Help 1993 Cutlass Ciera S

[birdeboy]

Hello And Help Me Please If U Read This Thanks Alot I Got A 1993 Cutlass Ciera S With 3300 Engine In It It Runs I Can Go Any Where In It When First Starting It Starts Up Fast Feels Like It Needs Like A Real Good Tune Up Car Does Not Accelerat What So Ever Will Go 70 80 But Takes Time To Get There It Rise To 70 Slowly But Suerly After Running On 70 For About 4 Minuts Its Starts Bogging Out It Like Starts Shaking The Moter Does And The Acceleration Gets Worser I Mean U Have To Step On The Gass All The Way To Get It To Go A Little If U Only Press On It Slighty It Will Bog Down But What I Find Weard Is That When Hitting 70 And Running On 70 For About 4 Minuts The Survice Engine Light Comes On And Thats When It Realy Starts To Bog Down Like Looses Alot Of Power But As Soon As The Light Comes On I Take My Foot Off The Gas Pedle Complety For About 10 Seconds And The Survice Light Will Turn Off Then I Can Get Back To 70 A Little Better But When That Survice Light Comes On It Starts To Bog Down And The Engine Starts To Shake Like If Its Missing Or Somthing I Do Not Know Where To Start On The Problem I Dont Know If I Should Start At Fuel Pump Or Put New Spark Plugs And Wiring Or Need Fuel Injection Cleaned Or Neeeds New Fuel Pump Or Some Type Of Sinscer Replaced I Just Find This Realy Weard About This Im Sure There Are Ppl With The Same Problems If So Please Please Help Me Out And See Whats The Couse Of Anny Of This If Yall Need Any More Information Let Me Know Thanks Alot Hope To Get Me Some Help Also Im New To This Board Its A Great Board Very Help Ful To Im From Smyer Texas Thanks Alot Yfiautomoble Birdeboy

[michelq]

check the fuel pressure ,fuel filter,i would start with this first, and take it step by step

[punkcats]

HI. Cleaning the Mass Air Flow Sensor helps. This model has problems with the MAF going out prematurely, giving a misleading ECM diagnostic code (See Consumer Reports on MSN). After doing a thorough tune up and Fuel Injection flush, I experienced similar loss of power/acceleration and cleaning the MAF eliminated the problem.

It's also a wise idea to clean or replace the MAF before a smog check (under 89 dollars to clean, up to 400 dollars to replace) if your state requires emission tests for vehicle registration as we have in California.
I Hope this helps..

ps. If you happen to know where I can locate the turn signal flasher I'd be most appreciative...I've looked under the dash and around the brake pedal without luck.
Thanks.

[birdeboy]

punkcats hello thanks for the reply i was woundering where is that mass air flow sinscer located at and how do i clean it do i take it off and clean it with somthing or what all do i do please help me thannks alot i have so fare put new fuel filter i have put new spark plugs it gained alot more power but still it strugles taking off and then while on 70 for about 4 minuts andd then cheak engine light comes on then it goes to shaking real bad like loss of power every where but please let me know how to clean it and where its located at thanks alot

[punkcats]

On the 3300...the MAF is left of the air filter housing. if you're looking at the space between the clips of the af housing to the left is a small, square box with A B C each has a wire running from the inside...THIS IS WHERE THE MAF IS. Remove the screws and you will find a part with a very, very fine coil and looks something like the filament of a light bulb except it's probably "gummy" That coil is what needs to be cleaned. We used a very small bit of spray Carborator cleaner and a decent rag to remove the gunk, put it back in place and the results were incredible!
If you don't do much "hands on" then I would recommend asking someone who is to assist as its a delicate thing to clean.
Now, what bothers me about your problem is the Check Engine light..that I never have experienced. Have you run the codes to rule out the Catalytic Converter? A bad or faulty CAT will cause misreadings in the levels and in junction with a dirty MAF, cause poor performance.
Do you have a diagnostic reader? If not, you can actually pull codes with only a paperclip..let me know if you need info on how to do that and/or you need the codes..I have alot of info from when I went through this problem and will be happy to forward anything that will help.

punkcats.

[birdeboy]

punkats i found that mass air flow thing and i cleaned it installed it back and men wow wow wow it feels like a race car now all kinds of power every where im suprised it did have some guew stuff on that coil thing u was talking about i put some carburater cleaner on it like u mentioned and that has so fare fixed the problem on it i cant believe it was that easy i was about to go and buy all new sensors for it along with new computer but now i dont have to im suprised i feel like i owe you something but thanks very very much this help was much needed thanks very much now i can take my family any where with out having to worry somethign was gonna happen thank you very much once again yours for ever in cars birdeboy

[punkcats]

Birdeboy; YEAH!! Im so stoked!! Did it solve the "check engine" light? Is it still going on? If it is, please make sure you resolve that issue..Ive never had it come on..but who knows?
The difference in the power is the best part..you should notice it when cornering too! I hoped it would give the same results as it did for me..and it did!
Congrats,
Punkcats

ps. If you ever need to change the turn signal flasher..it's behind the glove compartment. It took removing most of the dash then putting on the hazards and feeling for the "click" Just remove the glove comp. and it's right there behind it!

[birdeboy]

punkcats yes it resolved the cheak engine light to it didnt come on anny more what so ever runs like brand new again its suprising to see it perform now i took it for about a 50 mile drive yeasturday and gosh ran like new no problems or anything im liking this little car alot i hadnt had it but for about 2 weeks not knowing anything about it when i got it it was ruinning like this but now it runs realy good no problems what so ever with it thanks very much punkats everything is ready to go and set hope this might help other ppl out to with there 3300 moters thanks alot yfiautomobles birdeboy

[jamielongmuir]

i drive a 92 cutlass cierra 3.3
mine is starting to bogg slightly, definintly ive lost power
i've been waiting to change plugs and wires but do you think if i cleaned my mass air flow it could stopp the bogging?
if anyone has a cheap rad for my car let me know

[punkcats]

jamielongmuir
Hi...do the tune up before dealing with the MAF!! Process of elimination led to determining the MAF so don't put the cart before the horse! Besides, if it's due for maintenance, why cut corners? Cleaning the MAF first may not produce the same results as others have experienced...and that is the best part of it all.

[CUTLASS870]

Hi,I have the 1987 Ciera 3.8 international, anyone know where the MAF is located? Is it in the same place as in the 3300? my car is doing the samething,all help is appreciated thanks.

[rathergolf65]

Hi, I have been having the exact same problem with the hesitation and just recently the check engine light. I had it serviced a little over a year ago and have not been satisfied with it since. Thanks punkcats, I cleaned the MAF and man is it running great. Took care of the check engine light too! You're help to birdeboy was also invaluable to me.

[birdeboy]

great great to hear it helped another person out ya amazing what that little light bulb looking thing will do make it run like its junk but its great to hear we got another car going again hope this helps manny ppl out yfiautomobiles birdeboy