'93 Olds 88, w/ quite a few problems

[JesTTR]

1st question -
It looks like we may have blown a fuse. I can't figure out which fuse in the fuse box it may be though? I have checked all the ones on the list that it may be and none of them are blown. Sunday everything was working fine....my husband decided to put one of those lighter power sources into the accessory lighters that are in the center console near the floor and it wasn't working, so he put it away. I was guessing this may have blown a fuse (it has happened before in one of my other cars). The power locks no longer work, the trunk release only works when the car is on (and not on the fob at all) and the radio...when normally is on for 5 mins (or whatever it is) when the car is turned off....no longer works when you turn the car off. Which fuse should I be checking?? OR am I completely off and it's something else?

2nd question -
When it's cold out our car does not like to go into gear....it takes the car running for a little bit and sometimes sitting in gear before it will actually go. It's only when the car has been sitting for awhile. On Friday, we had a transmission flush and the transmission filter replaced and while the problem isn't as bad as it was before....it still does it. Is this a normal thing for this car? We never have the problem when it's warmer outside.

3rd question -
Key likes to get stuck in the ignition. Not all the time...but enough to be annoying. Sometimes it comes out easily, sometimes it takes 15 secs for it to come out, sometimes it takes 15 mins before it comes out. I've also noticed this is usually when the car is cold. If it has been running for awhile, it usually will come out with no problem. Again, is this a normal problem for this car?

4th question -
The computer monitoring system that is on the dash. It always flashes that we have "Low Oil Pressure" or whatever it says (can't exactly remember), when you look at the PSI on the computer gages it says 0 PSI. The gage on the dash works fine. We have had the car looked at numerous times, and they can't figure out why this warning keeps popping up. They said our oil pressure is just fine. Weird.

That is it, I think... We love our car, despite its little quirks.... Thanks for your help!

[fourtwenty]

Originally Posted by JesTTR

2nd question -
When it's cold out our car does not like to go into gear....it takes the car running for a little bit and sometimes sitting in gear before it will actually go. It's only when the car has been sitting for awhile. On Friday, we had a transmission flush and the transmission filter replaced and while the problem isn't as bad as it was before....it still does it. Is this a normal thing for this car? We never have the problem when it's warmer outside.

I can help you out with this one I think. Have a read through my post here from a few months ago. I was having a similar problem.

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=510396

The tranny shop said I needed a rebuild. I wasn't willing to put that kind of money into the car. I tried a bottle of transmedic. This helped for about a week then the problem came back. For a while I just used the trick 92-LS suggested, which was to put it directly into 1st gear (all the way down on the shifter) that would bump it into gear within a few seconds.

I had to fix a leaking trans line so when I filled it up I put a bottle of lucas transmission fix. Ever since then she's been great. A few times she wouldn't go in gear right away, but that was usually when it was really cold out, and I started it and shifted right away. As long as it idles for 10-20 seconds I never see the problem. Even when it's -25 C outside.

Good luck!

[92-LS]

there is a secondary fuse panel on the lower pass side behind a long black plastic cover held on by 2 or 3 screws. I blew the same 15amp fuse trying to charge a cell phone and run a radar detector on a road trip...
I duuno about your sticky key issue, I'd start with the basics...if the key has alot of wear on it, get a new one. Make sure the car is fully in park before turning the cylinder to the off position. These cars have a brake and transmission interlock built in to the floor shifter, you can usually hear a little 'thunk' noise as it releases the shifting out of park, it may be getting sticky? The oil pressure gauge and trip computer read off the same pressure sensor located on the passenger side rear of the engine compartment above the oil filter housing. The gauge should read about 35psi at a fully warmed idle in drive. Hope this helps....

[JesTTR]

Fourtwenty...thanks! I looked back and previous pages regarding that issue and I must have missed your post. Thanks! We'll have to check for leaks. I double checked with the husband and he says he doesn't think we had a flush, just changed the filter...so I have to correct myself there. I didn't realize your not suppose to flush older tranny's...yikes. Our car has been doing this for quite a few years and it is only a pain in the winter. So maybe your car has hope.

92-LS...OMG...thanks so much for your help on the fuse!! I fixed it quick. I thought there was a secondary box, but couldn't for the life of me find it!! And our car did not have an owner's manual so that did not help. But the problem is fixed and our power locks and other accessories are back! *woot* I don't know how I lived without power locks.

Question -

The oil pressure gauge and trip computer read off the same pressure sensor located on the passenger side rear of the engine compartment above the oil filter housing. The gauge should read about 35psi at a fully warmed idle in drive. Hope this helps....

So this pressure sensor is different than what controls the analog oil gauge that is on the dash?? The gauge on the dash works fine. It's just that the digital one will be working fine and then all of a sudden reads we have zero oil pressure (which causes the "low oil pressure" monitor on the digital to start dinging....)

[fourtwenty]

Originally Posted by JesTTR

Fourtwenty...thanks! I looked back and previous pages regarding that issue and I must have missed your post. Thanks! We'll have to check for leaks. I double checked with the husband and he says he doesn't think we had a flush, just changed the filter...so I have to correct myself there. I didn't realize your not suppose to flush older tranny's...yikes. Our car has been doing this for quite a few years and it is only a pain in the winter. So maybe your car has hope.

92-LS...OMG...thanks so much for your help on the fuse!! I fixed it quick. I thought there was a secondary box, but couldn't for the life of me find it!! And our car did not have an owner's manual so that did not help. But the problem is fixed and our power locks and other accessories are back! *woot* I don't know how I lived without power locks.

Question -



So this pressure sensor is different than what controls the analog oil gauge that is on the dash?? The gauge on the dash works fine. It's just that the digital one will be working fine and then all of a sudden reads we have zero oil pressure (which causes the "low oil pressure" monitor on the digital to start dinging....)

I think you misunderstood my post. I wasn't saying that the leak caused the problem. I was just saying that since I had to fix the leak, I took the opportunity to add a bottle of that lucas stuff when I had to top up the fluid. Overfilling a transmission can be bad, so I don't know what kind of effect adding 750ml to an already full transmission would have. You may have to figure out a way to syphon off some fluid before adding the lucas additive.

I think the problem is that some of the parts in the transmission have become gummed up and when it's cold out, it causes them to stick, until the fluid warms up. I think the Lucas additive cleaned it up.

[JesTTR]

Oh, I wasn't going to add anything. Was just going to check for leaks. I already know we have a leak from *something*, just need to find out where.

I know your saying the additive cleans it up not fixes a leak...just trying to do a process of elimination, since I already know what we've done and the problem is still there, kwim?

I understand the not overfilling thing....my dad raised me and liked to teach me how to work on cars and such.