FastLeatherRecliner Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 i just got a turbo grand prix from a guy at work that has had it for a while. i have been doing some research on these cars and i havent seen much in the way of a 5 speed. mine has a 5 speed. the guy told me he put it in a bunch of years back and got tired of it. i cant seem to get it going right. it runs but not too good. the guy said he just spent over a thousand in the cross over pipe cause it was cracked and i have read about them going bad. this one should not be bad cause he just put it on a few weeks ago. it just just to stall at lights and stuff.....my wife wont drive it and wants it gone. is there any way to fix it. would a new chip from that guy that sells them online work? i dont really like sending money to some one online i dont know...like just a email addy or something like that. the chips should work even if its a 5 speed manual right? thanks for your help and i hope to post more as time goes by but its already 3 in the morn here. thanks JS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godofthunder Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 sorry i cant help you, but nice to see someone near me. Im in richmond jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 JS, welcome, over time I know you will be happy to find that you have scored a very fine and unique American Sports Car. The automatic has some very simple items on it that can elude most from figuring out their running problems and that is too bad, less they visit this and the other TGP Talk Forums. Aside from those few simple items, back 4 years ago there were no tested performance auto tranny rebuilds (but those are coming) so I understand why the previous owner may of wanted a manual, but I know many TGP owners with the auto that either have theirs still running with over 150k miles, or have a rebuild that is still going, some TGP owners with over 250k miles now. Those high of miles should tell you that the 3.1 is a damn good engine if it just gets a little care, and the turbo has done very well being water cooled. One of the few turbo failures I have heard (I have talked to over 2,000 TGP owners) were more from running with a lot of boost and not keeping the stock air filter replaced every 5k miles, this because the stock air filter is too small and plugs very fast, this loads the turbo bearings straining it to breath!! Other turbo failures have been from neglect, meaning run hard on hot summer days then immediately shutting off the engine and not allowing the turbo to cool at least some, more so with an oil of lesser quality and/or too many miles between oil changes. So, those very few who had failures means the turbo lasts quite well. Do some reading, but this Forum and the other TGP Forum are getting a lot of pages to sort through, but in these to sites you will find most of the common issues the TGP (and other W-Body) cars might have, and the best and easiest fix. As for your pipe, that is very common, and it must be the previous owner did not have internet access or he could have avoided the (retail) shock of $1,400 for that OEM crossover pipe! Your stalling on an automatic would be a fairly easy fix and is common to many of them, they still may relate to yours but for sure your manual conversion without a manual version of the computer chip is what is causing your stalling. Out of the 2,000 TGP owners I have talked with, less than 10 have a manual now but there is a chip that is here that you can try if you like, not sure how tested it is but sounds from those few who have run it that it takes care of the stalling part, I am sure if you look you will find the info here at this site. Also do a search for TGP, Turbo Grand Prix, Grand Prix Turbo and you will find some excellent sites on these cars, Shawn L who runs this site has an excellent one as well as; Chris A, Jason L, Fat Guy and a lot more that I have on my laptop (still moving things to my new desktop), but there are links from these to the many others, check them out, lot of good pics, history, info, fixes, you name it, this is a car to own and enjoy!!! Best of luck as a new owner! Jeff M Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 Jeff, Can you post some of those links you're talking about. I know Chris's and Jason's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff M Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 The ones at the top are more TGP and TSTE, but there is a mix of W-Body stuff as well (same as ours). Also below are some Forums, Message Boards and such. There could be more but like I said, I am moving files and favorites from my old laptop to my new desktop for now and don’t have all of them. Hope you guys get some work done today, or some sleep tonight ;-). Jeff M http://www.w-body.com/ http://home.att.net/~aldridgec/ http://www.geocities.com/ste_turbo/home.html http://www.turboste.com/ http://groups.msn.com/TurboSTE/_homepage.msnw?pgmarket=en-us http://www.netavalanche.com/tgp/ http://www.turbograndprix.com/ http://www.geocities.com/chaotictgp/index.html http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/PontiacGrandPrix/messages/ http://groups.msn.com/TGP http://groups.msn.com/turboste/_homepage.msnw?pgmarket=en-us http://discussions.gmforums.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=90 http://directory.google.com/Top/Recreation/Autos/Makes_and_Models/Pontiac/Grand_Prix/?pid=elnk http://macgp.clubgp.com/index1.html http://www.clubgp.com/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=8&CAT_ID=2&Forum_Title=1988+%2D+1996+Grand+Prix%27s&whichpage=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1trucavalier Posted January 23, 2003 Report Share Posted January 23, 2003 i am in woodbridge, va kinda far from you, but what actually are you trying to do/fix on the car. What actual driveability issues are you having? I strongly suggest buying the chip first before replacing parts. I replaced every sensor, tune-up, coils, cooling system etc... and ended up with the same problem. Your not alone though my wife hates my car and I like it that way I don't have to worry about her driving it. CHIP FIRST! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manualturbo Posted January 24, 2003 Report Share Posted January 24, 2003 if i were u, i would talk to kenny k(tgpilot), and see if he can burn u a chip. i got one from him, and no more stalling b/c the chip is configured for a 5 speed. it works great, but it has some performance modifications-so u will have to get an air filter upgrade. hope this helps. if u get the chip i promise u will not regret it. mitch 90tgp 5 speed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastLeatherRecliner Posted January 25, 2003 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2003 if its just a file i am sure i can get someone to burn a chip in town for me. i really dont think that automatic chip will work cause thats what i have now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TGPilot Posted January 28, 2003 Report Share Posted January 28, 2003 if i were u, i would talk to kenny k(tgpilot), and see if he can burn u a chip. i got one from him, and no more stalling b/c the chip is configured for a 5 speed. it works great, but it has some performance modifications-so u will have to get an air filter upgrade. hope this helps. if u get the chip i promise u will not regret it. mitch 90tgp 5 speed Thanks Mitch...I am glad you like it!!!! I wish I could enjoy it to it's full potential also, but I think another injector has dropped out!! Damn things. I am going to research larger injectors for our set-ups and go from there. I will not pay $100 per injector ever again!!! FastLeatherRecliner...please make sure you copy the .bin from your original EPROM for me. If you don't have a way to burn a chip let me know and for your .bin file for the Speedo setting I will send the chip back to you at my cost (overnight) after we burn the new info on it!! Deal?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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