Need Serious Help

Guys, let me first apologize because this may become a lengthy problem as I want to make sure and include all information from beginning until end so that you have the best understanding of the situation.

I have a 1992 Cutlass Supreme, 3.1 multi port engine, loaded, with digital dash, stereo controls on the steering, etc. This car has some issues. Here are some of the small problems that we encountered but weren't too bad. The stereo would sometimes do strange things like automatically changing from AM to FM, changing the speakers settings to where all the sound was in the back or over to one side. We have some problems with the starter or the solenoid where, you turn the key and it will just click but you do that a few times and it will eventually kick in and turn over. There is a coolant leak which we believe involves a freeze plug. Sometimes when you put it in drive, it would not engage, it would sit there as if in neutral but after you shifted around a bit, it would engage and work fine and I checked the trans fluid, no problems. These things were minor and we could get around them. Now the serious issue...

Couple months ago, we took off driving to my parents house, and suddenly the car while in drive, just up and quit. It didn't sputter and die...or anything like that. It acted as if I had just killed the engine. After that I tried to restart the engine, and it would just sit there and turn over. The odd thing was if you let the engine sit for about 15 minutes or so, it would crank right up, but once you drove it, it would die again. I got it to my parents house (it initially died just down the road) and the very odd thing here is that it would idle forever. It would sit and idle for a long time and never miss a beat. Only when you started driving it (or gave it quite a bit of gas while idling) it would die and then not crank back up right away. We checked the fuel filter, and it was super nasty, lots of black gunk in it so we replaced it, and it still had the same problem. We talked to a mechanic after that and he said he was 99 percent sure it was the fuel pump. We replaced the fuel pump and here is where the major problems come in. After replacing the fuel pump, the car will absolutely not start at all! We even checked the fuel pump pressure by removing the hose all the way up to the injectors and when you turn the key, and the fuel pump primes, it shoots a stream of gas. My father said he checked the spark plugs and it just isn't getting any spark. The car tries to turn over, but just sits there and spins and spins. The only change we made was replacing that fuel pump. We tried resetting the computer (making sure the battery was fully charged, then disconnecting the negative terminal and leaving the pos connected for 30 minutes or so) but we can't seem to figure out what is going on. Guys, I know this car is terribly problematic, but it is the only thing I have to drive right now and can't really afford at this time to get another one (college debt and all) so if you have any ideas please send them my way. Is there any kind of kill switch or sensor that we could have triggered when removing the gas tank or anything like that? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Alan

1. As far as not getting a spark, check your crankshaft position sensor (CKPS) and if it has a camshaft position sensor (CPS) then check that as well. Check CKPS and CPS wires and make sure it is not disconnected or rubbing on the engine block. The computer uses the CKPS primarily and if CPS as well if applicable. If there is no signal from CKPS, you would not get any spark at all and so no start. You said that you have coolant leak, the coolant might be shorting out the CKPS and its wires.

2. Use a fuel pressure regulator (FPR) and connect it to the fuel rail schrader valve to make sure you got a proper pressure when the key is in the RUN position.

3. As far as the engine would just cut out while driving and you have to wait 15 minutes and it will IDLE but you can't drive it afterwards because it cuts out. The problem is more likely the TCC (Torque Clutch Converter) switch which is above the tranny. Its purpose is to set the transmission to lock up when it is a cruising speed to save fuel efficiently. The TCC is suppose to disengage when you slow down. If the TCC is failing or bad, it will not disengage and leave the transmission gear set in the last gear even though you have already slowed down. So the engine would sputter and then die down. You tried to start it again but it would not turn over because the transmission gear is still set at the last gear. It is like trying to start a manual transmission in last gear and so it will never move it at all. If you leave it for a couple of minutes, the TCC might slowly disengage the transmission gear but not releasing all the way.
You can try to disconnect the TCC switch by pulling it out of from the top of the tranny and see if the problem goes away. BTW, when you remove the TCC, you fuel mileaga will suffer but you will know then that the TCC needs replacement. BTW, when did you have the transmission fluid and transmission filter changed?
Don't do the transmission flush as it might ruin your transmission. Just drop the transmission pan and drain and replace the transmission filter.

3. Sometimes battery cables are not tight enough and it would cut out the engine completely without warning. Check the cables, especially the ground cables, clean them and tighten them. The other problem that is usually causes most electrical failure is the remote positive cable from the battery to the remote terminal near the fuel pump relay/fuse. The positive cable is held down by a nut and make sure that nut is tightened down good.

4. With regards to the car stereo, the wires behind it might rubbing a metal ground or the car stereo itself is messed up.

Thanks for the response, I will certainly try to check those sensors...if I can find them. On the TCC though, I had a chevrolet corsica that had a malfunctioning TCC and the way my cutlass was dying and the way my corsica died were completely different. When my corsica's transmission thing wouldn't disengage, as you started slowing down the car would begin jerking spasmodically and then die, because you were slowing down but the transmission wasn't dropping down in gear. When my Corsica started doing that, it scared the he** out of me, felt like the car was going to come apart. The Cutlass didn't sputter, didn't jerk, I mean it literally just quit as if I had turned the engine off going down the road. It was just, all of the sudden, it was dead and I have never had a car do that to me before. The battery cables and connections are all fine and very clean. This car uses the kind of battery cables that screw directly into the battery. So hey, thanks for the advice, if anyone else has any other ideas that I should check please reply, I am open to all suggestions. If I ever get the car started again, and the problem continues with the dying, I will check that TCC. It was just too coincidental that the car was cranking up and running before we replaced that fuel pump. Now it won't start at all. I just can't believe that between the hours we replaced it, something else went bad, unless the problem with it dying before the replacement was one in the same, however at least then it was actually getting a spark. Very strange.

You know, I had a very simular thing with my first car. It was a '79 Caddy with a fuel injected motor. It would run great unless you drove around 35-45 MPH. It would just die. If you tried to start it, no luck. Then, I noticed that when you had it towed, it would start! I got to the point that the tow trucker would just lift the car up and sit it down and it would start.

Since I was in college at the time I didn't have a whole lot to look into it. So, I had a friend that is a very good mechanic drive it for 2 summers straight and it didn't miss a beat. I finally sold it that way since I hardly drove it anymore.

when it does run does the car run rough? idle weird or anything? Not getting a spark wouldn't have anything to do with the fuel pump. I think you have gained another seperate problem. If no spark, check distributor cap and coil packs. Make sure your distributor isn't cracked or have any moisture in it. Also might wanna check the timing.