-sigh- more LQ1 troubles

[Z34guy]

Well, the Monte broke down on me today on the way to the local Bethlehem Fair. It's now at my mechanic's getting a diagnosis.

Here's what happened. I had picked up a friend's boyfriend and was on the way to pick up said friend and another friend before heading to the fair. Long twisty two-lane road uphill. Ok. no problem. Start driving up the hill, and the car starts acting funny. First it was the transmission. The slushbox couldn't find second, but found it after a few seconds, then it couldn't find third. It found thirds a few seconds later as the rpms were on the way down. shifted into third at about 3000 rpm. The car jerked, chirped the tires and took off. I figure ok, I'll have the check the transmission fluid and see if it's throwing any transmission related codes. Then it shifted into 4th. un provoked and un-needed. The rpms drop to just barely over 1,000. The car sounded like it was trying to sputter to a halt, but something wouldn't let it. Pulled over to the side of the road and shut the car off. Now it cranks but won't start and the Service engine soon light is on. all the gauges were reading normal and other than this, there were no warning signs. just out of the blue.

 

ugh. if it's a major repair, I'm going to wind up getting rid of it for something newer. Already looking. No one can figure out what it is so far.

[Night Fury]

Check engine light SHOULD be on if the engine isn't running.

 

As for the problem.... Not sure.

[94 olds vert]

^ What Buck said about the SES light is correct.

[Galaxie500XL]

Sounds like the ICM or a crank sensor just died...

[AL]

Yep sounds like crank sensor

[slick]

It's now at my mechanic's getting a diagnosis.

 

I thought you were going to school for automotive???

[92GrandPrixSE]

I thought you were going to school for automotive???

 

Even so, we need help sometimes too.

[slick]

If I were going to school for automotive, first thing I would have done is have it towed to my school. There, you could have done your diagnostics for free with the help of your mentor (great learning experience). During the diagnostics, you would also pick up some knowledge and troubleshooting skills too.

Instead, it went to a mechanic who is going to charge money for diagnostics, and you lose the knowledge and troubleshooting skills that you could have picked up.

 

Being a good mechanic means more than just replacing parts.....

[92GrandPrixSE]

If I were going to school for automotive, first thing I would have done is have it towed to my school. There, you could have done your diagnostics for free with the help of your mentor (great learning experience). During the diagnostics, you would also pick up some knowledge and troubleshooting skills too.

Instead, it went to a mechanic who is going to charge money for diagnostics, and you lose the knowledge and troubleshooting skills that you could have picked up.

 

Being a good mechanic means more than just replacing parts.....

 

That's what I do, but usually I can figure it out myself. But to each is own.

[Z34guy]

If I were going to school for automotive, first thing I would have done is have it towed to my school. There, you could have done your diagnostics for free with the help of your mentor (great learning experience). During the diagnostics, you would also pick up some knowledge and troubleshooting skills too.

Instead, it went to a mechanic who is going to charge money for diagnostics, and you lose the knowledge and troubleshooting skills that you could have picked up.

 

Being a good mechanic means more than just replacing parts.....

The problem with that is my teacher, due to the fact it has the LQ1, won't let me bring the car in and work on it myself. His excuse is always "You'll never finish by the time class is over"

[AL]

Sounds like a great teacher

[GP1138]

The problem with that is my teacher, due to the fact it has the LQ1, won't let me bring the car in and work on it myself. His excuse is always "You'll never finish by the time class is over"

 

Seriously?? What a bunch of bullshit. Sounds like a great learning opportunity to me.

[Z34guy]

He only lets me do little things on that car when it comes in (like when I installed the speakers, and replaced the CHMSL bulb). He sees my hood up, looks at the engine, then yells at the top of his lungs "THIS THING IS AN ABOMINATION!" with a quirky smile on his face. Don't get me wrong. He knows what he's doing and talking about, but he's very biased against the LQ1.

 

Edit: And he's ONLY like that towards the LQ1. Meanwhile, 2 bays over, another student is removing his Honda 1.6L Vtec because the crankshaft snapped... No that's not an exaggeration...

Edited September 13, 2011 by Z34guy

[slick]

Sounds like a top notch school only serving the best in education!!! :thumbsup:

[White93z34]

to everyone, including the OP keep this on topic.

[GOT2B GM]

If it was my class, you'd have to be able to properly time an LQ1 and replace the alternator on it before you graduated.

 

 

Unfortunate your teacher is discouraging you from learning on the car.

 

Use a fuel pressure gauge, check for pressure at the rail.

 

Check your injector fuses make sure they aren't blown.

 

Remove your ICM have it tested at a parts store.

 

All things you can do that are free before buying parts.

[Z34guy]

I'm heavily considering calling up my mechanic (who hasn't had a chance to look at it yet) and have them tow it to the school, then force the car down my teacher's throat and into the shop. If he complains, I can point to the other guys in class swapping engines in and out of Honda Civic's.

 

Also. Thanks for the tips GOT2B GM. But first I need to get the car to the school.

[AL]

The experience you will gain would be priceless... The first thing I would do is plug the scan tool in and see if you can see the crank sensor data... And crank it over and watch to see if your getting a signal

[White93z34]

just fair warning, its a PITA to do a CPS on a Lq1/automatic car. be prepared to remove the alternator to gain access to it.

[birdman]

I did it without having to remove it but it was a bitch and i prefer to never do it again lol.

[digitaloutsider]

And try really hard not to break it off in the block.

[Z34guy]

I've done similar troubleshooting before. The school does do customer cars. I do recall a customer bringing in a 1993 Buick Century 3300 V6 with a crank but no start condition. turned out to be 2 shorted out fuel injectors. and I also recall working on a customer's 1994 Cadillac Deville 4.9L for a check engine light. turned out to need a new shift mechanism for the 4T60e. I'm usually one of the first people to jump on GM cars since most of the class is anti-domestic, pro-import (My teacher, oddly enough, is pro-domestic), but the shop's been slow recently.

 

I've checked fuel pressure, and injector fuses on the Z34 before (I was able to bring it in for that surging problem I posted about a while back).

[GOT2B GM]

I have no idea how the hell you did it without removing the alt Cam (props to you though!!), I had to do it on my old 4 dr International and couldn't see a different way to go about it.

[birdman]

Pretty sure i went up next to the dp and looked up through the area where the alt vent is.

[Z34guy]

UPDATE! It turns out there's 2 crankshaft position sensors on the car. tore it apart, back one's fine, the front one was burnt out. Car should be fixed tomorrow. However, I've still elected to sell it after it's fixed. So I'll be leaving the W-body scene for a while. Unlike the Pontiac (which my father was selling, not me), I have the keys and a title to sign over. I'm looking at getting either a Saturn Astra, Saturn Ion quad coupe, and a Chevy Cobalt as replacements, all with 5 speed manuals, all 2 door models. Cobalt and Ion are both red with the L61 2.2L Ecotec (though differing shades) and the Astra is Silver with the 1.8L Ecotec.