1994 Pontiac Grand Am car dies when I put it into drive.

PBUDZY

MEMBER
1994 PONTIAC GRAND AM
4 CYL
FWD
AUTOMATIC
161,000 MILES

Runs superb in park reverse and neutral but dies immediatley when I put it into drive or any other forward gear. I have fixed all the vaccuum hoses as there where many missing or holey. Put in new plugs and didnt notice and cracks in the coil housing unit. Cant find pcv valve but I will replace it soon as I find it. Its a quad 2.3 sohc!

9 Replies

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

Any trouble codes? The partsbook didn't show pcv valve on your vehicle? Fuel pressure ok?

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Thursday, October 29th, 2009 AT 3:24 PM

PBUDZY

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8 POSTS

No codes and its getting fuel (havent hooked up a fuel pressure tester yet, but it runs to 7000 rpm without missing a beat in park) I mean it runs great til I put some torque to it, ran for a sec today after I put it into drive but. Started missing super bad then fine again. Seems every time I put my foot on the gas to get it going all the lights on the dash go crazy then it stops missing and goes. Then after around the block will not let me start it and put into drive without dying again.

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Thursday, October 29th, 2009 AT 8:18 PM

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

Can you look at the 02 sensor signal, see if it's running rich or lean, when it stalls. If it runs ok in park, it should be going into closed loop.

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Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 9:16 AM

PBUDZY

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Ok so I dont have a fuel pressure gauge or a computer to tell me if the o2 sensors are bad. The service engine light does not illuminate until you put it into drive then all dash lights come on. Turn off then on no lights and it runs fine again til you put it into drive. Could drive to california in reverse no miss no bog no unusuall stuff at all til I put it into drive. Also if I hold the gas on a bit the car will drive and once you get past the initial hiccup the car runs fine until the next time you have to shift into drive or really need to use the gas pedal then the lights all go crazy and it feels like its running on one cylinder for a secong then it smooths out and runs fine. Please help im going crazy!

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Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 11:27 AM

JDL

MECHANIC
16,098 POSTS

I'm not saying the 02 sensor is bad, I, m talking about fuel trims. The fuel trim reacts to what the 02 sensor is doing. If you have a digital multimeter you can look at the 02 sensor signal to see if exhaust is rich or lean.

If your fully obd1 compliant, you check your own troublecodes? Without being able to do some tests, it is hard to track anything down.

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Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 12:12 PM

PBUDZY

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8 POSTS

So I guess I need to seek professional help. I was hopeing someone would say to pull the screw by the sometrhing and everything would be ok. Lol. Never happens right.I will ask a mechanic friend to take a look I guess thanks for your time.

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Friday, October 30th, 2009 AT 2:07 PM

MATTCMH

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1 POST

I had a similar thing happen to my 1995 Grand Am. They ended up tracing the issue to a broken corroded ground wire for the fuel pump/rear lights. I believe they said it was located beneath the passenger seat.

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Sunday, November 1st, 2009 AT 3:57 PM

DIANA3