I'm new to this forum, and I wanted to thank all you guys for helping a little lady out with her beloved Bonneville. I'm having trouble with mine on cold starts. It doesn't kick into high idle, and tends to stall the first 5 times or so. Reading your forum, I've narrowed it down to a bad coolant sensor and probably a dirty throttle body. I'm going today to AutoZone to get the codes read.

My question is, where is it? I've checked all sorts of posts, and can't find the answer to that. I'm looking to buy a good repair guide with accurate schematics, so if anyone has any advice for that, I'll take it too.

Many thanks
Meech

grab a paper clip and do the code retrieval in the techinfo thread... http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/techinfo/?article=34

Cleaning the throttle body is probably a good thing also, i would recommend getting the throttle body gasket from advanced auto parts, they have a felpro gasket for around $3-4 and its identical to the factory gasket

I'll try that, thanks. I wasn't sure if the codes needed a code reader or not.

Any idea where the coolant sensor is? I want to try unplugging it and starting it.

The coolant LEVEL sensor is on the radiator, on the battery side. It is about halfway down the radiator, and it has a fairly large connector. Just unplug that, personally i doubt it will have any effect on the drivabiity, but you may as well try it.


-justin

The coolant temp sensor is under the throttle body, sticking into the lower intake manifold.

Meech, where in Oregon are you? Help may only be a stone'* throw away

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Too late! I went to Autozone, and my car wouldn't start in the parking lot, so I had to have it towed.... Kinda sucks having only one car, and no garage or real tools yet to work on it with. I couldn't find the plug under the dash to pull up the codes with, so I went to Autozone to get some help. They couldn't find it either, so I was headed home to look some more when it wouldn't start. It turned over easily, started on the first crank, hit 1000rpm and then stalled, over and over again. The Autozone guy thinks maybe my fuel filter is clogged (it is old), but it ran fine when I did get it to start, so I'm not sure.

When I find out more info I'll post it. Thanks for all the help so far.....
Meech

To the nice guy with the shiny red engine that asked, I'm in the western suburbs of Portland, at the end of the Blue Line.

I'm in Corvallis. I make frequent trips north and south during the year, and have a scantool (full capability on your car, not just reading the codes) and the full factory service manuals for 1993, very similar to your 92. Among various other helpful goodies. If you need anything, let me know.

Thanks willwren for the offer! If something else comes up, I'll be sure to ask...

I got a call back from the shop, they think it'* fuel related and are going to narrow it down from the most obvious problems. If it was fuel related, would the car start briefly and then stall, or run at low RPMs when it should be at fast idle in the cold? I'm sure the guys in the shop don't like petite women telling them how to do their job, but I want to make sure my money is buying good service.

Any thoughts?
Meech

If the pressure is low, the car will usually stall, but stumble around, and not run very well. If the pressure is too low, then the car will not start at all. It could be that the Fuel pressure regulator is letting too much fuel pass by it perhaps? You would still have the vacuum operated FPR in '92, so it'* possible that there is a vacuum problem. Lots of things with Fuel system related problems.

Jrs3800: If the ECU isn't taking over, the car would still run. Unless, there is something in the Ignition system that prevents the ignition to run solo, unless the ECU tells it?


-justin