1992 Buick Lesabre 20 Minute Buick

Tiny
BUSTED FLUSH
  • MEMBER
  • 1992 BUICK LESABRE
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 180,000 MILES
This 1992 Buick of mine has developed this issue on the last 3 months.I have owned it for 7 years. It will run 20 minutes. After that it will stall. Or you can shut it off. Either way it will not restart for anywhere from 1/2 to and hour or more. It appears to have no spark when this event occurs. Things I have done: Changed water pump. Cause the after market one failed and was causing over heating. Replaced the bypass hose and cleared the sand out of the fitting. Replaced the IAC valve. It was a solid plug of carbon when I took it out. Tested the ignition module. Tests good but we did not test it for 20 minutes and heat it up. Repaired several ground connections. Redid power connections at the fuse block under the hood. Changed all the vacuum hoses. They were cracked. For all that effort. We have strong running engine. But it still shuts off in 20 minutes or so. I do know the magnet has went AWOL for the cam position sensor. But it has run this way for 2 years. Last time I drove it. It was quite cold out (in the 20's). And I had a check oil light. Crankcase has plenty of oil. Nothing knocking. Restarting it cleared it. Has not re occurred. The 20 minutes is odd as it is not affected by weather. Hot, cold, wet or dry. It still goes away. Any ideas.
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Sunday, December 7th, 2008 AT 2:24 AM

4 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 107,922 POSTS
Hi:
When it won't start, you said you're not getting spark. Are you getting fuel?

Joe
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Sunday, December 7th, 2008 AT 10:50 AM
Tiny
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  • 3 POSTS
. Fuel pump is running. Have not gauged it. And it's funny you should mention fuel. Cause this issue started on the 3rd tank of 10% ethanol fuel. Which kills the mileage on this beast. It now has a tank of regular in it.I find it odd. If it is the fuel pump. And anything is possible. Why 20 minutes. Why not any time. Note when it does go away there is no sputtering of the throttle. It just shuts off. And I have replaced the fuel filter. Hope this helps.
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Sunday, December 7th, 2008 AT 2:34 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 107,922 POSTS
Hi:
Have you been able to check fuel pressure when it dies? It is odd that it takes 20 minutes. But if you're getting spark when it happens, you must be loosing fuel pressure. That would be my next check.

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Sunday, December 7th, 2008 AT 6:36 PM
Tiny
BUSTED FLUSH
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  • 3 POSTS
.I had an opportunity to get out and tinker with this fine beast today.I do have a stoopid question. Is there a remote possibility this beast is overheating and the ECM is shutting it down to "save" it. I noticed that during this 20 minute trial that the fan(s) only cycled once. The water in the recovery is cold and the return hose from the radiator is warm and supply hose is hot. And the radiator itself is not hot.I am going out to buy a thermostat for it and toss that in. It's been 7 years since I last changed it. The other depressing possibility is I need another radiator. And here is an oddity. I found a second fuse block on the passenger side. Under a kick panel. Is this normal.
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Monday, December 8th, 2008 AT 1:44 PM

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