Weird problem with 94 Olds 98 Regency Elite
smitty1259
05-13-2007, 05:43 PM
I have a problem, that to me, is weird. Hopefully I'm not looking at major megabucks to get it fixed.
First, allow me to say I know enough about mechanical work on cars to be dangerous!
Secondly, I'll try to be as detailed as possible.
Car is a 1994 Olds 98 Regency Elite with 3.8 V-6. Automatic and has 195,000+ miles on it. Has always ran flawlessly and only thing I've had to do to it mechanically since buying at 132,000 miles is replace throttle position sensor (other than regular stuff like brake pads, etc.).
Sat in garage for about seven or eight months, but has been periodically started and allowed to run to operating temperature. I noticed plug wire arcing while running in garage one evening.
Two or three weeks ago, I started it up and drove about 5 miles up the road and back. When I got home, smoke was rolling off the driver's side front wheel. Just parked it again as I didn't have time or money to fool with it.
Yesterday decided to start driving car again. Drove it about 5 miles again and came back. No smoke whatsoever. Decided to drive it further. When I took off, I had very weak acceleration. Figured it might be because of plug wires, but was heading to store to buy a set anyway. Once I got on the highway and gunned it, acceleration was a little better. However, I had no passing gear. Check engine light comes on.
Last time I had no passing gear was just in advance of throttle position sensor replacement. Once it was replaced, had passing gear again. Thought this might be the problem again.
Got to parts store. no smoke from wheel. Explained problem to clerk who seemed to be knowledgeable. Guy said it might be mass air flow valve and recommended purchase of spray cleaner. He pulled tranny dipstick and fluid smelled really bad -- like it had been really hot. I must admit I haven't changed the fluid in 63,000 miles. Dumb me! Still reading full on stick.
Drove back home, replaced plug wires and sprayed throttle body down with mass air flow cleaner. Allowed it to dry well, then started engine. Idles perfect, as always. When I put it in gear, the digital tranny appearing on dash showed a line under each of the gears, R, N, D, etc., when normally you only see a line under whatever gear you're in. When this cleared, and it was quite obviously in park, the display showed a line under the R, as if it were in reverse.
Pulled into garage, put in park again and this time I got a readout where it normally says, "Monitored systems OK." Strange readout. It showed all the gears in order they normally appear on dash, but they were all off to the right of where the tranny gears show up on dash. And, they also appeared in usual place. Ones off to the right were larger and to the right on that it said PROB. Naturally, I assumed that means transmission problem.
Put in reverse and it goes backward, put in drive and it goes forward. However, the dash display is all screwy and error message I mentioned shows up upon start-up and when I put back into park. Check engine light still on.
I pulled negative cable on battery, then reinstalled. Did not lose check engine light, but tranny error message doesn't show up afterwards. Still goes into
gears OK. But still, no passing gear.
Plan is to take it to shop as I don't have a clue and don't even want to attempt to do anything as I'll screw it up all the more! However, I'd like to have an objective opinion on what may be the problem. Any ideas?
Thank you so much for your time and consideration,
Steve Smith
First, allow me to say I know enough about mechanical work on cars to be dangerous!
Secondly, I'll try to be as detailed as possible.
Car is a 1994 Olds 98 Regency Elite with 3.8 V-6. Automatic and has 195,000+ miles on it. Has always ran flawlessly and only thing I've had to do to it mechanically since buying at 132,000 miles is replace throttle position sensor (other than regular stuff like brake pads, etc.).
Sat in garage for about seven or eight months, but has been periodically started and allowed to run to operating temperature. I noticed plug wire arcing while running in garage one evening.
Two or three weeks ago, I started it up and drove about 5 miles up the road and back. When I got home, smoke was rolling off the driver's side front wheel. Just parked it again as I didn't have time or money to fool with it.
Yesterday decided to start driving car again. Drove it about 5 miles again and came back. No smoke whatsoever. Decided to drive it further. When I took off, I had very weak acceleration. Figured it might be because of plug wires, but was heading to store to buy a set anyway. Once I got on the highway and gunned it, acceleration was a little better. However, I had no passing gear. Check engine light comes on.
Last time I had no passing gear was just in advance of throttle position sensor replacement. Once it was replaced, had passing gear again. Thought this might be the problem again.
Got to parts store. no smoke from wheel. Explained problem to clerk who seemed to be knowledgeable. Guy said it might be mass air flow valve and recommended purchase of spray cleaner. He pulled tranny dipstick and fluid smelled really bad -- like it had been really hot. I must admit I haven't changed the fluid in 63,000 miles. Dumb me! Still reading full on stick.
Drove back home, replaced plug wires and sprayed throttle body down with mass air flow cleaner. Allowed it to dry well, then started engine. Idles perfect, as always. When I put it in gear, the digital tranny appearing on dash showed a line under each of the gears, R, N, D, etc., when normally you only see a line under whatever gear you're in. When this cleared, and it was quite obviously in park, the display showed a line under the R, as if it were in reverse.
Pulled into garage, put in park again and this time I got a readout where it normally says, "Monitored systems OK." Strange readout. It showed all the gears in order they normally appear on dash, but they were all off to the right of where the tranny gears show up on dash. And, they also appeared in usual place. Ones off to the right were larger and to the right on that it said PROB. Naturally, I assumed that means transmission problem.
Put in reverse and it goes backward, put in drive and it goes forward. However, the dash display is all screwy and error message I mentioned shows up upon start-up and when I put back into park. Check engine light still on.
I pulled negative cable on battery, then reinstalled. Did not lose check engine light, but tranny error message doesn't show up afterwards. Still goes into
gears OK. But still, no passing gear.
Plan is to take it to shop as I don't have a clue and don't even want to attempt to do anything as I'll screw it up all the more! However, I'd like to have an objective opinion on what may be the problem. Any ideas?
Thank you so much for your time and consideration,
Steve Smith
maxwedge
05-13-2007, 07:06 PM
Welcome to AF. First the cel code is the key to what is happening here, without that , it is impossible to point you in any direction. The trans issue could be the range switch is skewed and giving erroneous info to the readout on the dash.
smitty1259
05-13-2007, 08:38 PM
Hello!
Thanks for input. It will be going in to garage this week. Fortunately, I know a very good man in business for himself who was service manager at a nearby Olds-Caddy dealership for 17 years prior. Russ knows his stuff and he's extremely honest.
Once I get cel code, I'll relay. And will relay back on Russ' findings.
Thanks,
Smitty
Thanks for input. It will be going in to garage this week. Fortunately, I know a very good man in business for himself who was service manager at a nearby Olds-Caddy dealership for 17 years prior. Russ knows his stuff and he's extremely honest.
Once I get cel code, I'll relay. And will relay back on Russ' findings.
Thanks,
Smitty
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