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85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L


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the_tiffani
Novice

Apr 14, 2010, 5:17 PM

Post #1 of 18 (2915 views)
85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

Hello,
I have a 1985 Olds Cutlass Ciera 4 cylender. I am not sure how many miles it has. It says 85,XXX but it's a 25 year old car. So I think the odometer has rolled over atleast twice.

Now to the issues I am having. Sometimes when you accerlate at 40 it stutters until you either accerlate more or let off the gas. It will sometimes not start if the engine is warm, this happned today and my boyfriend informed me that the fuel injector ,that I replaced less than two weeks, was not injecting any fuel. This is the first time this has happned sence we replaced the injector. It is also the hottest day sence. We can get it to start by putting a little starter fluid in there. Another thing it sometimes dose is die shortly after starting. The way I remedy this is to gently give it some gas to keep it running until I get going.

What I have replaced. Wow loads of stuff. The fuel injector, the fuel pump, the spark plugs (twice in a year), TPS AIC, RGV, distrobutor(sp?) cap, we would have changed the wires but someone stole them before we got a chance, the muffler, the battery, the person who had the car before me(my dad) changed the starter, and the alternator.

I have no idea where to go from here. I would be very greatful for any help anyone can give me. I've gone to every shop in town and nobody wanted to help me.

Thank you in advance,
Tiffani


re-tired
Veteran / Moderator
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Apr 14, 2010, 5:41 PM

Post #2 of 18 (2912 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

How are you or him testing the injector ? That model for a few years had a problem with the ECM (computer) . Lower it down from it's hideing place behind glove box. Leave pugged in . Start car let warm up. Hold ECM flat in one hand and slap it firmly , dont dent it . If eng stumbles or stalls get a new (reman) unit.


LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH


the_tiffani
Novice

Apr 14, 2010, 5:53 PM

Post #3 of 18 (2911 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

Too funny. I would have him go out and do this but he's out fishing. LOL. I read a post about a newer version of the car that was having the same problem, they fixed it with a new crankshaft position sensor. I am hoping we can get this fixed. Thank you for your advice. I will post with what happens.
Thanks
Tiffani


the_tiffani
Novice

Apr 14, 2010, 6:03 PM

Post #4 of 18 (2908 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

Ok. I can't seem to find a crankshart position sensor for my car on o'rillies or autozone website. Dose this part not exsist on my car?


the_tiffani
Novice

Apr 14, 2010, 6:16 PM

Post #5 of 18 (2905 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

Boy do I feel like an idiot. My car dosn't have one. Sorry.


re-tired
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Apr 14, 2010, 7:11 PM

Post #6 of 18 (2905 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

That model /year does not use a crank sensor .It uses a module in the distributor.


LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH


the_tiffani
Novice

Apr 18, 2010, 12:06 PM

Post #7 of 18 (2889 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

We did the test on the computer. When it was slaped the car stuttered. So we changed the computer. Didn't help.

I would like to add that we have also changed the O2 sensor.


re-tired
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Apr 18, 2010, 12:29 PM

Post #8 of 18 (2887 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

Did you get a reman ecm or a used one ? Did you change the prom , making sure it fully seated . The only thing else i can think of is to run some injector cleaner and to "wiggle test" the wiring harness .


LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH


Sidom
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Apr 18, 2010, 1:04 PM

Post #9 of 18 (2885 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

Sounds like there may be a couple of things going on with the car....

With the cutting out problem, if this is an overdrive transmission try taking it out of o/d when the problem occurs and see if that makes a difference, you may have a problem with the lockup solenoid...

I see where RT asked about the troubleshooting and I am curious as well, who is doing it and what kind of tools & equipment you have? If you could pull the codes would be very helpful and a datastream could shed some light on the problem...

With all the typos I make, I'm pretty good at reading thru them...... I'm fairly certain you meant IAC (idle air control) for AIC and you spelled distributor better than most techs I work with but I'm not familiar with the RVG acronym.

I"m wondering why no shop will help you, what did they tell you? Personally I'm not a big OBD I fan any more either but hey you can't always pick your jobs........

(Yes Nick...I know, I know....BTW......Seen an 72 F-100 stop by the shop Friday....everyday driver, clean as a whistle..Sly)


the_tiffani
Novice

Apr 18, 2010, 4:20 PM

Post #10 of 18 (2878 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

We have put fuel injector cleaner in it a bunch of times.

I changed the computer myself. I am sure I got the PROM seated all the way. I had to take the glove box out to get to the stupid thing.

What is the "wiggle test?"

When we tested the injector we just put the OHM meter thingie on it. I saw a video online.

There are no codes. If there were I couldn't tell you what they were we only have the code reader for newer cars. OBD2 I think.

I have no idea about the RGV(or whatever I put). I would have to ask my boyfriend, but I can't he is out fishing.

What we are planning on doing next is changing the fuel pressure regulator.

I'm pretty sure I don't have over drive. I don't have a D with a circle around it. I don't think. Nope. Just went out and checked. No over drive symbol.
The engine has also died when it was in park.

My boyfriend thinks it is starving for fuel.


I think I answred all the questions.

Tiffani


(This post was edited by the_tiffani on Apr 18, 2010, 5:03 PM)


the_tiffani
Novice

Apr 18, 2010, 4:26 PM

Post #11 of 18 (2876 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

EGR. Sorry. I saw it in another post.


Sidom
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Sidom profile image

Apr 18, 2010, 5:37 PM

Post #12 of 18 (2867 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

A wiggle test is just what it implies....You wiggle the connectors on sensors & harnesses, if it effects how the engine runs that indicates there is a problem with that connection and needs to be addressed...

I need to ponder this for a while. There are a few areas that you haven't looked at but without the proper equipment you would be limited to just replacing the part and seeing if that worked and I really don't want to be wasting your money on a guess.

That is the problem with diags.....when the basic stuff doesn't fix the problem you really need the right equipment or guessing starts to get real expensive........


the_tiffani
Novice

Apr 18, 2010, 5:55 PM

Post #13 of 18 (2861 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

Oh. It's already really expensive. We threw over a grand worth of parts at that car so far.

Getting really frustrated with it. I wish I could just find a shop that would do some diganostics on it without charging me an arm and a leg.

Tiff


the_tiffani
Novice

Apr 18, 2010, 6:03 PM

Post #14 of 18 (2860 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

We just went out and did the wiggle test. Nothing happned.

My boyfriend says that when he had the air cleaner off and the car bogged down like it was going to die you can see that there is less fuel squrting out of the injector.

Tiff


Sidom
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Apr 18, 2010, 6:25 PM

Post #15 of 18 (2857 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

Without being there to see it run makes it tough.

Personally I would start with the basics, pull codes, test the battery, take a fuel pressure reading, check the secondary ign, a bad module or weak coil could cause some of these problems. Take a vacuum reading at idle & high rpms to make sure the exhaust isn't restricted, take a compression reading. depending on what results those tests produce would determine where to go next.... Now I know you're gonna say you've replaced some of this stuff and that is the worst make a tech can make......assuming a part is good because it's new.....

Now the only other thing I will throw out here is this........There is a difference in shops.....Some shops will do diags for free or very cheaply (these guys probably don't want to help you) and other shops who's diag rate sound very expensive..... It's not that they are ripoffs, they just have a lot of money invested in tools and training and can't afford to give their diags away.... The other shops are mainly guessing and have limited diag tools and they can get by fine with common pattern failures...i.e bad plugs, wires, dead fuel pump, major vacuum leak....easy stuff but when something a little tougher (like your problem) comes up, they tend to pass on it because it's not a common problem they've seen and to find it requires knowledge of the system and tools to track it down.

You said you've spent a grand on the car so far......If you took it to shop that was tooled & trained for this problem you may have spent anywhere from $90 to $300 to trace the problem down and then the cost to fix it.......Odds are it would be less than the 1K you've spent and your car would be running good.

Best thing to do is find out what a diag is going to cost you and don't spend any more then that on guessing


(This post was edited by Sidom on Apr 18, 2010, 6:33 PM)


re-tired
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Apr 18, 2010, 6:59 PM

Post #16 of 18 (2850 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

Ok , time to back up. I 'm guilty of the one thing I charge you posters of .That is "poke and hope" troubleshooting. You need to start with the basics, either check codes or have someone do it. Some parts houses can do it. Check plug gaps and spark on each cyl.Take one wire off one at a time ,put a screwdriver into boot, hold by handle , put shaft about 1/4 in from block. Have helper start eng ,each wire should have same color spark. Rent ,buy or get shop to check fuel presssure with a gauge. Check timing. A wiggle test is what it says , wiggle the wiring harness at several areas like at ecm and see if anything happens,your checking for loose connections .


LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH


Sidom
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Apr 18, 2010, 7:07 PM

Post #17 of 18 (2848 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

I didn't see anywhere where you were guessing RT.... You gave some good advise & tests that I would've run......


re-tired
Veteran / Moderator
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Apr 18, 2010, 8:21 PM

Post #18 of 18 (2844 views)
Re: 85 Olds Cutlass Ciera 2.5L Sign In

WOOPS , rhere goes my two finger typing again . when I started my reply there were no others . I'm running a couple of frames behind.


LIFE'S SHORT GO FISH






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