Hey guys, I really hope this is ok... but I have a problem with my Grand Am. Grand Am GT focuses more on V6s, and I know a lot of you have the 2.4 TwinCam in your car, and I've got the same RPO motor and I'm desperate, so please help me.... and I really apologize for an non J-body thread.
It's a 1997 Grand Am GT with the 2.4 LD9 TwinCam. The car runs like crap. It started doing this two weeks ago, and I really want to get this taken care of.
Here are my symptoms. When I first start the car, the car idles perfectly smooth. It'll continue to idle perfectly smooth also without any problems.
The car will accelerate normally so long as I do not give it any more than 1/4 throttle. If I give it like 1/2 throttle, the car will bog down severly.. almost to the point where it'll want to stall out. So much in fact that even when I let up off the gas, it's next to impossible to get the car to stop hesitating.
Just took it out for a spin tonight and I had the same symptoms. When I pulled it back in it's parking space, the car died. I started the car up (with many cranks) and it finally started, just barely... I tapped the gas a couple of times, and then it started to idle perfectly normal again.
When this first happened, I got a check engine light flash on and off. I bought an OBD-II scanner and it gave me a generic error saying "Multiple Cyl Missfires" and that's basically the extent of it. The car gives no other errors.
I also noticed that when I first started the car, I got out and smelled the exhuast, it smelled really rich. Like that one time I installed 19lb fuel injectors in my Fiero's engines instead of the 15lb injectors.
NOW, my questions are:
1 - If either of my Oxygen Sensors are bad, is it possible that they can fail without sending a signal?
2 - Can I test to see if the O2 sensor is bad by disconnecting it? Will the car still run (although very rich?)
3 - If it's my fuel pump, would it really act like this, or wouldn't it fail completely?
4 - Is there a way for me to check my fuel pressure? I've got a fuel pressure gauge, but I don't see a schrader valve anywhere on the fuel rail.
5 - Any other ideas what it could be?
I cleared that cyl misfire code, and there are no other error codes.
Any help is really appreciated. This car runs like crap, and I'm so tired of dealing with it. It ran flawlessly before then. I have new plugs in it, clean Redline Synthetic oil, the transmission filter and fluid were just changed 10k miles ago... the car is up on it's maintenance...
Thanks...
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Todd,
2002 Ford Crown Victoria LX
1997 Grand Am GT
1990 Pontiac Sunbird
1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6 5-Speed
1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6 Auto
1984 Pontiac Fiero 2m4 SE
1981 Pontiac TransAm WS6
1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter
http://community.webshots.com/user/todd82ta
1997 Pontiac Grand Am GT
1987 Pontiac Fiero SE / V6 WS6
1984 Pontiac Fiero 2m4 SE WS6
1983 Volvo 240 Turbo Wagon
1981 Pontiac TransAm WS6
1973 Volkswagen Type-2 Transporter
It could be possible that an ignition coil or both are bad, or the ICM, or maybe the coil pack housing has a crack in it. Can you look at the TPS voltage on the scanner you bought?
http://members.cardomain.com/scrawnyguy18
It sounds like a TPS problem , which like scrawnguy said check the voltage . Also check the voltage for the MAP sensor it could throw your engine off causing it to act up .
Also check your coil pack housing for any signs of burnt areas or cracks . The spark could be jumping from plug to plug through a crack or an area that is burnt .
<a href="http://users.adelphia.net/~rdbryant1/index.html.html"><img src="http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/mrgoodwrench/personal_pic.jpg" border=4></a>
Could also be a vacuum leak. Had that happen to me on my 98 Z24. Found a cracked vacuum line right off the TB.
98 Z24
RIP Specks
I'm having a very similar problem. Nothing has changed on my car, but all of the sudden it started bogging down under power. It's being very inconsistent, I drove it home from the other side of town, but it did this a few times, sometimes so bad that it stalled.
I just ordered an intake, exhaust, and an alternator pulley, but I'm gonna hold off on that until my car is running good again. I also have a couple of additional symtoms:
A couple of weeks ago, the headlights stopped working, unless I pull back on the stick thing, like I'm about to turn on the brights... but don't pull it that far back. I wedged a piece of paper in there, and the lights will stay on. Also, my horn recently stopped working, and today, right before this staggering problem started, my speedometer started jumping around a bunch when I let off the gas.
I guess I'll check out a few of the things ya'll mentioned to see whats up.
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1998 Cavalier Z24
