil dip stick back in a 301 it goes some where in the back on the drivers side but I can't find where it goes pls help lconner1@earthlink.net
A: Either a tube or small hole in the side of the engine. Ed
Q: It starts hard in the am, after sitting overnight. It will start with a little gas poured in the throat. The rest of the day it starts fine.
I think there is a leak in the gasket of the quadrajet. I believe it is like foam rubber going between the carb and the intake manifold ?
A: I think it is the choke not working for you.. as well as the fuel in the carb may be leaking out overnight... Ed
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