1994 grand prix cutting out helllp

[brianh178]

My daughters car is a 1994 Pontiac grand prix se with a 3.1 litre v6. It has 185000 miles on it. I have owned this car for 1.5 to 2 years. It is actually a pretty clean car for the miles. About 2 months ago it would start cutting out. I mean cutting out like the power is off. I would watch the tach and it would just fall like there was no power. When idleing it would die. The oil light would come on when it was cutting out. This gave me the assumption that it was losing electricity. I checked my battery connections. THey were a little loose. One terminal cable was somewhat stripped out. Also the alternator bearing had been throwing grease for a few months. The battery had been in since I've owned the car. I went ahead and replaced battery and both terminals. Took the alternator out and had it rebuilt. I even threw another serpentine belt on it while I was in there.

Another note I had replaced the starter soon after I bought the car. I also replaced plugs and wires appx. 3 months ago.

Anyway. after replacing this I had no problems until now. It is doing the same thing again. I've checked battery terminals and where they go to the starter. Everything is tight.

This usually happens after driving the car for a mile or two and it gets up to operating temperature.


Any ideas??????????????

Thx!-Brian

[richtazz]

Welcome to AF

Just so I am clear, when it dies are you saying the warning lights come on and you still have things like radio and dome lights, etc... just the engine stalls? Or are you saying when it dies, everything goes dead (no lights, no radio, etc...)?

[brianh178]

The oil light doesn't always come on. sometimes it does. Last time it did this it came on more then this time. When I test drove it the other day the oil light came on as I was slowing to a stop. Then the car unstalled.

Come to think of it the radio or other stuff didn't stop working. Just power to the engine. It stalls then several seconds later stalls again momentarily.

[richtazz]

Ok, since the accessories still work, I'd say you have an igition or fuel related issue, not a battery/alternator issue.

The three most common ignition related problems are the ICM (Ignition Control Module), CKPS (CranK Position Sensor) and the ECM (Emissions Control Module, commonly called the computer).

To deterimine if it's a fuel or ignition issue, you will have to do a fuel pressure test with a guage hooked up at the schrader valve on the fuel rail (key on/engine off pressure should be 41-47 psi) and a test for spark (either remove a spark plug and ground it to the engine and observe if it sparks or you can use an old-school inductive timing light hooked around the plug wire).

[tblake]

Originally Posted by richtazz

.... or you can use an old-school inductive timing light hooked around the plug wire).

Old school inductive? I've got an older school non-inductive timing light Rich! It was given to me, and suprizing is in very good condition. It was still in its original styrofoam container, and it even still works good. So I use it.