Hello everyone: Had to sign up to get some info on this car we just brought home. Daughter bought a really clean 95 88. ran/runs like a champ. Other night, it simply died on the highway and wouldn't start. So towed it home. next day started right up like nothing ever happened. I plan to look at the ground bus. Wondering if I should look into CPS or MAF? I never seen these work intermittently. Even stranger, when it started yesterday, it would not engage into Drive or Reverse right away. Took a minute of sitting there and giving it gas. Afterwards, shifted fine. I am not a trans guy, so I could really use input there. Thanks!!!

Fact, it is a '95, may be a hard time finding a code reader to read the codes, being a transition year....

It may look great, but it'* a 20 year old vehicle, which I am sure you don't know much about the maintenance history....

Not a good sign, that it takes awhile for it to go into gear.......didn't notice this when you originally bought the car? Of course, this may only do it when cold(old seals may need time to expand), and when you checked it out, it was already warm......check tranny fluid? Proper level and color? No smell(burnt)?

There are any number of things that can cause the engine to die, and then it starts later......crank position sensor.....ICM......fuel pump......red, white, and blue(?) PCM.....

Diagnosis begins when the car won't start......that is when you will find your answer....basically check for spark, fuel pressure, and injector pulse.....check the vac line for fuel at the fuel pressure regulator....try starting with the MAF disconnected......

As I said before, there may be a problem getting codes read on a '95, without a GM scan tool.....

Part 1: I disco'd the MAF sensor as predicted. SES light came on which is good. But when I plugged the MAF back in, engine died (Tried this 2x). In fact, it would not start again on the 1st try until I unplugged the MAF. So for 60 bucks, I am going to take a shot. Then move to the CPS. As for the Ground Bus, it was clean as a pin. I was pleasantly surprised.

Part 2: As suggested the trans needs time to warm up before engaging. Then shifts great. So is it a sign of age as in seals, etc? I am just wondering if a fluid/filter change may help. Also, some research pointed at the Pressure Solenoid. Is this a major replacement job?

If it died like you flipped a switch and started later, chances are you need a new crank shaft position sensor. On the 3800 cars its not a matter of whether the CPS will fail or not, its a matter of when it will fail.

Here is a write up on changing the CPS: https://www.gmforum.com/mechanical-1...sensor-279066/

John Regarding part 2:
Often the slow shift can be the pressure solenoid, located on the side valve body, not the easiest of access to replace but doable.
The pressure solenoid & accumulator pistons often get a bit sticky due to build up of varnish, and before I would drop the trans pan I would add a can of Seafoam Trans Tune to the trans fluid & drive it for 500 miles, So mainly highway cruising to get it to really clean the mentioned, possibly sticky or built up areas.
Trans Tune - Sea Foam Sales Company
Next after running it for a while, hopfully with noted improvements, I would now change the fluid & filter and use Dexron VI (6) transmission fluid. -hope this helps...

Do the seafoam as suggested. Then get a new filter and drain the fluid and replace and see if that helps.

Throwing parts at it to fix it can get expensive but sometimes that is the only way when it is not setting codes. And sometimes the codes are wrong as was in my case.

My 93 LeSabre would cut off when coming to a stop or taking a turn (letting up the fuel pedal which is actually letting up on the air vane) and it was the MAF sensor causing it. It did not detect any air flow into the engine so shut off the fuel.

The crank sensor is often the cause of starts when cold, drive it to the shop, stop, come out and it won't start, cools down, then it starts. Of course eventually it will fail hot as well as happened to my sister in the middle of the street at a traffic light.

I don't go with the using the starter trick of breaking the crank bolt; I would worry about damaging the starter, over heating the windings. Lock rotor amps go off the scale; I have had engineering training. I lock the driveplate using a good pair of locking pliers and then using a breaker bar with an extension, I support the extension bar so that it stays in alignment with the bolt and using a 2 meter, six foot, pipe, I can easily remove the crank bolt, It is all about torque and even I can apply a lot of torque with a 2 meter pipe. The crank bolt on my LeSabre was 110 ft-lbs if I recall correctly. My trouble was torquing the bolt back to 110 ft-lbs.

I will try the Seafoam & see what happens. I've never seen this happen before once its warmed up, the tranny is great in all driving conditions.

As for the CPS, I guess I have to try it too many people have suggested it. I also was told the TPS could be the cause. But I really think there'* a general electrical shutdown happening-more like the CPS would do. Gonna keep wrenching and see.