3800 engine problems (V6 sites no help)
3800 engine problems (V6 sites no help) ok, first let apologize for posting v6 crap in this forum. But like the title says, the v6 sites were no help; and there just seems to be more knowledgable people around here...more kids with PVC home-made intakes over there.
Second, here's the problem I'm having with my daily driver:
Starts by giving me little power on acceleration and wouldn't keep interstate speed of 80 mph. Drivig around town wasnt too bad if I wasnt accelerating hard...keeping it VERY light in fact. As I get home, the SES light comes on, and now the car will not start. I replaced the fuel filter and checked the plugs, coils and wires and even the air filter. Started for a minute but ran like crap and still couldnt drive it. After a couple days sitting, I started it up and gave me quite a bit of light smoke from the tailpipes and ran like **** for a minute before cutting off. When I go around the back, I see tan sand in my exhaust tips and on the ground. Friends say it's a CAT problem s I cut it off...still wont start. Don't know what the code is because I cant get to a parts store to have it read. After CAT removal I checked a plug and it was wet but didnt look in bad shape. ANY ideas guys???
Swat
Oh, and I wouldnt post here if it wasnt kinda important...this is my ONLY daily driver!
Second, here's the problem I'm having with my daily driver:
Starts by giving me little power on acceleration and wouldn't keep interstate speed of 80 mph. Drivig around town wasnt too bad if I wasnt accelerating hard...keeping it VERY light in fact. As I get home, the SES light comes on, and now the car will not start. I replaced the fuel filter and checked the plugs, coils and wires and even the air filter. Started for a minute but ran like crap and still couldnt drive it. After a couple days sitting, I started it up and gave me quite a bit of light smoke from the tailpipes and ran like **** for a minute before cutting off. When I go around the back, I see tan sand in my exhaust tips and on the ground. Friends say it's a CAT problem s I cut it off...still wont start. Don't know what the code is because I cant get to a parts store to have it read. After CAT removal I checked a plug and it was wet but didnt look in bad shape. ANY ideas guys???
Swat
Oh, and I wouldnt post here if it wasnt kinda important...this is my ONLY daily driver!
Tough to help without more details, I'm sure you know but getting the codes scanned will probably help point to the problem... You can buy a hand-held code scanner at AutoZone (and may even be able to return it same-day) 
If you cut the cat out of the exhaust it shouldn't be restricting things to the point of not letting it run, if that was part of the problem...
Checked O2's ?
Taken a look at the coolant/oil ?
Checked/cleaned the MAF ? Checked for vac/intake leaks ?
Just some ideas.
Good luck, post more details !
Rob (Bad30th)
If you cut the cat out of the exhaust it shouldn't be restricting things to the point of not letting it run, if that was part of the problem...
Checked O2's ?
Taken a look at the coolant/oil ?
Checked/cleaned the MAF ? Checked for vac/intake leaks ?
Just some ideas.
Good luck, post more details !
Rob (Bad30th)
Ya you need to have someone check the codes to give you an idea what the problem is.
If the material from the cat is blowing out the exhaust it sounds like it's stopped up. Best thing would be to cut the cat out and gut it and put back into place.
Also do what others have said. Clean your MAF sensor wires.
If the material from the cat is blowing out the exhaust it sounds like it's stopped up. Best thing would be to cut the cat out and gut it and put back into place.
Also do what others have said. Clean your MAF sensor wires.
Fluid levels are all good and fluids look to be in good order. MAF was very clean, no apprent vacuum leaks, and air filter looked good. Like I said earlier, I just removed the CAT with no help. Any ideas what that damn sand is in my tail pipes? Or wha would cause that? (No, I haven't used my 'Bird as a dune buggy lately! 
) I'm on a tight budget as my 3 week old daughter is in the hospital and this car is my way to work. How would I check the O2s? what would I look for??
Swat
) I'm on a tight budget as my 3 week old daughter is in the hospital and this car is my way to work. How would I check the O2s? what would I look for??Swat
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Fluid levels are all good and fluids look to be in good order. MAF was very clean, no apprent vacuum leaks, and air filter looked good. Like I said earlier, I just removed the CAT with no help. Any ideas what that damn sand is in my tail pipes? Or wha would cause that? (No, I haven't used my 'Bird as a dune buggy lately! ) I'm on a tight budget as my 3 week old daughter is in the hospital and this car is my way to work. How would I check the O2s? what would I look for??
Swat
) I'm on a tight budget as my 3 week old daughter is in the hospital and this car is my way to work. How would I check the O2s? what would I look for??Swat
Best wishes to your daughter/family.
If the catalyst material is starting to come apart inside the cat it will blow bits/pieces out the exhaust. It can resemble sand or glitter.
If you've gone over everything else (fuel/air/spark) it may require checking the codes and/or running a scanner on it.
If it progressively got worse, it's either not getting enough air or fuel, O2's are shot, or something is mechanically wrong and getting worse.
Be sure to post up progress and more details...
Rob (Bad30th)
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Verdad Gallardo Another sensor that can really jack things up starting/running/fueling is the coolant temp sensor, but if the problem got progressively worse it's unlikely that's the cause.
Rob (Bad30th)
I would probably un plug sensors till i found one that made it run better without. Try unplugging the maf and see if you can keep it running and if it runs better and so on. I would think the cat is plugged up also but i suppose maybe if the maf went bad or something and made the car run stupid it made the cat get clogged and break up. Might be pieces of your cat clogging up the rest of your exhaust. I would try running the car with no exhaust at all and see how that goes if you havnt already done that.
I would probably un plug sensors till i found one that made it run better without. Try unplugging the maf and see if you can keep it running and if it runs better and so on. I would think the cat is plugged up also but i suppose maybe if the maf went bad or something and made the car run stupid it made the cat get clogged and break up. Might be pieces of your cat clogging up the rest of your exhaust. I would try running the car with no exhaust at all and see how that goes if you havnt already done that.
Also, when I look in the Cat, the honeycomb is all still there, and I can see light through it. This help anyone?
Any spark plug wires laying on or near the manifolds? Can you hear the fuel pump priming at all when you turn the key forward? Get a q-tip and dip it in rubbing alcohol and VERY gently clean the MAF sensor wire. Again, be VERY careful and do not use any significant pressure on it. You can see any gunk on the white q-tip's tip, lol, if there was any. You could always try to test and see if it's getting any spark (screwdriver in the boot an ground it to the manifolds or whatever is a tried and tested method, albeit fairly dangerous). If you have the tools and any other ride to the parts store, you could pull the ignition control module (coils are bolted down on top of it) and have them test it for free. Just call to ensure they have the tester for the DIS systems (redundant, but sounds funny without the 2nd systems).
Hope that helps!
Hope that helps!
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I've NEVER heard the pump prime on this car and I cant get my ear far enough to the rear of the car while I turn the key to listen better. I can smell fuel when I try to start it and when I pulled a plug, it was moist. A friend is gonna come over to help me check for spark.
OK, I tried a little "Dummy" test. I unplugged the quick-disconnect from the fuel pump and then tried to start the car. IF the fuel pump was good, it should have sprayed fuel all over the road, right? I mean with more force than the constant drainage due to my full tank of gas. Well results is this, no change in the flow. Just a steady drain and no force to the fuel as if it were being pressurized. So I have a bad fuel pump?? What are my cheapest options?
Swat
Oh, and my fuel gauge works fine, I switched out the relay AND checked the fuse.
Swat
Oh, and my fuel gauge works fine, I switched out the relay AND checked the fuse.
What year is your car?
I don't remember how much the factory pumps are now adays but if you have a pre-99 car a regular Walbro isn't too bad and will work well. If you have a plastic gas tank car 99+ then that won't work as well due to the fuel bucket. I had a Racetronix in my 2000 V6 at one point that worked very well but that is more money then you need to spend if you aren't modding the car. I had thought that the stock fuel pump by itself could be had for as little as $40 a few years back, but I could be mistaken.
I would get the code scanned as well. I had (aftermarket) fuel pumps fail in the 2000 and there was never a code set from it. I suppose you could get something if the car runs very lean, but my pumps just up and died, not a slow death where I was running around with partial fueling.
And you made sure the fuel pump fuse isn't simply gone right?
As far as the V6 sites go, which ones did you visit? FullThrottleV6 has many people that know the 3.8L backwards and forward... granted a lot of them post on here too.
I don't remember how much the factory pumps are now adays but if you have a pre-99 car a regular Walbro isn't too bad and will work well. If you have a plastic gas tank car 99+ then that won't work as well due to the fuel bucket. I had a Racetronix in my 2000 V6 at one point that worked very well but that is more money then you need to spend if you aren't modding the car. I had thought that the stock fuel pump by itself could be had for as little as $40 a few years back, but I could be mistaken.
I would get the code scanned as well. I had (aftermarket) fuel pumps fail in the 2000 and there was never a code set from it. I suppose you could get something if the car runs very lean, but my pumps just up and died, not a slow death where I was running around with partial fueling.
And you made sure the fuel pump fuse isn't simply gone right?
As far as the V6 sites go, which ones did you visit? FullThrottleV6 has many people that know the 3.8L backwards and forward... granted a lot of them post on here too.
My 'Bird is a 2002. It was a slow death that started when I was on my drive to work on the interstate. Could there be a grounded wire? Or a loose plug? The fuse is present and looking like new. And noone can explain a tan sand in my tail pipes??
Swat
Swat
The stuff in your tail pipe is definately from the cat. Fuel pump would be my next assumption after the cat, which you already eliminated. I would just get the code read. You can get a code scanner for like $30 and then return it...
Ok fist off you need to talk to your NCOIC (E-6 - E-7) to help you the **** out because apparently you are a soldier in need even if you are a Junior NCO if your still in. That's just my first point if your chain of command has issues am retired please tell them to contact me. Second, if you have fuel (wet spark plug) your probably not getting spark to the plug.Even if its not turning over there should be a spark going to the spark. The MAF sensor is good to clean if you have had an after market air filter that uses oil. If you can go to the base shop and ask them if they can lend you a code reader, w/ your id it should not be a problem. If your O2 sensor is bad then its bad, I mean you can still be getting a current (12V in and out) reading but it can be sending not a dam thing back to the computer. If its white smoke it can be a couple of things but one could be a head gasket and that's not cheap. Specially if its been going on for a while. Really there is no one cure for what is going on with your car.
Prayers go out to you and your family.
Quiet Professional
Prayers go out to you and your family.
Quiet Professional
umm i know grand prix do this and its a fuel pump resister. im not sure camaro 3800 have it but sounds like it try this
http://www.scacgp.com/mods/fuel_fix/relays.jpg
but i think it only works on gtp, other than that sounds like the maff went out or coolet temp senors also does this
http://www.scacgp.com/mods/fuel_fix/relays.jpg
but i think it only works on gtp, other than that sounds like the maff went out or coolet temp senors also does this
I'm just guessing from here but i'll bet you have no spark. The v6's are known for having spark control problems. There is a spark control mounted on the driver side of the engine with three coils. You can pick them up cheap at a salvage yard, probably a good place to start is to change it out. The fuel pump won't run if there is no spark.
When you go to start the car the 1st thing that happens is the comp turns the fuel pump on for just a second to pressuize the fuel line fully, then turns it off and waits to get a spark signal. If it gets the spark signal it enables the fuel pump and fuel injectors.
If you just turn the key ON and OFF a few times without trying to start the car do you have pressure at the fuel rail? if you do its not the pump.
When you go to start the car the 1st thing that happens is the comp turns the fuel pump on for just a second to pressuize the fuel line fully, then turns it off and waits to get a spark signal. If it gets the spark signal it enables the fuel pump and fuel injectors.
If you just turn the key ON and OFF a few times without trying to start the car do you have pressure at the fuel rail? if you do its not the pump.
