My car is starting to worry me!
My car is starting to worry me! Well...i'm a broke 17 year old and can't afford to fix anything that goes wrong with my car...so I'm really hoping something bad isn't about to happen. Well...sometimes my car goes into spells where it acts like it's going to die on me-it idles different, the oil pressure guage is a lot lower, and battery guage is down. While its in one of these "spells", its almost impossibleto pull out from a stop-it has no throttle response. It acts like i'm out of gas. Any ideas as to what's wrong?
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Verdad Gallardo It isn't throwing any codes...I think it's really weird to me how it only does it sometimes, 90% of the time it's fine. I'll take it into the shop here at school today and see if the alternator is good.
TECH Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 437
Likes: 9
From: Indianapolis
How low is "a lot lower" on the oil pressure? Go to autozone and have them test the alternator it's free and you can eliminate it as the culprit for free. Been running your car under a 1/4 tank for a while? Could be a fuel pump or fuel filter. I say go to autozone test the alt, then if it is good buy some maf cleaner and spray that **** all over the maf and air temp sensor. Replace the O2's if that doesn't help, I'd be really worried over the oil pressure bc low oil = spun bearing and torn up engines. If it's the O2's or smaller things you can limp around for a bit.
How low is "a lot lower" on the oil pressure? Go to autozone and have them test the alternator it's free and you can eliminate it as the culprit for free. Been running your car under a 1/4 tank for a while? Could be a fuel pump or fuel filter. I say go to autozone test the alt, then if it is good buy some maf cleaner and spray that **** all over the maf and air temp sensor. Replace the O2's if that doesn't help, I'd be really worried over the oil pressure bc low oil = spun bearing and torn up engines. If it's the O2's or smaller things you can limp around for a bit.
Launching!
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 224
Likes: 1
From: Westminster, Md
Yeah, I was about to suggest that. A feul filter usually acts like that once it begans to build up after a while. It will run fine one day and then the next you think your car is dying. But yeah, wiith your aftermarket fuel pump, could be a good possibility. Not too sure about the oil pressure reading. I know that on my 92' 305 RS the oil pressure is almost 60 when cold but after it warms up it drops down to like 30 but it never effected the driveability of my car. Of course, these are LS1's, different animal soo....idk. But yeah, since it's not throwing any codes out at you I wouln't suspect anything with the spark plugs cuz a code will be thrown up on your dash if you have a misfire.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 625
Likes: 0
It isn't the alternator. The oil pressure at idle is just below 60 when it is acting normal, and it is at 40 at idle while it's screwing up. It dips as low as near 20 sometimes. I've noticed that it only acts like this after it warms up--never when cold. And umm..it has a sd tune--no maf. It doesn't see too much driving above a quarter tank, i'm so broke. The fuel pump isn't stock, and isn't all that old. Fuel filter possibly?
And the oil pressure dropping is a direct result of the rpm's dropping when its acting up or when the engine hesitates or stumbles. The closer an engine gets towards stalling the lower the oil pressure will go. So its normal that it drops when the engines is having its little episodes.
change the fuel filter, takes 10 minutes, and that sounds like what it is. If the hesitation you describe ONLY happens near idle and never happens after you are already under throttle of at cruise speeds, you ahve the exact symptoms of a clogged fuel filter. They will cause your troubles at idle or near idle, but once you're under acceleration or cruising speeds the fuel pressure is enough to flow fuel past the clog.
And the oil pressure dropping is a direct result of the rpm's dropping when its acting up or when the engine hesitates or stumbles. The closer an engine gets towards stalling the lower the oil pressure will go. So its normal that it drops when the engines is having its little episodes.
And the oil pressure dropping is a direct result of the rpm's dropping when its acting up or when the engine hesitates or stumbles. The closer an engine gets towards stalling the lower the oil pressure will go. So its normal that it drops when the engines is having its little episodes.
That's what I am starting to think-but why would it not do it when cold? Either way, I think I might be able to muster the cash for a fuel filter. Thats what, say 10 bucks or so?
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 625
Likes: 0
I'm not saying its definitely the fuel filter, but it sure sounds like it. You could also have a bad 02 sensor wire(s). It will also act up at the lower rpms because if it is a frayed wire the signals will have a harder time making it through, at higher rpms the power will make it throuigh the wires easier.
Could also be dirty fuel injectors.
Can't quite remember how much the filter is, but they're between $5.00 and $12.00 here. $12.00 for a new AC Delco filter.
http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,ca...,parttype,6200
With his mods it is probably a tuning issue. I wouldn't be suprised if the previous owner restore the car to a factory tune?
I am just taking a guess. Sounds like the idle params are bad and letting the motor drop too low of R's. That would cause hesitation, low volts, drop of oil pressure, ect.
I want to bet his intermediate problems are the result of various engine temps and air temps working against the tune.
I am just taking a guess. Sounds like the idle params are bad and letting the motor drop too low of R's. That would cause hesitation, low volts, drop of oil pressure, ect.
I want to bet his intermediate problems are the result of various engine temps and air temps working against the tune.