Curious if I truly have a case of KR or not...so far there'* no SES light, but just a lot of noise.
The problem started today...
At a stop light/stop sign, etc. the RPM'* will drop, but recover. Intermittently, the car will totally stall, and shut off. After that happened a few times, I noticed a loud knocking/banging sound coming from the engine. It basically sounds like pots and pans are banging together, and it lasts [or at least is loud enough] to hear through the first 3 gears.

I'm guessing this might be KR because the fool @ Wawa last night put about 5 gallons of regular fuel in the car before I chased him down and told him I had asked for premium [of which I received 7 gallons of]. So there'* more premium than regular fuel in the car, yet this problem just started today, so I'm thinking its related. The car is about due for a tune-up, but this issue came up out of no where....am I on the right track? Ideas? I hate it when my Bonne is sick

*EDIT: The car is completely stock, btw.

KR makes no noise. It'* what the PCM does when it hears knock. Knock makes a noise, but it'* a barely perceptible popping/ticking noise.

Doesn't sound like what you're describing at all.

I'd say pull your plugs and see if any of them have mashed up electrodes

(I don't want to be alarmist, but this would be an indication of a piece of piston chipped off)

Aye....I haven't pulled plugs yet, but I'll try to check that out next. I just checked fluids, and noticed that the coolant was getting low - despite me adding to it just a couple of weeks ago [already been through the LIM replacement], and the initial wipe of the oil dipstick gave me black residue....


I've never really seen oil black stuff in oil like that. Then I started the car and got a quick, few, hard knocks/bangs until it "smoothed" out, but could still be heard in the engine; and it increases with rpms. I'm definitely gonna try and get the car to a shop/mechanic today or tomorrow and avoid driving it until then.

Ok, here'* an update....of bad news, of course.

I get the car to the dealership, and they determine it'* rod knock. In essence, they suggest a new engine costing nearly $6,000 - which is practically what I paid for the car. I hate not knowing what was the cause - apparently they can't really determine it, or don't even bother to waste time investigating. So this may very well be the end of my Bonneville era...I wasn't even done paying for this one

For now the car sits at the dealership. I'm undecided what I want to do with it yet. Its definitely not looking like a smart idea to fix at this point.






But in the meantime my friend was nice enough to let me use his SSR

LOL $6000

LOL.

Wow, I think a new crate motor is less than half that last time I checked.

go to the junkyard, you can get a motor for $400, then talk to a mechanic in the bad part of town and have him install it for another $400

I'd definitely get a second opinion, and try to investigate it yourself. Sounds like they just wanna rip you off. If it really is your engine, try this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/GM-3800-Series-I...QQcmdZViewItem

Yeah, the estimate for the engine alone was about $3850. Then there was labor and what not. Then added costs of the tune-up I already needed...not to mention the motor/trans mounts that were probably on their way out as well.....

I'm just cautious of putting a new motor in because - with my luck - the trans would go the next day. I'm also not too quick to jump @ used engines as they may present me with the same problems I've already experienced with this one....currently, I am at a loss to as to where to go from here. I'll have to figure things out tomorrow.

Check www.car-part.com -you should have an engine easily for under $700, and from right within 100 miles of your location.
I bet you could have the car on the road again for under $1500. I also suggest finding a good reputable shop that could do the work for under $1G, but based on your location, it'* not hard to understand why prices are so high. :(

Oh, and you can use a motor from a 1996-2005, even a 2004-2008 Series III supercharged -would just have to spend 30 minutes swapping motor mount brackets, oil filter bracket (might need to do the oil pan too), alternator bracket with alternator.

I searched for 2000 Bonneville Supercharged engines in New Jersey and found the best bet at $1G out of a 2002 SSEi w/60k miles, but in a search for 1999 Bonneville supercharged engines I found one from a 1997 Oldsmobile LSS (alot less work to swap than one from a Grand Prix GTP) for $500, but it doesn't state miles on it.
Also, when you swap motors, yank the supercharger and TB off the bad motor (if the new engine came with TB and SC) and sell them as well as the injectors and fuel rail. Should be able to get $250 easily for those parts alone.
Best of luck,
Martin

I had to have my engine replaced in my Bonne also. The engine itself cost $700 from a local salvage yard and they also warrantied the engine for 18 months. Not sure what your situation was with your LIM, but it took a few weeks for my first motor to go out due to the LIM. I had the LIM replaced, but the damage to the motor had already been done due to coolant getting into the motor. If you had coolant in your motor from your LIM problem, that pretty much seals the deal and trashes your motor very quickly. I'd bet that'* what probably happend to your motor. Make sure if you get another motor, change the LIM right away before or just after the engine is put in. Within a month after i had my motor replaced, the LIM went out on the second motor, but i caught it right when it happend and got lucky no damage happend to this second motor. Coolant does one hell of a job on motors and very quickly. It really is too bad how many people (including myself) that have to deal with the costs of engine replacement due to faulty LIM'* and or the Dex that may have ruined the LIM'*.

Buy a used motor and have someone put it in. It shouldn't cost you more than $1500 total. That'* alot less than $6000. And also make sure you find a salvage yard that will warranty their engines and will repair or replace the engine if anything happens to it.