Engine Dies After 15 minute and Won't Start

[jimmybvilla]

My 92 Buick Park Ave. 3.8 L has another problem. Previous to the water pump and gasket covers being replaced it did not have a stalling problem. Now whenever the car runs for about 15 minutes from a cool engine it will stall and won't start until the engine cools from 30 min. to one hour. Then it has no problem starting. Once the car runs it may take about 5 to 10 minutes to stall again and requires another cooling period before it starts. The alternator charges the battery and can get over 13 volts when running. The fan also kicks in when the engine is hot. The coolant level is normal. I have washed the engine with Engine Brite and the outer engine looks relatively clean. Maybe the coil gets hot? Where is the coil located? Any other thing I should check. Thanks for all your help.

[ks0309]

had similier problem, it was my fuel pump , it would overheat and stop working till it cooled down. next time your car won"t start, release fuel pressure from fuel line , and turn key on to see if it pressurizes fuel line

[jimmybvilla]

I drove my car around to get it heated then turned the engine off. I test the starting. When it does not start, I test the ignition with this gadget like a pen. You stick it close to the wires close to the spark plug. If there is ignition the neon light flickers. I did not get ignition. I guess that rules out the fuel pump? So what are the causes for ignition to be absent when starting and what causes it to stop while driving.

[public]

You may want to check your module. They are notorious for being heat sensitive when bad. Good Luck.

[jimmybvilla]

Thanks public, My mechanic brother in law also recommended changing the coil packs and ignition module. Standby, it was mailed from California yesterday. Each coil pack is $35 and there are 3 of them. The ignition module is $ 170.

[jimmybvilla]

The coil pack and ignition module were replaced yesterday. Test drive for 20 minutes was okay. However after the engine was turned off and restarted it would not start until a cooling period. No ignition while the engine is hot. Now what? Also while test driving, the lamp monitors were blinking. Now this may be insignificant but like others have experienced the low coolant level warning is on even though there is enough coolant in the radiator and overflow container. But the low coolant warning has existed before the stalling and no start problem has occured.

[jimmybvilla]

After reading a similar problem at the Le Sabre forum, in which the problem was solved, I am going to change the crank sensor. Does anyone know where is the crankshaft sensor in a 1992 3.8 Liter Park Avenue?

[DioGreer]

The crank sensor is located near the front of the engine off to the side of the harmonic balancer. I had mine replaced by a repair shop a couple of months ago. Cost me $150. I think I got reamed.

[public]

From the AutoZone web site


WELLS CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR for a 1992 BUICK PARK AVENUE

Unit Price: $29.99
Core Value*: $0.00
Part No.: SU132
Weight: 0.2 lbs.
Warranty: 3 MO
Availability: Online: Ships within 2 business days
Store: Normally Stocked

DioGreer I guess most of it was labor charges?

Good Luck

[jimmybvilla]

http://www.asashop.org/autoinc/feb2000/techtips.htm
During my research into the function of a crankshaft sensor, I discovered the above website for those who have osciloscopes for troubleshooting crankshafts problems or connections between sensor and ignition module, on 1991-1993 Park Avenue 3.8 Liter.

[timrice]

jimmybvilla, sounds like you might have read my thread in the LeSabre forum. Your problem sounds very similar to mine. I sure wouldn't replace coil packs yet. I suppose it could be the ICM, but my shop was wrong on when they replaced mine early on in my 11-week ordeal.

Are you getting any codes? (I got a *cam* sensor code P0341, but not a *crank* sensor code--that's what really hacked me off.)

I can't wait to hear how it turns out for you. Hopefully you'll get to the answer quicker and more cheaply than I did!!

DioGreer: don't feel too bad; the $150 amount is exactly what I paid for the crank sensor installation on my '95 LeSabre. (By that time, I was *glad* to pay it, too.) I've replaced one on an '89 LeSabre--it took me about four hours; I had trouble getting the pulley off to access the sensor. So a guy who knows what he's doing can probably do it in 1.5 to 2 hours, and with labor rates what they are these days and the 60% mark-up on parts, I'd say the $150 is about right.

[DioGreer]

tim, thats good to know. I remember asking the guys at the repair shop about it and I think you might have to take off the harmonic balance to replace the sensor. I remember looking up the tool to do that, and it was a J 38197 crankshaft pulley puller for the 3800 engine . Along with messing with that, the sensor and magnet have to be aligned and calibrated.

so public, it was mostly labor charges

[jimmybvilla]

Thanks tim and diogreer for your post. After reading them I lost heart about changing the crankshaft myself. It looked like you pop out the old and pop in the new at first. Then I saw in the web tools for removing crankshaft sensors and Diogreer confirmed it by giving a tool number. At this point I don't mind spending $150.00. As previously noted in this thread, I have already changed the coil pack and ignition module at the suggestion of my mechanic brother in law. but that did not do the job. Hopefully, the crankshaft will do it. I have been following Tim Rice at the Le Sabre forum and I know many people will benefit from that experience. Stand by for further developement.

[mounddog]

I had the same problem wtih my '92 buick 3.8l. I replaced about every sensor, coil pack, ignition module known to mankind - to no avail (luckily i had a very good donor junkyard car and nothing cost that much). Finally after finding some good info on the web regarding this problem - i changed out the crankshaft sensor - which really isnt that hard to do - though not a novice job, the main thing is you have to mark and line up the little finned thing thats on the sensor itself (good terminology yes?). You have to remove the inside wheel flap protector (which is like 2-3 bolts) and take off maybe one or two things (its been awhile since i did this) - and then the key thing is just Mark (scrape etc) how the cover of the crankshaft sensor is positioned - and take it out and put new one in (new at Autozone for $25). THIS solved my problem - no more cutting out while i was driving - and waiting 1/2 hour to 'cool' down. I too was receiving a Camshaft error message - which threw me off base - replacing the camshaft sensor didnt do anything except maybe smoothed the idle abit. Ok - anyhow - there are the posts describing my experiences with this a couple monthes back on this list. Mike

[timrice]

Based on what you said, mounddog, it's pretty likely that you and I are probably not the only ones who've been "fooled" by GM's lying camshaft sensor codes when the real problem was the crank sensor.

Given that professional mechanics have been taken in by it too, we probably won't be the last, either.