Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1( 197918 mileage)


  Email This Post



Jack1967
New User

Jun 25, 2015, 8:18 AM

Post #1 of 8 (1524 views)
1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1( 197918 mileage) Sign In

I'm a mechanic myself of many years and some times one needs a little extra brain info from another mechanic two brains are better than one at times like this. I replaced the timing gears and chain in the motor because they were worn out and needed replacing and yes it is in time but now it starts were before it would not. It fails to start properly and has trouble starting but when it finally does it runs very rough . could this be because the battery was out of it to long? and could it be a trouble code needing reset? before the car just stopped running it was running fine with no misses or any signs of trouble at all,it just died like it ran out of gas and then failed to start properly and when it did it was running very rough. My question is what would be the cause of this problem? I've been over everything I could think of and I'm at a dead end need a little extra help on this one. Thanks in advance


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Jun 25, 2015, 8:40 AM

Post #2 of 8 (1518 views)
Re: 1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1( 197918 mileage) Sign In

Is this storing any trouble codes? If so, what are the numbers? Do you have access to a scan tool?





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jun 25, 2015, 9:11 AM

Post #3 of 8 (1514 views)
Re: 1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1( 197918 mileage) Sign In

How bad was the chain and gear you took out? Bad enough to wildly jump time? This is an interference engine I think but never saw or heard of a chain jump or break that badly but could I guess.


Then there's a re-learn period where idle is most of the pest and can stall out but nicely usually and ones that do snap out of it or did fairly quickly with a drive around a couple times with assorted on purpose driving, stop, cool downs, warm ups and done and all fine again. Bet DS has the procedure to speed that up if that's it?


Unlike others here every one of the 3.1s I knew of bought new too behaved well, no surprise problems and were fairly well cared for along the way. One way, way over 200K was doing well still when I told a lady it can only do so much for so long before it's going to do something. Lost touch with that person so don't know but think it was swapped out for a new car soon after,


T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 25, 2015, 9:42 AM

Post #4 of 8 (1511 views)
Re: 1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1( 197918 mileage) Sign In

How much did you have apart? Did you have the push rods out?

Have you done a compression test yet?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Jack1967
New User

Jun 25, 2015, 10:21 AM

Post #5 of 8 (1503 views)
Re: 1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1( 197918 mileage) Sign In

Lets just say it wasn't even touching the chain guide on both sides and the chain was flopping like crazy that's not good. but I have also ran across the auto theft problem but thing is it tries to start but still fails. There was supposed to be a recall on the car because of the ignition switch being at fault on that year and model. Ok the Battery was out of the car for about a week I'm thinking codes for the comp need reset am I wrong in this thought? I even changed the crank shaft sensor because it has a lot of miles and it's always wise to replace it with that many miles because it's located behind the harmonic balancer . The coils were tested and a few showed weakness and the EIM was checked and it tested good. Plugs and wires are good to. MAP maybe? or one of those are the throttle plate? I thank you very much for your time.


Jack1967
New User

Jun 25, 2015, 10:27 AM

Post #6 of 8 (1501 views)
Re: 1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1( 197918 mileage) Sign In

I do not have access to a scan tool but the battery has been out of the car for about a week and a lot of sensors reset themselves after 100 miles or less . The car tries to start but still don't quite make it Auto theft problem maybe? because the car never showed any signs of trouble and it just shut off going down the road about 35 miles an hour like it ran out of gas then failed to start and when it did it was very rough idling . Had the car towed home.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jun 25, 2015, 10:55 AM

Post #7 of 8 (1495 views)
Re: 1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1( 197918 mileage) Sign In

Quote from top post ">>I replaced the timing gears and chain in the motor because they were worn out and needed replacing and yes it is in time but now it starts were before it would not. <<"


What symptoms or checks made you think the chain was an issue at all? If it quit running on you with orig. chain and because of the chain that's a problem.


Battery out or an hour or a week is the same deal. Things reset and hard codes would come right back but might not idle well mostly but alone I can't think of why it would run totally lousy or not at all over it?


Alarms? Yes, common for when a battery is disconnected for it to trigger an alarm, one second or a week. Just do as you would have if you armed it for alarm and undo it. If aftermarket (near always troubles at some point) IDK why right now.


Compression test is in order already suggested,


T



Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Jun 26, 2015, 4:38 PM

Post #8 of 8 (1475 views)
Re: 1999 Chevy Malibu 3.1( 197918 mileage) Sign In


Quote
I even changed the crank shaft sensor because it has a lot of miles and it's always wise to replace it with that many miles because it's located behind the harmonic balancer .



You do know there are two crank sensors on this engine and the one behind the balancer won't make the engine stall or not start when it doesn't produce a signal? Well, that is unless it pulls the 5 volt ref circuit to ground.

Passlock won't cause an engine to stall once it is already running, so you can rule that out.



Quote
before the car just stopped running it was running fine with no misses or any signs of trouble at all,it just died like it ran out of gas and then failed to start properly



Appears the chain was timed correctly cause the engine was running. How is the fuel pressure? Wouldn't it be a coincidence if the fuel pump kicked the can?





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.

(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Jun 26, 2015, 4:51 PM)






  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap