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1995 lumina car, 3100 engine running problem

Sent to Car Experts February 25, 2006 6:31 p.m.

THIS CAR HAS 135,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE OWNED IT FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS. IT HAS TREATED ME FINE TILL NOW. IT'S A LUMINA 4 DOOR, LOADED WITH ROOF. SON PUT IN A NEW CD PLAYER 2 MONTHS AGO. CAR DID HAVE SOME TYPE OF SECURITY DEVICE INSTALLED AT SOME POINT IN TIME I WAS TOLD. WHEN RUNNING CAR HAS NO MISSING AND RUNS FINE, STANDING AND DRIVING. NOW TO THE PROBLEM AT HAND:

WHEN I GO TO START IT UP, WHETHER THE MOTOR IS COLD OR HOT, IF IT STARTS IT WILL RUN FINE. I TURN IT OFF AND DO NOT KNOW WHETHER IT WILL START OR NOT. JUST HAS STARTED DOING THIS IN THE PAST 4 DAYS OR SO.

I HAD A FRIEND MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND HE RAN THE CODE (SCHEMATIC) ON IT AND IT SAID BAD COMPUTER. I PUT A NEW COMPUTER ON IT AND THAT DID NOT CHANGE ANYTHING. HE HAS GIVEN UP/HAS A FULL TIME JOB.

FUEL PRESSURE WAS HOLDING UP BY HIS GAUGE AND HE SAID FUEL PUMP IS OK. YOU CAN HEAR THE FUEL PUMP GO ON WHEN YOU TURN THE KEY ON. THE CAR TURNS OVER LIKE IT WILL CONTINUE RUNNING THEN JUST DIES. NORMALLY I WOULD SAY IT'S A BAD FUEL PUMP BUT I GUESS NOT. IT LIKE STARTS AND RUNS A SECOND TILL THE FUEL SEEMS TO GET BURNED UP THEN IT DIES. I CAN DO THIS MANY TIMES IN A ROW AND GET THE SAME EXACT RESULTS. IF IT WERE TO JUST STAY RUNNING IT WOULD RUN FINE TILL I TURNED IT OFF. IT HAS A GOOD HALF TANK OF GAS. NO MISSING WHEN RUNNING. WILL STAY RUNNING IF I KEEP SPRAYING EITHER INTO AIR CLEANER SO SOMETHING IS PREVENTING THE GAS TO KEEP AN EVEN FLOW AT START UP. ONE MECHANIC TOLD ME IT SOUNDED LIKE A CHIP IN THE KEY BUT I HAVE 2 KEYS AND DON'T CHANGE PROBLEM.
THE OLD COMPUTER WAS REALLY CORRODED AS THE "O" RING WAS BAD AND SOME WATER WAS LET GET INSIDE AND IT LOOKED PRETTY GRIM INSIDE. THE NEW COMPUTER HAS THE VIN CORRELATED TO IT WHEN I BOUGHT IT AT AUTO ZONE. ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY ARE NEW. WIPER MOTOR IS BAD. THIS WAS ALL SAME TILL THE PROBLEM JUST STARTED IRONICALLY AFTER MY SON HIT A DEER AND JUST MANGLED THE HOOD. HE DROVE IT FOR ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THAT THOUGH. MY PHONE NUMBER IS 810-387-9112 I HAVE THE CAR AT A MECHANICS GARAGE WHO DOESN'T HAVE A COMPUTER AND HE WANTS ME TO MOVE IT OUT ON mONDAY. yOUR ANSWER WILL HELP TELL ME WHERE TO TAKE IT, EITHER HERE TO MY HEATED WORK SHOP OR MY BUDDDIES AT THEIR HOME. I HATE PAYING DEALERSHIPS THE HIGH PRICES THEY GET AROUND MY AREA. IT WOULD COST ME HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS TO GET IT FIXED. JUST NEED TO KNOW THE BEST SCENERIOS OF WHAT MAY BE WRONG. IT DOES RUN WHEN I SPRAY EITHER INTO IT STEADILY SO I THINK SPARK MAY NOT BE THE CAUSE. FUEL PUMP, I REALLY DON'T KNOW MYSELF. I'M JUST A TYPICAL OLD TIME 1966 TYPE MECHANIC! WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK? THANKS MUCH, jIM

Optional Information:
1995 Chevrolet LUMINA CAR 33100

Already Tried:
NEW COMPUTER,NEW BATTERY, NEW ALTERNATOR

__________________
I am retired, fixed income and just a normal pebble on one of our beaches. I try & save a $ when I can. In this case a right answer would be worth my paying something for it as I try and do the work myself.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Status: Closed Value: $10

Answer
February 25, 2006 8:16 p.m. (1 hour and 45 minutes later)

ACCEPTED

You will need to determine if you are losing injector pulse by using a noid light set to check.Most parts stores have tool loan or rental programs for this,but they are cheap to buy anyway.This sounds strangely like a bad camshaft postion sensor or lead.If the car does not start and has no injector pulse when this happens this is most likely the culprit.Once the car is running,you could actually unplug the sensor and the engine would continue to run because the computer, at that point,ignores the loss of the signal and just uses the last signal it had from the sensor to keep pulsing the injectors.Get it to fail and check for injector pulse,I'll bet I'm right on here.

Noid lights.

Images available only to Customers.

Here's how to test the sensor:

Disconnect the CMP sensor wiring harness and connect an LED test light between CMP harness terminal C and battery ground.
With the ignition ON and the engine OFF, verify that the test light illuminates.
If not as specified, repair or replace the fuse and/or wiring.
Carefully connect the test light between CMP harness terminal A and C and verify that the test light illuminates.
If not as specified, repair the CMP harness ground circuit (terminal A).
Turn the ignition OFF and disconnect the test light.
Next, connect suitable jumper wires between the CMP sensor and CMP sensor harness. Connect a DC volt meter to the jumper wire corresponding to CMP terminal B and battery ground.
Start the engine and verify that the voltage signal is 5-7 volts.
If it is not as specified, the CMP sensor may be faulty

Images available only to Customers.

On the 3.1L and 3.8L engines, the CMP sensor is located on the timing cover, behind the water pump, near the camshaft sprocket ,check the connector closely here for deer hair!Images available only to Customers.

Edited by railman on February 25 2006 at 8:23pm

__________________
"It is much wiser and cost efficient to ask a question than to stumble blindly through your auto repairs".Please Click Accept if my answer was helpful.

Michael -- Auto Service Technician -- 99% Positive Feedback on 597 Car Accepts
21yrs.Foreign and domestic driveability diagnosis and repair/ ASE Cert./Fuel Injection Specialist.

Reply
Sent February 26, 2006 9:41 a.m. (13 hours and 24 minutes later)

Boy, this sounds good. I will attempt to pick up the testor or even the sensor today at Auto Zone 25 miles from my house. If this works-UBTHE MAN!
get back with you
thanks, Jim

__________________
I am retired, fixed income and just a normal pebble on one of our beaches. I try & save a $ when I can. In this case a right answer would be worth my paying something for it as I try and do the work myself.

Customer (name blocked for privacy)

Info Request
February 26, 2006 11:13 a.m. (1 hour and 31 minutes later)

Most parts stores will check the codes for you.

__________________
"It is much wiser and cost efficient to ask a question

than to stumble blindly through your auto repairs".Please Click Accept if my answer was helpful.

Michael -- Auto Service Technician -- 99% Positive Feedback on 597 Car Accepts
21yrs.Foreign and domestic driveability diagnosis and repair/ ASE Cert./Fuel Injection Specialist.

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