Serious Help Please!!!

[CapriceBoy214]

I have a 89 chevy caprice. It suppose to have a rebuilt 350 in it. Well sometimes the car stalls after I have driven it for about 15 min. going about 50-65mph. The engine lights comes on when I go 65 and over sometimes.Once I go under 50 it will go off. O, and when I get on my gas pedal it seem like my car has ran out of gas but then it jerk and go. When i start it up it takes several attempts then it start. If i have driven it for more than 30mins. Cut it off and try to cut it back on it wont start. The starter turns but it seem like my battery gets weak. I have been through 2 or 3 batteries within a 6-9mth period. Can someone please help me.

[Blue Bowtie]

The Check Engine light is turning on because an error code is being generated. Scan the ECM for error codes for a hint about the problem.

[PeteA216]

You might want to work on your grammar before Silicon212 (A.K.A. Grammar Nazi) nails yah.

Anyway,

when I get on my gas pedal it seem like my car has ran out of gas but then it jerk and go.

If your engine is carbureted then your secondaries may be opening up too fast. This can result in them letting too much air in but not enough fuel into the engine for a moment until it all catches up with itself. In terms of the stalling and Check Enine light coming on, I'd have to agree with Blue Bowtie and say check your codes. You can easily read your engine codes by jumping the A and B diagnostic terminals found under the driver's side dash below the steering column. Turn the key to the "ON" position and watch the check engine light blink to the codes. Example: "Flash" pause "Flash""Flash" would be a code 12 which displays 3 times before and after displaying any and all engine codes stored in the ECM's memory.

[silicon212]

#1 - Engine light - I've had this same behavior when the light came on in my case. It was once a choke butterfly that wasn't open all the way (the choke heater wire had fallen off - unless your car is a wagon, this will NOT be the case for you), and two other times because the air filter was plugged. All 3 times, the car threw a Code 45 - rich mixture.

#2 - try heavier gauge battery cables - both of them - use nothing smaller (larger number) than 2 gauge. Use 0 gauge if at all possible.

[Blue Bowtie]

Did the wagons still have a carb in '89? I'm thinking he's looking at TBI, since the "rebuilt 350" mentioned earlier is obviously not the Olds anchor, and I'm thinking that only the 307 still had a carb in '89.

[kahjdh]

My 90 buick wagon had a olds and it was still carbed.

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by Blue Bowtie

Did the wagons still have a carb in '89? I'm thinking he's looking at TBI, since the "rebuilt 350" mentioned earlier is obviously not the Olds anchor, and I'm thinking that only the 307 still had a carb in '89.

Yes, it was only the 307 which had the carbs, through 1990 - but I believe that was the only engine offered in the wagons in '89-'90. I could be wrong though.

[CD Smalley]

Dead on about the engine in the wagons silicon.

But the question remains what codes is he actually setting???

Get us those and we can help. Until then, we're guessing and you're wasting your time.

[CapriceBoy214]

My 89 is fuel injected and its a sedan not a wagon. So how do I go about getting engine dianostics. I just thought maybe I needed a tune-up because of the rough idle plus all the other problems listed before. And Do I need to swap my 2004r trans for something bigger like a 350 turbo, 400, or a 700r4 trans. I just had it rebuilt but I was wondering because I have a 350 motor. Thanks for the help

[silicon212]

Originally Posted by CapriceBoy214

My 89 is fuel injected and its a sedan not a wagon. So how do I go about getting engine dianostics. I just thought maybe I needed a tune-up because of the rough idle plus all the other problems listed before. And Do I need to swap my 2004r trans for something bigger like a 350 turbo, 400, or a 700r4 trans. I just had it rebuilt but I was wondering because I have a 350 motor. Thanks for the help

You put a paper clip into the ALDL, in order to shunt the A & B pins (top row, right side). Then you turn the key to the engine on position - but DO NOT start the engine. Count the number of flashes on the malfunction lamp. It will flash the trouble codes. The way it flashes is like

Code 12 - basically tells you system is working - flash-pause-flash-flash

It will flash this 3 times. Next code will be (for example)

Code 45 - flash-flash-flash-flash-pause-flash-flash-flash-flash-flash

and so on.

Don't forget to remove the paper clip before you start the engine.