Engine Stumbles When Coasting

[creslevi]

I HAVE A 94 BUICK LESABRE 3.8 V6 WITH 207,000
MILES ON IT AND ITS THE MOST DEPENDABLE CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED, BUT!!! NOW THE QUESTION ABOUT THE 100,000 MILE MARK THE ENGINE STARTED TO STUMBLE WHEN YOU ARE OFF THE THROTTLE JUST COASTING, I HAVE REPLACED THE PLUGS AND WIRES AND PUT A COUPLE CANS OF OCTANE BOOST 108 THRU IT BUT THAT HAS'NT HELPED, I GET ABOUT 25 MPG AND IT RUNS GREAT WHEN I GET ON IT, OCCASIONALLY IT WILL JUST DIE IN TRAFFIC BUT SO FAR AT LEAST IT RESTARTS AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN NUETRAL AND START WHILE STILL ROLLING, ANY SUGGESTIONS WILL BE APPRECIATED THANKS RICK

[tman]

WHEN YOU HAVE THE CAPS LOCK ON, IT'S LIKE SHOUTING ON THE INTERNET, AND SHOWS ANGER. YOU DO NOT SEEM ANGRY, SO PLEASE TURN THE CAPS LOCK OFF.

[creslevi]

Sorry about the caps lock, I am very new at this posting routine and still trying to figure out how it all works.
Rick

[tman]

Thats cool, sorry I cant help. It may be the coil packs, but I'd send it to a dealer to have them look at it.

btw, congrats on 200,000 miles, these engines last forever if you take care of them! My park has 146000 on it, I'm gonna dance on the side of the road when it hits 150!

[public]

You may also check the torque converter clutch solenoid.

[DGary]

That sounds like the same problem I am having with my 94 Le Sabre with 215.000 miles on it. It feels like it is trying to run out of gas and on the freeway, it will quit completely but always restarts fine.

[creslevi]

Hi
My lesabre has 208,000 miles on it, and also has died a couple timels always while kinda coastin,g never under power or acceleration and it also restarts fine soo far, thats what worries me that maybe the next time it won't !!!??. So far I am stumped as to why ?.
I just hope someone reads this and has a solution, I will do my best to post it here if I find out whats wrong and I hope you will do the same.
Rick

[DGary]

Do you have your Check Engine Light on at any time? Mine comes on once in a while and then goes out. It has an OBDI system with an OBDII 16 pin interface connection and on OBDI you can jumper pins A and B and get the light to blink the code, however I do not know which pins are A and B on the OBDII plug. I am hopeing to find out so I can see what error code has been stored but to no avail so far. Might be a clue as to what causes the engine to quit.

[creslevi]

Hi Dgary
I am not certain what the OBDI is or where its located ??. Its been suggested maybe the map sensor is going or the pcv valve or the torgue converter lockup solenoid ??.

This car has allways been so dependable now its scary to not be able to pinpoint a problem !!??.

I have done the wires and plugs and put on a rebuilt Alternater last year plus I put on a rebuilt water pump (now I wish I had paid the extra and bought original pump) because I suspect it of making a funny noise that goes away when you take the tension off the belt.
Its a pretty big job to change the water pump (you have to remove the motor mount)so I am not looking forward to that ?.
my battery was dead in the driveway Sunday (unexpectadly)so I cleaned the cable ends and hope that problem is solved.

I find it pretty difficult to work under the dash anymore (Tooo Old)but I can't really afford to pay a troubleshooter either, But its still the best most comfortable car we ever owned, My wife loved it, (I lost her to cancer last dec/21) Lets hope someone reads these posts and comes up with the solution, everything is soo expensive you really can't afford to start throwing parts at it, at least I can't.
Rick

[creslevi]

PS Dgary to my last post

Never had the check engine light come on, a couple years ago the security light came on for about 100 miles but went out and has never came on again.
Rick

[DGary]

There are two computer sustems, pre 96 was the OBDI system and 96 and after was called OBDII, on board diagnostics systems. It takes two different readers to check the codes but with OBDI you could jump two pins, A and B, and it would blink the check engine light to give you the trouple code.

[MDEM88]

Well guys...Im having a horrible problem with my 92 lesabre...not quite as many miles but getting there. A new battery, 2 new starters, and coil packs, so far....now hes gonna try the camshaft sensor.....wish me luck!!! Car only starts when it wants to....I swear at it..I kick it....still won't start! LOL

[DGary]

Good luck, camshaft sensor won't keep it from starting, it tells the computer when it is top dead center for fuel, if it is bad, it will inject gas on the compression and exhaust stroke both and knock down the milage but will still run fine.

[MDEM88]

Originally Posted by DGary

Good luck, camshaft sensor won't keep it from starting, it tells the computer when it is top dead center for fuel, if it is bad, it will inject gas on the compression and exhaust stroke both and knock down the milage but will still run fine.

OOOP...sorry..I meant crankshaft sensor..LOL Car cranks over...but won't start...intermittently....Im sooo sick of this!!

[creslevi]

Update
Last weekend my battery was dead for no apparent reason so I checked the cables and sure enough they were ful of electrolisis so I cleaned them and thought that took care of the stumble (missing while cruiseing)but today it was back to missing, since Dec/03 I have had a funny rattleing sound and could'nt pinpoint it and today almost bought a steering pump but thank goodness I listened one more time and sure enough it was coming from the alternator (I put on a rebuilt last Aug. so I had dismissed that, But that was where the noise was coming from, So the parts store gave me another (I let them hear it first)then I smelled antifreeze and the fitting for the bypass hose from the manifold to the water pump was broken (plastic nipple)it was a dealer Item $13.31 if you can believe that !. Does anyone know if a computer diagnosis will pinpoint any problems with all these sensors ie:Cam,Crank,etc. it runs again and has never failed to start, it now has 209,000 miles on it.
I do think it runs better since I cleaned the cables ?? .
I hope someone comes up with a solution soon.
Rick