Flooded? What to do?

Hey guys, anyone know how to clear a flooded GTP?

Well, it seems like I flodded it out. I was supposed to work today at 10am, got up at 8, went out and attempted to start the car, it cranked good for a minute or so, then died out. My dad came with his truck (that I jumped yesterday with my car) and a set of jumper cables and we treid to jump it several times over. In between each attempt we left it sit for about 10 minutes to charge. I finally gave up and called in to work since I've got nothing to drive. My car sits in the driveway -30 degrees (without windchill factor) I plugged the block heater in and also put the battery on a 10amp charger.

One interesting thing to note is that when I am cranking it, every few seconds it turns over, but will not catch. I think I will go back out in a couple hours and try it again. I also noticed that my radio is no longer displaying the correct time (probably because I wore the battery down so far).

What do you guys think?

BTW, I am running synthetic oil, and I know, I know, I should have plugged the block heater in last night.

I think I might have wore my battery down using it to jump start my Dad's truck yesterday.

:runaround:

That doesn't sound good. Same way like the old days Tim with carbs. Either just let it sit for awhile or keep the accelerator floored (WOT) as you crank. This should let the PCM module know that it should turn off the fuel injector pulses. Technically known as "clear flood mode". But it helps to have a good or fully charged battery first.

One interesting thing to note is that when I am cranking it, every few seconds it turns over, but will not catch.


A better description would be it cranks over just fine, every few seconds you can hear it try to start but it just won't stay running!

Hold it to the floor and crank it over, it might start.

When was the last tune-up, and what kind of plugs did you install?

Thanks guys. Its warming up fast here. By about noon it should be 0 degrees and my car block will be warm and my battery should have a decent charge.

At that point I will run back out and give it another shot in "clear flood mode" with the accellerator to the floor.

Tune up was done last summer with delco wires, wix air filter, delco fuel filter, autolite 605 spark plugs (which could be fouled out).

I guess I'll just let it sit and give it a whirl in a little while.

Also Tim due to the extraordinary cold weather conditions you might consider adding a gas line antifreeze and moisture remover like Heet just in case. 12 oz per 10 gallons.

Thanks for the tip Bob, I actually already did that about the second start attempt. I even ran the fuel pump a few times over and over again to get it through the system.

I'm gonna try it again in a half hour, I'll report back.

Also Tim due to the extraordinary cold weather conditions you might consider adding a gas line antifreeze and moisture remover like Heet just in case. 12 oz per 10 gallons.
Tim , I see you live in MN. The "heet" will be a waste of money. We have oxygenated (ethanol) fuel. The ethanol absorbs moisture. Very unlikely that the fuel lines are frozen! I chuckle everytime I see somebody dumpoing in a couple bottles of this stuff at the pumps. But whatever if it makes you feel better than go for it.

Why didn't you put the O.E. AC delco's back in?

BTW its 11:30am and its still -12 in the twin cities. Much warmer than the -23 we had this morning!!!! :iceslolan

Yeah I dont think it does much either but its worht a shot. My dad actually aquired a box of random fuel additives and oil's when the company he works for switched their fleet from unleaded to deisel. He gave each one of us this off name brand "water absorber and gas line antifreeze" to put in our trunks for cases like this. When he came to jump start me, that was his first suggestion.

Do you think the spark plugs really make that much of a difference? I switched them out because of my MOD's. WOuld delco's start easier in the wintertime?

The car has started on every cold day so far except this one "coincidentally right after I used it to jump start dad's truck" Go Figure?????

Why didn't you put the O.E. AC delco's back in?

How are the AC Delcos any better? Airjer many of us have GTPs which are modded. So be sure to consider that in your future advice.

Tim you should never jump start another car. Good way to fry your PCM module.

Tim you should never jump start another car. Good way to fry your PCM module.
Are you sure about this? if this was true than I should have replaced way more PCM's over the years.

And as far as mods, I didn't know. It was a question not advice!!!!!, Two very different things! "Why didn't you put the O.E. AC delco's back in?" See its a question not advice! If you deviate away from o.e. performance than you deserve the problems you get, make sure to consider that when future breakdowns occur Mr. B!

I have always kept my vehicles stock and have never had one not start. This includes many years growing up/living on the iron range (we get serious cold up there in the winter!

Are you sure about this? if this was true than I should have replaced way more PCM's over the years.

To start what vehicles do you own? I should hope you mention one is a Pontiac Grand Prix of some sort. To answer your question absolutely. It is a common occurrence to either damage the internal output drivers of the PCM module or fry the 12 volt input and sense wires to the PCM and the ICM modules. I've rewired at least two for local Grand Prix GT/GTP owners that jump started other vehicles.


And as far as mods, I didn't know. It was a question not advice!!!!!, Two very different things! "Why didn't you put the O.E. AC delco's back in?" See its a question not advice! If you deviate away from o.e. performance than you deserve the problems you get, make sure to consider that when future breakdowns occur Mr. B!

Lets not be coy. If you are suggesting that he put the O.E. AC Delcos back in then that is advice as far as I am concerned and bad advice based on his mods. Obviously since you are not a regular member of this forum you probably would not know that but many post their mods in their signature in plain view and we know what each other have for mods since we've helped each other in the past.

I will disregard that wise crack comment about mods and what we deserve since we deviate from O.E. standards? :screwy: That statement is uncalled for and will get you into trouble with the Moderators and regular membership of this forum. :nono: No one deserves car problems regardless of the circumstances. So I highly recommend that you exercise caution before going off the deep end with misplaced comments in the future.

C'mon guys, cant we all just get along??

Anyways!

Just got her going. It cranked decent for being so darn cold, but kept firing and still wouldnt turn over. So I floored the gas pedal. Poof! as soon as I heard that I let off, and the idle stabilized and it ran. You should have seen the smoke out the back end. It covered the whole city block. My neighbor yelled outside to ask if everything was ok.

I let it run as I picked up my extension cords and batt charger. Then I went up town, filled up with gas (at a quarter tank) and took it for a 5 mile trip.

Good to Go! Runs smooth, good accelleration!

Thanks For the Help Bob and Airjer!

BTW, as I was unhooking my battery charger I glanced at my coolant elbow at the tensioner. Under it looked sort of washed. Followed the leak to under my engine cover and right up by the front valve cover! Lucky Me! Bob, I'm sure you know what that means! Hopefully it will last untill the summertime. The coolant level is fine, so Its probably just in the beginning stages.

Bob, what have you heard about the ZZP ported and polished Lower Intake Manifolds, any good? A good investment for a few extra horses?

Well, I think I am going to take advantage of my "personal holiday" day and go run to the bank and get a haircut! Later guys, thanks!

BTW yeah Bob, I was afraid that I messed up my PCM after the jumpstart. So far its been ok, so I hope I'm in the clear. No more jumpstarting for me.

Bob, what have you heard about the ZZP ported and polished Lower Intake Manifolds, any good? A good investment for a few extra horses?

You're welcome Tim. :wink:

Tim just start a new thread concerning that mod and I will be happy to give you my two cents worth and other suggestions for Phase II/III mods. We don't want to get Mr Airjer into a tizzy since we deviate from O.E. standards. :loser:.........................:rofl:

Oh Man! LOL, I dont think he minds. He realizes they are our cars and what we do with them is up to us.

BTW, I highly doubt the MOD's i've done had anything to do with the reason why my car didnt start.

New thread will be started.

You're welcome Tim. :wink:

Tim just start a new thread concerning that mod and I will be happy to give you my two cents worth and other suggestions for Phase II/III mods. We don't want to get Mr Airjer into a tizzy since we deviate from O.E. standards. :loser:.........................:rofl:

I could care less what you do with your car. There's a reason why your car didn't start and the 99.0% of the grand prix's on the road did.

all I did was ask why? your the one that threw the tizzy Mr. B! Maybe you should consider that next time you accuse somebody of throwing a tizzy!! :gives:

Glad to hear you got it started!!

Thanks! I'm pretty sure that the reason it didnt start was because of the jumpstart yesterday and the cold weather today. I had to leave my car on the f-150 yesterday for about a half hour running to get the truck to just crank over. After the truck started, I drove my car around the block once and parked it... overnight. I'm pretty sure the battery was cranked down.

Which brings up another question......

What about replacement batteries? Which ones last the longest and provide the most CCA?

I know from posts a while back that ac-delco's are now outsourced so they arent as good as they used to be. And I also heard Die-Hards are now made by excide batteris (which I think I also read weren't very good).

One this is for sure. One more no start, and I am going to replace the battery.

also thats a funny saying in your signature. How true that is. So many times people come in and say that

"my car makes a weird noise", I ask them to describe it, and they try to replicate it with their voice. Inside I'm juust cracking up, and ask again, "how does it go?" and they do it again.!!!!!!

Funny I have never done that. :icesangel lol!!!

I can tell you what batteries not to buy. walmart ever start and batteries plus werker brand. I install exides and can't complain. I see a lot of fleet farm batteries but rarely replace them so they can't be that bad either. In fact I have a marine battery in the boat from them and can't complain. I also like interstate batteries, definitely one of the top 3.

I don't think exide makes the die hard since the had the situation a few years back. Sears was buying there reject batteries for peanuts and selling them as premium gold batteries. They where junk but they where making money hand over fist. I want to say they are made buy GNB now but I couldn't say for sure!

Good stuff to know! Thanks! I was going to run to sears tonight. Might as well check out the batts while I'm there. I was double gifted a set of ratchet wrneches, can you believe that? They are even reversable gearwrench kind (really slick, I love them). Well, I'm rambling, Thanks for the info!

BTW, I thought i read in consumer reports a few years back the wally world everstart max batts were rated pretty good, have they went down in quality?

Airjer, GNB was bought out by Exide a few years ago, so technically the Die-hards are Exide.

Also, as a word to the wise, don't start a pissing match or get snippy with someone on AF that has the word "moderator" under their name. Only bad things can come of it for you.

Also, as a word to the wise, don't start a pissing match or get snippy with someone on AF that has the word "moderator" under their name. Only bad things can come of it for you.

:uhoh:

Yes thats true Rich but what Mr Airjer fails to realize is as the assigned Moderators to the Pontiac Grand Prix forum part of our job is to ensure members get proper and reasonable advice based on the year, make, model of the car include modded ones, if so annotated. Grand Prix is not only a tech forum to get issues or problems answered or resolved but also a performance forum where people come to get info on mods and discuss mods. Many of us have mods on our Grand Prixs so general technical info although acceptable in certain conditions may not be applicable or acceptable in all situations. In other words it can become mis or disinformation. As a Moderator all I did was point that out to Mr Airjer until he took it personal and became belligerent.

Also, I'd like to point out that his info or claim concerning 10% Ethanol gasoline in Minnesota is not really accurate. If he was a modder or high performance engine builder he would have known that. His claim all available gasoline in the State of Minnesota is 10% Ethanol based and not subject to possible freeze conditions is false. It depends on the octane levels and blends. Minnesota statutes calls for a waiver on gasoline with octane levels of 88 or better so not all gasoline will be 10% Ethanol or oxygenated. This was a well discussed topic a few years ago if you subscribe to certain publications like from the NHRA. Also, various gas stations throughout Minnesota still sell non-oxygenated (non-ethanol) pump gasoline where I hope someone with a modded L67 based GM car gets their premium gas. See link below.

Non Oxygenated Fuel In Minnesota (http://www.msra.com/NonOxygenatedFuel/NonOxyList03.01.08.pdf)




More disinformation and clarification:

Obviously Airjer's replies shows that he doesn't own a L67 or L36 based Grand Prix and has limited or no knowledge of what spark plugs should be used in a stock or modded L67 GTP. The GTP came with two different double platinum spark plugs from the factory. The OE AC Delco 41-921 which are no longer made and the other is the NGK double platinum plugs known as laser or designer. The NGK PTR4B-15 which are still available. The mix from the factory was about 50/50. The current recommended spark plug for stock applications is now the AC Delco 41-101 Iridium which are made by NGK for GM.

Colder aftermarket spark plugs like the Autolite 605, 104, 103 are used on a modded GTP when there are boost mods like running a smaller than stock supercharger pulley. This helps reduce or eliminate knock retard (KR) therefore it is not wise to use or recommend using the OE AC Delco spark plugs mentioned above in this case.