'91 Olds 88, with 3800 runs rough

[bakerdb]

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and hope you can help. I have been reading through some of the past posts and some of it sounds like the probelm I am having but, I have had most of the things done to no avail. It runs rough, I have to ease into the gas and it will accelerate OK, and then drive fine. But, if I drive it to far the engine gets warm and then sputters and pops and won't go past 45 MPH. If it stalls I can start it but as soon as it starts I have to pump the gas to keep it running.

So, Here goes:
The car has 126,000 miles on it and last year it started running rough with the Service Engine light on, so I took it to Autozone and had them read the code and it was the code for the Cam sensor/magnet. So I took it to a service garage and they replaced the sensor and magnet, but the Service engine light was still on and they said that the ignition module would probably fail soon.

About a month later I was driving it and it just died, so I took the coil pack and ignition module off and took them to Autozone. They tested them both and said that the Coil pack was bad, so I replaced the coil pack and put them back on and it didn't help. I then had it towed to a garage and they replaced the Fuel pump and filter and it would run but still rough like before. I then took it to another garage where they replaced the Cam sensor (again) and the ignition module, plugs and wires. None of this helped with the rough running.

I drove it this way for several months then it started making a clanking noise in the engine and I then had the Harmonic balancer replaced. The place that has been looking at it last had tried everything they could think of. Cam sensor/magnet, Ignition module/Coil pack, PCM, fuel injectors, etc. I am not sure exactly what else they tried but the owner of that shop who had been working on it finally gave up.

Anyone have any ideas?? Please Help!!

David

[maxwedge]

Originally Posted by bakerdb

Hello all,

I am new to this forum and hope you can help. I have been reading through some of the past posts and some of it sounds like the probelm I am having but, I have had most of the things done to no avail. It runs rough, I have to ease into the gas and it will accelerate OK, and then drive fine. But, if I drive it to far the engine gets warm and then sputters and pops and won't go past 45 MPH. If it stalls I can start it but as soon as it starts I have to pump the gas to keep it running.

So, Here goes:
The car has 126,000 miles on it and last year it started running rough with the Service Engine light on, so I took it to Autozone and had them read the code and it was the code for the Cam sensor/magnet. So I took it to a service garage and they replaced the sensor and magnet, but the Service engine light was still on and they said that the ignition module would probably fail soon.

About a month later I was driving it and it just died, so I took the coil pack and ignition module off and took them to Autozone. They tested them both and said that the Coil pack was bad, so I replaced the coil pack and put them back on and it didn't help. I then had it towed to a garage and they replaced the Fuel pump and filter and it would run but still rough like before. I then took it to another garage where they replaced the Cam sensor (again) and the ignition module, plugs and wires. None of this helped with the rough running.

I drove it this way for several months then it started making a clanking noise in the engine and I then had the Harmonic balancer replaced. The place that has been looking at it last had tried everything they could think of. Cam sensor/magnet, Ignition module/Coil pack, PCM, fuel injectors, etc. I am not sure exactly what else they tried but the owner of that shop who had been working on it finally gave up.

Anyone have any ideas?? Please Help!!

David

Runs rough has many meanings to different drivers, if this is a dead misfire in one cylinder there are methods of pinpointing which cylinder is the culprit, your info is too spotty for a meaningful diagnosis in this environment. Try and find out if there is a dead cylinder or just a roughness that only is felt at idle. Was a compression test done, were the injectors replaced and why?

[bakerdb]

The injectors were not replaced, only cleaned. No one has said anything to me about a compression test. I will try to find out if anyone did one and if not I will try and have it done.

Sorry for the spotty info.

[nrages]

I have a 1991 Olds 98 that was running real rough...there are many other problems as well, most likely pertaining to the coil pack and ICM. I haven't gotten those fixed yet, but my mechanic adjusted my timing, and now the car doesn't run rough. It still turns off while driving, but just not as much.

So, perhaps your timing needs adjusting as mines did.

[maxwedge]

Originally Posted by nrages

I have a 1991 Olds 98 that was running real rough...there are many other problems as well, most likely pertaining to the coil pack and ICM. I haven't gotten those fixed yet, but my mechanic adjusted my timing, and now the car doesn't run rough. It still turns off while driving, but just not as much.

So, perhaps your timing needs adjusting as mines did.

Due respect here, talk to your mechanic there is no adjustable timing on that car!

[Jdeck]

I'm having rough running issues myself. Is there a crank sensor and could this be a problem?

[Alibi]

Originally Posted by Jdeck

I'm having rough running issues myself. Is there a crank sensor and could this be a problem?

Maybe, but you need to start a new thread w/ the year and explain the symtoms of your "rough running issues" and any trouble codes.

[Xandermull]

I have a 92' olds 88 that did almost exactly what yours is doing, loud clanking from harmonic balancer (rubber boot detached from the balancer it's self) and the motor would lack accelleration and jerk all nasty not to mention was only getting about 10mpg...

My solution was a motor swap, found a motor with 33k miles on it out of a lesabre, dropped it in and still running strong (with a small lack of accelelration problem when she's warm)

When we pulled apart the bad motor a number of problems were found, toasted exhaust valves, injectors were burnt, piston rings were shot and the oil contained a LOT of gas from blow-by

I hope you have better luck than i did, though here in louisville there is a place that specalizes in teh 3800 series motors and will rebuild one for about 300.00 back to stock.

[HotZ28]

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