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mine varies most the time its just dieing while im driving out of the blue and i cant predict when it will happen but it has started and shut right back off and when its at idle after running for a little while it dies if at that time i push the gas it will keep running but when i let off it dies... its crazy and cant figure it out just yet but i will be changing the ect and thermostat and the tps tomorrow and update then...
i have seen the 02 / maf fuse blow on these and cause issues. ive even had to run a new power wire to the maf and the o2. dunno why but after i verify the two sensors didnt have power with a good fuse i ran a jumper and its been over a year. been fine. this was a 97 gt. just an idea. do you have a scanner at all? do these two sensors read they are working?
i have hooked it up to a scanner the first day it happen... there was a code p0119 i think about a coolant temperature the guys at advance told me that meant thermostat so i didnt think much more of it because i didnt think that is what was causing the problems but i got to reading and it said that code could be the ect (engine coolant temperature) sensor and it could cause the issues im having that is the only reason im going to change that along with the thermostat (which i dont think my car has) i never gets to operating temp i bought it back in august last year and it never has... if that dont work next will be the tps.... 02 sensor is on the list too where is the 02/maf sensor under the hood? are they the same fuse?
sorry i just re read this and realized what you were asking... i dont have a scanner to test wires
so i changed the thermostat (my car actually did have one) and the ect today... actually had to exchange the ect 3 times because the first 2 were defective. Car runs a good normal temp now and so far so good but will get back with in a couple days to let you know for sure if it worked. thanks everyone for all your help!
ok after changing the ect my car now runs good temp and seemed to run good yesterday but sure enough when i went out this morning to start it it did not want to stay running i had to push on the throttle to keep it going the tach was all over the place while it was bogging finally after pushing the gas it stoped so i pulled it up to the house and parked it once again it started bogging out and then died. I went inside and came back out about 5 min later and it wouldnt start about 15 min later it started up but was bogging more got it pulled back to garage and parked it about 2 hours later i went out and tried starting it and once again it was bogging and the tach was all over the place... im wondering if i fixed one problem but caused another or if its the same problem just getting worse....
So last night i had started my car and it was idling horrible it only wanted to stay running decent if i was pushing the gas. I popped the hood and unplugged the MAF sensor at that time the car idle went to normal and it seemed to run better i did not drive it this way just idle. I plugged it back in and the car still ran good. Now i had put a new MAF sensor on it but didnt leave it on there it still died while i was at idle so i took it back off and put my old one one thinking it wasnt the problem. My air filter is dirty and as i was putting that back in the car stalled so i took it back out and tried again to see if it would stall nope got it back in and it was still running... at this point i unplugged the intake air temp sensor and when i plugged the hole the car stalled so once again i re started the car and tried plugging the hole but it still ran... when i plugged the iat sensor back in the car stall after 1 min... i had read a few different things as to what the possible causes could be and when you unplug the MAF... first would be a bad MAF, it could be a vac leak, o2 sensor,MAP sensor, TPS sensor , Plugs and wires im sure there is more, i did recheck the fuel pressure while the car was idling terrible but it was still good. There is still no code and i want to feel like im getting closer but really im not... Any thoughts would help!
I did change the ECT 2 days ago (yes it was bad) my car never got to operating temp according to the gauge. Also changed the thermostat but it was good i just wanted to change it since i was in the area.
while it was idling really rough there was a slight black smoke coming from exhaust
Once again thanks for all your help!!!
One thread per issue please. Last thing you want to do is make someone helping you trot around the forum from PLEASE HELP thread to OMG MY CAR DOESN'T RUN RIGHT PLEASE HELP. Little tick i have about that.
Now..I'm going to read your latest post and see if I can help out.
im sorry i thought i had to post a new one..
just dealt with the stalling issue on startup with the gfs car.. i sprayed the maf sensor with maf sensor cleaner and what you need to do is unbolt the throttle body, get yourself a can or 2 of throttle body cleaner and clean that out good. they look somewhat clean from the front but unbolt them and you will see the butterfly valve is caked with carbon clean it with an old toothbrush and rags. the computer tells the throttle body to open so much but the carbon height or butterfly valve sticking trying to get past the carbon limits the amt of air flow, this is why once you press the gas pedal and get the valve open more u have no issues.. her car starts up strong now. hope this helps
Any updates Bre?
I'm watching this thread because I have a real similar problem on my 2002 3.8 GT with 93,000 miles. Had it to the GM dealer and been to 2 different indepenent mechanics (3 times for the independents) and each time I get the car there, it runs and starts fine so they can't find the problem.
Sometimes won't start but engine will turn over.
Sometimes won't start and engine doesn't turn over. Starter motor just clicks.
Sometimes it dies while driving down normal (normal smoothness) streets.
Sometimes it dies while waiting at stop light, or a few days ago while in fast food drive thru lane (not a good place but safer than on the street).
When either the car won't start or when it dies, the pattern has been give it a few minutes then try again, and it either starts that time or give it a few more minutes and it starts. One time it died just a few blocks from mechanic and I think perfect, they will catch it in the act and find problem, but, by time mechanics drove 2 blocks and used their "push" truck to push the car back to shop, the car starts fine at the shop.
The independent mechanic that has looked at the car twice thinks the most probably culprit is the Ignition Control Module but would really like to catch the car when it is dead to see because he said it is $350 to replace that.
I'm looking for help too. I've left a message on "Car Talk" radio but haven't got a call back but it's only been 3 days.
If anyone has an opinion, I'm all ears. (newer battery and tried another battery but same problem, checked battery connections and starter connections, clean air filter, new fuel filter, new thermostat, fresh oil, good tranny fluid, removed ignition lock plunger but problem was there before - just listing things to let you know the maint has been done, not that any of these things might cause this problem anyhow).
On edit - the problem does seem to appear more often as time goes on. Been fighting it for the last year but the last few weeks it has happened multiple times. All in all, probably has happened 10 times the last 12 months.
only 10 times in 12 months thats pretty good.. i traded the car for a chevy, after over $600 it was still getting worse the day i went to trade it it died 3 different times. I have 3 kids and need something reliable that i know is not going to leave us stranded. Cant say i would EVER buy another pontiac well unless it was a 79 trans am... sorry i wasnt much help everything i did seemed to fix the problem for 18 hours then it did it again there was multiple problems and it go to spendy and stressful! wish you all luck with your grand prix's
Bre - I see your from NE too. If I would have just bought my car I would thought I got yours. Had the car for 6 years and it's been great other than the last year. Car wouldn't start in the driveway an hour ago but my daughter took my wifes car instead. Not home now to look at it but I bet it starts fine when I get home.
Yesterday, April 7, 2012, I installed a new Ignition Control Unit from Autozone. Duralast brand, $150. Very easy install. Under the 3 coils on the 3.8.
I was going to give a new ICU a try to see if it would solve some electrical issues. Problem is, immediately upon install I test drove 2 blocks and it had a misfire. I shut if off, checked that all connections were tight, drove again and misfire. I pulled the new Duralast out and installed the OEM and it ran fine (runs fine most of time anyhow). Took Duralast back to Autozone and they refunded my money. I asked them if they were going to test the Duralast and they said not right now. The did test my OEM and it tested fine an hour earlier when I bought the Duralast but those electrical problems are like that.
Since they wouldn't test the new unit right then, I was hesitant to get another new one so I took the refund. I will drive the car to work this week (daughters car) and see if it acts up on me and maybe I'll be lucky and be able to test a few connections off the ICU (power, ground) so narrow down the problem a little. I also have an inline spart tester so we'll see.