Car will start and shut off

I have a 1999 3800.....ran great up to now, this morning my wife drove it and came home parked it up....no it will not run...it will start and shut off right away..i can keep it running by pressing the gas while starting it and keep on the gas but as soon as I let off it dies again...something else as time is try to start it up alot of smoke will come out of the exhaust.

I am replacing the plugs and wires hoping that this fixes the problem....

btw: the service engine light does not come on and no other dash light issues.

Anyone have any input.

thanks.

I had a similar problem recently. In my case the reason for excessive exhaust was a very rich condition - very easy to smell unspent fuel. By reviewing the engine operation with a scanner, I could see the MAF sensor was reading very erratic going from normal to very high air input continually. MAF sensor was the issue.

Other possible issues were the cam and crank sensors, which may not give codes.

I doubt the plugs and wires will help unless you had some recent work done under the hood.

it could be the MAF but MAF acting that erratically would definitely throw a code. It's worth cleaning at the very least.

I'm not as familiar with the 3.8L but would a faulty fuel pressure regulator cause this kind of behavior?

Also don't rule out the possibility of an issue with the ignition switch and security system. A faulty cam or crankshaft sensor that causes the car to die should throw a code.

ok so it's not the plugs or wires, I changed them but still the same issue, I noticed the engine light on the dash though...how could I get the codes. ..I do not have a code reader and the car will not drive to take to a shop and I really don't want to tow it,...I know with my Toyota Supra..I can use a paperclip as a jumper and get the codes....is this possiable with this car?.....where would the fuel pressure regulator be located?

Are you getting the Service Engine Soon light? Only way to get the code(s) is with a scanner or reader. Possibly an auto parts store has this available for loan? Otherwise a friend? It is about $100-120 for a scan tool and less if you just want to read the code(s).

A little more background - how many miles, etc on the car?

The fuel pressure regulator is attached to the fuel rail on front drivers side of upper intake. That could be the issue, fuel pump, maf, or others. If you can keep it running by pumping the throttle it doesn't seem to be electrical (like crank sensor), but mine was electrical (maf) with no event code.

Hope this helps

the car has 160,000kms....yeah I can keep it running by pressing on the gas. How an I test the fuel regulator?

Fuel pressure regulator is vacuum operated. Pull the vacuum line and check for fuel (leaky diaphram). Any presence of fuel is bad.

Not sure if there is a better test.

Good luck.

Ok I see two lines marked "Fuel"with a yellow tape...I pulled both and some fuel spilled out...not sure if these are the vacuum lines or not.

Ok I see two lines marked "Fuel"with a yellow tape...I pulled both and some fuel spilled out...not sure if these are the vacuum lines or not.

:rolleyes:

The suggestion was to check the fuel pressure regulator (FPR) not the fuel supply pressure and return lines at the fuel injector rail. See pic. FPR circled in red.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/fpr3800.jpg

ok I got a code reader ....bought used. (Creader for Generic ODB11)..I never used anything like this before but I hooked it up and got a 0101 code..not sure what this means or even if this was correctly read.

ok I got a code reader ....bought used. (Creader for Generic ODB11)..I never used anything like this before but I hooked it up and got a 0101 code..not sure what this means or even if this was correctly read.

P0101- Mass Air Flow (MAF) Circuit Range/Performance Problem


Id say replace your MAF sensor and you wont have anymore problems. I believe on the 3.8 it is located on the throttle body, I cant recall though, Its been a while since Ive seen one.

:werd:


http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y186/lizzywiz/iac_01.jpg
SII 3800 Throttle Body with MAF, IAC and TPS Sensors

I believe you can also unplug the MAF sensor and the car should run well enough for you to drive it somewhere if you dont feel you can make the repair yourself.

But I definitely think you can do it, its simple to remove and replace, almost impossible to mess something up.

I only mention this because I think the car will run with it unplugged, and I figure you might still need to use the car, for example wifey might need the car again.

thanks guys, I will try to replace it myself and let you know how it goes..

oh...one other thing the code does not read P101 just 0101....is this the same thing?

0101 is the code, for whatever reason OBD (On-board Diagnostic) codes always "officially" start with a P when you look them up and such.

But it is 0101 right? because you just typed 101:nono:

Just kiddin man, dyslexia happens to the best of us.

yeah it is 0101 thanks....I disconnected the MAF sensor and the car now starts up and stays start....will replace the sensor soon...costly part though 160.00 cad+taxes...is it worth it looking into a used one?

That is pretty pricey, I figured RockAuto would be cheaper but the cheapest one they had worked out to about 163 CAD, at least according to my calculations.



I would definitely look into a used one, theyre considerably cheaper as Im sure youve seen. Id buy a used one if it were me, but then again Id buy used underwear for the right price....jk:biggrin:


But, a couple things to keep in mind when shopping for a used one.

1999 offered both engines for the Intrigue, so if youre looking at Ebay or something like that, dont just jump on the first one that says 1999 MAF sensor. The one for the 3.5 is completely different and wont even come close to working.

Also, again if youre going the Ebay route, since you have the 3.8 you have a lot more cars to choose from. To my knowledge all cars that used the 3800 Series II non-supercharged engine all used the same MAF sensor, and well, thats several cars, the Regal, Grand Prix, Bonneville, Impala, and Monte Carlo spring to mind, you also have a few LSS's and Riviera's so theres a much bigger used market.

Just make sure they have pictures and part #s that match up. If youre looking at one from another type of car a simple part # comparison can save you a lot of trouble.


You probably already know most of that stuff, but I was just trying to be thorough.

I'm glad you were able to isolate the problem. I replaced the MAF on my Intrigue last year (3.5L engine) with a used one off E-bay. I believe I got it for $40. No issues.

Most of the part sellers on E-Bay are pretty reliable and offer a limited warranty with any part they sell. The MAF I bought had a 90 day warranty.

Good luck. Next to the air filter, the MAF has to be one of the easiset parts to replace.

You may want to try just cleaning the MAF instead of replacement. Info is on this forum I believe, but an Internet search would also be fruitful.

0101 is the code, for whatever reason OBD (On-board Diagnostic) codes always "officially" start with a P when you look them up and such.



Just saw this and wanted to comment. Actually, OBD2 codes do not always start with "P". The P specifies it is a powertrain code. It may also be a B = Body, C = Chassis or U = Undefined. Read more about it here.
http://www.obd-codes.com/faq/obd2-codes-explained.php

I had the same problem as you did on my 99-3.8 and it was the MAP sensor. The MAP sensors here in Canada cost $175 plus a core charge of $100 NO RETURNS so you better be sure. I got lucky I went to the bone yard and found a 2000 Impala with a 3.8 and I removed all the sensors I could get my hands on. I was charged $45 for all and I thought I got ripped off till I found out the price, just for the MAP sensor. At the bone yard I removed my old one and installed the new/old one and whala perfect running engine.

If you're looking for a used MAF sensor, the 3800 had one version up to 1998, then changed to a slightly different (non-compatible) version in 1999 that was used for at least the next 3-4 years.

yeah it is 0101 thanks....I disconnected the MAF sensor and the car now starts up and stays start....will replace the sensor soon...costly part though 160.00 cad+taxes...is it worth it looking into a used one?

I would seggest you go to your local bone yard and try to find a used one on any car with a 3.8 from 1999 + year with a non suppercharged 3.8. Too bad you did not live close to Markham I would have let you try the old one I did clean it but I do not know where it works