Sorry, something happened, and all of my threads were shown as having no replies...

Anyway, not sure. I was checking the procedure online through the GM service manuals and saw that (at least the later 3100) actually has 2 crank sensors... one behind the crank pulley, and one on the side of the block.

As I wasn't sure which was bad, didn't really have time to dig in to it (family vacation... the first in a *very* long time), and didn't want to throw parts at someone else's car from someone else's checkbook without knowing what was really wrong, I did what I hate to do - I pointed him squarely in the direction of a mechanic with a scan tool. Since we couldn't start it, I couldn't get a free scan done anywhere (which would have cleared up a great number of issues).

So eh, didn't really happen. Which is sad. I hate (seriously HATE) having to send people to a mechanic.

Except my mom - she's got a good local guy. She just had her Olds 88 (1990) get some new CV joints put on both sides, brake pads thrown on, front right hub replaced, new endlinks put on, and one other thing... for 300 bucks. With the cost of the CV joints and hub thrown in. I had a hard time arguing that one... the guy barely made any money off of it, and the amount of time it would have taken me to do the same wasn't really worth it, compared to the < $100 she paid...

Glad you got it solved, Matt.

Who's your mom's great local guy? I always like to have a great contacts in my hip pocket. ;)

In '95 at least in the Grand Am's 3100 (i'm shure yours is the same)

my GM FSM shows;

then one on back of the block is the "ignition timer sensor"
and the one behinde the crank pully is the "crankshaft position sensor"

just so you know ;)

I'll have to dig his card out of my wallet tomorrow... it's kind of in the middle of nowhere though - Milford, IN - right smack between goshen and warsaw...

I thought it was someone local in Flint. If it's in IN, no big deal. Thanks anyway.

Shouldn't you change the spark plugs in the rear bank as well? If the ones in the front are so bad, I'm sure it's the same for the ones in the back. This might not fix the problem, but hey, it needs to be changed anyway.

yeah, just didn't have time to get at it.

but we had an update anyway... was trying to start the engine, and pulled the oil cap just to take a peak at what was happening... and the valves = no movement. doesn't sound like the timing chain was dumped, so it sounds like we may have a broken cam.

in any event, the guy didn't want to put money in to it, so it's being traded in right now...