engine starts but then dies

It could be anything. You will have to take it to a shop for diagnosis.

Hello WT Clark, could be the cold start swich, have the shop check it out. Mike De Vito,

What is a "cold start switch" and where would it be located?

Hello Everyone Mike D Here, if you have throttle body fuel injection, the cold start switch is on the throttle body some-where near the intake manifold, as you know you need a richer fuel mixture when the engine is cold, the cold start switch allows one of the injectors to fire almost constantly to keep the cold engine running, on rail type injection, the cold start swich is incorporated into the computer and allows one of the injectors to fire constantly until the engine warms up. Mike De Vito

Your car doesn't have one. This De Vito character doesn't know what he's talking about.

It doesn't.

No it isn't, GM uses no such device.

Hog wash.

Quit sending the poor guy on wild goose chases.

Hello and thank you all. I haven't been able to work on any of this yet but I think I will look at the ignition swithch first because this condition (starts but doesn't stay running happen all the time, even after its warmed up.) From what i've read, a faulty ignition switch is a fairly common problem with this car. Of coause I will take any other ideas and will greatly appreciate it. Thank you again

Try doing some basic research then is you post a few more details might help. Then again, maybe you should sell the car and ride a moped while you attempt to learn the language.

If the car has rail fiel injection then you are correct-----no cold start switch-----however the computer will allow one of the injectors to fire almost constantly, remember there is no choke on fuel injected engines, the computer will sense heat from the oxygen sensor, and return all injectors to normal operation when the car is warm. Mike De ito

It may not be called a cold start switch but one of the sensors on the throttle body is for cold starting-----air/ fuel management, the shop will know for sure. Mike De Vito

GM's have had rail injection for about 15 to 20 years depending on model. GM's don't fire the injectors as you say - they use pulse width duration on all injectors instead. The O2 sensors actually monitor O2 levels and adjust mix levels accordingly. I only know about GM and a few Asian imports though.

What is "rail fiel injection"? GM has used two basic types of fuel injection since 1978 on gasoline powered engines; Throttle body injection and Port Injection. A 1997 Grand Am no matter which engine option would certainly be a sequential version of port fuel injection and in no way has a cold start switch.

No way, no how. An "almost constant" duty cycle on an injector would cause it to over heat and fail, and what would be the point of doing this on only "one" of the injectors, an injector would be feeding but one intake port to ONE cylinder.

No shit Sherlock.

The oxygen sensor has no such ability. It can only measure oxygen content and at that, it is in a very narrow range.

The injectors always operate in normal manner unless there is a malfunction.

You really need to review some basics.

There is only one sensor on the throttle body; the throttle position sensor and it has absolutely no authority over cold running.

Rail injection isan injector to each cylinder feed gasoline thru a thin pipe connecting each injector to each cylinder, throttle body injection looks like a carburetor but the absence of the choke plate,instead injectors. Mike De Vito

English is not your first language, is it?

aarcuda69062:

injection

Hang on here!! Just might be the fuel filter blocked. This allows a very small quantity of fuel through and will start the engine but then cannot supply fuel when the engine starts to demand larger quantities. Or indeed the fuel pump!

Bopper