Anyone else with a DOHC 2.3 litre Four?

[LMP]

Yeah..that's my next donut, waiting for installation...the fourth for this 3.8...
...

[Hedgedog 74]

I´ve got an order away to Germany; meanwhile, all my rear lights go off simultaneously, and, unable to work the trick of getting the taillight covers off; (got the two screws out but couldn´t find the clips....) seemed to agitate the whole thing enough that the normal lights are working OK, it´s just the brake lights need some attention.
I ordered the two manuals from Amazon, (one for the 2.3 motor, the other for the rest) but they´ll be a couple of weeks arriving, which is frustrating.. I figure the bulbs are OK, and it is something else, other than the fuse, which is being rattled loose... Any advice?
HD

[vesamaan]

Originally Posted by Hedgedog 74

I´ve got an order away to Germany; meanwhile, all my rear lights go off simultaneously, and, unable to work the trick of getting the taillight covers off; (got the two screws out but couldn´t find the clips....)

I think the clips are under rear side window. Just open the window and you see them.

[Hedgedog 74]

The tail lights are intermittent; they´re going currently, (Compulsory to have lights on all the time here) but the brake lights are out. Reversing lights are OK too now, but there are faults with the fog circuit. I´ll need an electrician to sort that I think.
The shocks and a few other goodies are on their way from Cars&Stripes, so I look forward to doing some upgrades...
I just drove a three hour night stint on winding country roads and the headlamps are poor. I´d like to locate a new set of serious halogens, greater than 60 watts, and see to it that the low beam lamps stay on while the main beams are on. We´re rife with all the German cars with those really edgy blue lights; I feel it is only reasonable to have something to freak them out a bit.....
HD

[LMP]

Originally Posted by Hedgedog 74

... I´d like ...that the low beam lamps stay on while the main beams are on.

I have added a relay just for that purpose. Relay coil energized by feed to high beam , and battery direct to low beams by relay contact. I also have another switcheable relay, also energized by high beam, thet feeds battery direct to long range beams. That makes six headlights on comand. ..and it is rather convincing.

....'94,'95 here had the rounded larger headlights with a single 2 filament bulb, but I think some european models kept the slant "dust buster" front end, at least in '94, with separate high and low beams, like my '93... Which do you have ? ...ahh..yes, since you mentioned the fog lights, you have the authentic '95 front end...
I'm not really sure then the bulb would endure both filaments to be ON at same time for very long....give it a try, anyway.

[nicke66]

Originally Posted by LMP

....'94,'95 here had the rounded larger headlights with a single 2 filament bulb, but I think some european models kept the slant "dust buster" front end, at least in '94, with separate high and low beams, like my '93... .

The facelift of the TS never reached Europe, not the official way. GM made a european model of the TS in '93-'96. All years they looked like a '93, without the facelift with the new front end. Available engines were the 3.8 or the 2.3 quad 4. The new 3.4 engine didn´t come to europe until the new model in '97.

Of cause there are a number of US-version TS '94-'96, but all of them have been imported from US or Canada as used cars.

Best way of upgrade the head lights must be to buy a HID xenon kit. They are sold at Ebay for less than 100 $ including shipping. (+local taxes and duty).

[Hedgedog 74]

I've just recieved the replacement air shocks, and am disappointed that there is no system to stop leakage from the pressurised outside shock, in corners, from getting across to the inside shock, creating to my mind, excessive body roll. I had a GM station wagon thirty years ago would try to scrape the door handles off with a ton of batteries on board and the max pressure of air.... seems I´ll have to instal two separate lines and valves, and pump them separately....
HD

[Hedgedog 74]

Time flips by, the engine has developed a lot of valve lifter noise... I'm warned not to touch anything, but I wondered if there was any additive worth putting in the oil to reduce this problem... I'm just driving gently, which with gas getting over $1.55 a litre here is a pretty good idea, but getting the motor to endure will be my major test.
I'm feeling out a local service centre to do the installation of the shocks; I want separate valves for each to reduce the likelihood of body roll when heavily laden. (I had a new station wagon which was terrifying fully loaded, and want to avoid that again..) Have not been able to find a dipstick for the gearbox/transaxle. There are almost no spaces under the hood where I can even fit my hand, let alone find fillers. Likewise getting some lube onto the throttle cable is becoming a challenge. Sometimes I think design has become about shells not structures, and I really would like to take a large saw to lots of the stuff that is in the way under that hood.....
The camera has not arrived yet... a cable has been mislaid, so pictures will be a while yet...
HD

[flyer007]

Hi all,

my brother has the same 2.3 trans sport, and worst came to worst: he had to change engine gasket.. That is not a problem, but for this engine we cannot find how to set camshaft drive chain - where to find any information on this? no clear marks how to allign camshafts and crankshaft to put chain back. Autodata has no info on Pontiac, 2 days looking on the Net: no help also...
If anyone has info or pics, please let me know
Trans Sport 1995, 2.3 16valves DOHC (101kw)

[vesamaan]

Originally Posted by flyer007

Hi all,

my brother has the same 2.3 trans sport, and worst came to worst: he had to change engine gasket.. That is not a problem, but for this engine we cannot find how to set camshaft drive chain - where to find any information on this? no clear marks how to allign camshafts and crankshaft to put chain back. Autodata has no info on Pontiac, 2 days looking on the Net: no help also...
If anyone has info or pics, please let me know
Trans Sport 1995, 2.3 16valves DOHC (101kw)

I think its is a QUAD 4 engine, and with "Quad 4 timing marks" in google I found a lot of links. Here is one of them:
http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl599b.htm

[flyer007]

Originally Posted by vesamaan

I think its is a QUAD 4 engine, and with "Quad 4 timing marks" in google I found a lot of links. Here is one of them:
http://autorepair.about.com/library/faqs/bl599b.htm

Thank you! a bit complicated, but we'll try

[Hedgedog 74]

We're regretting our current involvement with Pontiac; yesterday the already noisy motor, (sounding diesel-ish with the sloppy valve lifters) began acting if the throttle was sticking, high idle, then dropping away and stalling, and today it has become the full nightmare; it has lost all power, won't run at all, and the only garage in the region with diagnostic tools would not use them, and in their almost non-existent English insisted they'd have to remove the motor to do anything; another, friendlier garage who had heard the noise earlier in the day suspected an electronic control unit problem, but didn't have the analytical tools....
We're going to have to do exploratory surgery somehow; we cannot just throw this thing away, though doing just that probably makes the most sense... What jars with me is the fact that the motor trade has arrived at a technical helplessness, the designs being over complicated, and a hundred years into the concept, cannot give a fixable utility vehicle to the rural public; I'm reminded of how successful the old Toyota Landcruisers are in Africa, still going after all these years, and am gloomy for the prospect here in Slovenia.
Has anyone got any light they can shed for us?
Thanks for your support...