Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight

1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Electrical / Lighting Systems   

My 1999 Olds 88 has some kind of intermittent electrical problem. 3 unrelated circuits will quit, including the power seat, power windows, and elect. fuel pump. circuits seem to work fine, even when those 3 lose power. It has happened within 2 minutes of starting the car, and other times after I have driven several miles. It has been in the shop 4 times, without success, because the circuits regain power without explanation, and no more diagnosis can be done until the car fails again. Fuel pump has been replaced - didn't help.

Hello, The same things you have experienced in the past when trying to get this situation diagnosed exist here. If the condition is not present a diagnosis process will render no real cause. The car will pass every test we have.

I'll spend some time looking for what these systems have in common. If three things unrelated quit at the same time it could be power supply from the same fusible link to a fuse bank or a common ground point.

The seats and windows both have circuit breakers. Excluding retained accessory power circuits only the seats have power at all times. The others require key on to energize the circuit breaker or fuse.

Thinking out loud,

Roger

Thanks for your thoughts, Roger. My technician (not to mention myself) is at the end of his ideas. Even when the circuits were out, he could get no diagnostic code. The engine service light never comes on for this. I have been thinking ground, but where do these 3 circuits have anything in common? The schematics don't seem to show anything.

Lee

I wouldn't expect a code to set at all on this one.

In the left front door sill there is a ground junction SP340 that is the ground for the windows and seats. I wonder if it got wet and corroded?

Ground G200 is behind the kick panel trim plate. It's for the fuel pump and the fuel pump relay.

Same general area of the car...any history of a windshield or body leak??

Power to the components/systems you mentioned do not have common circuit concerns as I read/interpret the diagram.

Roger

How are you doing on this one? Please update.

Thanks,

Roger

No prgress - there hasn't been another failure yet, and there is no rust under the door sill. Have never had a windshield leak.

I did have a back-up light socket rust out a while back, and I have not yet replaced it. Do you think there could be a connection?

Thanks for your consideration.

Lee

No, A back up light socket problem just wouldn't factor here.

Without a failure present diagnosis is pure guesswork.

I'll wait,

Roger

1999 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Fuel System   

I got a code P0300, I replaced every component that
could have caused the problem. The only thing left that I could think of is the fuel pump or the injectors. I borrowed a fuel injector kit that didn't work because the connection to the rail valve leaked.
Your suppose to disconnect the fuel pump fuse and
start the car to burn gas thats left in rail. Car
would not start. The problem I had was the car started great but wouldn't take a load.

You have replaced the spark plugs (original equipment, NOT Bosch, etc), wires, and coil packs?

If the car starts great but doesn't take a load, the fuel pump and MAF sensor are at the top of the list. You will need a fuel pressure gauge to check pressure. Autozone may have a gauge available as part of their Tool Loaner program, call ahead.

1997 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Electrical / Lighting Systems   

Car stalls when driving. Engine then won't run, power seats won't work, power windows won't work everything else okay. After a delay of about 20 mins car runs okay again.

Hello, When the engine has quit running have you checked for fuel pressure and spark?

Do the power windows and seats quit at the same time the engine stalls?

Please advise,

Roger

Th power windows and doors stop at the same time never any other time. I did not check for spark but tit was at a garage for a month already. I had hoped they did. I will try that next time. I have been told to look at the ground near the drivers seat which grounds all three. My garage did that 5 weeks ago and this is my first stall since. I got 8 weeks once between stalls after I changed the intake manuifold gasket.I have no idea why. Only 77,000 kms on the clock.

The ground may be in the rocker area below the carpet. As I remember this type ground it has many wires plugged into a buss bar that then bolts to the car body. Removal of the driver's seat may not even be needed for access. Lift the step plate trim any lay the carpet back.

You may find corrosion that is causing heat and the extra resistance will shut down the circuits. It is likely that you'll have to move the wire harness aside to see the ground connection.

Please tell me if you found something,

Roger

I found the buss bar with 6 or 7 connections all black wires. There was much corrosion and some dampness. It looked like the mechanic may have cleaned the ground which I could not see but he had had the carpet lifted and said he cleaned the ground. I cleaned all the contacts and the bar. It is now lifted off the floor so that I hope less salt and water will reach it this winter. For now the car is running fine. It may be days or weeks before I know if this was the problem.

Good job! There is another ground in like fashion in the right side rocker area. I recommend you take a look there as well.

Give this question some time. Need something? Just ask. When you are ready to close the question please click on OK to finish up.

Respectfully,

Roger

Thanks I will check that one too.

I'll check back for any update you offer.

Thanks!

Roger

Checked the bus bar on the right side too . There was some corrosion but not as much as the drivers side. Less salt I suspect.Car ran well the past couple of days so I just keep going and see how it goes now. My ABS and Traction Control switch themselves off at 60 kmph. every day. Work perfectly until I hit 60 kmph. Has done that for some time now. Is there any connection to these ground issues?

Improving these grounds has put some reliability back in your car. Lord knows what may have been on the horizon.

I don't think the ground situation would be the fault for the ABS/TC dropping out at 60kmph. With a diagnostic scanner (not a code reader) connected one can monitor the wheel speed sensors to see if one of them starts acting up. It may turn out that these sensors have corroded connections causing the trouble. Hard to say.

Roger

1995 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Ignition System   

car starts just fine , cruising at low rpm is fine when i push the throttle to pass somebody or at a step hill car starts to stotter, feels like that it has no power ,and it is missfiring ,i changed ones the sparkplug wire and it seams to have solved the problem ,but it came back after a month or so . thanks for the help

Hello, The bank of spark plugs nearest the firewall came from the factory with metal heat shields on each of the spark plugs. If they are still on the engine I recommend removing and discarding them.

During this process I remove each spark plug and look at the sides of the porcelin for black carbon tracking marks. If you see them, these marks are a path that the spark can follow outside the plug. A direct short to ground that causes a misfire. (There may be small pin holes in the plug wire boots as well.)

These marks can be cleaned away with a brake cleaner product.

If the spark plug wires are original consider replacing them as preventive maintenance.

Roger

1995 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight All Part Groups   

I just changed the upper intake manifold on my car. There is anti-freeze in my oil. After I change the oil, will my car start up or will it continue to just crank? Do I have enough cranking amps on my battery or should I jump it? If it does not start what else could be the problem?

how long does an answer usually take?

If water entered the combustion chambers (likely did) you need to remove and clean/dry (or replace) the spark plugs. With the plugs removed disable the ignition system (unplug ignition module or crank sensor). Crank the engine over for 15 seconds to force coolant from the cylinders. Wait 1 minute then repeat. Reinstall the plugs and try to start the engine.

The oil should be changed twice. Once to get the car started. Then again after the engine warms.

so is that why it just cranks and does not fire. i never really cranked for a long time but is that what it will take to get it started after i change the oil

is it not starting because there is anti-freeze in the oil? I guess that is what i really need to know.

i did do that with the combustion chambers and all the liquid is out.

will you still be answering my questions?

Antifreeze in the oil will not prevent it from starting. If the battery is fully charged and everything is hooked up correctly, then it should start!
The previous comment regarding the oil changes is quite important! The antifreeze will cause the bearing surfaces to flake off then you will require an engine rebuild. Do not skip the important step of changing the oil!

how many cranking amps do i need to start this car

Normally I would say 650, but if engine was in perfect state of tune mayme 450. Check date code on battery,If its near 5 years old, its gonna give you a headache this winter...

thank you very much it is much appreciated. have a wonderful night

now i got it started but is it burning off the anti-freeze or leaking itsomewhere else?i have white smoke coming out of my tailpipe.

Might have got some in combustion chamber, it will dissipate. If there is a crack in head or a bad head gasket it will require more repairs. If white smoke does not dissipate...do a compression test.

1994 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Electrical / Lighting Systems   

I am having a problem with the window motor and switch for both front doors.
The drivers side was not working at all. I removed the motor and jumped it directly to the battery. It worked in both directions. I reinstalled it and tried it a couple of times before I put the door panel back on and it worked fine. I reinstalled the door panel and the switch did not work.
The passenger side was not working. After removing the door panel and trying to trace the wires, it started to work after I put a ground directly to the switch. I reinstalled the door panel and it stopped working with the passenger switch, but it worked with the drivers side switch.
Am I just having ground problems or is it mixed with a dead spot on the drivers side motor ?

Thanks

frank

Very much soonds like a ground wire problem.Very carefully test the connections at the switch and the continuity of the wires.Although the switches are failure prone, the problem sounds like a ground wire.Connect the switch with the panel off and try wiggling the wires while operating the switch.

Thanks. Is there any place to get free or inexpensive wiring diagrams. That would make it a lot easier to key in on the correct wire (e.g. ground)
Thanks

The Haynes Shop Manuals ($15) have easy to read wiring diagrams.Avail everywhere

1994 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Interior Components   

I NEED A DRIVER SIDE SUNVISOR, CAR INTERIOR IS DARK RED.

Have you used the all-parts.com home page to search automotive recylcers?

If you have and still need help let me know.

1988 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight All Part Groups  Happens sometimes 

Cruise Control will hold for a while then after going down hill it forgets what is is supposed to be doing and gradually slows down

Sounds like a bad cruise control servo. This servo is what actually operates the cable that opens the throttle. When it starts to fail, it can cause the same symptoms you are experiencing.

I always thought of a "servo" as an electrical componant. This happens to be a vacuum control operating the throttle cable. Are we talking about the same thing?
Gaylon

There should be a 5-wire? connector going into the vacuum servo. The wires are connected to the cruise control brain and open and close some little valves which apply vacuum to the diaghram to open the throttle.

1988 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight All Part Groups   

My car is stalling, just like if I had shut the car off myself, at random moments, bbut mostly when I am changing into or out of reverse or accelerating after stopping at a stop light. I changed the Catalitic converter and it seemed to help a little bit. It is not stalling as much but still enough for concern. It stalls, on average, about 10 times per day now. Do you have any ideas?

I would suggest first by checking all tune up parts! plugs,wires,air and fuel filters.
Then I would clean the throttle plate(front and back) and bore. clean IAC (idle air control) motor and passage. If Still no improvement I would check the fuel pressure,If low, replace fuel pump...if ok,Have a fuel injection system service...not just add a cleaner..
Tony