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99 le sabre stalls


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woodbutcher
Novice

Mar 6, 2014, 2:37 PM

Post #1 of 12 (1609 views)
99 le sabre stalls Sign In

I have a 99 buick le sabre was running fine till yesterday drove about 15 miles shut it off and when I restarted it stalled when I put it in reverse.It would restart then stall did that several times. I let it sit about 10 minutes it started and ran about 3miles stalled again same routine.got it started drove 10 miles home. Check engine light on retrieved codes P0171 and P0420. It will start and run but I'm afraid to drive it. It's my wifes work car she drives about 15 miles each way to work . Any help will be greatly appreciated.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 6, 2014, 2:46 PM

Post #2 of 12 (1604 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

   All "crank, no start" conditions are approached in the same way. Every engine requires certain functions to be able to run. Some of these functions rely on specific components to work and some components are part of more than one function so it is important to see the whole picture to be able to conclude anything about what may have failed. Also, these functions can ONLY be tested during the failure. Any other time and they will simply test good because the problem isn't present at the moment.
If you approach this in any other way, you are merely guessing and that only serves to replace unnecessary parts and wastes money.



Every engine requires spark, fuel and compression to run. That's what we have to look for.

These are the basics that need to be tested and will give us the info required to isolate a cause.

1) Test for spark at the plug end of the wire using a spark tester. If none found, check for power supply on the + terminal of the coil with the key on.


2) Test for injector pulse using a small bulb called a noid light. If none found, check for power supply at one side of the injector with the key on.


3) Use a fuel pressure gauge to test for correct fuel pressure, also noticing if the pressure holds when key is shut off.



Once you have determined which of these functions has dropped out,
you will know which system is having the problem.



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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.



woodbutcher
Novice

Mar 6, 2014, 4:07 PM

Post #3 of 12 (1575 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

Sorry ! The car starts now in the driveway I read other places the P0420 code indicated a bad cat. Has this been your experience as well?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 6, 2014, 4:24 PM

Post #4 of 12 (1571 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

Yes, it is usually a bad Cat but it usually has no effect on engine performance though. I would be more concerned about the P0171 which is a lean code.



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

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.



(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Mar 6, 2014, 4:25 PM)


woodbutcher
Novice

Mar 6, 2014, 4:46 PM

Post #5 of 12 (1559 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

So a bad cat would not cause stalling or poor performance? The P071 code would likely be the result of a failure somewhere in the cuel delivery system ? The problem seems to be intermitent . The car ran fine till yesterday. One opinion I gpt said it was likely the fuel pump. Where in your opinion should I start to track this down


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 6, 2014, 4:53 PM

Post #6 of 12 (1557 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

Ya - so test fuel pressure as mentioned first reply by HT,


T



Discretesignals
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Discretesignals profile image

Mar 6, 2014, 4:58 PM

Post #7 of 12 (1548 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

You have to get it to act up again and test fuel pressure, spark, injector pulse when it doesn't want to start.





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


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Mar 6, 2014, 5:03 PM

Post #8 of 12 (1544 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

Don't assume it is a fuel supply problem. Lean codes can be caused by dozens of different things. Remember, it can mean not enough fuel or it can also mean too much air and there are lots of ways for that to happen. It can even be a false indication due to a faulty sensor. Diagnostics and tests have to be performed.

All that cat code is telling you is that it is chemically not doing it's job. That doesn't mean you have a restriction but it doesn't mean you don't either although restrictions only occur in real advanced deterioration of the cat.



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

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.



woodbutcher
Novice

Apr 2, 2014, 7:26 PM

Post #9 of 12 (1457 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

Well the car quit running it will start but dies immediately!I had a mechanic over tested fuel pressure and volume both good checked for spark also good after several other checks he advised me to change MAF sensor. Which by the way was only a year and three weeks old. I changed the MAF and the car runs fine. After 2 days on the road check engine lighy is on P0420 code. Still runs fine. Will an O2 sensor cause this code ?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Apr 2, 2014, 7:44 PM

Post #10 of 12 (1452 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

No, it's nearly impossible for an 0/2 to do that.



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

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.



woodbutcher
Novice

Apr 2, 2014, 7:51 PM

Post #11 of 12 (1445 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

I had to change the plennum and upper intake gasket a little over a year ago could the coolant in the combustion chamber then be the cause of the cat failure now ?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Apr 3, 2014, 2:21 AM

Post #12 of 12 (1436 views)
Re: 99 le sabre stalls Sign In

Yes, it could.



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

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.







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