Hi everyone I'm new here. Glad to join, looking for some insight for the problem with the family car. It's an 02 Grand Prix GT with 130k miles, it's been the perfect car until now!After complaints of hesitation, poor acceleration, and hard shifts I test drove the car from a cold start and after only running 7 mins, coolant was 190* and I popped the hood to find the exhaust manifolds glowing cherry red! I shut off the car right away. I saw my AIR system regulator(?) was melted. SEE PIC ATTACHED. With my generic scan tool I got P0300 (random misfire), no other codes. Previously my family member who drives the car had been noticing the occasional "hesitation" which was thought to only be bad gas. The car has run great for 5 yrs now and I figured the trans would be first to go. Despite my recommendations to the family member who owns it, the trans fluid & filter has never been changed. During my test drive I noticed late shifts, hard shifts, and it felt like very bad slipping at low rpm in at least 2nd and 3rd gear. It never went into OD. Also toward the end of the drive I heard a loud rushing fluid sound, not a high pitched wine. Based on what I've read on this forum I think it's a bad front band, maybe the pressure switch manifold. At first I thought is was a clogged catalytic converter. Anyway what should I do now? I'd like to fix it so we can sell it or keep driving it. I think the car still has some life left in it.
