Questions from new Lumina owner

[colinsdad]

Originally Posted by tblake

oh, my god jeff, your post was not there when I typed mine, so very sorry, dont mean to step on toes here.

Thanks guys! I found the fuel filter, but cannot find the PCV...Oh well. Here's the wierd thing...I decarboned the engine, and the CEL went off for a little while, and then came back on AFTER the car warmed up....Any thoughts? All I get is 12 over and over again

[colinsdad]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

That's no problem, I forgot OBD I doesn't sense gas tank integrity anyway...

Well, the car failed inspection due to some rusted out tie rod ends, so the shop I purchased it from will run the codes while their at it.

[corning_d3]

Your PCV valve is located on the rear valve cover(closest to windshield).

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by colinsdad

Well, the car failed inspection due to some rusted out tie rod ends, so the shop I purchased it from will run the codes while their at it.

Tie rod ends rust locked? Dayum...it did do some sitting around, huh?

I had a customer in her 90's with a 1974 Chevy Chevelle her husband bought before he died....in 1977

She didn't have a driver's license. Had NEVER had one. The car had 16,800 original. The only time it EVER got used was when her son and family came to town for holidays. That's the only reason she kept it, so they didn't have to rent a car while there. The rest of the year it sat there in her garage.

I'd have to go get it with the tow truck for it's yearly oil change and inspection, and there'd always be something wrong with it that you'd never see on any car.

Like the brake proportioning valve siezing. One time it wouldn't stay running. Had a huge birds nest in the muffler, choked it up. Mice ate the harness for the headlights once. Tires got permanently flat spotted from sitting in one position with low air for 12 months. Couldn't run the lumps outta them (I tried). Fuel pump diaphragm would split and pump fuel into the crankcase about every other year. U joints got so stiff and dry, they started sqeaking like bedsprings when it was moving. Went to slow down while pulling it around the building to bring it inside, and the wheel cylinders in the rear brakes blew out Whee! No brakes!

Oh, and a new battery, every year....

[colinsdad]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

That's no problem, I forgot OBD I doesn't sense gas tank integrity anyway...

Here's what happened....I brought the car in for inspection, only to get a Safety failure (i.e. front tie rod and bushings were shot) and then have the e-brake lock up AFTER the test was performed.

The shop I bought it from replaced the following:
1) Vacuum hoses-to MAP and EGR (code is gone)
2) new rear brakes and rotors
3) new front suspension parts

cost of parts: 225$

cost to me:0$$!!!!

They have a guarantee that the car will pass inspection, or it will be repaired to pass inspection for free!!

[colinsdad]

Originally Posted by colinsdad

Here's what happened....I brought the car in for inspection, only to get a Safety failure (i.e. front tie rod and bushings were shot) and then have the e-brake lock up AFTER the test was performed.

The shop I bought it from replaced the following:
1) Vacuum hoses-to MAP and EGR (code is gone)
2) new rear brakes and rotors
3) new front suspension parts

cost of parts: 225$

cost to me:0$$!!!!

They have a guarantee that the car will pass inspection, or it will be repaired to pass inspection for free!!

OK....now I have a code 32....WTF??????

[tblake]

I believe code 32 has to do with your EGR system.

[zephram22]

Originally Posted by colinsdad

I tried searching the Forum with that function, and had no luck...

I just purchased a 1993 Lumina with a 3.1L...literally, a little old lady owned it and it was sold to me by her Family when she went into the nursing home. The engine and interior are VERY clean, but it's obvious VERY little routine maintenance was done under the hood.

I have a CEL that lit right after I bought it, and I figured, I would check the EGR, PCV valve and clean out the Intake manifold by finding a vacuum line to shoot some Intake cleaner in to "decarbon" the engine. My only problem is:

1) the car came with NO owners manual
2) I have a scematic that evidently a hyperactive monkey wrote on the radiator support that doesn't really SHOW where everything is. Also, anyway to "adjust" the MAP? This is the first car I've owned with a MAP rather than a MAF sensor...

Anyone have any pictures as to where the EGR and PCV are located, and are there "typical" things (ie. coil pack) that fail to cuase a CEL? I'm assuming Autozone can read it for free, but the closest one is a 40 minute drive...any help would be great!!

I would invest in a haynes manual. They are only 15 bucks and will be a life saver.