1992-1999 Series I L27 (1992-1994 SE,SLE, SSE) & Series II L36 (1995-1999 SE, SSE, SLE) and common problems for the Series I and II L67 (all supercharged models 92-99) Including Olds 88's, Olds LSS's and Buick Lesabres Please use General Chat for non-mechanical issues, and Performance and Brainstorming for improvements.

the car runs like shit when it warms up

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Old 08-06-2007, 07:49 AM
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Default the car runs like **** when it warms up

What can malfunction or work improperly when the car starts warming up from a cold start to normal temp operation. I know coil packs, plugs, cat (if clogged and will cause back pressure) and wires. Is there anything else?
Old 08-06-2007, 07:59 AM
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Moving to 92-99. Please don't post mechanical problems in General Chat.
Old 08-06-2007, 08:29 AM
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Nearly everything on the car can malfunction either cold or hot.

If you are looking for some help diagnosing this one..we'll need information as to how it'* running.
Old 08-06-2007, 08:49 AM
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I just drove 80 miles at night on 3 gallons of gas, I was shocked! It was about 74 degrees at night and the air was dense I was on my way to the casino. I drove in overdrive though. The last time I did it around the same time and temp I did at least about 65 miles on 3 gallons, but I was driving in regular drive.

When its day time and the humidity is up, the car runs like crap. taking off from a stop kills me it'* like I'm running this big heavy car on 4 cylinders and I hate it when 4 cylinders and econ cars pass me up when I take off. It takes a little more than half of throttle to keep up, but then I don't like to do that because I hear my loud exhaust but don't feel the power compensate for it.

A couple of weeks ago I replaced my spark plugs (I posted about this I thought one was fouled, but not really) and I had no problems driving in the day when the humidity was high. But then a week later the car was running like crap again.
Old 08-06-2007, 08:54 AM
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The mileage of 80 on 3 gallons or 65 on 3 gallons sounds right when you mention holding the car out of overdrive.

Unfortunately I don't understand what running crappy is from a diagnosis side.

Have you rechecked the plugs and wires? Does the car idle rough? Feel like the exhaust is restricted? Have air in the tires? Do you hear vacuum leaks? Does the car stutter? When was the last time you cleaned the TB and all sensors? Do you have a check engine light? Have you tried to retrieve codes even if no light is lit?
Old 08-06-2007, 08:59 AM
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trigga, you can't possibly know it was 3 gallons on both occasions, anyway. Your gauge isn't that accurate.

Like Bill mentions, we need to know SPECIFIC symptoms with as much detail as possible.
Old 08-06-2007, 03:19 PM
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I only put $10 in my tank at a time which gives me 2.9 to 3 gallons and sometimes I run that out til when the car starts sputtering, I don't do this on purpose though. I didn't clean the TB yet I was planning on doing that sometime this week. Yes there'* air in the tires. The car doesn't idle rough it just have hard starts most of the time whether it'* cold or hot. The car idles alright, about 700. I just changed my plugs about 3 weeks ago, they're ac delco.. Before I had ngk t55'* for about 3 months then I started to get a misfire. The car doesn't sputter. Yeah it kind of feels like the exhaust is restricted. I'm missing some HP in the sunny weather basically.

Since I had that last misfire on whatever cylinder and I changed the spark plugs and regained my HP back, I feel like its one of my injector, but I didn't note which spark plug came out what cylinder
Old 08-06-2007, 06:41 PM
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Much better detail. That helps alot.

Running your tank that low is very bad in the long-term for your fuel pump. It relies on being immersed in fuel to keep it cool.

Get a fuel pressure gauge, and check your fuel pressure after the warmed-up symptoms start. I think you'll find your pump is not happy, and you have low fuel pressure. It fits your symptoms to a T, as well as fitting perfectly with your 'drive til it sputters' habit.
Old 08-07-2007, 01:46 PM
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Ok I'll give that a try, I need to change my fuel filter too, it'* been about 15,000 miles since I changed it. Would 3 gallons of gas be enough for the pump to be immersed?
Old 08-07-2007, 04:27 PM
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No. 3 gallons would probably only barely touch the bottom of the pump.


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