The Oldsmobile Royal 88 was an entry-level luxury vehicle made by General Motors from 1949 until 1999. The vehicle was one of the best-performing vehicles in GM's lineup due to its enhanced power-to-weight ratio. However, even with all the refinements, no car is perfect, and over time, the Royal will break down. When this happens, you'll want to be able to troubleshoot some common issues with the Oldsmobile Royal 88.
Check to see if the engine bogs down during rapid acceleration. This is likely caused by dirty fuel injectors or a dirty fuel filter. While the factory Royal fuel filter is sufficient for the car's needs, it does need to be changed every 60,000 miles. Some Royals run rich, meaning that they burn more fuel than is necessary. This can be adjusted by taking it to a mechanic to tune the car's ECU for optimum fuel efficiency. You can also correct the problem by consistently--with every gas tank fill-up--cleaning the fuel system with fuel injector cleaner after 100,000 miles.
Check for inexplicable loss of engine coolant and white smoke during start-up that disappears once the vehicle has reached normal operating temperature. Although condensation can form in the exhaust system and be blown out the tailpipe as white smoke, this anomaly, coupled with an inexplicable loss of engine coolant, could be a sign of the infamous GM intake gasket problem. The Royal 88 was outfitted with a plastic intake manifold from 1995 to 1999. Over time, it will crack--typically after 100,000 miles. GM handles recalls on this defect on a case-by-case basis. Take the car to an authorized GM dealer for assistance with the recall.
Check to see if the starter motor is noisy or excessively rough while engaging. This can indicate that the starter motor teeth are stripped. In the 3800 motor that was widely used on GM cars--including the Royal 88--not all related components were trouble-free. The teeth on the flywheel may have worn down, causing a grinding sound when you try to start the car. This can be repaired by any qualified mechanic.
Note if the engine is hard to start when the temperature is below freezing. The Royal was outfitted with a decent battery from the factory. However, when the temperature outside dips below freezing, the battery on older vehicles is sometimes not capable of withstanding this kind of treatment. The battery will discharge and you will need to either recharge the battery or swap out the factory setup for a more powerful aftermarket battery.
