91 3.1 lumina wont stay running after exhaust repair

[ASTRODRAGULA]

Hello everyone, I have a question for my buddie's 1991 lumina 3.1. He just bought the car cheap last week. The car ran great, except for a minor exhaust leak right behind the converter, but it still ran good just nade a little more noise. So he took it to a local muffler shop and they replaced the pipe between the cat/con and the muffler. He stopped somewhere on the way home. When tried to restart it wouldnt stay running. It finally started and drove home (died bout a block from the house). The ses light is not coming on. If I go out and start it it will start good run for approx 15 seconds and then start to sputter, slight acceleration will rev it up again but the longer it runs, the more acceleration needed. When it dies (and it will) it will fire up run for a few seconds on its own, then acceleration slightly helps but it feels bogged/clogged. It may do this for a few startup tries untill it wont start at all.

Could this possibly be a cat/con issue since work was done around it, could they hit to hard or heated it to much????

I have some knowledge on this engine done alot of work on my 91 beretta. It could be fuel pump, egr? a number of sensors ...But since it only started after exhaust was fixed?? Still leaves me confused since the hole was behind the converter.

I was thinking if not cat crankposition sensor, o2 sensor, egr valve......Is it just giving more backpressure and throwing something off.

thanx for your time reading this. All answers/suggestions will be appreciated.

[maxwedge]

Welcome to AF. Confirm fuel pressure first, shouldn't be connected with their work 37 psi.

[jeffcoslacker]

It sounds very similar to once when I replaced an extension pipe like that, and the convertor element shattered, and shotgunned and clogged the muffler right after...wouldn't surprise me if that's what happened...

If you have a vacuum gauge, you'll see the intake vacuum fall off towards zero as it bogs down...or you may even see a spot or line on the muffler turning blue where its trying to burn through...

[jeffcoslacker]

Thinking a bit more....it might have had a clogged muffler already, before it was worked on, and burned through the extension pipe to relieve the pressure, and that's where the leak was...now it has no exit...

Possible..

[jeffcoslacker]

Not a Rob Zombie fan are you?

[ASTRODRAGULA]

aw hahaha This was about retarded. Much appreciated to those that replied. I was thinking maybe it wasnt getting fuel. but convinced that it was in the exhaust cause of he just left the shop. So i sprayed a just a lil bit of starter fluid in throttle body (Which I know isnt good for it,.....but). Turned it over and bam it started up.....................................blah blah........................................blah.. ....IT WAS OUT OF GAS...... I died laughing at him but it does happen The fuel gauge went from 1/4 tank up to 3/4 then full while I drove to the gas hut. Now im gonna find something out about the fuel guage.. Any suggestions??? Please don't tell me the fix is in the tank. Id really like to help this dude for free. lol White Zombie Rob Zombie Ive been a fan since they came out....dont really remember when that was though. Dragula was grandpas hot rod on The Munsters, Which is about the only black and white show i can watch Im planning a 350 swap in my Chevy Astro Van. It seems real simple, not nearly as much EXTRA work as anticipated. Thats What ive Marked my van, ASTRODRAGULA.

Again, thanx for your replies on this nonsense
Im sure I will be back sometime soon or later

[goldengirl47]

hi i have a 97 chevy lumina does about same thing. it would start up fine get about 10 miles or so and stall. if you wait about half hour or so it will start right up. sputters a little but not much. seems like something getting heatewd up and shutting off . my fuel pump is kicking on . im about to take mine to a shop on monday. someone suggested it might be my catasylic converter. any suggestions anyone? thanks ... Donna

[maxwedge]

Welcome to AF. Your issue is unrelated to this, plus the year is different please start a new thread. BTW have the fuel pressure tested for starters.