1990 3.1L Lumina - My Problems

[heatherc]

I am new to this sort of thing. I don't know too much about cars except what my stepdad has told me. I have a 90 Lumina 3.1L and I think it's dying on me. It has about 218,000 miles and as of this morning, is not starting.

I guess there is the anti-theft steering wheel lock thing that causes you to have to turn the steering wheel to the left sometimes to start the car. In the past couple weeks I have tried turning the key but it doesnt go past the "mode" where the dashboard lights come on (told you I don't know too much). Anyway, so I have tried turning the steering wheel to the left like I have done before but it takes two or three tries before it finally starts. Just in the past few days it has taken a good ten or fifteen tries to get it started. Yesterday evening I tried for about five minutes to get it started. Normally I kept trying and something would just work or I would get lucky and it would start. But yesterday was really difficult and I finally got it started after sitting there trying for about ten minutes. This morning I am ready to leave for work and I try for another five minutes to get it started but it didn't.

My stepdad thinks there is something wrong in the steering column...my left turn signal doesn't work, it stays solid but he says it is not the fuse or lightbulb. Also, last fall, my car did this same thing where it wouldn't start but we didn't know what to do and smoke was coming from the steering column. I'd really just like any advice on what this could be so I can make a small repair so this car can last me another six months or so until I can afford to get a newer one. We have had this car since March 1990 and it's been a really good car to us, no major problems with it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Let me know if I can give any more info that would help diagnose my problem Thank you!

[jeffcoslacker]

Can't really help you there, youl'll have to either pull the wheel and get down in the column and see what's narfed up, or (sometimes cheaper, especially that old) have a steering column specialist put a junkyard column in it.

[jeffcoslacker]

Actually, a locksmith might be able to tell you what's wrong with it also, they've seen it all, and know how the linkages and ignition switch relate to each other.

Or you crack and peel the column open, and start it by pulling the link rods, like they do in the 'hood

[heatherc]

Haha, OK thank you for the suggestions. I'll pass them onto my stepdad and hopefully something will work!

[jhouston77]

I think that I may have figured out your problem because I solved mine. On my car that was just repaired the problem lied in the ECM harness that runs under the car. there's a short that it shutting down three of your injectors.

Originally Posted by mattsdominion

Well, for starters... i'm new to the forums. This is my first post.

I have a 1990 3.1L with 118k miles on it. I got it with 90kmiles, from my grandmother for like 500.00 dollars.

I've since done the following to it:
Rebuilt tranny, new catalytic converter, new rear calipers.

three weeks ago, i started having serious trouble with it. The engine would jerk, and it was running real rough. Finally, it stalled out on me.... and wouldnt start.

I've since changed out the following parts:

O2 sensor, MAP, IAC, TPS, PCV valve, PCV hose, all three ignition coils, ignition module, all 6 spark plugs, all spark plug wires, a new system computer, replaced all the wire loom, which was dry rotted, replaced the ECM ground lead, throughout the entire car... which had a short in it.

And then i made the car re-learn idle. The car is stalling when you give it gas... which leads me to believe that the timing chain, which was original is now worn... and has slipped a few teeth. I'm in NY, and i had a local auto shop order it overnight for me. I'll be changing it out tomorrow night.

I absolutely love my lumina, and next major repair is going to be the struts, and shocks. As well as the rear leaf spring. I have some minor body damage, which is going to be fixed after i get new tires on the car, and fix the suspension.

I plan on keeping a running log in this thread.

Anyone with a 3.1L V6, can ask me whatever questions they want... I have full wiring diagrams, and repair manuals. I personally diagnosed and fixed my problems as they occured with a Snap-On OBD scanner.

I will eventually provide a full error-code list, as well as some wiring diagrams. Other stuff upon request.

[misstjohn1]

Matt, about 2 weeks ago my car started giving me problems with starting up. It would crank but not start but after a few tries I got it started but it would cut right off. I changed the filters, plugs, wires etc and took it to the shop and it came up no codes. Could it be a vacuum leak because now it won't start at all.

[meuhus]

Originally Posted by mattsdominion

pulled it off... everything seems pretty normal...

I'm at a complete loss here...

What else could be causing the car to stall out, when the belt is on... but not when the belt is off...

im having similar problems with my 91
i'll try to pull of the belt to see what happens
maybe the alternator is pulling to much load

i was driving 45 mph
opened up to 105 mph
then slowed back down again
noticed the car runing rough too
pulled over tried t rev up but motor would not
runs very rough at idle
it took ten miles of driving at ten mph before the check engine light came on( i could only get the car to go ten mph)
and it would die once and a while
checked the codes and got a 13 and 22 (tps and o2)
towed the car home cleared codes
car still runs the same (bad)
don't have any codes now
i pulled spark wires
on front cylinders 2,4,6
one at a time
2 and 4 were not firing
pulled those plugs they seemed to be some what fouled
but not soaked like you normally see in a fouled plug
i'm getting spark
changed two of three coils
crank sensor is new
i'm at a loss too
let me know what you find out

[aricanderson]

on my buddies lumina the ac compressor froze up and would not let the belt turn you might want to check the compressor to see if it is turning freely

[meuhus]

Originally Posted by meuhus

im having similar problems with my 91
i'll try to pull of the belt to see what happens
maybe the alternator is pulling to much load

i was driving 45 mph
opened up to 105 mph
then slowed back down again
noticed the car runing rough too
pulled over tried t rev up but motor would not
runs very rough at idle
it took ten miles of driving at ten mph before the check engine light came on( i could only get the car to go ten mph)
and it would die once and a while
checked the codes and got a 13 and 22 (tps and o2)
towed the car home cleared codes
car still runs the same (bad)
don't have any codes now
i pulled spark wires
on front cylinders 2,4,6
one at a time
2 and 4 were not firing
pulled those plugs they seemed to be some what fouled
but not soaked like you normally see in a fouled plug
i'm getting spark
changed two of three coils
crank sensor is new
i'm at a loss too
let me know what you find out

i fixed my car fuel injector was bad
thanks

[luminacrazy]

Originally Posted by meuhus

i fixed my car fuel injector was bad
thanks

Hello,

I have a 1990 Lumina 3.1 Euro that was still running a little rough after replacing a shorted fuel injector but I kept driving it that way because of the high cost of fuel injectors. Some fuel injector cleaner appeared to help a little. I was too cheap to replace them all because they cost $100 each and I did not own the equipment to test them on a bench. I have since found a cheaper source for new injectors and a place that exchanges fuel injectors. The remaining 5 fuel injectors have a normal range resistance. The remaining 5 injectors also have approximately 170,000 on them and looking back at my service records I found that was about the amount of mileage I got out of the original injectors before having them replaced by the dealer.

Adding to the problem is that recently the check engine light came on indicating a code 22, low voltage on the TPS. I then immediately replaced the TPS and the code 22 came back after resetting it. I have the shop manual and it indicates that the car possibly has a bad ECM or an open circuit, or shorted circuit. I then replaced the ECM and the error code came back.

Now I don’t know if I should try to find a bad ECM ground wire or replace the fuel injectors, and or the temperature sensor. I checked the wiring going from the TPS sensor at the wiring harness plug and I was able to get a test light to work in that segment of the harness.

The car has newer ignition wires, spark plugs, TPS, alternator, battery, fuel pump with filter and fuel pump screen and crank sensor and am familiar with the symptoms those components cause. I think I have a leaking fuel injector because the exhaust smells very rich but could a leaking fuel injectors be cause the code 22 to be set?, or should I be looking for a shorted or open circuit it the wiring? The engine runs with an abnormally high idle and stalls out when starting out. It does run a little better after getting underway for a few minutes or more.

I have the shop manual but have no idea where the ECM ground and other grounds are located?

A mechanic said that there is an adjustment on the TPS sensor but the manual does not indicate any way to adjust the TPS sensor, and I think he is incorrect.

Any ideas on what would be the next logical step to take?