QuestionQUESTION: I know your not an oldsmobile guy but your the only GM guy that isnt on Vacation. I hope you can help me.
I have a 96 olds LSS and my car sputters for at least 10 seconds when i first start it and then it automatically corrects itself by revving the engine without me touching the pedal, i had it put on a free diagnostics at Autozone and it said i have a bad throttle position sensor, could that be a bad read or is that right on, based on the syptoms?
Also
My girlfriend has a 95 old 88, her car had a misfire about 3 months ago so we had her plugs changed, about a month ago we were on the freeway and her car jerked a few times while accelerating so we got the plugs changed, now her car doesnt jerk while accelerating but it does when it idles or is driven at low speeds?? and the check engine light isnt constantly on, but whenever it does come on the car shuts off but it will crank right up afterwards. what the heck is the problem??
ANSWER: Hey Jak:
Well first off for the LSS Yes a throttle position sesnor can cause a wired erratic idle. They don't go bad all that often on that car though. without seeing it it's hard to say. It could be a wiring issue to the sensor as well. What your discribed is a tell tale sign of a bad throttle position sensor it should also hesitate as well with a throttle position sensor issue.
Now for the 88 It sounds like an issue with the ignition system it may have a bad plug wire to go along with the bad plug she had. Plug wires are really common on that engine. It could have a bad coil pack or some thing to do with the ignition module. It' hard to say again with out seeing it. I'd have to know what the engine light is on for? being that it's a 95 it doesn't have engine misfire data so a misfire from a bad spark plug or wire will not turn on the light. The light may be from the by product of a misfire like a rich condition... Get that scanned for codes and see what that leads it and let me know..
Good luck :)
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Urgent!!!
the 1995 olds 88 has shut off and wont start up.
she was driving and it just shut off. and the check engine light is constantly on now.
ANSWER: Did you ever find out what the service engine light was on for? I would look at that first and foremost. In order for it to run it needs spark and fuel as well as compression. you need to check for fule pressure at the engine it needs approx 42 psi to run. You need to check for injector pulse. Any car parts store will have a "noid" light fo that year make and model car unplug an injector and crank the car and see if the light blinks it should while cranking. Lastly the car need compression in the cylinders take out a plug and get a compression gauge and check for compression a good rule of thumb is anywhere between 135-150 psi.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Ok i took the 88 to a local shop and they came up the conclusion that the car needs a new ignition module, i didnt allow them to put it on because they were gonna charge $200 and i would have had to wait until tomorrow evening to pick up the car. Im gonna go to the junk yard and buy a module and put it on. but What if i put the module on and i let the car run and it shuts off again??? what would be the next thing to consider
AnswerCrank shaft sensor would be the next logical part or a bad ground connection somewhere most likely on the bracket below the ignition module or on the block.. Make sure you get a module out of that same year make and model just because they look the same doesn't mean the magic inside the module is the same!
