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1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing"


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Tridox76
User

Jul 8, 2016, 11:35 AM

Post #1 of 10 (1890 views)
1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

So I have a 1990 Buick Lesabre with 298,000 miles on the car with 180,000 ish on the engine and tranny. I've had this issue for awhile now, but on occasion as I drive down the road my car will jerk and have a coughing fit. Kinda like I just started running over a bunch of pot holes all at once. Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. The fuel pump and filter were replaced 7,000 miles ago, I replaced spark plugs (but not wires) two weeks ago, and I checked the coil by attaching a spark plug to the wire and grounding it out and each coil pack sparked just fine.

I have no idea what it is. It only happens every once in awhile, and I don't want to take it to a mechanic and pay $75 for them to say nothing happened. I mean I drive a car the same age as me with 300,000 miles on it. Money bags I am not :) any help?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 8, 2016, 11:41 AM

Post #2 of 10 (1888 views)
Re: 1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

It does no good at all to test the coil for spark when the problem isn't present at that moment.

I would replace the wires. They deteriorate fast than the plugs in these cars.



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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.



Tridox76
User

Jul 8, 2016, 11:45 AM

Post #3 of 10 (1884 views)
Re: 1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

Is it possible to test the wires with a multimeter before replacing them? If so how would I do it?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 8, 2016, 11:47 AM

Post #4 of 10 (1882 views)
Re: 1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

Not really, just replace the wires.



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

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.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jul 8, 2016, 12:41 PM

Post #5 of 10 (1874 views)
Re: 1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

Gotta agree totally on that. The wires take a lot of abuse just doing the plugs without some real fancy boot pullers so if older at all might still test ok but just too inaccurate IMO.


I/we hear you about costs and money - try skipping something that causes you an accident and see what costly is. You've got plenty of time and miles to spend a few bucks to check the whole thing out for what else is lurking and is it worth it much more at all,


T



Tridox76
User

Jul 8, 2016, 1:07 PM

Post #6 of 10 (1868 views)
Re: 1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

So I'll pick up some wires today and replace those. Is there anything else it could be? If that doesn't fix it what else might be going on?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 8, 2016, 1:16 PM

Post #7 of 10 (1865 views)
Re: 1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

We don't answer "What if's". We believe the wires are the major issue so resolve that before looking for anything else.



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

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.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jul 8, 2016, 1:31 PM

Post #8 of 10 (1860 views)
Re: 1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

Sport - reading both you threads - Said I (we) understand money issues. IDK the price but wires are a weak link for the symptoms.


Think of high voltage wiring items like even a garden hose under very high water pressure. Drive over them, kink them a few times you've really rolled the dice on causing a leak. The sprinkler at the end is your spark plug and wont put out water if it's easier to leak out before it gets there - follow me?


This car owes you nothing but also know when to quit as well,


T



Tridox76
User

Jul 8, 2016, 2:26 PM

Post #9 of 10 (1853 views)
Re: 1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

Thanks Tom, that's helpful. I'll replace those wires and see if it fixes the problem, I really hope it does.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Jul 8, 2016, 2:46 PM

Post #10 of 10 (1848 views)
Re: 1990 Buick Lesabre "coughing" Sign In

Treat even the new ones carefully. They are not friendly to being yanked on, bent, rubbing even pulling boots back on new ones be careful. Feel them click at each end and route them where they belong out of harm's way.


OK - while beating on it you could OHM test them and show correct but still leak out unseen and cause misfire. So could a lot of things they are just higher on the list,


T







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