It's my "winter car". I've spent 1500 dollars on this thing and I'm frustrated.
The current problem is rough running. Almost like a plug wire is loose or something.
Often, the RPM will surge when it's just started up... often idles to a stall at traffic lights.... that is unless the RPM doesn't suge and you have to jump on the brakles to avoid hitting car in front!!
The local Pontiac dealer charged me 700 dollars over a couple of weeks before the decided to replaced the crank position indicator. < That did solve a stalling woe>
I'm a VW guy. These GM cars just confuse me. The only things that seems to be similar between the two is the amount of money to cure problems.
Would a code reader be a good thing ? Are they available for the 1990 model year ? How would a code reader help ?
Injector problems are quite common. Ideally, you'd want to examine the injector's electrical pattern(s) on a lab scope to determine whether any are shorted internally, alternately, you can measure their resistance with a garden variety DVOM, calculate what their resistance should be in parallel and compare to what you're reading on the DVOM. IIRC, that engine has the injectors wired in two banks of three injectors, so each injector bank (three in parallel) should ohm out at 4 ohms. One shorted injector can overload the injector drivers internal to the ECM and cause the whole bank to shut down. Also, the shorted injector will 'rob' current from the other two on that bank. An injector balance test can help determine whether any injectors are plugged. A cylinder balance test can help determine which cylinder(s) are contributing to the rough running condition. Secondary ignition spark line analysis can help determine whether the cylinders are running lean, rich, or if there is exhaust entering when it shouldn't such as would happen if the EGR valve is leaking at idle. A compression and cylinder leakage test can help determine whether the rough running is caused by internal mechanical problems such as leaking valves and/or broken piston rings. A running compression test can help determine whether the rough running is caused by a camshaft problem.
All of the above can probably be done in a 2 hour time frame given the capability of modern diagnostic equipment.
Has the throttle body been cleaned? Have they checked for intake manifold vacuum leaks? Is the torque convertor clutch staying engaged when it shouldn't be? Have the ignition coils been stress tested?
Ouch! That's a bit steep.
Actually, this thing is pretty basic.
Might be if there are trouble codes stored.
Yup, and they're as cheap as a paper clip, which is all that is needed to read trouble codes from this vehicle.
Well, part of the diagnostic strategy is based upon determining whether the on-board diagnostics has detected any faults.
You need someone who is willing to dig in his heels and do some in depth analysis...
Long list of possibilities. This Pontiac model, in particular, suffered from reliability problems due to cost controls. For example, they replaced a sensor. Was the old sensor defective? Many GM cars are 'fixed' by simply breaking and remaking the connectors. Again, cost controlled designers must use cheaper connectors. Making it massively difficult for a mechanic to find the actual problem. And no, there is no simple diagnostic tester for that car other than a flashing light on the dashboard.
Do some of the labor yourself. Start by break> 1990 Pontiac 6000 LE 3.1 Litre
My '88 6000 works fine, but it's the 2.5L. Under the hood, it's pretty reliable. In the past year, the only things wrong is the oil leak because the valve cover gasket was blown - silicone fixed it. The other thing is the fuel pressure regulator, which causes it to die once in a while, especially when the heat's on. Oh, and I wish the AC would work, but to fix it would be more than the car is worth. The battery too. I guess the main reason why it doesn't have too many problems is because it only has 123k. The main thing that I have frequent problems with this car are the brakes. Every time I turn around, there's something else bad with the brakes. In the past 2k, I've had to replace the brake pads, rotors, calipers, hoses, and it doesn't stop there. The wheel cylinders need to be replaced and the back brakes need to be replaced. Oh, I did forget that this car goes through mufflers like crazy. Probably replaced it at least four times since it's been in our family for 7 years - it only cost us the first time though. I plan on keeping it for a while. The transmission slips a lot at 35-40 and
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.