Oldsmobile/Buick: 1992 Cutlass Supreme, throttle position sensor, cutlass supreme


Question
Please help! Over the past week I have spent $500.00 on my car (V6 - 3.4 engine) 130,000 miles. The first thing that happened was that it would just die on me - no warning.  It would start back up immediately and I could drive further and it would stop idling fast again.  After a trip to the shop, they replaced the EGR valve.  I picked the car up and it seemed to drive great.  Then all of a sudden it just did not idle right.  It would just idle really fast and take off down the road without me giving it any gas.  Then it would go back to normal idle.  Took it back to the garage and had the throttle position valve replaced.  The garage says that nothing shows up wrong on their computer and they don't know what the problem is.  It doesn't do this all the time.  For instance, I can get in the car and drive for 30 minutes (everything is perfectly fine) and then it will idle fast again and continue to do this for a long time and then just stop.  Any thoughts or ideas - we're running out of ideas and money!  Any help would be appreciated.  I love this car but it's kinda scary right now!


Answer
Hi Sandra,
The 3.4 V6 engine is not a specialty of mine, but if I remember correctly it is fuel injected. Sounds like the culprit is a faulty TPI (Throttle Position Sensor) which governs the fuel rate. Not an expensive piece, but after 130,000 miles, heat may have creeped up on it. I'd replace that first. Most part stores have this item in stock. It resembles a small round, or square shape with two wires and a plug in that goes to the wiring harness and is held on to the throttle body by a couple of screws. Hope this helps! Ray