• The site migration is complete! Hopefully everything transferred properly from the multiple decades old software we were using before. If you notice any issues please let me know, thanks! Also, I'm still working on things like chatbox, etc so hopefully those will be working in the next week or two.

Need some help folks, car starts, runs, then dies

Cool. And I dont mean my questions to infer that I have doubt about any of the information everyone has provided here, I just want to be absolutely sure I have all the bases covered. I have to have this thing back on the road by Wed. And with the holiday tomorrow, if I dont have something or a part I could be toast.
 


oh come now Scotty. you think we're all full of hot air. you wanted to ban us from Day 1. you hate us!!

I'm telling my daddy on you!!!!!! JK!!!!

hope all is going well!
 
Well Im happy to report, I have a confirmed fix. I got the CPS replaced and the car is running like a champ right now and even after letting it run for close to 30 minutes it never died. Before it wouldnt run even 10 minutes.


I also took a ton of pictures and wrote down each and every step and took detailed notes. So I will be doing a step by step how too and get it posted as soon as I can do so.

I want to say thank you to EVERYONE who helped here. I appreciate all the input and advise. It was a tremendous help and I cannot say thank you enough.
 
I will have it up as soon as I can...Im trying to sync up all my hard drives now so everything is current and then the work will begin..
 




I thought I would give you guys an update. I am nearly done with the write up on replacing the CPS. I should have it done tomorrow evening provided nothing comes up. We'll see how it all goes. With all the pictures and text its already 14 pages and I can see it reaching 17 or so before Im done. It will be good reading though.
 
17 pages!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!! WOW!!!! I dont think I have that good of an attention span!! LOL.

I sure it will be very well written!
 
Well keep in mind the pictures take up quite a bit of space. Furthermore keep in mind I am detail, perfectionist oriented. I could do a write up on just changing your oil and I couldn't help myself but to point out every pitfall that I could find and solutions to those pitfalls I could come up with.
 
Hi guys... got a problem here... Any ieas?? (I know its not a grand prix, buuuut..)

I am a long time listener, first time caller, lol. (if you listen to bob and tom, you'll get this...)

I have a 1999 Buick Regal GS 3.8 Supercharged. I am ready to kill it.

If you start the car STONE COLD first thing in the morning for exampe, it will run great, but as soon as it warms up, It DIES and WILL NOT re-start - it may fire and run EXTREMELY rough for 2-3 seconds, but thats it. I have read around alot of forums about this problem, and all the symptoms pointed to the Crank Position Sensor.

I have since changed the Crank Position Sensor with the same result - start the car, it will run (idle or reving) for 10 or 12 minutes and then suddenly stall out. It will once again not start when it is warm. I have checked the Resistor for the fuel pump, tried wrapping it in an ice pack for a long time to simulate it being cold - that made no difference. I tried the "temporary" resistor bypass at the relay to kick the fuel pump into high speed..and that did not help either.

I have tried chaging the coil packs, the spark plug wires as well.. to no avail.

I have also tried cooling the Ignition Control module to a COLD temp (with ice in 2 ziploc bags) and re-assembling it to see if the ICM has been overheating. Once the ICM was chilled, the car would start, run EXTREMELY rough and sound like it was trying to suck in air like crazy thru the airbox (more than normal sounding)

I am at my wits end... the car has been down for several days now, and I am ready to light the car on fire, LOL.

Do you think it IS the ICM? I dont want to spend 100+ dollars after everything I have already replaced just to yeild the same result.
PLEASE HELP A MAN READY TO GO INSANE!!!

Hell... If you know some miracle fix, or have some information email me, call me, send a carrier pidgeon!!
Seriously though- email is [email protected]
 


Have you checked the O2 sensor and possibly the MAF sensor?

Just for grins, unplug the MAF and try to start it and see if it runs better.
 
I havent checked the o2 sensor, due to no Service engine soon light (ses)
But, I did pull the tps, map and maf and cleaned the hell out of them all..

(yes, i did corectly re-install the tps..)

will it even run with the maf unplugged? wont trying to start it with no MAF throw a code immediately??

I have flogged the car several times, still it refuses to be defeated!:th_angry-teeth:

I have a 3 minute video of the fiasco if anyone is interested.....

 
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FIXED.

The MAF would have a good circuit when cold, but as it approached 100+ degrees, it would open, causing the car to stall and not re-start...

Thanks for all the help!
 
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