Stalling - Starting - Buick - Parkavenue :: 1997 - Randomly Runs Rough During Rain / Won't Start The Next Day?
Apr 16, 2014
About 2 weeks ago my 1997 Buick Park Ave (115,000 miles) began running bad during a heavy rain storm. It was running fine. Then all of a sudden at a stop light the motor hesitated and wanted to stall. I nursed the gas peddle and limped home and turned the car off. The car hesitated and sputtered all the way home as if I was running out of gas.The next day the car would not start. It turned over but would not start. I tried starting the car for three days. My mechanic friend later diagnosed the car and stated the computer was not functioning correctly. He replaced the computer. The new computer seemed to correct the problem.
The car ran great for the next 2 weeks. Yesterday, it was raining hard while I drove the car about 150 miles without any problem. Then suddenly again the motor started running badly. Again, the motor wanted to stall and hesitate as if I was running out of gas. I limped home again. This morning I tried to start the car without any luck. In addition to installing a new computer, In the last 2 months I have changed all the fuel injectors and installed new spark plugs.I have also changed the fuel pump and repaired the fuel tank. My mechanic say the cam sensor and crank sensor are operating correctly. There is spark coming from the coil packs and to the spark plugs. I do not want to randomly change parts.
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I have a 1997 Buick Park Avenue with a 3800 series II motor that runs perfectly in dry weather. However, in wet conditions, rain melting snow, etc. it will begin to miss and throw out a P0300 OBDII engine code. This is the code for multiple random misfire. If I leave it to idle on its own it will get worse and die out right. Sometimes restarting it is an option though it still runs rough, but I can limp it to somewhere I can work on it. I think its electrical, since it doesn't seem to get the spark it should though fuel doesn't seem to be a problem as you can smell it after a bit of cranking.
I've been battling with this thing for over a year so far and have replaced the following, ECU, all 3 coil packs, spark plugs/wires(newest parts), mass airflow sensor, cam position sensor, ERG?(emissions deal I believe, mechanic friend put it on) valve. I had the battery trickle charged and tested at an Autozone, I haven't had the alternator tested yet.
Its a very frustrating problem, as far as I can tell I've replaced everything on the ignition system with the hopes that it did the job only to get stranded during the next long rain. It does take quite a while in wet weather for it to start acting up, but once it starts missing a little bit, it doesn't stop until the entire engine compartment has had a few days to dry. Engine temp doesn't seem tosolve the problem dry out. I'd also like to note that I've noticed on this latest trouble that the interior lights have been flickering and headlights too. It may have been doing this earlier, but I hadn't noticed if it was. I'm going to check what kind of voltages the alternator is throwing out next time I have it running.
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Car drives excellent in dry weather, smooth, no hesitation. or misses. While driving in the rain, the car will start running "REAL" ruff and then will stall. I try to start it and the motor just turns over, sounds like no gas or not firing. I will keep trying and after about 6 times it will fire, start and quits, if lucky with a few more tries I can get it started and needs to rev up to 4,000, sometimes it will stay there with a miss or RPM works down and quits. When lucky I can nurse it home and then won't start for 3 days.
I have replaced Crankcase position sensor, (made shield for side at wheel well and shield on bottom), camshaft sensor, spark plugs and wires, had coil packs checked, checked plate that coil packs set on, cleaned battery posts, checked and pulled on wires to coil pack plate, none lose and had continuity, put silicone sealant at end of wires to protect from moisture and hold them in replace. Sprayed top of engine with silicone spray and flex seal. Even had intake manifold gasket replaced in case it was sucking in water. Replacing crankshaft position sensor did some good, it makes for faster starts.
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I am told I am possibly having some engine misfires and I need to get my error codes read. The problem is I don't want to drive the car to an auto parts store to get read because the engine is really rough and bumpy. So what kind of code reader to get, OBD I, OBD II, CAN..etc??? I have a 2000 Buick Park Ave. I have a mechanic coming over tomorrow, and it seems he doesn't have a code reader off hand, so I gotta pick one up...
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Having a problem with my 1997 Buick Lesabre. It's a v6, automatic 4 door, and I live in good ole HOT Florida.
Anyway for about two weeks ago I went to start up the vehicle and it would turn over, run for about 2 seconds, and then turn off and did that about 5 or 6 times. Knowing very little about cars I had a friend try to jump me, and nothing, still wouldn't turn on. So I left the car there, came back five days later. It started and ran, and I drove straight to the mechanic. I had noticed my belt whistling a little so he put on a new built, fix a power steering pump fluid leak, and put on a new belt tensioner.
Anyway, I pick it up a week ago and it starts up no problem. Today the problem has started again. Some times now though it will start up, run for a little while and then just shut off. Doesn't seem to make a difference whether I am idling or not. Sometimes now though it will turn over, but not actually fire up and start.
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[URL] I even pulled the same P0170 code. And what I need to do before I spend a boatload of money and wind up sleeping in my car instead of driving it to work or lack therof is to start a troubleshooting list starting from where Sabot's update left off, i dont even know where the vacuum line is that he mentions and if i sprayed carb cleaner on it would i get a jump in engine RPM or a stall as a test?
What I have done: Cleaned MAF sensor, changed fuel filter.
What I have not done: Checked all vacuum lines, Tested fuel pressure, Tested for compression issues due to blown head gasket.
there is also a puffing noise coming from the exhaust side of the engine, im gonna grab a bottle of baby powder this afternoon and test for air leaks, i dont believe it is a misfire...
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I recently bought a 1997 Park Avenue and have a couple of repair questions.1) The car is in need of struts/shocks. The rear has air shocks. Before I purchase new air shocks, how do I test the compressor to make sure there is no problem? If the compressor is bad, is it possible to install conversion shocks and do away with the compressor/ air shocks?2) The previous owner says the cruise control does not work. On rare occasions it will work for a brief time during the winter. What things can I check out? Someone suggested checking the brake light switch.
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So my brake lights aren't working on my 1997 Buick Park Avenue, not even my middle one. All my bulbs, fuses, relays are good. My tail lights and hazards work fine. The circuit has continuity when the pedal is pressed and power going into the brake switch when the pedal is not pressed, but when pressed it has no power going in or out it just cuts off. I figured it was probably a ground then but I checked and all of the grounds are good.
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When damp or foggy, my 1990 Buick Century 3.3 will either not start or start and idle rough. Spraying WD-40 on coil packs and wires work. I tried click and clack's method of misting water on the 3 coil packs and wires when idling, and got arching on middle coil, # 2 wire to top of coil pack. Do I need to replace that coil, or just the spark plug wires? The slight mist of water on that middle coil stalled the engine, and it would restart after WD- 40 was sprayed on the coils/ wires.
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Got a strange one here. 1995 Buick Park Avenue, supercharged 3800, 159K miles... an older car, but an unmolested one. A little over a week ago I began to notice an occasional miss when cruising along at highway speeds, along with a slightly rougher idle. Both the fuel filter and the plugs/wires predated my ownership of the car (a little more than 6 months); so seeing no obvious culprit, I replaced them and hoped for improvement.
Unfortunately, neither had any impact. The missing continued to become more noticeable. It was never present under acceleration. Most of it was like a split-second long version of "bucking" that could be observed while cruising at lower (<2000) RPMs. It was also very noticeable at idle. Eventually a code was set: P0341, camshaft sensor issue. If the story had ended there, it would have been just another night in the garage. But it didn't.
As I was noticing the aforementioned symptom increase, I also noticed my voltmeter would occasionally "twitch" in the downward direction. Eventually I had an incident where I came to a stoplight... transmission in Drive, foot on brake, gauge dropped to around 10-11v. It returned to 14v momentarily, but dropped back down, held there for several seconds, returned, etc. No particular rhyme or rhythm. Of course my first guess was that the alternator was failing; a separate problem from the other.
I checked all the relevant connections (at the battery, at the alternator, etc), and cleaned them for good measure. All were tight, relatively clean, and the cables showed no resistance on the ohmmeter. It happened that I had another correct alternator on hand (used/working pull), so I swapped it in. No change. I reinstalled the original and was back where I started.
On my most recent drive, I noticed both issues had become very noticeable. The drop in voltage was happening at nearly every stop, and the missing was happening a few times per minute while coasting along. There seemed to be some correlation between the missing and voltage fluctuating, but it wasn't absolute.
I decided to attack the voltage issue again. Re-checked all the cables; same result as before (all OK). Looked all over the car for possible bad grounds, loose connections, or other visible problems, but found none. My next thought was to run a jumper from B+ to the voltage regulator's Sense input (have seen issues there on more than a few older vehicles) - but after reading that this car uses the PCM as the voltage regulator, I didn't proceed.
Just to be certain I'm going to have the alternator tested by the local auto parts store. But I suspect it'll pass.
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The problem occurs under all conditions, cold start, hot start, weather doesn't play a factor. When you turn the key it will sometimes fire right away and then die or you'll have to turn it over for a few seconds. I now just rest my foot on the gas and press it slightly the second that it fires. It will sort of stumble and surge for a second or two and then it is fine. A few times it has died at a stop light, although not recently. It has has 45,000 miles and isn't driven very often. I've scoured the internet and have come to the conclusion that it is getting too much fuel, hence when pressing the gas to open the throttle body to let more air in works. It seems to be a rather common problem with this engine but I can't seem to find an actual smoking gun fix posted anywhere. Some suggest the fuel pressure regulator. I don't have a fuel pressure tester but I the regulator isn't leaking out of the vent tube. Coolant temp sensor maybe?
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I first thought my issue might be the ignition switch or maybe the neutral safety switch but through some info I've come to realize that my issue appears to be from the anti theft system. I did a test where I turned key to start and backed off to run and then leave car for 10 minutes. I did this 3 times and it was supposed to go around the security system and then try to start but it didn't. I went through two trials with the same result. On the first of 3 times in each of the two trials the security light was not on but the 2nd and 3rd times it stayed on. I've heard this problem can be nearly impossible to trace and repair.
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Car had been running fine and all the sudden turn the key and get nothing. Dash lights come on and there's a click in glove box but nothing from starter. I have 0V at ignition post on solenoid with key in start position. I can short the 12V post and ignition post with screwdriver on solenoid and starter and engine crank as normal but car won't start. Further checking I have 0V key off at ignition module, 12V with key on. A connector outside firewall between ignition switch and transmission neutral safety switch. I took this apart, it was a 7 pin with 2 of 7 blank. The red wire I had 0V key off, 12V key on.
Then I dug into the steering column area. 12" or so down from the key there is a connector with a rod coming from the key area down into it. I assume this to be the ignition switch. The rod is supposed to move and is attached to a plunger that pushes into the connector. I assume this rod is attached to the key. When I turn the key the rod never moves. So I thought ok clamp some pliers on the rod and push it into the connector manually, it should make connection and start the car. When this had no results I am now at a loss as to where to go next. Further thought, how did I get the 12V readings in several locations with key on if ignition switch appears to be faulty. I'm not sure if it's faulty or not, things don't add up. I didn't dig into the steering column where the key is yet because I will have to remove airbag and steering wheel to do so.
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My 1995 LeSabre (3800 v6, 62K miles) has a stalling problem, no engine power, but still has electric. It happens randomly and intermittently. Most times it will restart but has been increasingly difficult to restart. The only indicator prior to stalling is the speedometer "surges" and then the loss of power. Dash lights come on (oil, voltage, CEL). Sometimes the CEL will flash in time with a fast clicking that I believe comes from the fuel pump relay under the right side of the dash. Until this clicking stops the engine will not restart. I have replaced ignition control module, and then the crank and cam sensors. Replaced PCM with rebuilt and it was worse (defective?) and put the old one back in. Mechanic can't find any codes to determine what is causing it to stall, except possibly PCM is bad.
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I have a 2000 E350 boxtruck with a 5.4 auto. The motor is a new rebuilt with about 4000 mile, coils were replaced with motor, injectors were rebuilt with motor.Today (500 miles from home) the truck died. I was going up a slight hill on an interstate. It will still start, but runs very rough and when I put it in gear and step on the gas it dies.
So I had it towed to a garage. While pushing it into the garage I noticed my gas cap was missing. I know it was on 45 min earlier because I got gas. Did I forget to put in back on? probably.. But I wondering if the missing gas cap could cause the truck to run bad,vary bad?
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I have a 1995 Buick Regal, with a 3.8L engine. When I start the car sometimes it rough idles and I have to give it a lot of gas and then it runs fine. This is completely random. Sometimes it runs just a little rough, other times really rough. The rough idling when starting the car happens about 1 out of 25 times. Sometimes when this happens I get a check engine light, most of the time not. When I am driving around I also will randomly get a check engine light, but I can't tell anything common to it. It has come on while braking, while coasting with foot off the gas and brake, normal city driving, highway driving. Also my CEL always turns off when I turn off the car and doesn't come back when I restart the car. Always.
I haven't been able to figure out what is wrong and since my car is transition OBD1 to OBD2 I can't use a OBD2 code scanner (it is an OBD1 port), nor will shorting the pins in my OBD1 type port give me codes. Being this the case I took it to a local mechanic and they scanned the computer and said they got 16 error codes. They reset the codes but couldn't get the CEL to come back on. I took it drove it for a couple of days the light came back on so I took it back to the shop and they got 18 codes out of it, but they were mostly different, with some of them giving the opposite readings of before (O2 sensor high one time, then low the next check). They said they didn't know what was going on but wanted 3-4 hours to diagnose the PCM (Powertrain control module) and would probably replace the PCM (~500 on top of the diagnostic fee). That was a bit much for me, so I took the car back.
The things I have checked are fuel pressure (seems fine at idle and revving the car in park)Vacuum is 19 and when I rev quick it drops to zero or so then up to 25 and slowly goes back to 19 (I think that means vacuum is ok). I put the gauge in the O2 sensor before the CAT and I didn't read any pressure, so I think the CAT is ok.I put on a new fuel pressure regulator, and a new fuel filter. I got the same PCM at a Pick-n-pull place and put it is my car 3 days ago. Yesterday I got a check engine light while driving again. The mechanic will charge me to check the codes, but I think it is just doing the same thing as always. I am sort of at a loss as what to do. I though it I was to dive around with a scanner hooked up and the light went on then I could see what the sensors were doing when all the trouble codes fire. I was looking at the Actron CP9190, but it doesn't log the data stream for OBD1 cars, only for OBD2.
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'91 buick, 3 spd. 0 acceleration in 3rd, trouble code says TCC curcuit. Lopes @ idle when warm, runs rough @ times. many new sensors, timing chain & sprockets, still, the loping.
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2002 f-350 diesel 4x4 7.3l. It stalls out a few times lately( and starts right back up) and it runs rough like there is an air bubble then smooths out. Changed 1 fuel filter and the pcv valve. 96,000 miles.
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I have a 94 buick lesabre custom that is stalling intermittently and runs rough intermittently. We have had it for diagnostics and it could not read the codes. We changed the computer and it still can't read the codes. The diagnostic tool says it cannot connect when it is plugged in or it displays white flecks like snow flakes on the tool screen. It is an OBDII. The pin structure of the data connector port is two pins top row and bottom row two pins some blanks and one pin. We don't know how to fix it with no diagnostic codes and we don't know what to do to get the codes because we have changed the computer.
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I have a 1993 Audi 100s 2.8L V6It needs new spark plug wires for sure. However recently when I start it up it has been blowing white smoke out the tail pipe and runs really rough. However once I run her for a while smoke goes away even when heavily accelerating. Also when It runs rough I can smell raw gas. Whats going on to my car?
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I have recently been having some movement in the rear of my car...I can mainly feel it when I am going under 20 mph. I have had replaced the two rear tires with other used tires cuz my original tires were going bald. Can this be the problem? Can Broken belts on the tires or "BAD TIRES" can cause this or is it another problem I should be worried about i.e sway bar links/ sway bar, etc.? 2000 buick PA 3.8
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