1997 Pontiac Grand Am excessive fuel mixture issue

Tiny
DLPUTMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 1997 PONTIAC GRAND AM
  • 6 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 157,905 MILES
I have a 97 Grand Am that burns so rich that the exhaust is flamable. Yes flamable! I checked the fuel pressure regulator and smell some fuel from the vacume line but not much where do I go from there.
Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008 AT 8:18 PM

5 Replies

Tiny
MMPRINCE4000
  • MECHANIC
  • 8,548 POSTS
If you have fuel in the FP regulator vacumm line then the FP regulator diaphram is ruptured and needs to be replaced.
Do this quickly, because a rich mixture will burn the CAT convertor up in no time.
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Wednesday, June 4th, 2008 AT 4:37 AM
Tiny
DLPUTMAN
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I replaced the FP Reg. And no change.
The exhaust is still so rich that it is a white cloud and smells of raw gas.
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Wednesday, June 4th, 2008 AT 3:11 PM
Tiny
MMPRINCE4000
  • MECHANIC
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White smoke is an indication of coolant not a rich mixture.
Black smoke would indicate a rich mixture.

If white smoke is coming out the exhaust, that would indicate a blown head gasket, intake manifold gasket, cracked head etc.

If the car is equipped with DexCool, you may be able to get a free fix from GM. They recently settled a class action suit for gasket failure on most V6 engines.
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Thursday, June 5th, 2008 AT 4:57 AM
Tiny
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Okay so I was thinking that the issue maybe a head gasket problem due to the white smoke but why is the exhaust literly flamable and smell of raw fuel?
That is what is stumping me.
And yes stupid as it sounds. I lit one of the pipes and oh yea its flamable. Two foot flames.
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Thursday, June 5th, 2008 AT 7:20 PM
Tiny
MMPRINCE4000
  • MECHANIC
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It could be two problems. The rich exhaust will damage the CAT (overheat and melt it). The coolant will damage the engine if it gets into the crankcase and has already fried the O2 sensor, which may be what is causing the rich condition.
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Saturday, June 7th, 2008 AT 4:59 AM

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