White93z34 Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 can anyone shed some light on whats going on here? basically, when the car is cold, it is a BITCH to get started, usually takes 3 or greater tries to get it to stay running, and once it is running it runs very poor till it is a little warm, generally it will stumble, and hesitate. however once it is warm it will run pretty good, not excellent, but good. list of recently replaced items Spark Plugs (NGK) Plug wires PCV Fuel Filter Battery Air filter Also I am getting a P0171 code so I am leaning towards a bad MAF Edit: Also when i take off the oil cap the idle changes and gets weird and there is a lot of suction on the oil cap hole. thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gp90se Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 LQ1 swap time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 clean the MAF and see if that helps. takes 2 minutes if you have the security torx bits and the MAF cleaner handy. and you could try the old 'spray around the intake manifold with starter fluid' to check for vacuum leaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 don't those older L36's have LIM problems? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
runt Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 don't those older L36's have LIM problems? Yes. Make sure you aren't blowing coolant out the LIM. My mother had a '98 Bonne w/ the L36 and I was driving it the day the Intake Mainfold completely melted. They were made of plastic for awhile. For the day or two that it sat before it got fixed, trying to start it was almost impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89SupremeCutty Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 don't those older L36's have LIM problems? Yes. Make sure you aren't blowing coolant out the LIM. My mother had a '98 Bonne w/ the L36 and I was driving it the day the Intake Mainfold completely melted. They were made of plastic for awhile. For the day or two that it sat before it got fixed, trying to start it was almost impossible. what idiot would put plastic near things that get very hot? people designing these motors aren't very smart. and so what if it costs less to make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 Obvioulsy you dont know about the different types of plastic... Id start by cleaning the MAF, and also like others have said check for vacuum leaks, as well as the coolant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Regal Limited Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 to me it almost sounds like you arn't getting enough spark. what engines need to run is fuel-air-spark. After you try what the other guys say I say Coilpacks/icm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron350 Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 Usually if you have vacuum at the valve cover filler hole the lower PCV valve o-ring is missing ir FUBAR. Blocking off the PCV air intake at the throttle body with a TB spacer can cause the same condition. Solve this vacuum problem before doing any thing else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99RegalGS Posted October 22, 2007 Report Share Posted October 22, 2007 Coolant Temp sensor possibly? If the sensor thinks the engine is 200* the engine will run very bad when cold and will be very lean when it's cold, causing the o2 sensor code. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 If the CTS was bad it would be running soo rich youd be blowing black smoke out the tailpipe. When the sensor goes bad the ECM goes to default setting which is it think its -44* outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99RegalGS Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 That's if the sensor failed open... I've seen sensors short also, so they send a signal above 200* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
19Cutlass94 Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 hmm... never seen that happen... but i guess it could... and apparently does Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted October 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 from my best understandings, the intake gaskets were replaced at one point in the cars life, when I don't know exactly, but I have no coolant in the oil, and the system holds good pressure. as far as the weird vacuum at the valve cover, i am kinda lost there i put a new PCV valve in it, and that seemed to make no difference. i also checked over the vacuum lines, nothing seems to be out of place or leaking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 i have the same vacuum at the oil cap as well. mine runs fine til you remove it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron350 Posted October 23, 2007 Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 These will help with the L-36 PCV valve o-ring. http://macgp.clubgp.com/howto/engine/pcv/gt/pcv.html http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=86250&highlight=pcv+oring http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=76931&highlight=pcv+oring Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted October 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2007 that is excellent information, next time i work on the car i will most defiantly check that out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted October 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 alright i was at the junkyard today and tore apart an l36, i snagged that O ring out of it as well as a spring that mine was missing that went in overtop of the PCV. and i grabbed a MAF, and the car runs far better now, it starts so much easier, and runs smoother, i think i still have a vaccum leak somewhere, but i'll try and find that tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88Regal Limited Posted October 28, 2007 Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 nice! So what was up with the tranny? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted October 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 the tranny is toasted real well, the trans gasket leaks bad, and i think the last owner ran it without any fluid and ruined it real good. now that most of the bigger issues are getting ironed out it is about ready to be towed to the trans shop where it will either get rebuilt or have a used trans put in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White93z34 Posted October 28, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2007 ok, the car is still a pain to get started up, but not near as bad as it was, for the first few minutes it will run poor, and it stumbles bad if you try and give it gas, is it possible for a bad coil pack to cause this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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