Need help with car ASAP

aftermath4788 · 10-12-2008

I have a 2001 pontiac grand am se v-6. It is giving me problems and I dont know what else to do at this point. Any ways, I replaced both the intake gaskets because they were leaking. In the process I had to let it sit for about 6 months. I changed the oil and it has fresh gas. During that time about 3 of the coils got some rust on them. I cleaned them the best I could get them, still a little rust but about 85% rust free now. I cleaned them and I started it up, all is well except for a sputtering noise coming from the exhaust and the engine vibrates. I think its only 1 cylinder not firing, maybe 2 but I cant figure out which on it it, I have put water on all the headers and all are hot. Ocasionally I will get a misfire code (check engine light flashes). I turn it off and restart, the check engine stays on, I disconnect the battery for about 10 seconds to reset the code and I start it up, no codes this time but still not firing one cylinder. I pulled the wires off the coils again and recleaned them, fired it up, misfire code again, reset and it went away but still dead on one cylinder. I am lost at this point. Car ran great prior to intake gaskets. What else do I need to do?

atomic47 · 10-12-2008

where did it sit? theres a good chance some critter got to one of your ground wires.

aftermath4788 · 10-12-2008

It sat in a garage, no critters lol.

Ericthejet · 10-12-2008

Get it running.
Pull one ign. lead at a time to disconnect from coil, if idle/smoothness changes you know it's not that cylinder that has a bad plug/lead/coil.

You will pull one off and no change in sound/rpm/shakiness will occur...found it.

aftermath4788 · 10-12-2008

Ah, Ill try that real quick and let you all know, thanks

aftermath4788 · 10-12-2008

cylinder 4 is dead.

aftermath4788 · 10-12-2008

Did a check of the cylinder 4 spark plug, it is firing normally, I rechecked all other coils and I believe 6 went out as well.

aftermath4788 · 10-12-2008

Ok, I went over everything again, It seems that all cylinders in front and one in back are dead, funny thing is that the manifold is getting hot with each cylinder though, I pull the coils and it doesnt change the way it runs. According to that, I have only 2 cylinders fireing but yet they all get hot? I dont understand.

aftermath4788 · 10-12-2008

No help?

Charlie Gary · 10-12-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by aftermath4788

No help?

Don't know about Pontiac coils, but I do know Ford had a bunch of junk on their assembly line. Replacing all them may be your only option if they are beginning to break down internally.
I don't own any GM products, and I haven't worked on one in over 20 years, so my experience and advice might not be worth the time it took you to read this.
Might be an air leak somewhere besides the intake gaskets, though.

speedywunder · 10-12-2008

It is a wasted spark ignition system, fires on both tdc's. #1 & #4 share the same coil, #2 & #5, #3 & #6. The thing I have seen get alot of people doing the job at home is the fact that the pushrods are different lengths, intake 5 & 3/4 inches and may have a yellow mark, exhaust 6 inches and may have a green mark. Coil corrosion on these is very common, we normaly replace all and plug wires.

atomic47 · 10-12-2008

the 3.4 is a pushrod engine?

aftermath4788 · 10-12-2008

Ok, Thanks for the advice guys, I think I found the problem, after messing around wtih everything on the coils, they check out just fine, turns out I have a few bad o-rings on the injectors causing them to allow too much air in the chamber which is why the manifolds get hot. Tomorrow, Ill take it apart and replace them and all should be good from there, hopefully. Thanks guys

speedywunder · 10-12-2008

Yes they have pushrods, the 3.4L in the 90's was a DOHC. Go to the dealer and get an injector o-ring kit, they will be blue in color and it has 12 o-rings and the 6 plastic collars that go on the lowers. Just put a light coat of oil on them before you install.

speedywunder · 10-12-2008

Just curious, how did you find the vacuum leak?

aftermath4788 · 10-12-2008

There was a loud hissing noise coming from it and for the long time I couldnt find out where it was coming from until I put a screw driver on the injector and it started to change tunes so I knew it was coming from there.

10-12-2008	#1 (permalink)
aftermath4788 zx-11/250r BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,198	Need help with car ASAP I have a 2001 pontiac grand am se v-6. It is giving me problems and I dont know what else to do at this point. Any ways, I replaced both the intake gaskets because they were leaking. In the process I had to let it sit for about 6 months. I changed the oil and it has fresh gas. During that time about 3 of the coils got some rust on them. I cleaned them the best I could get them, still a little rust but about 85% rust free now. I cleaned them and I started it up, all is well except for a sputtering noise coming from the exhaust and the engine vibrates. I think its only 1 cylinder not firing, maybe 2 but I cant figure out which on it it, I have put water on all the headers and all are hot. Ocasionally I will get a misfire code (check engine light flashes). I turn it off and restart, the check engine stays on, I disconnect the battery for about 10 seconds to reset the code and I start it up, no codes this time but still not firing one cylinder. I pulled the wires off the coils again and recleaned them, fired it up, misfire code again, reset and it went away but still dead on one cylinder. I am lost at this point. Car ran great prior to intake gaskets. What else do I need to do?

10-12-2008	#4 (permalink)
Ericthejet Forensic Bug Splatter Analyst BTK Expert Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The northeast! Posts: 1,705	Get it running. Pull one ign. lead at a time to disconnect from coil, if idle/smoothness changes you know it's not that cylinder that has a bad plug/lead/coil. You will pull one off and no change in sound/rpm/shakiness will occur...found it. __________________ 1984 Ninja 900 (A1) To make it go faster I need to add more lightness!

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10-12-2008	#2 (permalink)
atomic47 Forum Supporter Forum Supporter Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 243	where did it sit? theres a good chance some critter got to one of your ground wires.

10-12-2008	#3 (permalink)
aftermath4788 zx-11/250r BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,198	It sat in a garage, no critters lol.

10-12-2008	#5 (permalink)
aftermath4788 zx-11/250r BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,198	Ah, Ill try that real quick and let you all know, thanks

10-12-2008	#6 (permalink)
aftermath4788 zx-11/250r BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,198	cylinder 4 is dead.

10-12-2008	#7 (permalink)
aftermath4788 zx-11/250r BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,198	Did a check of the cylinder 4 spark plug, it is firing normally, I rechecked all other coils and I believe 6 went out as well.

10-12-2008	#8 (permalink)
aftermath4788 zx-11/250r BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,198	Ok, I went over everything again, It seems that all cylinders in front and one in back are dead, funny thing is that the manifold is getting hot with each cylinder though, I pull the coils and it doesnt change the way it runs. According to that, I have only 2 cylinders fireing but yet they all get hot? I dont understand.

10-12-2008	#9 (permalink)
aftermath4788 zx-11/250r BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,198	No help?

10-12-2008	#11 (permalink)
speedywunder where's reverse? BTK Beginner Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Arlington TX Posts: 50	It is a wasted spark ignition system, fires on both tdc's. #1 & #4 share the same coil, #2 & #5, #3 & #6. The thing I have seen get alot of people doing the job at home is the fact that the pushrods are different lengths, intake 5 & 3/4 inches and may have a yellow mark, exhaust 6 inches and may have a green mark. Coil corrosion on these is very common, we normaly replace all and plug wires.

10-12-2008	#12 (permalink)
atomic47 Forum Supporter Forum Supporter Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Central Indiana Posts: 243	the 3.4 is a pushrod engine?

10-12-2008	#13 (permalink)
aftermath4788 zx-11/250r BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,198	Ok, Thanks for the advice guys, I think I found the problem, after messing around wtih everything on the coils, they check out just fine, turns out I have a few bad o-rings on the injectors causing them to allow too much air in the chamber which is why the manifolds get hot. Tomorrow, Ill take it apart and replace them and all should be good from there, hopefully. Thanks guys

10-12-2008	#14 (permalink)
speedywunder where's reverse? BTK Beginner Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Arlington TX Posts: 50	Yes they have pushrods, the 3.4L in the 90's was a DOHC. Go to the dealer and get an injector o-ring kit, they will be blue in color and it has 12 o-rings and the 6 plastic collars that go on the lowers. Just put a light coat of oil on them before you install.

10-12-2008	#15 (permalink)
speedywunder where's reverse? BTK Beginner Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Arlington TX Posts: 50	Just curious, how did you find the vacuum leak?

10-12-2008	#16 (permalink)
aftermath4788 zx-11/250r BTK Expert Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,198	There was a loud hissing noise coming from it and for the long time I couldnt find out where it was coming from until I put a screw driver on the injector and it started to change tunes so I knew it was coming from there.

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