96 monte carlo shakes

My g/f's 1996 monte carlo has a 3.1 V6 w/ about 120,000 miles. Sometimes when started it will shake badly and act like it has a huge loss of power. Also a check engine light will come on. This doesn't happen all the time and of course when it was taken to the gm dealer three times the car acted fine. I wondered if maybe the O2 censor would cause this.

Also sometimes when you turn the key to start the car it acts like it is completely dead. All of the accessories will turn on but when turned to the start position it will act like the battery has been dead for a month. The dealership replaced the starter but I knew that wasn't the problem. However when you wait a couple minutes it will start like nothing happened. I appreciate anyone's input on these problems.

go to Auto Zone and they will pull the codes for free. Get back with us as to what codes are stored causing the check engine light to come on. As far as it acting dead when the key is turned to start, I would bet it's a VATS key chip not reading correctly. Turn the key to the on position and leave it for about 10 min. This will allow the security module to re-learn the key, and the "dead start problem should go away.

if you did not do a tune up on it then either your spark plugs are messing up or your fuel injectors. i had the same problem with my 1997 monte carlo. if you plan on changing your fuel injectors then do them all at once because all of them are gona go badin a matter of a month after the first one starts to mess up.

I've heard from a lot of mechanics that you can preserve the life of your injectors by not using gas with ethanol added to it. Anyone else hear something like this?

Yes, ethanol is VERY corrosive, and deteriorates rubber parts quickly. Most newer fuel injection systems are perfectly compatible with up to a 10% ethanol mix, anything above that and you're asking for trouble. I don't like ethanol mixed fuels myself, as I have seen a mileage drop when I inadvertenly used them. Ethanol mixes are the simplest way for cheaper stations to boost octane without actually using higher octane base fuels.

Also, some states subsidize or get subsidies for selling or making gas stations sell gas with ethanol. I know Minnesota does, and Wisconsin doesn't, which is why gas is cheaper in Minnesota. (I live on the border). I would much rather pay more for better gas. Corn gas sucks.

The shaking, and the car not starting for a few min sometimes sounds like a ignition problem. You could have a spark plug wire shorting out against the block, or a bad ground from the battery to the car.. Check that ground and your battery terminals.

Yeah the same thing happened to my 96 monte carlo. I took it to a shop and spent 603 dollars to put a new alternator and battery in. They said that MIGHT fix it. I went a couple more months and it did it again and i took it back. They told me the sparks plugs were shortin out against the block and paid 330 dollars to fix that and the next day it was idleing rough and accelerating rough. I have a system in my car so i dont know if that is it. i dont know.

I also would like to know why the damn thing doesnt start. mine does the exact thing. if you turn the key to the start postion and leave it for a few seconds it starts right up! :screwy:

someone told me the starter switch is going bad but it does it some time and sometime not so i just deal. not worth paying umpteen hundred dollars to get it fixed.