QuestionI have a 1988 Oldsmobile Custome Cruiser with an Olds 307 that has an iritating problem, It has been really cold hear (Below 32') for a consistant period of time.
The car starts ok and idles ok, when I take off it is ok, but if I accelerate hard, say express way on ramp style, it falls on it face, no power and wont go above 45-50, no back fire or popping just no go. The fuel pump is 2 years old and so are the timing gear and chain. I took the air cleaner off on the side of the free way and worked the throttle and got very little gas out of the squirters. Eventualy the check engine light came on while driving and gave me a code indicating a lean mixture but it went back out fairly quickly. I have added gas line antifreeze. The car is fine around town, you can even jump on it alittle but it will shortly die off if you stay in it, almost as if the fuel bowel is going empty,but never stall out. This car sits outside at night. Is this a bad fuel pump? bad gas? fuel line freeze up?
What is up with this?
Than you ahead of time for you help.
mark
AnswerMark ,
Actually I had two cars with similar problems .
A 1983 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme . Basically it had some starting problems but would basically drive fine . After coming off the highway I had absolutely no power whatsoever . I had a compression test done on the car and one of them was at 40 % ! . Needless to say I had to put a new engine in the car . Does this one sound close to your problem ?
Or....
1987 Pontiac Grand Prix V8 305 . Takes 15 minutes to warm up in the morning , regardless of temperature outside , otherwise the car will not pull a hill or give any acceleration . I was told the same list of ideas you listed for me . But came to one conclusion , I had to rebuild the carb . I do not remember which part it was on the carb , but it was a warped throttle housing (?) This caused all my problems , and for under $200 I was back in the ballpark .
If I were you ,,, take it down to at least 2 mechanics that you can (for the most part) trust . Its funny , I took my Cutlass down to the shop and got a complete 360 from what I thought the problem was . Took the car to another shop and had the car fixed . Point being a second opinion can save you alot of time and money .
Without me physically leaning over the hood or hearing the engine hum , there really is only soo much I can do . If you have any more questions then please feel free to send another e-mail . Tell me how everything goes at the shop . Don't forget to rate my response to you .
Cheers ,
Ed McKenna
