j_mezz Posted January 18, 2009 Report Posted January 18, 2009 I was driving my 92 cutlass (3.4 coupe) this morninig and noticed that it had lost some power in the upper RPM's. I was shoveling snow at various locations so I made several stops. It got a little worse as time went on (this was all today, car was fine yesterday). Then it stalled on me at a light about 1/2 hour ago. got it started again and kept the rpm's up (manual tranny), got it into a parking lot, let off the gas and she stalled and now won't start. got her pushed into a parking spot so she's safe for now, and I've got tomorrow off so I've got some time to play with it. Any ideas? Quote
88red4cyl Posted January 18, 2009 Report Posted January 18, 2009 Will it fire and immediately die again, or it won't fire at all? Quote
j_mezz Posted January 18, 2009 Author Report Posted January 18, 2009 no, won't fire. battery seems unnecessarily low. I ruled out alternater this morning cause I didn't think that would cause reduced power. Felt like it was suffocating at high rpms this morning. Quote
AL Posted January 18, 2009 Report Posted January 18, 2009 A dying alternator WILL cause reduced power... Quote
3pt1lumina Posted January 19, 2009 Report Posted January 19, 2009 Start with fuel pressure, maybe a bad FPR or fuel pump? Quote
j_mezz Posted January 19, 2009 Author Report Posted January 19, 2009 Well, I went back this morning and she did start but died after about 5 seconds. I brought a charged battery with me thinking that if it was the alternator I could change the battery and get it running long enough to drive to my mechanic but since it started and died I figured it wouldn't help. Couldn't really mess around with the fuel pump in the snow and where it was so I got it towed to the shop. I'll post the result, thanks for the help. I did get the chance to give out a W-body card though...there's a red GP in that lot all the time, maybe some good will come from this. Quote
j_mezz Posted January 21, 2009 Author Report Posted January 21, 2009 Timing belt? We have a winner...timing belt it is. They want $2000 just to change that. @#$#@$%! Quote
Ned Flanders Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 Wow, that's a lot of dough. Know anyone handy...or could you have to towed to a shop a little further out? Quote
j_mezz Posted January 21, 2009 Author Report Posted January 21, 2009 I could try it myself, what's involved with that anyway? Does the engine have to come out? I don't have a lot of time on my hands to do the work and I need a car to take to the train station soon. Still too cold out to take the vert. What to do...what to do??!! Quote
GP1138 Posted January 21, 2009 Report Posted January 21, 2009 I could try it myself, what's involved with that anyway? Does the engine have to come out? I don't have a lot of time on my hands to do the work and I need a car to take to the train station soon. Still too cold out to take the vert. What to do...what to do??!! Not extremely hard to do the timing belt. Just takes patience and the right tools. Quote
White93z34 Posted January 22, 2009 Report Posted January 22, 2009 $2000 is a whole bunch of money for that job, if you were closer i'd do it for less then half that. Quote
ManicMechanic Posted January 22, 2009 Report Posted January 22, 2009 http://60degreev6.com/content/Cam_Timing_Picture_Walkthrough Quote
spiderw31 Posted January 23, 2009 Report Posted January 23, 2009 $2k for a t-belt!?!?!? That about what the shop said mine would cost, but mine required a top end rebuild 'cause valves got smacked when the belt shredded. I can't imagine a shop quoting that much to just change the belt and re-time, unless they didn't want to do it and were trying to scare you off On a side note, my car was originally from Long Island. St. James to be exact. Quote
Addicted To Boost Posted January 23, 2009 Report Posted January 23, 2009 I just had a realization.. spiderw31 and I now have the same car, except I have the 3.1 instead /hijack $2000 is ridiculous for a timing belt replacement. If you have tools, you could do it yourself for a fraction of the cost. The key here is having patience and the right tools to do the job. Quote
Pontiac6KSTEAWD Posted January 23, 2009 Report Posted January 23, 2009 I dont think its your timing belt.. Your symtoms sound more like a clogged fuel filter. Loosing power, stalled wont restart, sit, will restart, and then dies. That has fuel filter written all over it. Quote
GnatGoSplat Posted January 23, 2009 Report Posted January 23, 2009 I suppose a belt could have those symptoms if the cams jumped time and the belt didn't actually break, but usually the belt just snaps suddenly leaving the car fine one minute and dead the next. I don't know about a fuel filter... considering electric fuel pumps are capable of dead-heading 60-100psi, it would have to be a REALLY clogged filter for no fuel to get past. Quote
j_mezz Posted January 23, 2009 Author Report Posted January 23, 2009 I've got the car back in my driveway now, I'll see if I can get a picture of the belt. The shop I brought it to Is a dealer so their prices are probably kind-of inflated. I'm going to try to replace it myself...I have Nothing whatsoever to lose so why not! I have all the standard tools, are the 'special' tools I'll need expensive? I'll tackel that when it gets a bit warmer out. I do have a fuel pressure test kit, I think I'll check that first (after I take a look at the belt). I thought that once a timing belt broke the car would have never started again. They could be BSing me, but I was going to have some other work done - I could have been a real cash cow for them LOL! I enjoyed driving that car and was willing to do whatever maintanence it needed, but they warned me that 2k would only cover the belt and not anything else that might have gone bad due to it. I could buy a running vert for that kind of cash. Thanks all for the help!! Thanks for that link manic, I'll check it out this weekend to get an idea of what I'm in for. Quote
j_mezz Posted January 24, 2009 Author Report Posted January 24, 2009 Well, yeah, guess it is the timing belt... Quote
Night Fury Posted January 24, 2009 Report Posted January 24, 2009 LOL! Wait. That's not funny. *chuckles* Quote
White93z34 Posted January 24, 2009 Report Posted January 24, 2009 I'd say that is a accurate diagnosis! Quote
Night Fury Posted January 24, 2009 Report Posted January 24, 2009 Someone get the Shop-vac out! Quote
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