Lumina Problems :( been a week now!

Hi,

I recently aquired a 1994 Chevy Lumina 3.1L carb van and i love this van!

Recently the car started acting a bit funny. It would run a bit hot then stall... and i have to wait until the car is fully cooled down before i could start it. Then the problem started happening more frequently! Then the motor began running a bit rough. I've spraid WD40 around the carb and intake manifold checking for any vacume leaks and nothing... The car also seems to be running a bit on the rich side.

I've been reading on the forum that the Crank Position Sensor is a common problem with these vehicles. I do all my own work on cars and it seems to be a cheap enough fix at about $30.

If it's not the CPS what else could it be? Would a compression check be suggested to check to see if it's a head gasket?

The van currently has 240,000kms. Would you guys recommend i change this? if so does any one know the best way to do it? i am guessing i'll need to pull the pully off?

Thanks for your help

Gypsy

Can you verify if you have spark (pull a plug wire and connect a spare spark plug) when it refuses to start? This is definitely not a head gasket symptom. Ignition module (located at distributor) is a common culprit in this type of problem with the 3.1
www.avigex.ca/xport/ignitionmodule31.gif
And the 3.1 used with the transport has a rotating distributor and does not have balancer mounted CPS as used on solid state distributors. . It is rather part of the ignition pickup coil, rarely at fault.

Can you verify if you have spark (pull a plug wire and connect a spare spark plug) when it refuses to start? This is definitely not a head gasket symptom. Ignition module (located at distributor) is a common culprit in this type of problem with the 3.1
www.avigex.ca/xport/ignitionmodule31.gif (http://www.avigex.ca/xport/ignitionmodule31.gif)
And the 3.1 used with the transport has a rotating distributor and does not have balancer mounted CPS as used on solid state distributors. . It is rather part of the ignition pickup coil, rarely at fault.

Yes i do get spark! But i'll check again when it's hot and doesn't start. I never checked all the plug wires... only 1 of them but i'll double check again. Thanks for the quick reply

Check your upper rad hose and see if your getting coolant, if you are check your thermostat, its RARE but i have had this problem with other vehicles. All you have to do is take the thermostat out and put it in boiling water. If it opens its good if not its bad. Its like a 20 min. check and if its bad it's a ten dollar fix. The thing is the computer notices that the engine is really hot or the systes in place on a carb motor and tries to shut it down.