Our Community is 940,000 Strong. Join Us.


Air Filter Tube in Pontiac made me stranded on I-95


mrspongebob
10-17-2004, 06:11 PM
Hello everyone,

I have a 1993, more than 120,000 miles, Pontiac Grand Am SE.

I was traveling from New York to Maryland, and on the New Jersey Turnpike South, I was having the feeling that my car was not adequately picking up the speed, in spite of giving full acceleration (full gas). Then I went to the rest area, and proceeded to I-95 South, immediately after Delaware Memorial Bridge Toll, just one mile before reaching Maryland, when suddenly the engine got turned off at about 1pm in the afternoon, a sunny day.

a. I was unable to start the car immediately after the engine died

b. I opened the hood to investigate, and found on the surface nothing wrong. I checked all the oils, and I couldn't find anything wrong. This took me around 15, 20 minutes. Then the car got cooled off, and I was able to start the car, but the engine got turned off within a second. I repeated the process couple of times more, but no luck.

c. I tried to contact lot of people, and I spent lot of time in the process. By now, I was stranded on the road for more than one and half hours, and I tried to start the car once again, since the car got cooled off. Now, the engine started, so I was mometarily relieved but in vain, because, when I tried to change the gear from park, (between park and reverse), the engine turned off.

d. Then, I called my crook mechanic, and explained him that I'm on I-95 South in Delaware, and the car was running alright and suddenly, it got dead. He said to check if the air filter hose is disconnected, and then he just disconnected the phone without saying anything else. Then, I immediately called him back for the second time, and he said tow the car and bring it to his shop, (80 miles away in Maryland) and he will check it out, and then he hanged the phone again.

e. To my surprise, I found the hose was disconnected from the filter box, which goes to the engine. I connected the hose, and started the car. The car started and I changed the gear to drive, and I drove, and everything was fine, even though there was funny sound from the combustion. The engine sound was slightly abnormal, and similar problem with picking up the speed, but not as bad as prior to the car getting stranded.

After I arrived home, I went to a nearby gas station to change the air filter hose. Incidentally, now my car is running pretty normal, but I try to avoid the highway for long distances.

My question is, the moment the car got disabled, was it normal after opening the hood, to first check the air filter, which I obviously did not do at all? Or, did the mechanic purposely do mischief by loosening the hose, since a week earlier, I went to his shop to change the oil and filter? I suspected other mischiefs on previous occasions as well. I know for fact the mechanic is mediocre who does not know most of the things related to cars. And, when I called him from I-95 South, the first thing he mentioned was the air filter tube and bingo! Or, was that obvious that I am supposed to check that first?

How do I fix this problem, since the engine took lot of unclean air prior to when my car temporarily got disabled at I-95 South.

Please respond and I will appreciate your help.

Thank you very much in advance

Flatrater
10-17-2004, 09:14 PM
If you fell the mechanic is a crook I would go with your gut feelings. Find another mechanic.


As for the unfiltered air I wouldn't be too concerned with it.

scaviola
10-18-2004, 11:04 AM
I've got a 93 SE and I can say that the hose is tricky to get on properly, especially if your mechanic is in a hurry. Every time someone else works on my car I find that it's not on properly. This has never cause me problems (other than inviting dirt into my engine).
However, the problem you describe has happened to me a few times. My car will die and not start up again. If I wait until it cools off, it will run, but very rough, sometimes stalling. If I wait several hours, it's fine. I haven't found the actual problem yet, but I hope I do before it happens again.

bdhiggins20
10-18-2004, 05:15 PM
i have a 92 grand am and it sounds a little like 2 problems i have had 1 with the dying then when it cools it runs my problem was with the coil packs, changed all 3 and havent had any problems since, or on my truck it did the same thing and it was the fuel pump. I hope this helps.

Add your comment to this topic!