2002 Buick Century Keeps filing out plugs and losing power

Tiny
BFLAMES
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 BUICK CENTURY
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 46,000 MILES
I originally took my car to the dealer because it would turn over but not crank. That dealer said it was a plug wire misfiring and the converter was stopped up and advised I take it to a bigger dealer since the converter was still under manufacturer warranty. They fixed the converter and called saying my plugs were filed out. So they change the plugs. A couple days later I go to pick up the car and it wouldn't crank for them to pull it around for me. So the guy says they're going to run some tests to see what the problem is. Six days later, they still don't know what the problem is. Supposedly whatever caused the converter to stop up is continuiously filing out the plugs. Could it be the computer system itself? What suggestions can you make? How can a dealership be so at a loss for a problem?
Friday, February 29th, 2008 AT 3:32 AM

3 Replies

Tiny
PEAR69
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,482 POSTS
Do you mean--fouling out spark plugs? What is a filed out plug anyway?
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Friday, February 29th, 2008 AT 3:50 AM
Tiny
BFLAMES
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
Uh, yeah. I'm sorry, but how is it that your concern is with my correct use of jargon instead of the overall question. I see you connected the dots as to what I meant but made no attempt to answer the question. Since the issue has been resolved I will answer the question in case someone else reading this may run into the same problem. The PCM was bad causing the starter to continue running after the ignition was in the on position. In turn, this FOULED out the plugs causing loss of power and disabling the cars' ability to crank. Is my apostophe in the right place??
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Saturday, March 1st, 2008 AT 4:59 PM
Tiny
PEAR69
  • MECHANIC
  • 1,482 POSTS
A fouled plug is not the use of jargon. It is what happens to a spark plug when it fails. I thought a FILED plug (being that you said that a dealer called it that) was something that I never heard of.
It is very hard to answer a question of mechanical nature when, for one, you cannot see or hear the car, and two, you get a description of a symptom that you never heard of. Sorry if I offended you.
Good for you that the problem is fixed. However, a PCM almost never goes bad and your problem doesn't sound like a PCM failure. Good luck

BTW--yes your apostophe is in the right place.
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Sunday, March 2nd, 2008 AT 12:09 AM

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