Thread: Don't know what to do next... help??

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  1. #1 Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    SE Level Member tai27yiuop's Avatar
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    Hey guys, I bought a 98' Grand Prix GTP from a buddy that's leaving for the Marine Corps. Anyway, I bought the car for $700, knowing it would need a lot of tlc. I don't know all that much about cars. The car was exhibiting all the classic symptoms of a faulty CPS. So, I replaced it. No luck.. Turns out it was the ignition control module. I replaced that. After thinking everything was fine and dandy, I took the car up the Santiam Pass here in Oregon. The pass has some steep grades. About 80 miles through the pass (80% uphill), the car starts losing power so I give it more gas. Eventually, gas pedal is all the way down. Car loses power uphill again, more gas, cel starts blinking. Studdering.. I pull over smell smoke. Hop out, open hood, small flame under 2nd spark plus, front side. Coolant boiling out of overflow tank. Put fire out with water. Anyway, tried to flag people down, nobody stops. Whole time I'm driving, temp gauge didn't go above 210*. Eventually decide to drive home downhill mostly. Car fires up fine drives fine to rest stop. Check under hood, tube from radiator to engine has collapsed. Coolant level is low, have to put normal antifreeze in it, no dex coolant rest stop. Got rest of way home, car ran fine. Still running fine. Changed thermostat and I'm afraid to drive pass now. Any ideas? I noticed yellow sludge a long time back when he first bought it. It's gone now and hasn't come back.
    3.8 Supercharged 1998 Grand Prix GTP
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  2. #2 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    GTX Level Member STEVEGTX's Avatar
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    Not to sure about the other things I know someone will come in and help but I know it is not good at all to mix the coolant you should get that out as fast as possible
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  3. #3 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    Turbo is the way to go. BillBoost37's Avatar
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    Being Oregon.. are you using er...at least 91 octane? I think 91 is the best you can get there.

    Mileage on the car?
    Last tune up?

    I'm thinking potentially clogging cat.
    I drink..so consider that when reading my posts.

    2010 Audi A6 Dual IC's
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  4. #4 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    Moderator dsmuts's Avatar
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    I'd say closed cat
    98 GTP modded 1.9's, sd headers, 3.4", zzp 1.0 230K miles scrapped.
    04 Comp G zzp stb's, UMI ta's, Speedbuilt sways, bully flo heads, XP, zzp headers, fsic, thrasher shift kit, 60#, 2.6" corsa 2.5", Inferno hood
    01 gt z7 turbo tep trans zzp motor
    08 g8 gt cam exhaust 11.87@118
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  5. #5 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    SE Level Member tai27yiuop's Avatar
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    170k miles.. and no I was using regular unleaded (87). And idk about last tune up possibly a few years back. I'm going to flush the radiator, but I live in an apartment and can't do work here and I don't even have access to a hose. That's interesting about the closed cat because I had a code for p0420 which if I remember correctly is the cat converter. Btw I had car in drive whole time(didn't move to 3rd). And the car is driving perfectly well in the city
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  6. #6 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    SE Level Member tai27yiuop's Avatar
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    Code randomly went away and didn't come back btw
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  7. #7 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    SE Level Member tai27yiuop's Avatar
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    Hmm if it's the catalytic converter, can I just torch it out and throw in a piece of straight pipe? Any pros or cons to doing that.. By the way I know about emission laws and what not
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  8. #8 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    SE Level Member tai27yiuop's Avatar
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    A couple other things I've noticed are a rough idle and slight loss in power
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  9. #9 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    I live here. Below Average Joe's Avatar
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    Seems to me that like said above the cat is clogged, but you also need to use a minimum of 89 octane in the GTP. You probably need a tune up too. Check out here:

    http://www.grandprixforums.net/safel...0-a-67580.html
    Quote Originally Posted by Sven The Sexman View Post
    Bill had a major role in all of the Star Wars movies; he was the force.
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  10. #10 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    Moderator dsmuts's Avatar
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    Cut the cat out and deal with the code. Min 91 octane btw
    98 GTP modded 1.9's, sd headers, 3.4", zzp 1.0 230K miles scrapped.
    04 Comp G zzp stb's, UMI ta's, Speedbuilt sways, bully flo heads, XP, zzp headers, fsic, thrasher shift kit, 60#, 2.6" corsa 2.5", Inferno hood
    01 gt z7 turbo tep trans zzp motor
    08 g8 gt cam exhaust 11.87@118
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  11. #11 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    GTX Level Member STEVEGTX's Avatar
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    Isn't there a way to get the code to stop coming up?
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  12. #12 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    I live here. Below Average Joe's Avatar
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    Thanks smutty for the correction
    Quote Originally Posted by Sven The Sexman View Post
    Bill had a major role in all of the Star Wars movies; he was the force.
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  13. #13 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    GrandPrix Junkie CTKGP09's Avatar
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    91+ octance gas, coolant flush, new plugs/wires, new/delete cat and you should like the car more
    '04 Chevy Silverado LT 4x4 - intake, headers, full exhaust, zo6 cam, 799 heads, tune, leveled, 33's
    '00 Grand Prix GTP DAYTONA 500 - L36 block, S1X, intercooled, GenV, N*, headers, full exhaust, coilovers, 5 speed swap, stage 3+ clutch
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  14. #14 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    SE Level Member tai27yiuop's Avatar
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    Awesome guys, I will look into cutting that cat out and throwing in some straight pipe
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  15. #15 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    SE Level Member tai27yiuop's Avatar
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    Hey guys, I'm back again. So with deleting the cat do I have to torch it out and throw in some straight bar? Is the cat bolted on or is it welded in? I'm trying to figure out how to do this myself and I don't have an oxy torch to cut it out or a welder. Is it possible to cut it out with a saw zawzall and clamp a tube in somehow? Or possibly cut out the cat and gut it and replace it with clamps? I know these might be "noobie" questions but I'm trying to use all the resources I have. I don't have much more money to go to the shop
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  16. #16 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    Moderator dsmuts's Avatar
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    you can buy a catless dp for cheap
    98 GTP modded 1.9's, sd headers, 3.4", zzp 1.0 230K miles scrapped.
    04 Comp G zzp stb's, UMI ta's, Speedbuilt sways, bully flo heads, XP, zzp headers, fsic, thrasher shift kit, 60#, 2.6" corsa 2.5", Inferno hood
    01 gt z7 turbo tep trans zzp motor
    08 g8 gt cam exhaust 11.87@118
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  17. #17 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    SE Level Member tai27yiuop's Avatar
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    And by the way, the code I'm getting is p0420. Autozone printed it out for me and it's "catalyst efficiency low bank 1" does that further the suspicion that the cat is out? Or could it possibly be something else ?
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  18. #18 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    Moderator dsmuts's Avatar
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    That is usually the code you get when the cat is clogged up. I'm getting that code randomly.
    98 GTP modded 1.9's, sd headers, 3.4", zzp 1.0 230K miles scrapped.
    04 Comp G zzp stb's, UMI ta's, Speedbuilt sways, bully flo heads, XP, zzp headers, fsic, thrasher shift kit, 60#, 2.6" corsa 2.5", Inferno hood
    01 gt z7 turbo tep trans zzp motor
    08 g8 gt cam exhaust 11.87@118
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  19. #19 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    SE Level Member tai27yiuop's Avatar
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    Awesome..thanks. So can anyone direct me to where I can find one? I looked around a bit. I'm not looking for anything nice just the cheapest bolt in down pipe available.
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  20. #20 Re: Don't know what to do next... help?? 
    Moderator dsmuts's Avatar
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    Zzp had them cheap i thought
    98 GTP modded 1.9's, sd headers, 3.4", zzp 1.0 230K miles scrapped.
    04 Comp G zzp stb's, UMI ta's, Speedbuilt sways, bully flo heads, XP, zzp headers, fsic, thrasher shift kit, 60#, 2.6" corsa 2.5", Inferno hood
    01 gt z7 turbo tep trans zzp motor
    08 g8 gt cam exhaust 11.87@118
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