89 olds cutlass supreme

drewmitch44 · Aug 4, 2009

I have a problem with a newer to me car. I got the car a few days ago and it has been running great for the first couple days. I broke down today and Im stumped! It died in a 25 mph zone. It acted like it ran out of gas. It ran just barely at idel speed. I Made it to a gas station going like 5-10 MPH and put in 10 gallons. Now when I try to start it if I do not touch the gas pedal It will Idle for a few min. As soon as I try to touch the gas and rev even a little it dies out! I looked under the car and the fuel filter was old looking so I went and got a new fuel filter and changed that out and It did not fix the problem. I noticed that when you turn the key to the on position that 1 out of 3 times I hear the fuel pump make that prime noise. It is only 1 out of 3 so im thinking about dropping the tank and replacing the fuel pump. Any other Ideas???? Thanks!!!!!!

dolluper · Aug 5, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Check for any codes....on the top row of the dianostic connector jump the last two pins on the right....top row of pins two at far right.....this will give you any stored codes threw thw check engine light ....code 12 will be first ...light will flash once pause then flash twice ....it will do this three times then it will put out more codes if any are stored Caution though just turn key on and NOT TO START....see if you get a lean o2 sensor code if so do a fuel pressure test ...what engine do you have

Bart Sr. · Aug 5, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Carburetor or Fuel Injection?????

FI--I don't know.

Carbed----Possibly accelerator pump???

drewmitch44 · Aug 5, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

The engine is the 3.1 MFI V6 fuel injection. Thanks so much for any help you guys can give me!!!

drewmitch44 · Aug 5, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

It sounds Inside the Hood area like where the intake is that when its running that there is like air pressure like the exaust is not getting out of the motor. There is exaust coming out of the tail pipe though. I am just mentioning this cause I had a car one time that the Catalitic converter went bad and it caused the same type of symptoms. If the fuel pump was bad would the car even start at all? Thanks!!!

drewmitch44 · Aug 5, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

i just listened to it again and it sounds like there is a lot of suction in the air filter box like the motor is sucking in a lot of air. Anyone, If you have a Idea please let me know! THANKS!!

drewmitch44 · Aug 5, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Yea Its really sucking air in to the throttle body area! Its Kinda loud now that I have the box off where the air filter goes.

bruceb58 · Aug 5, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Those engines had a lot of problems with crank position sensors...at least in later years. Not sure what they had in 89.

windsors03cobra · Aug 5, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

It does sound like a failing fuel pump, I would buy a fuel pressure tester before I dropped the tank, $40 at most auto parts store and you have a handy troubleshooting tool for a long time if you keep track of it.
Should be all of 45psi during prime/cranking/idling, releasing vacuum to the fuel pressure regulator by going WOT should spike the fuel psi 5 pounds roughly.

bruceb58 · Aug 6, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

I am going to have to agree that it sounds like a fuel pump.

dolluper · Aug 6, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Try and get the codes first .....instead of standing around guessing...it's easy connector is below your steering columnon bottom of dash area just jump it as instructions in my first posts .....the results will make life earier as it can be other things causing the problem besides the fuel pump

drewmitch44 · Aug 6, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

The guy that towed the car to the house for me ($75) said that if it was a fuel pump problem that it would not start at all. Is this true? Thanks guys and Im going to get the flash codes in the next hour!

drewmitch44 · Aug 6, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Ok I have a update! i looked in the electrical center and there is 4 fuses that are labeled. 1,2,3,4, I labeled them so you know what they are. I pulled the No. 1 fuse out and it will rev now and get up some rpm's. Im not sure what that means! It runs rough though but it does not stall as soon as you step on the gas.
Here is how its labeled:
1.= "INJ 2.8L"
2.= "INJ 2.8L"
3.= "IGN"
4.= "DIS"
Now this is a 3.1 motor so im not sure what these fuses controll! Thank you guys so so much. The car runs better with the no "1" fuse pulled but it misses when you rev it up. I just cant believe how well it ran then all the suddon just like that it acted like it was out of gas! THANKS!!

ezmobee · Aug 6, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Sounds like a fuel pump to me. It definitely could run with a failing pump. I had an '88 Ciera with a bad pump and it would get vapor lock. It would run fine until you had to restart it hot. Then it would barely stay running, stutter and backfire. The failing fuel pump pissed off a lot of the electronics and caused the computer to throw all kinds of codes. I needlessly replaced a lot of sensors because of the codes when it was the pump the whole time. It took the car finally dying completely before we really figured out the problem.

ezmobee · Aug 6, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

I gotta add, after that car, I told myself I would never throw money at a driveability problem again. If a car starts acting up, it gets ONE shot at the mechanic. If they can't figure it out, or they try something that doesn't work...it's gone. It's just not worth the headache.

drewmitch44 · Aug 6, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

I really like this car it only has 52k miles on it! Also before this problem happened It ran like a BRAND NEW car!!! I really want to keep this car i like it a lot Im just stumped!!! Please help me someone!!!!!!!

ezmobee · Aug 6, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Ok, it's got way low mileage. And at the core a GM 3.1 is a good motor. In that case I would highly recommend you take it to a good mechanic to get diagnosed. This may be expensive but it could potentially save you tons of money if the alternative is to throw parts at it like I did.

dolluper · Aug 6, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Have you got a paper clip .....if so pull the codes Man it so much easier than fumbleing around .....Post the codes you come up with there is lots of people here that can help to keep the old bird running great

bruceb58 · Aug 7, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Dolluper is totally correct....READ THE CODES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ezmobee · Aug 7, 2009

Re: 89 olds cutlass supreme

Read the codes but also test the pressure of your fuel pump. As I said earlier, I had one with a failing fuel pump and it threw all sorts of codes and I replaced damn near everything up to and including the computer! and it didn't do sh!t.

89 olds cutlass supreme

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