Need Help - Engine Dies

[Ami]

Hi All,

I'm in need of help. I own a 1997 Pontiac Grand Am GTP. The other day I pumped gas in my car, and since the engine keeps cutting off. I'm not too sure wot the problem is. Each time I turn the car on, it allows me too drive for 15 - 30 seconds before the enginr cuts off. After the engine dies, I gotta keep starting it up again. Has anyone had this problem before???? Does it mean I have dirt in my fuel line??
Please Help..
Thanx
Ami

[gm-andy]

First off all, Grand Am doesn't make a gtp, only the Grand Prix has one. You need to hook up a fuel guage. You should have 47 psi. If its really low you either have a clogged fuel filter, or a bad fuel pump. Go for the filter first. If it is the pump, its very expensive for that car.

Good luck.....

[Slade901]

Do this.
Start the vehicle in park and let it IDLE. Does the engine die after 30 seconds?
Try starting the vehicle and put it in Neutral (emergency brake engaged). Does the engine die after 30 seconds?

You said that it lets you drive for about 30 seconds before the engine shuts off. Try watching the temperature gauge before the engine shuts off and see what temperature reading it shows.

Check the oil level when the engine is cold to make sure it is between min and max level.

Two things that I can think off.

The TCC (Torque Converter Clutch solenoid) is failing and keeping the tranny clutch locked up in highest gear. The TCC is used by the tranny when you are at a cruising speed and then locks up to the last tranny gear to fuel economy. When you slow down then the TCC solenoid disengages the tranny clutch so it can go to the next lower gear and so forth. The problem with the TCC solenoid is that it keeps the tranny locked up in the highest gear and you have already slowed down then the engine would die. Same thing with trying to start the engine after it dies but won't start immediately but if you wait for a few minutes (enough to cool down the tranny fluid) then the TCC might unlock the tranny gear and so the vehicle would start again and moved.
It is like trying to start/move a manually tranny at the highest gear from a stop position. The vehicle would never start or moved at highest gear from a stop position.

The second posibility is that the CTS (Coolant Temperature Sensor) is failing.
Check your CTS (Coolant Temperature Sensor). If the CTS is bad, either it gives out a too cold signal or too hot signal to the computer.
If it is stuck in too hot, it signals the computer and in turn it will immediately close the fuel injectors and not stay long enough.
If it is stuck in too cold, it signals the computer and in turn it will immediately open the fuel injectors for a long time and probably flood the engine.
During initial startup (cold engine), the Normal CTS sends a cold signal to the computer to open the fuel injectors longer and then gradually returns the fuel injectors to normal operation as the temperature rises.


I would try to by-pass the fuel pump relay and directly feed 12 volt battery source to the fuel pump and see if it works.
Like what they recommend here, get a fuel pressure gauge to determine pressure as well.