1998 Grand Prix no start

[98RedGT]

Yesterday my car ran fine. Today it started running rough when my wife drove it. When I started it to see what was going on it ran very rough. I gave it a little gas and black smoke came out of the tail pipe and now it will not start. I can hear the fuel pump running when I turn the car on. I have spart at least at the coil pack to the wires. Any ideas? The check engine light is on but I don't have a tool to read it and I can't start it to go get it read.

[Tech II]

Well, it's running rich....plugs and possibly the O2 sensor are fouled......could be a leaking F/P regulator, bad wire(s), bad plugs, bad coil(s)[did you check spark at all 6 terminals?], bad MAF sensor, dirty air filter, leaking injector, etc.

Checking for codes, you will probably find a P0300(misfire code)......If it is a misfire, you have to isolate which cylinder(s) is at fault....

[98RedGT]

OK. New issue. No power to the ODB II connector. Where is powered from or is a sign of something that needs replaced?

[maxwedge]

That uses the body feed cig. liter fuse for power.

[98RedGT]

Computer threw P0300 as guessed by Tech. Would a general tune up clear this up?

[98RedGT]

New plugs and wires, cleared the computer and it started right up. I haven't had it on the road yet but it seems to be running fine. Only problem is a lot of white smoke/steam out of the exhaust and it seems like an lot of water coming out of the tail pipe. Bad gas? Should I drop in a bottle of Dry Gas?

[Tech II]

Water coming out of the tail pipe, along with a little smoke, is normal for this time of year....water is a product of combustion.....with the cooler air at this time of year, that water will turn to a visible vapor on start up.....after awhile it will go away....

Now, if you are losing coolant, and as the car warms up, and you still have white smoke out the exhaust, and it runs rough, then we could be talking head gasket.....

[98RedGT]

Topped off coolant after installing plugs and wires. Car started and ran but a lot of white smoke. Now, car does not start. Checked coolant and couldn't see the level. Oil was very high also. Guess I found out where my coolant went. And now time to try my hand at head gasket replacement. This should be fun.

[maxwedge]

Hold on here this could be the famous upper intake cracked at the egr/coolant passage, check that first.

[Tech II]

Max is correct.....I was thinking 3.1, not 3.8....

Also, get that oil out of that engine....

[98RedGT]

Removed upper intake and the lower intake was FULL of antifreeze. I went ahead and replaced the lower intake gasket since I have 120,000 miles on it and in the procesess of putting it back together. The intake looked warped so I'm replacing it. What are the torque specs for the lower and upper intake? I saw 11 ft lbs and 89 in lbs. Just checking the accuracy of that info.

[98RedGT]

A week after the repair and the car is running great. Kinda wish I would have spent the extra $50 to get a ZZP intake. Oh well. $150 in parts and gaskets and a total of about a week to repair what would have cost about $1000 from what I've read. I'm pretty happy with that.