97 Grand AM Ignition or Fuel Problems WHAT IS WRONG?

[Timber492]

Ok here is the deal, the car had sat for about 3 days last week when it was really cold out (like -15) and it wouldn't start very easy when we tried. WHEN it did start it would make a popping noise when you get the RPM's to about 3 grand. also a lack of power when accelerating up to 50 mph. so i changed the coils, coil housing, found a crimp in the gas line repaired it, changed fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator, and the plugs, with no result. Then I heard that the GA's were notorius for having the ICM's short out when it was below 30 degrees, so I put a new one in, but nothing changed and now the car won't start at all. I am getting good spark from the coils, but very weak spark through the coil housing. also the gas appears to be black, additives may have been put in, what is going on?

P.S. Oh ya, I also remembered that when I turn the key on and I hear the fuel pump run, it runs for about 5 seconds and then turns off. Then if I turn the key off and right back on, the pump runs again for the same amount of time, and that keeps happening every time I turn the key on. It seems like it's not ever building up enough pressure. Any Ideas?

I just remembered, the "Check Engine" Light is on and the only code that came up on the OBD was a "Multi Cylinder Missfire" Code!



NEW UPDATE: I just took the throttleboddy off and found a good size of pool of oil in the intake manafold! Any ideas.

I almost got it to start this time, but I have to hold the throttle wide open and then it seems to let the plugs dry out to fire, but then it seems like it's maybe starving for fuel, and wont start. This thing is really starting to get on my nerves. Does anyone have any ideas at all?

[GTP Dad]

Is the temperature still in the -15 range? It sounds like your injectors are frozen and allowing fuel to pour into the cylinders. Pull a spark plug and see if the plugs are wet. If they are you need to replace them and warm the engine up above freezing. Once that happens you should see the car start. I would make sure that you have some gasline antifreeze in the fuel tank. I recommend Heet in the Red bottle. This should prevent this from happening in the future. There is also a possibility that the ignition module under the coil pack, if this is a V6, has gone bad and is causing the weak spark. It is expensive to replace but may be part of the problem. I don't know if these suggestions will help or not but for the most part they are what I would try. Good Luck!

[Timber492]

Thanks for responding. The engine that's in it is a quad 4 (2.4), and yes I know thats the first problem!
Just so your aware of it also, I found out that on the GA's with the 4 or 6 cyl. they have a problem with the oil pump. When the oil gets to thick or cold and you try to start the car, the oir pressure release valve gets stuck and wont release the preasure, causing the oil pressure to get up as high as 150 and some times even 200 were reported. The oddest thing with that is the car will send a Multi cylinder missfire code, probably because the oil is fouling out the plugs. From the info that I got, the only way to correct the problem is to replace the oil pump with the upgraded valve and spring assembly.
Hope this might help someone else in the future.