Thread: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III

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  1. #21 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member Do Rag's Avatar
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    A little light goes a long way. What a ridiculous amount of fasteners.

    Edit-Turns out you don't have to take the splash guard out to be able to drain the coolant from the radiator. The drain plug is on the driver side of the radiator on the back side. Easy Peasy.

    Getting all the coolant out of the motor a bother though. Think I'll run it till it warms a bit and see what happens.
    Last edited by Do Rag; 10-24-2011 at 05:32 PM.
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  2. #22 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member donalda's Avatar
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    I have a 99 gp gt. I replaced my fuel filter and it helped alot. It is underneath the driver side door on my car. Not sure if yours is the same or not
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  3. #23 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member Do Rag's Avatar
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    Got this all done.
    Unbolted the dog bones and used a bottle jack under the engine, pulled the upstream O2 sensor, then was finally able to get to #6. Yea, I broke that plug trying to put it in. Replaced it and all is well.
    Whew. Glad this is done.

    Edit-I'll post up some pics later. Turns out putting fluid in the PS pump takes that whining away. lol, I had to crawl under the car while it was up on ramps to take the cap off and put it back on. To fill it, I had to tape a hose onto a long funnel. No wonder those things don't get filled often enough.
    Last edited by Do Rag; 10-25-2011 at 05:30 PM.
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  4. #24 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    GTP Level Member Couch's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Do Rag View Post
    Edit-I'll post up some pics later. Turns out putting fluid in the PS pump takes that whining away. lol, I had to crawl under the car while it was up on ramps to take the cap off and put it back on. To fill it, I had to tape a hose onto a long funnel. No wonder those things don't get filled often enough.
    I have a couple scars on my hand from topping that up. such a PITA
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  5. #25 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member Do Rag's Avatar
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    I think I'm done with this car for a while so thanks for all the help. I hope someone finds this work log useful.

    Jon.
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  6. #26 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    Turbo is the way to go. Fivefingerdeathpunch's Avatar
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    um........ reach behind the alt and downwards and the cap is right there?

    or is that tooooo easy? and then use a funnel and fill it up?

    SMGPFC Member #1
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  7. #27 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member Do Rag's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fivefingerdeathpunch View Post
    um........ reach behind the alt and downwards and the cap is right there?

    or is that tooooo easy? and then use a funnel and fill it up?
    I found it easier to reach it from underneath with my big dick skinners. If you have little chick hands, your way might be the way to go.
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  8. #28 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member Do Rag's Avatar
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    It's now two year later and the car is back on the radar. Runs like crap, throwing codes, and generally being a nuisance.
    P0300=Random Misfire
    P0128=Coolant Temp Below Regulating Temp.
    I won't be looking at it again till next week but would love to have some ideas about where to go. AFAIK, no other work has been done to the car besides my tune up in this thread. I plan to check the spark plugs but don't really know what else to do. Suggestions?
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  9. #29 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member MOTELETJR's Avatar
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    A. It's under the MAP sensor in the upper plenum. You need to remove the MAP sensor by turning it ¼- turn while pushing down. Remove the sensor and the PCV should be under that. Reach in with needle nose pliers to grab it.
    REMOVAL PROCEDURE:
    1. Remove the injector sight shield from the fuel rail and intake.
    2. Remove the MAP sensor (1).
    3. Use a 16 mm socket to press the access cover (2) down and rotate 1/4 turn counterclockwise.
    4. Remove the access cover.
    5. Remove the PCV valve (3) and the O-ring (4) from the intake manifold.

    INSTALLATION PROCEDURE:
    1. Install the crankcase ventilation valve (3); replace the O-ring (4) if necessary.
    2. Install the access cover (2).
    3. Install the MAP sensor (1).
    4. Install the sight shield.

    http://autorepair.about.com/library/a/1a/bl338a.htm


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  10. #30 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member Do Rag's Avatar
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    The PCV valve is going to cause random misfire?
    It is intermittent but does happen a lot. I'll ask him if it happens more or less after it's warmed up.

    Thanks btw. Spending the time and the brain cycles to help "some guy" on the internet doesn't pay well but it sure helps me a lot.
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  11. #31 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
     

  12. #32 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member Do Rag's Avatar
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    I put a can of Sea Foam in the tank last week and he says it helped a bunch. Still not 100% though. I wonder if the fuel pump is going out?
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  13. #33 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
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    I've had a random idle shudder in my car the past couple years but it never throws a code. I've replaced plugs, wires, pcv, cleaned throttle body. Nothing really helped the occasional shudder.

    Hope you figure yours out so I can try it on mine 2008 grand prix 3800 III N/A - 86k miles.

    I like your walkthrough btw, especially the pictures.
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  14. #34 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member Do Rag's Avatar
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    As far as I can tell this car doesn't have a proper fuel filter, and dirty injectors would cause this. That would also explain why the Sea Foam was so successful. I thought Chevron gas was supposed to prevent this kind of thing.

    Napa does cleaning and flow testing but it would take a couple days and $150 dollars and I'm not completely sure that would fix it. He seems satisfied enough so I'm leaving it here for now.
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  15. #35 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    GXP Level Member 91parkave's Avatar
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    Don't ever think chevron gas is special or any brand of gas is special. All the trucks go to the same refinery and get their fill from the same holding tank. The biggest factors in gasoline stations are the age and quality (conensation, debris etc..) of the tanks there stored in.
    06 GXP | 222/227 cam/cartuning turbo kit on 8psi/meth/e85 coilovers/ still on stock trans at 130k
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  16. #36 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    SE Level Member Do Rag's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 91parkave View Post
    Don't ever think chevron gas is special or any brand of gas is special. All the trucks go to the same refinery and get their fill from the same holding tank. The biggest factors in gasoline stations are the age and quality (conensation, debris etc..) of the tanks there stored in.
    The Wiki page says Techron is supposed to make Chevron one of the top tier gas products. The page also says it might just be an ad and asks for a better write up. lol.
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  17. #37 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    GTP Level Member Couch's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by blueguy91 View Post
    Just take off the dog bones and remove those pointless engine brackets by the coil pack bracket and the one in the back...it'll give you tons more room to work with...also...nice to know that GM still used the U-Bend in later model cars...I thought they didn't.

    not sure when they changed it but my 2008 has no such bend
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  18. #38 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    GXP Level Member 91parkave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Do Rag View Post
    The Wiki page says Techron is supposed to make Chevron one of the top tier gas products. The page also says it might just be an ad and asks for a better write up. lol.
    I used to work for racetrack similar to quick trip when I had to do the logs for incoming fuel it would all come from the same damn tanks I actually had to go up there with my discrict manager and you see all the top brands trucks rolling into the same place for fuel I was like damn lol
    06 GXP | 222/227 cam/cartuning turbo kit on 8psi/meth/e85 coilovers/ still on stock trans at 130k
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  19. #39 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
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    Something I noticed, but forgot to mention, was that the guy doing to work didn't use iridium plugs. Isn't that a big deal for this engine? He used platinum...
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  20. #40 Re: Tune up the 05 Grand Prix with 3800 III 
    I live here. 02NavyBlue's Avatar
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    Well, how is the situation now? Mind keeping us up to date? I had the P0128 on an impala with the 3.8, a new thermostat should solve it. I ended up just flushing out all of the dex cool and replacing both the thermostat and rad cap.
    2006 Grand Prix GT S/C 109k - Modded Transgo Shift Kit, Gutted Airbox, Dash Cam, and Inlays. Retros soon to come.
    2002 Grand Prix GT N/A 127k - Same as 06 Plus: Trans Cooler, DIY Aux Input, LED lighting, Suspension Upgrades, Tint, Retrofits.
    Sold.
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