Somtimes Cranks -- Somtimes does not

[TheRedKnight33]

I have a 1994 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon. I have aftermarket mufflers (Not Glasspacks), an aftermarket Air filter, Radio modification, Subs and amp. My car used to be my DD until i got a compact for use in the city and now that jobs switched i have a long ride on the highway up hills and my compact is not as suited as the roadmaster. My Roadmaster somtimes idles after the first bump with the starter, somtimes it has to crank until the battery runs down for it to start and then somtimes it still does not start. When it idles i will idle it for 3 hours somtimes with no problems and then after taking it out on the road for a while it starts to die out. I do not know if its electrical or fuel issue. I have changed the Oxygen sensor on the passenger side because i have changed the drivers already. It has a New coil and Ignition module and i used a dremel with metal brush attachment to clean off all of the connections that ground the the stud on the coil and modules mount. Bolts that hole it on were cleaned and the part of the block that they attach to. Yesterday when i cranked it there was a little bit of cloudyness in the air and it smelled of fuel. I am not sure what else to change. I work weird hours so most of my time will be at night but have lights to see everything. Also fixed a vacuum leak inside the dash, the leak caused my AC not to switch from defrost to panel to floor. replaced the sending unit when i first got the car as well. 117K miles.

I just want to know where my problem does not lie so i can replace parts starting with the cheapest first. Also i really want to rule out different parts that it would not be.

Edit: Also suspected the MAF was having issues and sprayed it with MAF cleaner, worked ok for a day but then started the same thing again. Also have changed water pump <4k miles ago.

 

[MelsRegal]

How about the basics, how many miles since fuel filter, air filter, and spark plugs were changed? How old are the plug wires?

 

[HotZ28]

How to Test the GM MAF Sensor (3.1L, 3.4L, 4.3L, 5.0L and 5.7L)

 

[TheRedKnight33]

How about the basics, how many miles since fuel filter, air filter, and spark plugs were changed? How old are the plug wires?

I have not changed the Plugs for like 15k miles and I have never changed the wires due to having space issues. Wires could have been changed in the past but not since 89k miles and i know they need changed. I did not think that wires would cause my issue. fuel filter is new as in i changed it when i started having my issues and tested to make sure it pumped fuel by having friend turn the key. Air filter is <5k miles. I am new to the forum and i havent had alot of time to research my problems but will test the MAF because i have the tools nesscary.

 

[TheRedKnight33]

Alright the plugs have been changed and they looked pretty bad, blackened..... it started up no problem and drove it around no problem. i then drove it down the highway (a 35 minute drive at 65MPH) to work and it got there no problem. About halfway thru my shift I went out to see if it would start, it didnt. At the end of my shift i went out there and it started right up drove home no problems. it did this for three days. on the second day i figured out that if i push in the EGR it starts up alot better. the egr now if i press is it goes back to its original position and is not turning on halfway thru my shift. I put a tube on the EGR and sucked in and it moved and then i plugged the tube for about 5 minutes and it held vacuum because it moved the full distance after i let the clamp off the tube. On the way to work it died and i just popped the hood pressed in the EGR and it cranked right back up. It studdered twice and that was it for the rest of the drive. I really want this car to get fixed because of my mostly highway drive now. I am going to replace the EGR reguardless because i think it might have somthing to do with my issues. Also when i started it up to go to work today the first bump of the starter and it turned on no problems. I hope it turns on tonight or else i will have to find a ride home somehow at 12 at night my time. i will post somthing when/if i get home.

- - - Updated - - -

I am also in Chattanooga, TN if anyone want to meet somewhere to check it out, ill buy you gas and lunch.

 

[TheRedKnight33]

How to Test the GM MAF Sensor (3.1L, 3.4L, 4.3L, 5.0L and 5.7L)

Ok so I checked the MAP sensor and got some crazy voltages and I changed it. Also got two new shocks for the front and changed them. Then I got some rims and tires. Also the trim above the wood paneling was peeling badly so I removed all of that and painted it now it looks way better. The rubber around the car has fallen off in places so I started to peel off the rubber and use goof off on the metal to remove the adhesive and that stuff is tuff but it's working slowly.

So after the MAP was replaced I drove it for about 7 days (5 days with 1 hour round trip to work started in 20*F weather as well) and had no problems, until last night when I was driving the girls home from a night out and it broke down right before I merged on the highway. I felt the engine hesitate for just a second and the service engine soon light came on. After going a little further the car started to try to die so I pulled off. It died. I still had engine power and fuel pump was kicking on like normal and everything. Tried to start it but with no success. After sitting for a minute I made it to a friend's house just up the road. My car was making clouds that a gas burning car shouldn't make, they were clouds of fuel. Massive clouds of fuel that make you cough. It died soon after. To unflood the engine I removed the fuel pump fuse and turned it over till it started then plugged the fuse back in and it ran crappy at first then smoothed out back to the normal idle I know. I drove about 10 miles twords the house all highway and it ran fine but studdered when I went down the off ramp and died. It would not start back up. I thought wiggling the MAF wire might help because that was a problem in a friend's vehicle with similar problems. Wasn't the issue. I called a tow truck (free with my insurance if its less than 9 miles from my house) and he got me home no problems and quickly because he was just down the road. I decided it could be an intermintentaly faulty MAF or TPS so I changed both. The first thing I did was try to start it and it ran terrible so I went to the store and got the parts. I changed the TPS and it ran fine and normal, to make sure that was the problem I changed it back to the old one and it ran fine. I decided to put the new stuff on just to make sure those parts were not my issue. Vehicle was fully warmed up after these parts were installed and I went for a ride and had no problems.

So my ultimate question is if the MAP, TPS, OR MAF was bad would it cause these issues? Could a PCV valve cause these issues (somtimes stuck)? I have never changed it on this engine and I know they are cheap. Are there any grounds that could have possibly came loose? Or other wires? I'm thinking of changing the plug wires again just in case they were faulty, any tips or place to locate a guide on that? I paid my mechanic last time and money is tight now due to buying new parts.

I am going to drive it with the new parts on short runs around my house to get free towing if anything happens. I might drive to work with it as well.