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Chevy Lumina Repair Questions and Answers

Question: 2002 Chevy Lumina mileage: 60,000. Hi guys.. I have just purchased quite a lemon and am on the brink of deep sixing it. I have seen other articles here with VERY similar symptoms, so I apologize for a repeat, but here goes - FP is 40#, new MAP sensor, new IAC Valve, new EGR valve, new O2 and new injectors and regulator. Two problems. The car starts very well, hot or cold, idles pretty good when cold however pretty rough when hot. The idle when the car is sitting still is about 550RPM, but if I let the car roll in neutral 5-10 MPH down hill, the idle jumps to about 2000 without touching the accelerator (note - it also smoothes out). Once I push the brakes and slow the car back to 0 Mph the idle settles into a rough 550RPM or so. If the car is stopped and I rev the engine, it gets to about 5000 (or so? no tach) and starts to cut out, 5000, 3000,5000,3000 etc. It doesn't seem to do this if I get up to speed (55) and let it coast in Neutral and rev the engine. This symptom is very consistent and reproducible. The second issue is occasionally the car flat out dies. When it's cold and I can stay moving (i.e. Freeway 55MPH and no traffic) it runs great. Once I have stopped a few times either in traffic or just around town, it will die unexpectedly. The only recourse is to put the car in neutral or park, turn the key off and start. It always starts right up. It does sometimes die again immediately after starting, other times, away I go down the road. When the car dies while going down the road the speedometer drops to 0 immediately, but if I switch the key off and on, the speedometer catches back up even with out the engine running. Computer glitch? For either case, Codes 34 and 44 appear on occasion. Any help on either or both of these problems would be appreciated.

Answer: You have a very strange problem. We would first check all the ground wires on the car and for the computer (ECM). Also, try unplugging each sensor one at a time to see if it makes a difference on drivability. You may have a bad ECM and/or prom.

Question: 1998 Chevy Lumina V-6 mileage: 60,000. Was running fine, but this morning it started hard and wouldn't stay running. When gas is applied, it stalls. Sounds like it's not running on all the cylinders. What do I do?

Answer: First, scan the engine to determine if all six cylinders are firing properly. Next, remove the spark plugs and do a compression check of the engine. If everything checks okay, you need to scan the computer for fault codes.

Question: 2000 Chevrolet Lumina mileage: 87,000. My Lumina (as I was told) needs a new EGR valve, what is it and what does it do? The symptoms my car seems to experience are, it is very hard to start if it is cold or especially hard when it is wet out. When this happens the car needs at least 10 minutes to warm up before it will move or else it stalls. Does the EGR valve problem sound correct or could it be something else?

Answer: If a major tune-up has not been done recently, this could be the cause of your problem. Replace the spark plugs, plug wires, fuel and air filters, etc. Also, replace the oxygen sensor. In addition, service the fuel injection system. Clean the carbon deposits from the throttle bore and idle passages. If the EGR valve were faulty, we do not think you would have the problems you are experiencing.

Question: 2003 Chevy Lumina 3.1 mileage: 70,000. I have recently had problems starting my 92 Lumina. After finding that there was no spark, I replaced the ECM and checked the coils - still no start. I then talked to someone who said it was probably the crank position sensor, so I bought a new one. The problem came when I tried to remove the old one. It seems like there is only one bolt holding it in place, but after I removed it, I still could not remove the sensor- it seems locked in place. After a little prying, I moved it out about 1/2 and inch, but cannot get it out any further. It appears the only thing left to do is drop the oil pan so I can get the sensor the remaining way out. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Answer: If you cannot get the sensor our by prying and turning it, then they only solution left is to remove the oil pan and punch it out from the bottom.

Question: 2003 Chevrolet Lumina Euro mileage: 48,000. When my car is warmed up, it idles so low it wants to stall. And when going down the road after it has warmed up, it get to where it wont accelerate, its like i took my foot off the gas pedal and putting on the brakes. If I try to mash the gas pedal it kind of wants to jump. Even had all the sensors replaced on it that we can think of and it didn’t work. One day all of my gauges, started going wacko, they were going to the maximum to the lowest, after that when i would take off my temp gauge would go to the maximum i think 260 and stay there until i stopped. When it would act up, i would stop and when i wanted to rev it up i would have to ease it up or it would go dead. All the fluids checked out fine, I think it’s the computer. Thanks Isaac

Answer: Check to see if your catalytic converter is plugged; that may be your problem. The problem with the dash gauges is a faulty instrument cluster.

Question: 2001 Chevy Lumina APV 3.8L mileage: 101,520. I have been getting a service engine soon light for some time and haven't been able to find a cheap code scanner for this vehicle. I bought a Hayes computer code trouble-shooting manual and it tells me to put a jumper in the A and B slots on the ALDL to ground the diagnostic terminal. The only problem with this is that there is nothing in the B slot; it just goes all the way through the back of the socket. This ALDL has only 3 terminals being used in it. There is one in the A position and one below it. According to the book there should be a B terminal right next to the A. This car is OBD1 certified and I guess what I need to know is what is the proper why to jumper out the ALDL to retrieve the codes or do I have to take it to a service shop to have it done on a diagnostic machine. I would greatly appreciate your help in this matter.

Answer: Your car cannot be jumped between the A and B slots to read the codes. 1994 was the last year where this could be done. Your car has to be scanned with an OBD II scanner.

Question: 1999 Chevrolet Lumina 3.1 mileage: 106,500. Vehicle runs fine down the highway, but after exiting and idling, it "misses" and at times smells rich. Replaced TPC and gas filter. Some improvement. While engine was running rough performed an adjustment to the EGR (i.e. tapped it slightly with a wrench) and problem cleared up. Vehicle ran fine for ~ 2 weeks and now the same is happening. Again, tapped on EGR and problem seems to be corrected. Should EGR be replaced or can it be cleaned/repaired? Also, could the oxygen sensor be part of the problem?

Answer: In reading your question, it is probably time to replace the EGR valve. If a major tune-up has not been done recently, this could be the cause of your problem. Replace the spark plugs, plug wires, fuel and air filters, etc. Also, replace the oxygen sensor. In addition, service the fuel injection system. Clean the carbon deposits from the throttle bore and idle passages.

Question: 1998 Chevrolet Lumina mileage: 96,000. We have had this van in and out of two garages and we need an answer. When you go to start the van it does not want to start, it use to do it when it was cold, now it does it all the time, you have to pump the gas to get it started after that it runs fine. Every thing has been checked and we have been told there is nothing they can do with it. The spark plugs have been change because they were fouled out but that is not the problem. Most of the time it would be cold out and it would not start, it would just flood out and not start at all.

Answer: Your stalling problem may be cause by the fuel pump. Replacing it and the fuel filter should fix your problem. Also, check the fuel pressure regulator.

Question: 1995 Chevy Lumina LS 3.4L mileage: 54,000. The #1 cylinder is not working properly, or at all. I have had a tune up and plug wires replaced (electrical arc in the wires were found). The new plug for the #1 cyl has some fluid on it after taking it for a test drive. Any ideas what the problem may be?

Answer: We would suggest doing a compression check. Also, check the injector for the number 1 cylinder to be sure that it is getting an electrical pulse and that it is also spraying properly.

Question: 1999 Chevy Lumina mileage: 110,000. When starting engine, car cold (overnight for example regardless of outside temp 20-60 degrees) the engine wants to rev up to 3000+ rpm and idle back down to 2-300 rpm or just quit altogether. Unless you sit there and hold the rpm steady at about 2200 rpm, it will not idle at the correct rpm of 7-800 rpm. Car has done this since we have had it at 85000 miles. Took to Chevy dealer last winter (cold temps mean you can’t start car and go in where it is warm and wait for it to warm up!) and they could not find anything wrong. Replaced a hose and that is all. Nothing electronic found to be bad. Hope you can help with this problem. It would be greatly appreciated! Thought that you may have seen this problem on this engine (3.4L) and have a fix for it. Thanks

Answer: Here are some things to have checked: 1. Check coolant temperature sensor, it may be out of range; 2. Check fuel pump pressure; 3. Service and clean the idle speed control passages and reset the idle speed.

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