1995 Buick Regal Hard starting then won't hold idle sputter

Tiny
TWIN2URBOS
  • MEMBER
  • 1995 BUICK REGAL
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 142,000 MILES
I live in Vegas. Right now it's 110 degrees.
Recently during stop and go driving for about a half hour, I stopped and got gas. A HUGE whoosh of gas pressure was released when I took off the cap.

When I tried to start my car it turned over but began to sputter than die. Each time I tried to start it, it would also make a loud humming/whistling noise that seemed to be coming from under the rear of the car.

I let the car sit for a while, (temp was about halfway)
It wasn't overheating coolant wise.

After about ten minutes re-started absolutely perfect.

I had recently installed a new fuel filter.
But it was doing this BEFORE the new filter

Do you think I have a bad gas cap?
It wasn't doing this during the winter/spring months.
Started and ran fine then.

Problem is Vegas will STAY at 100 plus degrees all the way everyday till. October.

Please advise, appreciate it greatly.
Sweating profusely, Danny Lee Bugarin
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Thursday, July 16th, 2009 AT 8:25 PM

4 Replies

Tiny
AKANYR
  • MEMBER
  • 52 POSTS
Hi Danny, my name's Maddy. I live in Vegas too (trop/jones) & have a 1988 Regal with ur same problem. The hum/whistling noise is coming from the gas cap, if u open the cap u'll get a whoosh of gas pressure again but the noise will stop. It's the pressure try'n to release. Unfortunately the problem will probably slowly get worse. I changed the fuel filter after I was stranded by the courts for 3 hours. When it finally restarted I barely made it home. It's NOT the filter, I replaced the filter & it runs for 15min then stalls. Restarts but only for a few seconds & dies again. I've checked the spark plugs for spark, the shrader valve for fue pressure, the fuel pump relay & fuse, the altenator, the ignition coils & ignition control module, they all check out good. Nobody including the dealer can figure out why this happens from what I read here. I've narrowed it down to, oil pressure switch, oxygen sensor & possibly the torque coverter lock up solnoid maybe malfuntioning. Does ur car sometimes 'buck when u take ur foot off the gas pedal to fast or put ur foot back on the gas pedal after u took itoff the pedal for a second or 2?
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Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 AT 9:31 AM
Tiny
AKANYR
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  • 52 POSTS
Hello again Danny, it's the other Las Vegan! Lol, well I just got an answer to the question I asked. I wrote everything I told u that was up with my car & asked if it could be the Oil Pressure Switch causing the problem. Wineburger answered me, he said yes it could be. Those cars will shut off the fuel pump if the oil pressure is low. For my car Pep Boys has it for $8.99. Hope this helps U - let me know.
(some auto parts stores call it an 'Oil Sending Unit', which is what Wineburger called it to.)
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Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 AT 11:24 AM
Tiny
TWIN2URBOS
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  • 2 POSTS
Thanks akanyr. Makes sense so I'll give it a shot.

Funny thing is. My car recently hasn't been running that bad.
Been starting up fine, and I haven't heard that goofy whistling noise as well.

I've had more than a few cars in my life.(The Regal is.#19)

This problem is small compared to some of the other headaches I've dealt with.

As long as it continues to drive OK for now, I'll deal with the off/on annoyance as best as I can.

Till car #20.
Much obliged, Danny
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Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 AT 4:38 PM
Tiny
AKANYR
  • MEMBER
  • 52 POSTS
Ur welcome Danny. Just to let u know though, my car started out the same way. In the first 10 months it did the stall/no start thing a few times & I let it go. Hope u don't get stuck downtown in the 15 min parking by the court house likeI did for 3 hours. When U do ur next oil change it will be easy to replace that pressure switch. U mightwanna think about it then. The oil filter will be out of the way & give U plenty of room to change the switch.
May the Driving Force stay with U!
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Tuesday, August 18th, 2009 AT 5:26 PM

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