97 grand prix - problems!!!

[Decipha]

a/c blower motor only works on 6, settings 1-6 turn the daytime running headlights off???? setting 0 makes the lights come back on???

rpm needle goes dead some times while driving and doesn't function until car is turned off and back on

ses light is on, can some one tell me the scan tool model # i'll need to scan it? autozone doesn't scan cars around here any more

front end makes a clunk/grind noise when the car is first started, the trany mount is bad so im going to replace it tom and i was thinking this may help some if not i'll reply with the results, if some one may know please share your knowledge

tranys all fugged up, hard shifts and minor slipping going in to first from a dead stop, has 148K miles on it and looks to be old trany fluid by the burnt smell and the brown color.. just wondering if these tranys have a tendency to cunk out?

a/c wasn't blowing cold but the compressor was kicking on, i hooked up my gauge and it was showing 20 PSI of pressure, i got it up to 40PSI charging it, it still isin't cold enuff so i was wondering if anybody knew what the recommended PSI of the low pressure valve is suppose to be?

sometimes the car doesn't start i can hear the headlight-kill relay behind the glove box click over but the car won't start, im assuming its the solenoid on the starter going bad but i thought before i go out and replace it i'd post too see what yall thought

cooling system... radiator had a small crack in it near the return port at the top right side of it (standing in front the vehicle) i took the radiator out and patched up the crack with soe plastic weld crap, seems to be holding, i changed the thermostat with a 180 temp and filled the radiator and bleed the screw on top the thermostat housing... temp still hits 210 but doesn't really go past it, i was wondering if anyone was aware of maybe another bleeder valve or possibly another way to remove air??

think thats it

[Decipha]

just to clarify

sometimes the car doesn't start i have to keep turning the ignition on and off a few times to get it to finally crank over... could it possibly be crankshaft sensor?

the temp normally stays right below 155 temp mark but does occasionally hit the 210 mark, never passes it tho

[Decipha]

lol i wouldn't expect anybody to reply to this... anyway i've noticed the fog lights and the reverse lights don't work either... the wiring has to be shot to hell

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by Decipha

a/c blower motor only works on 6, settings 1-6 turn the daytime running headlights off???? setting 0 makes the lights come back on???

Just hang in there. You have a lot of problems to address all at one time in which members are reluctant to weigh-in. Lot of work providing a response. To start what engine do you have have?

Possibly a blower motor resistor but also the possibility of an ignition switch and harness assembly based on losing DRL.

Originally Posted by Decipha

rpm needle goes dead some times while driving and doesn't function until car is turned off and back on

Is it just the tach going dead or does the engine die too? The ignition control module (ICM) provides the tach signal.

Originally Posted by Decipha

ses light is on, can some one tell me the scan tool model # i'll need to scan it? autozone doesn't scan cars around here any more.

All you need is a typical odb-ii scanner but get one that reads GM extended codes. Scanners are made by companies like Actron, Equus, Snap On, OTC.

Originally Posted by Decipha

tranys all fugged up, hard shifts and minor slipping going in to first from a dead stop, has 148K miles on it and looks to be old trany fluid by the burnt smell and the brown color.. just wondering if these tranys have a tendency to cunk out?

We'll need to know what tranny you have. 97 models except the GTP came with a 4T60E and not the 4T65E. Check RPO on the SPID label under the truck lid. Look for M13 or M15.

Originally Posted by Decipha

a/c wasn't blowing cold but the compressor was kicking on, i hooked up my gauge and it was showing 20 PSI of pressure, i got it up to 40PSI charging it, it still isin't cold enuff so i was wondering if anybody knew what the recommended PSI of the low pressure valve is suppose to be?

Low pressure charge is dependent on the ambient temperature and humidity. 40 psi could be a good charge for around 90 degrees.

Originally Posted by Decipha

sometimes the car doesn't start i can hear the headlight-kill relay behind the glove box click over but the car won't start, im assuming its the solenoid on the starter going bad but i thought before i go out and replace it i'd post too see what yall thought

Check the battery out and get it tested. Also all cables at pos & neg terminals. You can check the 12 volts at the starter solenoid "S" terminal. Also, could be a ignition switch which coincides with your HVAC blower and DRL problem.

Originally Posted by Decipha

cooling system... radiator had a small crack in it near the return port at the top right side of it (standing in front the vehicle) i took the radiator out and patched up the crack with soe plastic weld crap, seems to be holding, i changed the thermostat with a 180 temp and filled the radiator and bleed the screw on top the thermostat housing... temp still hits 210 but doesn't really go past it, i was wondering if anyone was aware of maybe another bleeder valve or possibly another way to remove air??

210 could be normal in your situation. Based on your mileage and age of car it could just need a complete cooling system flush and new coolant.

To help bleeding air out of cooling system, raise the front end of car. Technically the radiator should be above the engine which will help expedite getting any air out, if any.

Originally Posted by Decipha

just to clarify

sometimes the car doesn't start i have to keep turning the ignition on and off a few times to get it to finally crank over... could it possibly be crankshaft sensor?

Could be the crank position sensor (CKPS) but it sounds like you have issues with the ignition switch. When you get the car running down the road and the engine dies along with tach dropping off to zero rpms and possibly a trac light then the CKPS is a possibility. But with all of your problems it is hard to tell.

[Decipha]

thanks bnaylor... when the tach dies the engine still runs and all else the other gauges on the instrument cluser still function correctly

btw the engine is a 3800 series SFI non-flex, haven't checked the transmission since im not going to be messing with it due to its age, im not sure about the 97+ 4t60e's but i've had alot of trouble with the older model <95 4t60e trannys, seems like all of them have bad plenums

im going to AZ to get the engine codes for the SES light... i shall return with the answers

how much would the iginition switch be to replace? If your refering to the ignition switch on the steering column i don't believe its bad

also last night i realised the fog lamps and reverse lights weren't working

[Decipha]

just got back from AZ the SES what was being thrown by 2 codes

P1870
P0441

im going to do a search to see what i can find on the causes

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by Decipha

thanks bnaylor... when the tach dies the engine still runs and all else the other gauges on the instrument cluser still function correctly

btw the engine is a 3800 series SFI non-flex, haven't checked the transmission since im not going to be messing with it due to its age, im not sure about the 97+ 4t60e's but i've had alot of trouble with the older model <95 4t60e trannys, seems like all of them have bad plenums

im going to AZ to get the engine codes for the SES light... i shall return with the answers

how much would the iginition switch be to replace? If your refering to the ignition switch on the steering column i don't believe its bad

also last night i realised the fog lamps and reverse lights weren't working

P0441 is an evaporative emissions purge valve problem. It is in the stuck position.

P1870 is a tranny DTC error code meaning Transmission Component Slipping. The torque convertor clutch (TCC) has excessive slip. I am 100% sure you have a 4T60E.

Unless the tach gauge is defective, this sounds like a bad ICM module or related wiring. Also, the crank position sensor is a possibility since the 18X pulses are used by the ICM to generate the signal for the tach.

Try the blower motor resistor first if you have a manual HVAC climate control. While blower motor is out bench test it by applying 12 volts and see if it spins. If this doesn't work you will be looking at replacing the ignition switch assembly. The contacts get carboned up from age and use causing a voltage drop to the 12 volts neeeded for accessory items running off it. Classic and common problem.

For fog light check the fog light relay in the engine compartment fuse box to see if it is energizing. When you press the defog button you should be able to feel or hear it click. Also check both of the lamps to make sure they are good.

I'll have to research the lack of backup lamps.

[Decipha]

thanks again bnaylor

i checked the gas cap is on nice and tight, i didn't smell any fumes of gas near the gas cap so im assuming its sealed well, i briefly looked for the charcoal canister but didn't find it, all other vaccum lines seemed to be connected as well... can you point out what would be causing the EEP valve problem? is their any way i can free it up?

should i replace the tcc and tcc relay? i know this is a common problem with the 4t60e tranny- also the trany shifts hard as all hell

tach works fine until it drops to 0, i don't think its the crank position sensor since that would be giving me a bad reading, and would more than likely cause the tach to work intermediatly, in my case the tach drops to 0 and doesn't function again until the engine is restarted making me think the ICM has to be faulty

i was thinking the fog light relay was the culprit as well... i just took a bath but looks like im about to get dirty

[Decipha]

looking up the ICM diagram i see it has a pink wire that I'm assuming gives power to the solenoid for the starter... perhaps you know more about this than i do... that may be causing the start not to turn over sometimes

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by Decipha

thanks again bnaylor

i checked the gas cap is on nice and tight, i didn't smell any fumes of gas near the gas cap so im assuming its sealed well, i briefly looked for the charcoal canister but didn't find it, all other vaccum lines seemed to be connected as well... can you point out what would be causing the EEP valve problem? is their any way i can free it up?

should i replace the tcc and tcc relay? i know this is a common problem with the 4t60e tranny- also the trany shifts hard as all hell

tach works fine until it drops to 0, i don't think its the crank position sensor since that would be giving me a bad reading, and would more than likely cause the tach to work intermediatly, in my case the tach drops to 0 and doesn't function again until the engine is restarted making me think the ICM has to be faulty

i was thinking the fog light relay was the culprit as well... i just took a bath but looks like im about to get dirty

The purge valve/solenoid is located at the engine by the UIM front. It has an electrical connector, a vacuum line from the throttle body and a line running back to the vent solenoid and charcoal cannister. Charcoal cannister is located the the left rear of car by the gas tank and where the filler neck is located. The system is not detecting a small or large leak but a malfunction of the purge valve/solenoid (P0441). A loose gas cap or leak will throw a P0440 or P0442.

On the 4T60E check the vacuum line to the vacuum modulator and the vacuum modulator. That could cause hard or poor shifting. How long has it been since the tranny was serviced, like a pan drop consisting of ATF and the screen filter?

For the backup lights check the B/U LP 10 A fuse. Then check for presence of 12 volts at the fuse socket. Other possibilities are the transmission range switch, fuse box wiring, wiring to/sockets or both backup lamps are burnt out.

For defogger relay if not energizing check the DIC/HVAC 10A fuse. Then check for 12 volts at fuse socket. If 12 volts missing at fuse socket it is a bad ignition switch switch contact.

[Decipha]

thanks again bnaylor

should replacing the purge valve get rid of the code? I'm going to look for a replacement on the net

modulator on the tranny seems to be good, the line is connected and doesn't have much deteroration, i didn't see any trany fluid residue in the line when i took it off so i don't think its drinking any, also the fluid on the stick is right where it should be, trany hasn't been serviced in about 100K miles (guesstimation) its dirty brown and smells terrible, i can't service it due to the mileage

i'm going to check the fuse in the morning, i tried today but i didn't want to rip each one out when i could just use my dmm im getting back tom

defogger?? i was refering to the fog lamps, the lights underneath the front of the vehicle. The switch illuminates when pressed so im assuming its getting power, i will jump off the relay as soon as i get my dmm so i can check for voltage

[Decipha]

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/cata...1256037k446009

will the middle item fix the problem?

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by Decipha

thanks again bnaylor

should replacing the purge valve get rid of the code? I'm going to look for a replacement on the net

modulator on the tranny seems to be good, the line is connected and doesn't have much deteroration, i didn't see any trany fluid residue in the line when i took it off so i don't think its drinking any, also the fluid on the stick is right where it should be, trany hasn't been serviced in about 100K miles (guesstimation) its dirty brown and smells terrible, i can't service it due to the mileage

i'm going to check the fuse in the morning, i tried today but i didn't want to rip each one out when i could just use my dmm im getting back tom

defogger?? i was refering to the fog lamps, the lights underneath the front of the vehicle. The switch illuminates when pressed so im assuming its getting power, i will jump off the relay as soon as i get my dmm so i can check for voltage

Normally replacing the purge valve fixes the P0441 error code.

On the tranny a pan drop probably would not hurt. Just replace the ATF drained and change the screen filter. Do not do a power or fluid exchange flush.

I meant the fog light circuits. The fog light relay is the best starting point. Just see if it is energizing. BTW - You have so many problems even I lost track. lol.

[richtazz]

Hey Bob, you've done some serious work on this one. Before I got too far into it, I'd figure out what's causing the blower motor/ tach issue. If it's a battery cable connection or the ignition switch harness, the electrical gremlins they would cause could be triggering the others. Just my

[BNaylor]

Originally Posted by richtazz

Hey Bob, you've done some serious work on this one. Before I got too far into it, I'd figure out what's causing the blower motor/ tach issue. If it's a battery cable connection or the ignition switch harness, the electrical gremlins they would cause could be triggering the others. Just my

I felt sorry for the guy. I waited for others to weigh in and no one took the plunge. Pretty time consuming considering it was over the weekend. I have other things to do like Moderator duties on top of that.

I am quite sure replacement of the ignition switch and harness will solve at least half of his problems. He has a 97 and it is ripe based on wear n tear and age. Classic symptoms.