Thread: Need help. Noob. Frequent reader. 2000 GTP. 235,000. Bone stock. Even factory LIMs!

Noob to the forum. Have been cruising through here for months reading posts and gathering knowledge and now a member. Experiencing 2 problems mentioned below. Not on here asking for help on doing the LIMs, LOL. Thanks to ScottyDoggs for giving out so much advice. Really good stuff on here. Inherited a 2000 GTP from my dad. Its been in the family all its life, brand new off the Haggerty lot. He drove it like a baby and its made it to 235,000 miles with factory LIMs. That's right, made in Kansas, factory installed LIMs, still on there now. Every single button on the car works, every light bulb, even HUD works. Body has almost zero rust, inside is mint. Rusty undercarriage. My good friend/mechanic, has done a lot of work to this car over the last 2yrs. I have been able to knock out some minor things as well. See complete list below. I had everything fixed as it broke. With so much work done, I'm now very interested in keeping this car alive, especially since they don't make them anymore.

I'm dealing with 2 problems right now that I have not seen specifically addressed on here. Maybe they have, but I definitely have spent a lot of time on here.

1. Car overheats at idle only. Great while driving, highway, etc., but a long drive-thru = overheating. Coolant is not disappearing. Done everything to test coolant flow and found that when giving the car gas, when parked, temp drops like a rock. Meaning better flow when the water pump spins faster. Water pump was replaced 1.5yrs ago. Could it be anything else?

2. Car experiences jerky acceleration, when WOT. Can't describe it with the correct words, but it happens when the engine changes over... sound goes from ehhhhhhh to uuuuuhhhhhh and you're still accelerating (down shift or something?). That's when it starts to kick a little which makes you let off the gas immediately. Sometimes it kicks pretty hard. Usually happens when already cruising 50ish and then pressing down harder. Tranny was replaced at 60,000 miles with a Jasper trans. Plus it was driven by dad so no burn outs... Any tips on what it could be? From reading the posts, could it be the CAT? Injectors?

I appreciate any feedback!

Work Done over 2yrs. In the order it happened:
Air Flow Sensor, Radiator, t-stat, all cooling hoses, water pump and pulley, radiator cap, fuel pump, fuel filter, EGR, both belts, 4 tires, battery, alternator, coolant elbows, another radiator (other shop broke drain plug on previous new one), all 4 struts/springs, harmonic balancer, crank shaft position sensor, front wheel bearings, ball joints and control arms, all coil packs, all spark plugs, all spark plug wires, power steering pump & pulley & hoses, new belts again, brake pads & rotors. Practically a new car...

To do ASAP = LIMs ; Rack and Pinion

For issue number 1, check your cooling fans and see if they are spinning. Get car up to temp and check the fans. And check to make sure nothing is blocking the radiator.

sounds like it needs a tune up.

and id take the t stat out, then put the housing back on and fire the car up, see if coolant pumps out the housing. water pump could be rusted out or somethings clogged up.

also the a/c condenser could be super clogged up with crap preventing air flow to the rad.

then you also need to make sure your fans are coming on.



thaks for the honorable mention your first post lol

You know these engines, for sure. Fans are kicking on at the 210ish mark. They do spin a little sluggish and then hit full speed but then they push air pretty good. Air feels pretty hot/warm too. They need replacing but seem decent. I know its not the heater core. I flushed the system by taking off the top radiator hose (just hose, not t-stat housing), stuck a garden hose deep in there and flushed till nothing but water came out the neck of the radiator. I then took off the bottom hose from the firewall heater core, took off the return hose by the alternator and flushed again. Good flow through heater core. Still decided to make a U out of the heater core hose by the alternator, basically by-passing the heater core. Still overheating. The car was bled each time. No air in the system for sure. Gotta get at that water pump or A/C Condenser. I'll search for how to check the A/C Condenser. A decade of DEX-Cool could have broken it. Water pump pulley has no play, at all. When the factory water pump was replaced the fins where nothing but little knubs so maybe this one is shot somehow as well. Sucks.... Constantly have trouble with the cooling system. Gonna try to find pics of the old water pump....

the a/c condenser can clog up with dirt, leaves, bugs and so on. spray it with degreaser from the bumper side, then hose it out by spraying the hose from inside the engine bay through the rad and a/c condenser first to wash it. then you can hose it from the out side in. do not brush it or touch it, you'll just bend the fins.

if you find a lot of dirt and crap on the ground afterwards that could have been the issue.

Okay. Right, the condenser. I got that confused with the evaporator. Maybe more testable. I'll de-grease the condenser this weekend. As far as a tune-up, do I take it to the dealer? or a local performance shop? With all the work already done, what would a tune up entail? What do I ask for? Thanks

iridium autolight spark plugs gaped to 0.60 and parts store plug wires.

a plug and wires change is like a 30 minutes job for some one who has no clue wtf they are doing, as long as you have a oz of mechanical ability you'll get it done. super easy.

they rape you for a damn tune up too. should only cost you around 60 or so tops for new plugs and wires in hand at a parts store.

a garage maybe as high as 300. for what, taking 6 plugs out and replacing 6 wires? come on.

Plugs, wires, coils were replaced less than 4 months ago. Not sure how they were gaped though. But still, new. If you recommend I change them again, I"ll do that. I though tuning has maybe more to do with the computer.

How come nobody ever says what brand of parts they used?

They may be new parts but if they are the wrong parts, you still have a issue. If the new plugs are already Iridiums, then they "should" be okay.

If this car was in my hands, I'd have my scanner on it and watching it while I drive to figure out these problems. It may or may not be misfire related but thats the first thing I'd be watching for.

Welcome aboard.

Fans can run but not be at full speed when the motors get old. One is single speed, one is multi speed, at least in my understanding of it. Different prices when I've bought them. Anyway that will make it run hot at the drive thru. Some advanced scan tools can monitor fan speed. I'm not familiar with test procedure on the motors but you did say the word sluggish. They could be switching on properly just not moving enough air.

I've had the firing order wrong on mine for long periods, a couple different incorrect ways. Some may say it won't run that way or run terrible... but it ain't necessarily so. I know. If you haven't removed the ICM from the vehicle I suggest that you do, for cleaning of the area. It grounds to the engine there. This allows a close look at the little clylinder numbers on the ICM to eliminate doubt of proper plug wire position on that end, while you're there.

New plug wires often have crappy terminals, double-check those. Just throwin in more ideas to confuse, lol.