Pontiac Repair: 2002 Pontiac Grand-Am GT 6cyl. 3.4 Eng., wheel bearing hub assembly, front wheel bearing

Question
For the past two weeks my 2002 Pontiac Grand-Am GT 6 cylinder 3.4 engine is having a problem. I have almost 131,000 miles on her, but we take good care of her. The car is not starting the first time I turn the key. I wait until I hear the fuel pump kick in and the "dinging" stops ringing and then I turn the key to start her. I usually have to wait 10 seconds and then try it again and she usually will start up on the second try, but it's rough. Then, when I'm at a red light or stopped in traffic the RPM gauge will drop down to almost zero and she'll start shaking like it's going to shut off. I have to put it in park and give her a little gas. We just replaced the regulator, the battery and changed the oil and it's still having problems. I have no "idiot lights" coming up on the dashboard at all giving any indication as to what's going wrong. When you step on the gas to get it up to 50+mph I'm hearing a grinding noise coming from under the hood. My GT always has a "smooth growl" to her engine, but not now. Any ideas as to what this could be? Thanks for your help in advance!!

Answer
Hi susan:

You have a couple of things going on here. sounds like a fule pump is going bad and or a plugged fuel filter whuch will cuase the pump to go bad. It seems like it taking too long for the pump to prime the fuel lines. It couls also caue a stakll condition. it mat be something else but those 2 issues are more then likely related. . . . As for the growling noise it may be a front wheel bearing going bad cruicing doe a straight road at a steady speed just turn the steering wheel slightly to the righat and to the left is the pictuch of the noise changes it's a bad wheel bearing/hub assembly. good luck :-)