1991chevybetty

Alright, i have a 1991 Caprice 9c1 with the 350 I bought last year in July. When i first got it, it would lunge forward or backward when i put into drive or reverse and it had a high idle at 2000 rpm, but other than that it ran like a dream until one morning in september i drove it home from work.

It started up just fine but i noticed it had a lack of power when i would accelerate, but i made it home with no problem. Later that day i went out to start it and it started right up, but died immediately. I had to keep pumping the gas pedal to keep it alive until it seemed the engine warmed up, but then when i put it in gear it would stall, when i finally got it in gear it had no power, i would have the pedal to the floor and it wouldn't move i had to pump the pedal again and then it'd just putt around the parking lot and back fire.

So after that i did some research. I replaced: EGR valve, IAC valve, coolant temp sensor, TPS sensor, MAP sensor, PCV valve, Ignition coil, oil pressure switch, fuel filter, T-stat, cap and rotor, plugs, plug wires. I also cleaned the TBI, fuel injectors, and replaced all gaskets on fuel pressure regulator and Changed intake manifold gasket twice

Still nothing. I took it to Firestone to retrieve the codes, i asked the guy if they had the obd1 tool to get them and he said yes. I left it there and went to work, a couple hours later the dumbass calls me and says they dont got it, and tells me hes gonna take out the distributer to look at it and i tell him no i'll just pick it up. When i get there he has it out and i'm just like wtf put it back. when i get it home i look at it and he didnt tighten the distributer clamp, so now my timing's f'd up too and i don't know where it was before.

I ended up replacing the fuel pump in febuary and that fixed my no power problem, but still lacks power. It's also very hard to start: i have to start engine then pump the gas for about ten minutes and then it will idle erratically for a couple more before it's steady at a high 2000 rpms and then when start driving it'll hesitate until the engine is hot, if i dont drive it for a couple hours i have to do it all over again. if it's in park no hesitation. sometimes it will die right after i drive when i put the gear in park.

I checked codes with a paper clip: i got code 15- coolant sensor circuit, i've changed three times still has the code; code 44- lean exhaust i dont know what that means or what it causes but i changed the O2 sensor and i still have the code; awhile ago i had a code 54- Fuel pump relay low voltage, but it's not there anymore dont know what caused it to show up or go away. Also my alternator light is on and sometimes the blinkers wont work.

i'm suspecting the voltage regulator because my lights will dim and the battery gauge will fluctuate when my blinkers come onand the car starts up like new after the battery has been charged(but still idles at 2000); or the ignition module.

I really really want some help, i'm cluless and so is everyone i've talked to.

Thanks

kingnutin

Sounds to me like you have some wiring issues. First check all your fuses, replace any blown ones and start the vehicle and turn everything on. Check them all again, if any blew again, check the wiring from each problem circuit, look for pinched wires, broken wires, wires with insulation worn or burned through, and burned or melted connections. Also probably want to check battery and starter cables for the same, as well as the battery to body ground wire, and the engine to body ground at the back of the motor. It sounds like its probably your fuel pump wiring, and your coolant temp sensor wiring, as well as a bad ground.

__________________
1978 Caprice Classic Landau
350 2-bolt, stock 4bbl
Stock rebuilt TH350
Edelbrock performer cam + intake
Dual 2 1/2" Flowmaster exhuast (waiting to be installed)
Edelbrock IAS Classic shocks
95 9C1 3.08 posi
4 wheel disc brakes!
16x8 American Racing Baja's with 225/60/16 Pirelli P4's

1991chevybetty

I checked fuses a few times and none of them are ever blown. i cleaned off the grounds awhile ago, but there's two that go from engine to body; one from engine to firewall and one from engine to the passenger side wheel cover, is that right? are there supposed to be others? i just changed the starter last week and the cable with it. the only one i havent was the batery to engine ground, i took that one off this morning and it looked real bad so i'll see if it makes a difference. the voltage at the coolant temp sensor connector is 12.6 volts. To check the fuel pump wiring do i need to drop the tank again and check for pinched wires?
Will a wiring problem cause it to keep from idling until it warms up?
The only messed up wire is the the one that sends the coolant temerature to the dash but i didnt think it would be a problem for anything else.
Thanks for the advice.

1991chevybetty

also i changed the fuel sending unit and the retainer and then a few weeks later i dropped the tank again and did the fuel pump but i didnt swap retainer again. Could a dirty retainer cause my problem?

thacarter546

Pull the ignition control module and have it tested. most auto parts stores will test for free. Pull the alternator and have it tested. Advance has fancy new testers that tell you what part of the alternator is malfunctioning.

OH and replace the Fuel injection and fuel pump relays. I had similar symptoms and that fixed it. altough I got stranded when each one went out.

AJSLT1

unfortunately i dont have an answer to your problems. but i just want to wish you luck in fixing because personally i probably wouldve lit the car on fire and pushed it down a hill by now. your patience are amazing hahah.

__________________
1994 Caprice 9C1- Tri Y Headers, True Dual Exhaust, Cats Deleted, Throttle Body Bypass, Air Pump Deleted, Impala SS Wheels & Grill.

1991chevybetty

If i lit the car on fire and pushed it down a hill it'd probably crash through my house somehow, haha i got bad luck, but i wouldn't do that i love it and iv'e learned alot from it. but thanks for the luck.

I took off the battery to engine and frame to engine ground, cleaned 'em and swaped the battery cable. At first it seemed to make a difference; it started right up, no problems had great power. This morning i tried to start it again to see if it was fixed and no, it still took awhile to idle, but it was alot easier to start than before though so it seems it made some kind of difference.

i'm going to pull the alternator first 'cause thats my prime suspect for some reason, and then i'll do the ignition module and if those check out i'll try the fuel pump relay, but i'm praying for the alternator. I got it to idle and hooked up a voltmeter to the battery and revved the engine, it stayed at around 14.5 every time i revved it but once it hiked up to 15. and then i checked volts at battery after i cut the engine off and it was 13.3 when before it was only 12.6 can that be a problem?

1969 Impala

1. Stop replacing parts. You're wasting a ton of your money, tossing perfectly good parts in the trash and potentially opening a Pandora's box of other problems.
2. Get the vehicle to a competent auto center that has an experienced technician that can correctly diagnose the problem and save you hundreds of dollars in unnecessary parts replacement costs.

The alternator doesn't need to be removed to be tested by Advance Auto Parts. However, an alternator will not cause the problems the car is having. The voltage readings you listed are perfectly normal.

If I had to guess, it sounds like the car has some kind of ignition timing problem and/or a restricted exhaust system/plugged up catalyctic converter. This doesn't mean I would recommend starting to replace the distributor or the catalyctic converter. The vehicle needs to be diagnosed to find out what is wrong. The staff at the discount auto parts stores see you walk through the door and have $ signs in their eyes. Stop replacing parts. Diagnose.

1991chevybetty

iv'e had it diagnosed before and the guy told me i had a leak in the intake manifold gasket, and if it wasn't that it was probably the computer and he said that because he found an open fuel injector wire up against the throttle body and that could short the computer. i changed the gasket but it made no difference. So could the computer 'cause my problem?

It's just weird to me that it runs alright after it warms up. and i have that code 15 but the voltage is correct at the Coolant temp sensor.

And i know i should't just throw parts in there but i read into every part before i bought it to see what kind of symptoms it caused if it failed, so i did the best i knew how to. i feel it could be something i changed out before i got it running with the fuel pump.

1969 Impala

Sounds to me like the, "technician", you took the car too was guessing. That's not diagnosing. Find a better technician. Ask around. Call around. Try the Chevrolet/GM dealership service department.

1991chevybetty

He said he scanned the computer and the computer itself had a trouble code.
So a dealer will take in a car this old and diagnose it?

1969 Impala

Certainly. Doesn't matter how old a car is, the dealer can work on it and many times will have the best trained/experienced technicians. Just beware of the Service Adviser's at the counter vacuuming your wallet empty!
Call around and get prices. Compare. Don't tell them what you think it might be, as you are paying them to figure that out.

1991chevybetty

Thats great! i thought they only messed with newer cars, i'm definatley gonna try that, i can't afford for them to fix it but maybe they can just find my problems for me and won't cost too much.
Thank yuh sir.

MrBuick (Magnum)

Lawlz... The greatest trained mechanics, are the ones who have done it all their life, working out of a hillbilly garage in the county. Out of the dealers around here, there are only a hand full of guys who really know what they are doing. Most of the ones that do, work at a used car dealer, or an independent, none franchised shop. I've got some pretty good stories of the "great trained mechanics" at some of the local dealers. I bet they went to UTI. No wonder they are Useless Trained Idiots!

__________________
~Cory Magner "My name is Cory, and I'm an addict."


95 DCM Buick RMS 14.21 @ 91.79 "Jesus" Blown Engine at 85k
95 DCM Buick RMS 13.52 @ 99.33 "The Doctor" Blown Engine at 180k
96 DGGM Buick RMW. 263k, still on the factory tranny.

And 5 other LT1 powered land yachts Is there Rehab for this Sh*t?

1991chevybetty

The closest hillbilly shops i know is at least a 30min. drive and i dunno if this car will make it that far haha