Hey guys. I purchased an '88 Buick Regal custom 2.8liter V6 a few months ago with only 28K original miles on it! It now has 34K on it and i can't believe it's acting up. Just a couple days ago i noticed while driving on the freeway it started to sputter (kind of like an ignition miss) when i got on the gas. I paid no attention to it and kept driving with light throttle. I did drive it for about an hour afterwards on city streets and it was fine. The next day i noticed it was missing everywhere i drove but only when i was gassing it around 65% throttle and higher which forced me to drive with light throttle the rest of the way. Well this morning i started it up and it is missing all the time including at idle. Seems kinda like it's running on 5 cylinders. I did try and warm the car up but i noticed some smoke coming from under the hood so i turned it off. Their are no check engine lights. My question is what usually goes wrong with this engine that would cause something like this at this low mileage? Only thing i did to the car after i purchased it was change the plugs with i believe Autolite silvers (i know these aren't the best which i found out afterwards), and just basic maintaince (oil change, air filter) I was hoping this car would last me a couple years.... i got it from an elderly lady that had it stored for years since she was unable to drive. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys!

Next on my to-do list would be a new fuel filter (it's probably lacquered up pretty good from sitting) and new plug wires. The wires deteriorate with age as well as mileage and are probably jumping spark all over. Sometimes, buying car with incredibly low mileage is as bad as a high mileage example, because of the effects of sitting. Old fuel turns gummy and mucks up injectors, filters, etc... and cars that sit make great homes for rodents and bugs which like to chew on wires and make nests in air intakes, heater boxes and other cubby holes.

Thanks for your reply Richtazz..... update on the car. Before i decided to work on it today i tried to start it up beforehand, and it doesn't start at all no matter how long i crank it. 1st i installed a new fuel filter which didn't work. After that i replaced the plugs with Bosch plugs and installed new Bosch plug wires. When i removed the plugs at the coils i ohm'd out each coil and noticed i didn't get a reading at all from the last coil. I purchased a new coil from Autozone and replaced it. I figured i had this one wrapped up, but now the car still doesn't start! I do have the firing order correct and am getting spark from each wire. I'm pretty much stumped.... could it still be a bad ICM even though i'm getting spark?! Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

Is replacing the fuel filter relatively easy on these 3.8L Buick engines?

I met a guy who is a curb stoner strictly for Buicks. He told me the coil packs go bad after time. But when I look for parts, all I see are individual units. If I replace my wires and plugs, I want to also replace the coil pack. Wonder where I can find one? It looks like a single unit to me.

First off, the Bosch plugs and wires were a bad choice. I have never had good luck with Bosch plugs, especially in GM V-6's.

Have you tried spraying WD-40 or starting fluid (sparingly) into the throttle body to see if the car will start? If it starts then stalls, then you're getting spark, and may have a fuel pump or ECM issue. A fuel pressure test at the rail (and post the readings) would help your diagnosis.

Oh i didn't know that Bosch was a bad choice on Gm's.... i've always used Bosch on my other vehicles, but they were mostly imports. I did do a fuel pressure test at the rail and i believe fuel pressure was at 39psi (can't remember exactly but it was within spec. I borrowed a Matco fuel gauge that had a book that told me all the specs on each car.) So now i can rule out a bad fuel pump and a bad regulator. I did try spraying starting fluid in the throttle body while cranking and that didn't help at all. I'm curious if the Crank sensor has something to do with it.... i'm planning on changing that out tomorrow hopefully if the weather is alright. Someone told me it should be in the rear mounted on the block. I also borrowed a compression tester just incase which i will use beforehand.


First off, the Bosch plugs and wires were a bad choice. I have never had good luck with Bosch plugs, especially in GM V-6's.

Have you tried spraying WD-40 or starting fluid (sparingly) into the throttle body to see if the car will start? If it starts then stalls, then you're getting spark, and may have a fuel pump or ECM issue. A fuel pressure test at the rail (and post the readings) would help your diagnosis.

Update... Car is now up and running! I changed the crank sensor and it didn't seem like it wanted to start... but it finally did. I did do a compression test and unfortunately cylinder 2 had only 65psi compression, next in line was cylinder 4 with 90psi and all the rest were around 130psi. Maybe i'll try some of that "Engine restore" additive that is supposted to help with low compression cylinders. The car runs well though. Only thing i noticed is once and a while when i give it a quick throttle and then quickly let off, the engine will die. Must be some type of idle issue.