Unique Startup / Idle Situation

[Ridenour]

I've been having some unique symptoms with my 2001 Grand Am GT lately (3.4 V6 w/ 38,000 miles).

First of all, the last 1/2 year approximately, I've been having the same check engine light. P1404. It was for the IAT sensor and for a EGR valve malfunction. I disregarded if for like 1/2 year, because I always assumed it was something else, such as a faulty evap sensor, until I actually looked up the code (and I started having bouncy idle at stops). So I replaced my IAT sensor (the end unit that you insert into the coupling) and I pulled my EGR valve and cleaned the hell out of it with carb cleaner. I also cleaned my IAC motor and throttle body, which seems to have helped with my choppy idle. So I had the SES light reset after that, but about 60 miles later, it came back on. This time I just ignored it. But now I've noticed, the last week or two, I've been having this really weird thing happen when I start up. If I crank it just right (like kind of letting it fire too long or something) it makes this really weird sound and starts running with a really loud shitty sound, it sounds like a bad bearing or something. Just an aweful sound. So I turn it off, and then if I turn it back on, the sounds gone. For some reason, it only comes on like if I crank it too many times. (like even 1 crank past what's needed). It's really fishy. Do you think it's related to my SES light? I thought I solved the damn issue by cleaning all that stuff, but apparently I didn't. And now the weird startup thing. Any thoughts? I can live with the SES light and the weird startups, it's just becomin annoying because I have to restart it to make it run straight, and I think something's wrong.

Oh, and for the record, the main engine mods I have are short-ram intake, MSD 8mm wires w/ NGK Iridium XIII plugs.

Thanks guys.

Ridenour

[FormulaLT1]

I think your best bet is to get it scanned and then start trouble shooting cause you could have new codes other than the old one's you were getting. I doubt its a bad bearing unless your oil pressure has been a little erratic. Good Luck.

John

[justin0717]

Is the code thats setting now still p1404? If so then get a tech 2, and in the freeze frame/failure records it will tell you exactly what was happening with the engine when the code set. And it actually may be the EGR sending too much exhaust into the engine, the EGR is coltrolled by the PCM, however it uses the ECT,TP,and MAF sesors to decide how much exhaust. Do you still have the MAF sensor on your car? id take a look and see what the failure records say, and then go from there. Also better describe the noise it makes when you "dont start it right." Hope that may help

[Ridenour]

Originally Posted by FormulaLT1

I think your best bet is to get it scanned and then start trouble shooting cause you could have new codes other than the old one's you were getting. I doubt its a bad bearing unless your oil pressure has been a little erratic. Good Luck.

John

Yeh I'll have it scanned again, I'm assuming it's still the same code, but I'll double check. And yeh you're right, I doubt it's actually a bad bearing, but for some reason it sounds like one really bad, but it goes away when I restart it, so I'm sure it's not. I'm deffinately going to have it scanned again - thanks john.

Originally Posted by justin0717

Is the code thats setting now still p1404? If so then get a tech 2, and in the freeze frame/failure records it will tell you exactly what was happening with the engine when the code set. And it actually may be the EGR sending too much exhaust into the engine, the EGR is coltrolled by the PCM, however it uses the ECT,TP,and MAF sesors to decide how much exhaust. Do you still have the MAF sensor on your car? id take a look and see what the failure records say, and then go from there. Also better describe the noise it makes when you "dont start it right." Hope that may help

I'm guessing it's still P1404. I think it would actually blink the SES light if it added another, but I'll have it rescanned. And yes I still have the MAF sensor. To better describe the noise, it's like when I crank it "wrong" (as in a little too long) it like clunks / bangs really bad really quick for a second, and then after it actually starts running, it's like a really bad knocking / chopping sound like I've heard on a grand am site for a bad bearing. It really kind of sounds just like a bad bearing from inside the car. But the weird thing is it goes away when I restart it.
By the way, out of curiousity, what does the ECT stand for? I don't think I've ever heard that abbreviation before.

Thanks again guys.

[justin0717]

hmm well then id go with formulalt1...get it scanned and then start from there....good luck though...

[Hoags]

Hey Ridenour,

Do you think that the starter selonoid could be hanging up? I have had that happen years ago on my wife's old Cuttlass, the damn thing would engage and stay and the teeth on the flywheel and the teeth on the starter gear would mash against each other and make one hell of an awful sound.
Just a thought.

Dan

[Ridenour]

that's a hell of a good idea. That could quite possibly be it. Did it shake super bad when it happened? Cause when mine has it happen it bangs, clunks, and shakes super bad for like 1 second.

I'm going to get the code re-read this afternoon and I'll fill you guys in.

[Hoags]

If I remember correctly I did get some shake out of it but on that big V-8 there was always a little bit of shake.
Good luck,
Dan