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Engine stalls

Tiny
BUICK_DUDE
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 BUICK LESABRE
  • 3.8L
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 148,999 MILES
In the past this car would get me around town just fine only a slight high idle at startup a little too quick on the jump from start, but the motor mounts are shot so, anyway.

Then, I would need to feed it a little gas and get in reverse for a car lengths back to it wouldn't stall on me.

Lastly, it will start and goes to high idle idle that when I depress the with my foot it revs down to stall. If I don't do that it stalls anyways.

I did change the TPS sensor and it got worst it seems. I turned it on today and moved it around the back side of the house and the transmission seemed sluggish like if the car was dragging had to rev high to get it to move and then smoke under the hood. Popped the hood and I couldn't see where the smoke was coming. It's more like vapor but smoke not the white white smoke you get when oil is burning, if that helps. :)

Motor oil is good, Transmission oil is good. Catalytic converter seems to had been replaced recently. Also this one time my dad was replacing a water hose under the intake and he broke a connector to sensor, it's a one wire connector. Does anyone know what that is? I super glued it back together and the car went back to staying on after warming up and putting it in drive and moving it a little.

I am interested in getting feedback, I don't know too much but I have been reading online. Any advice would help if not to fix, then to socialize heh heh. Thanks!
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Thursday, December 5th, 2019 AT 12:08 PM

48 Replies

Tiny
94 TRANSAM
  • MECHANIC
  • 680 POSTS
It sounds like you have a massive vacuum leak. Check the intake manifold, throttle body and all vacuum lines. You can shoot very small bursts of carburetor clean or either all the was around the manifold, throttle body and at each end of the vacuum lines with it running. If the motor speed changes at all you have a vacuum leak.

Please be careful to shoot specific places and not to just spray everywhere as this will start a fire or worse. Small 1 second bursts are all you need.

Let us know what you find out.

Rich
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Friday, December 6th, 2019 AT 9:39 AM
Tiny
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I can't keep the car on long enough to spray the aerosol on and around the engine bay. By the way it makes a loud swoosh wind noise when it stalls. What is that?

Also, the PCV grommet was toast cut and trimmed some heater hose and now that is sealed. PCV tested to make sure it was not stuck.
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Friday, December 6th, 2019 AT 10:45 AM
Tiny
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The PCV was an issue but it wont cause this.

The sound you hear could be the vacuum leak.

You can try doing a visual inspection of all the lines but a leak this big would be something like the brake booster line, manifold or throttle body.

If you can get someone to help you by continuously starting the car, IE spray as they crank it so the area is wet when it starts. When you find it it should run maybe a second longer than when its not sprayed. If you think you found it spray it on start up and every1 to 2 seconds give it a good shot and it should stay running for as long as you spray it. If that happens you found your leak.

Rich
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Friday, December 6th, 2019 AT 4:28 PM
Tiny
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Haven't gotten around to messing with the car again. It's still parked outside. Probably put a battery in it tomorrow and see where's she's at.
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Sunday, January 26th, 2020 AT 3:47 PM
Tiny
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We are here whenever you need us.
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Sunday, January 26th, 2020 AT 6:07 PM
Tiny
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Okay, added gas, put battery in. Took video of me cranking. I added a little throttle body cleaner before hand. It came on but wont idle. Also you may be able to hear the swoosh sound it makes after it shuts off. The TPS sensor is hand tightened at the moment moved it clockwise. It seemed to have turned on sooner than later. Car been sitting for a month.
I was stomping on the gas pedal but it seems like if I just keep it all the way down and just keep cranking it will eventually sputter and turn on to a wide open throttle.
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Friday, January 31st, 2020 AT 9:43 AM
Tiny
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Car turns on without pumping the gas pedal it high idles then tries to idle it will up idle then try to normal idle eventually it shuts off. It does not shut off with car in gear, but then.
Moved vehicle, transmission gave out. Fans wouldn't turn on
Turned off car. Checked transmission fluid, added transmission fluid (I have added fluid before Maybe its leaking?). Turned it back on and it moves a couple of car lengths before it gave out again (the transmission).
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Friday, January 31st, 2020 AT 10:04 AM
Tiny
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I tightened this connector up and it stopped smoking.
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Friday, January 31st, 2020 AT 1:26 PM
Tiny
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Okay first. The smoke is bad. If you found the bad connection that is good but you need to inspect that wire end to end to make sure none of the insulation melted off and you have an open wire.

At this point you have all the symptom of a bad MAP sensor. A new one should be around $25.00 if you can afford to get one and try it. Location is in diagram below.

Also, do you have any trouble codes?

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/checking-a-service-engine-soon-or-check-engine-light-on-or-flashing

Rich
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Friday, January 31st, 2020 AT 6:22 PM
Tiny
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No check engine light on, except when I unplug the temperature sender sensor. The reason I would do that was that I read in another thread that doing that would turn on the radiator fans continuously which it used to do, it no longer turns them on(dunno). Also removed the thermostat just yesterday because I figured out it was stuck close. Next I unplugged one of the transmission lines to the radiator transmission cooler (which is part of the radiator) and ran the car for a second, the fluid came out red but very runny. Car has 146,000 it probably has never been changed. Anyways I jacked the car up and had a quick look at the undercarriage and all near and around the transmission it was gunked up with dirt and fluid (most likely transmission fluid). Months ago this car was shifting and running good enough. Ordered the MAP sensor, will have to wait for that (February 6).
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Saturday, February 1st, 2020 AT 8:38 PM
Tiny
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The engine light doesn't have to be on. It will only light up for an active failure. So lets say your EGR valve is bad for instance. The engine light will come on when the PCM calls for EGR and senses its not working. But when conditions change and the EGR isn't needed the light will go out and it will store the code. So just because the light isn't on does not mean there are no codes. I would check!

Next, transmission fluid is a very thin runny fluid. That is normal. And a bright red color says it is in good shape. If the fluid turn to a burned red or brown, that is not good. Trans fluid should be changed every 35,000 miles though with a new filter.

As for the leaks, given the mileage Id say this is normal. You should occasionally pressure wash all that off as to avoid a fire hazard.

Check the codes and let me know what they are if you have any and let me know if the new MAP makes a difference.

Rich
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Saturday, February 1st, 2020 AT 9:28 PM
Tiny
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Okay, Mr Rich. I will work on getting ready for when the MAP sensor comes in. I will check those engine codes Monday. Thanks for your attention to this thread.
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Sunday, February 2nd, 2020 AT 9:46 AM
Tiny
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You are welcome.
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Sunday, February 2nd, 2020 AT 9:57 AM
Tiny
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Received the MAP sensor but haven't been able to locate it. Above the water pump.
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Friday, February 7th, 2020 AT 4:30 PM
Tiny
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You remove the top cover on the motor and it is on the left side of the motor right next to the alternator at the end of the plenum sticking right up in the air all by its self.

Rich
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Friday, February 7th, 2020 AT 5:39 PM
Tiny
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Anyone have a location picture? It's for the map sensor location for 1987 Lesabre with the 3.8 engine.
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Sunday, February 9th, 2020 AT 3:37 PM
Tiny
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It is #12 in the picture.

Rich
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Sunday, February 9th, 2020 AT 7:21 PM
Tiny
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Still looking.
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Friday, February 14th, 2020 AT 1:02 PM
Tiny
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This motor doesn't look like any image I can find for a 1995 3.8. Are you sure the motor size and year is correct?
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Friday, February 14th, 2020 AT 5:19 PM
Tiny
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Oh, it's an 1987 3.8. I haven't been able to find it either.
I couldn't change that info. I corrected on the title. I did search correct year on rockauto.
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Saturday, February 15th, 2020 AT 12:19 PM

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