Engine Heat Related Problems.

[billroth]

My Chev dealer has been trying to correct a problem for almost two months ad . We have contacted Gordon Killebrew and used some of his suggestions, but still no luck.

Here is the problem: Starting the car off cold it runs great until you go through a temperature range from approximately 185 to 200 degrees and accelerating or if you stop for awhile, allow the temp to rise and restart the car and head off you step on the accellator the engine stalls out. Let up on the gas and it will continue to run, but you can't get to up speed (no power). It will stall out and you hear popping in the engine. If you drive the on the highway right after a cold start you don't experience the stalling.

We have checked Cat Converter, put in new 3 Mass Air Sensors, Modual, pick-up coil, coil, checked spark, ohms on injectors, checked ground in distributor, flushed radiator just about everything they can think off.

I had posted this problem about one month ago, with some suggestions and we checked out everyones ideas. Has anyone heard of such a problem? Any ideas? Season is getting short in Minnesota!
Bill

 

[Chris Kennedy]

I have a hunch that the problem is related to the spark plug wires and/or the spark plugs. This is a separate problem, and even if you are getting an o.k. spark on a meter or something the problem with wires/plugs can still be there. As to the wires, tiny cracks can develop which cause arcing when the engine heats up, and you can often see the arcing by running the engine in a darkened area and looking for a slight "bolt" between a wire and the engine. Also, spark plugs can develop hairline cracks, which can do the same thing as they heat up. If you haven't changed wires and plugs, go ahead and simply swap out the lot. It's fairly easy and cheap to do, and if its not your problem you've at least eliminated that as a possibility. Note also that I have seen this problem occasionally in NEW wires and plugs---but VERY rarely. Let us know what you find out!!

Good luck!

/s/ Chris Kennedy
Houston, Texas

 

[Ken]

What is the condition of the catalytic converters?

 

[bobmook]

I had the exact same symptoms.. Took it to my dealer. He went through everything. It was the distributor cap. As soon as I replaced that everything was fine. (Except for me paying the dealer $800.00, fixing the problem myself and discovering while the dealer was farting around they disconnected the vacuum line which allows the cruise control and interior air direction controls to work, that part of it wasn't fine)

 

[bluecoupe]

I had a problem like that on a motorcycle. One of the coils would fail when it got warmed up. Turned out to be a very thin crack in the coil, Cold start it was fine. Every time I tried something plugs, wires, etc. I thought I found the problem. Then it would heat up and misfire. Drove me crazy. Could be a small crack in the coil that is practically invisible. When it heats up the crack opens (expands) and the coil arcs to ground. When it cools off the crack closes.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Bobmook has a good point there. A cracked distributor cap will do exactly what you say, due to problem of water vapor condensing on the inside of the cap.If your dealer mechanic had to get 3 MAF sensors bolted on before he decides is isn't doing any good, I would yank your toy out of his hands because he isn't "Thinking out of the box". He is wasting your summer.

An afterthought, is it using any coolant?

 

[WaveDoggie]

Go with the above-then My guess: Low fuel pressure related problem

 

[elkabong]

I had a similar situation with my 84 and it was the ignition module. I replaced it with a Accel unit and life was good once again.

 

[scorp508]

Look at it this way. You need 3 things to run an engine, spark, fuel, compression. You obviously haven't lost compression so that narrows it down. Fuel flow sounds fine if the car is running good when cold so that pretty much leaves it to something that has to do with the spark. (At least I hope so!)

 

[ecoman]

have you tried replacing the coolant temp sensor,had similar problem checked sensor with scan tool was reading -39 degrees but set no code replaced sensor problem fixed hope this helps

 

[John Robinson]

Back to the coil

I had an experience with a 55 Olds that tought me something. I had it tuned up new coil, cap, wires ,plugs, condenser, and points. That night started out from Detroit to W. Virg. Car ran fine until it warmed up and then would not run above 50 MPH and had no power. When I got to my destination I found a garage with a sun test machine and we spent 6 hours going over the car and could not find anything that was wrong. Finally out of desperation we started to put the old parts which I had kept back on the car. The first thing we changed was the old coil for the new one and presto the car ran like a r----- ape. Even though the old saying was a coil either works or it does't did not prove true because mine certainly was working but weaklie.:crazy

 

[tooez]

This was my problem. Was do the same thing.

have you tried replacing the coolant temp sensor,had similar problem checked sensor with scan tool was reading -39 degrees but set no code replaced sensor problem fixed hope this helps

 

[Vettelt193]

what year car is this? I am guessing 88 based on your info...


slight chance, but it could be a leaky injector (or injectors) while the fuel system is still pressurized...

or, EGR? if it is stuck open funky things could happen too

any check engine codes? --if not, is the check engine light working?