92 Z34 phantom stalling

HELP My wifes 92 Z34 lumina is stalling for no good reason and at the strangest times. { dies completely but alwas starts}
our mechnic siad its called phantom stalling and has something to do with the injectors they used in the 3.4 back then. Why did it only start to do this after 100,000 kil. It seems more like an electrical load thing because everthing dies radio etc. He siad injectors may work but cant garantee it. He siad GM noted this problem but no recall because it was only happening to people in parking lots at low speeds. My wife has had alot of close calls turning into oncoming traffic when it decides to happen. Its a great car and I have put a few bucks into it already. Estimate to change injectors is around $3500. Has anyone else had or seen this problem and were you able to fix it.

Gerrard

My backgound is in electrics not auto repair, so take this with as big a grain of salt as you can handle, but... if everything is dying the way you mention, I would be suspicious of the ignition switch and its associated wiring; perhaps there is a loose connection somewhere that opens up in the turns or when going over bumps.

Just my 2¢ :icon16:

Good Luck!

would rock salt be ok. I will call my mechanic and see what he thinks.
I'll also get my wife to make a few more notes about what transpires when this happens.
Thanks
Gerrard

Agree with RedWolf , my background is automotive/equipment. I refuse to believe that all 6 injectors would fail at the same time. Also ,the radio,etc. quitting at the same time relates to an electrical feed problem. Do you have any high amp draw aftermarket stuff hooked to the ignition circut? How long does the car have to sit untill it restarts? Strange as this sounds,I like elec. problems. The more info the better.

Bronco2
There is a command start, car alarm and power trunk opener on command start remote. We installed it the first or second winter we bought the car. Come to think of it, it did'nt do that before we had that stuff installed. When it stalles It starts immeadiately.

Thanks I'm going to follow up on this stuff

There could possible be a short some where in the command start that is killing the car. I agree i dont think that all the injectors would fail all at once. Even if all the injectors failed you should still have radio etc.

Thanks for the over resounding agreement that its electrical.
I spoke to my mechnic and he agrees its electrical. He explained it like this, The computer controls the injectors. when the car slows to turn the corner the drop in rpms slows the alternator down. the car needs at least 10 volts to keep the fuel injectors suppling fuel to the engine. That combined with the power steering and possibly the rad fan/ air conditioning or heater running puts a heavy load on the power supply and it kills the engine. It does'nt happen evertime she turns. He siad that the fix that GM recommends is to change injectors to ones that can supply enough fuel that when the car needs the power to supply electricity its there. He also suggested a high performance chip may also work. But we are not giving up on all the other things you guys suggested. I just may give him the car for the weekend so he can see for himself. Because when ever he has it it never does it and it scopes as being it tip top shape
Gerrard :banghead:

Ask your Mech. for the GM TSB number for this repair,I would like to look it up. I agree that most GMs of that year/model will shut down at 9-10 volts,I agree that slow idle and heavy elec. loads will drop system voltage,but the battery will cover that. If the battery didn't have enough power to run the elect. system,it certainly would not have enough juice to start the car. I don't see a chip helping,unless it just covers the real problem.Chips do not increase alt. output. Also, still have the problem of the radio,etc dying. The radio is not hooked to the injection other than power feeds. Just for fun I looked up injector prices on the Advance Auto parts web site,the most expensive ones I could find were $100 each.Double that to Shop prices ($200) ea., thats $1200. That leaves $2300 for labor.Even at $100 an hour,thats 23 hours(almost 3 full work days) of labor. It doesn't take that long. I hope you hit the wrong key on your post, or that there was more parts/work involved,but if was the estimate given to replace 6 injectors I think I might look elsewere.

Your right I hit the wrong keys $ 2000 give or take a couple hundred for all six.Plus all the we have this apart we might as well replace this other stuff while we are here. just like when the plug on the block started leaking were the distributer used to be well $800 bucks later. This engine is a bitch to work on, you have to take a support bare and the windshield washer tank out just to see the battery.

Your right I hit the wrong keys $ 2000 give or take a couple hundred for all six.Plus all the we have this apart we might as well replace this other stuff while we are here. just like when the plug on the block started leaking were the distributer used to be well $800 bucks later. This engine is a bitch to work on, you have to take a support bare and the windshield washer tank out just to see the battery.
$2000 bucks to change injectors??? Come on now, they are super easy to change! Distributor???? Not on that car, coil packs! The engine is a bitch, but I've torn my buddy's apart a few times, and its pretty damn easy for me.

So what exactly happens when you try and start the car up? Does it surge after it stalls? Does it start right back up? Have you replaced the timing belt at all since you have had the car?

Another area you might want to check is the IAC. I know my buddy has had problems with drivabilty cause of the IAC. If the car has 100k plus miles on it, then I bet some of the electronics on their are on their way out.

$2000 bucks to change injectors??? Come on now, they are super easy to change! Distributor???? Not on that car, coil packs! The engine is a bitch, but I've torn my buddy's apart a few times, and its pretty damn easy for me.

So what exactly happens when you try and start the car up? Does it surge after it stalls? Does it start right back up? Have you replaced the timing belt at all since you have had the car?

Another area you might want to check is the IAC. I know my buddy has had problems with drivabilty cause of the IAC. If the car has 100k plus miles on it, then I bet some of the electronics on their are on their way out.

Well HIflow the car starts write away the only way you no its stalled is because the power steering shuts down

Thanks for all the help I'm going to start looking in the direction of the electrical system
"G"

I would tell your so called mechanic to test the ohms on all the injectors to see if they are bad or not it is very easy and can save you a lot of money, also $2000 is way to much to spend on 6 injectors I know for a fact you can buy them for $60 or less a piece that equals $360 does it really cost $1640 to do 1 hour worth of work (probably not) if I were you I would find a real mechanic not a ripoff artist. As for the rest of your problem it is likely your remote start causing the problem recheck your wiring. good luck

I would tell your so called mechanic to test the ohms on all the injectors to see if they are bad or not it is very easy and can save you a lot of money, also $2000 is way to much to spend on 6 injectors I know for a fact you can buy them for $60 or less a piece that equals $360 does it really cost $1640 to do 1 hour worth of work (probably not) if I were you I would find a real mechanic not a ripoff artist. As for the rest of your problem it is likely your remote start causing the problem recheck your wiring. good luck
Jerky420
I'm writing from Canada yea
Thanks for the tip on the ohms to the injectors
Just in defence of my mechnic. He works for someone else they quote out of a service book. He usually give me a deal, but I guess its time to start getting second opinions or start doing it myself. I have no problem fixing my 89 astro or my 92 S-10. Its just that all that talk about dual cams and computer chips and shit has got me freaked out.
Thanks

G, I have had the exact same problem in the past. I had 2 codes stored on my computer, vehicle speed sensor and EGR valve. I would suspect the EGR valve your case as I did mine. I never did fix it and it finnally went away, BUT I do not recommend that course of action since it happens when you least expect it (I know I had my share of close calls) I would suspect the injectors if the car was hard to start after it stalled ,maybe even some black smoke, but I going to guess it starts right up.
Hope this helps

Mark

Thanks Mark. I'll get the mechannic to check those codes and the EGR valve. This seems to make more sence than the injectors. And a hell of alot easier to fix. Is there any way i can check those codes myself?
Gerrard

Sorry "G", If I remember correctly looking at the diagnostic connector under the dash. take a paper clip and connect the 2nd and 3rd contacts in the top row from the right hand side. or buy a cheap code reader for $10 at the auto parts store then youll have the code book too. ...after you connect the 2 contacts turn the key to accy and then begin to count the flashing check engine light. That is a little tricky unless ou have done it a few times. I do suggest you buy the code reader just in case, I am not sure what happens on the newer cars if you short the wrong ones. Let me know how you make out.

I just got done putting an intake gasket set on my Z34 so you know where my spare time went. Book said it should take just under 4 hours. I did it in just under 8. NowI know why I quit being a mechanic 14 years ago...lol.

Thanks I have one of those cheap diagnostic tools I will plug it in and check it out. Gerrard

Couple of things, your mechanic sounds like a scam artist, checking the computer on your car should have been the first thing he did. Keep in mind your fuel injectors are electrical...if you're not supplying them with power, they won't supply your engine with fuel. If they work most of the time, they really don't sound like the problem. Sounds a lot more like an issue maybe with a bad connection with the battery. Even if the alternator wasn't turning at all, you should still have at least about 12 volts to fire the injectors straight off the battery. The whole performance chip idea sounds like a bunch of BS, the mechanic should know when the car isn't operating properly and how to restore it to spec, not cover up the problem.