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bigrog

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Everything posted by bigrog

  1. never ,ever, ever, go to ther 'zone' for a 20$ water pump, or e-bay for an 8$ belt for that matter. you get what you pay for..... labor rates sound a little high though.
  2. HMMMMM???? I just might know a guy who would do it.
  3. ok, I'm really glad I wrote my reply before seeing the ad. Doesn't say what it does. At all. Appears to be a snake oil ad, but probably works in some fashion. Not neccesarily permanantly or safe or emmission compliant, but IF the dyno test is set up properly(i.e., staged) it will PROBABLY do as stated. It's actually not hard to modify a dyno curve 20 hp. Bag of ice on the intake manifold anyone? I will stick with my previous 3 geusses/opinions. But it's still fun to contemplate....
  4. oh yeah,almost forgot to add on about the k&n thing... Yes, they do flow more air. IF the installer actually reads the directions. A k&n recharge kit will probably recharge 20 times. Most users get about 5 recharges. Get the picture? Take a dry cloth and cover your mouth and runaround the block. Now take a wet cloth over your mouth and run around the block. Get it?
  5. ok, I have to chime in on this one. I am getting to love these arguments. At school, we sometimes endeavor to make people cry at the dyno. As a flat rate tech, I didn't have the time. On that note, I expect some arguing over my opinion. I'll start with the fact I have no idea what the "z1" kit, or whatever it is, even does, but I have a couple of good guesses based on what I've heard so far. I am intentionally not going to find out till I state my opinion. I've heard the term 'resistor' pop up a couple of times, so I am assuming this is a device to alter the air/fuel ratio by tricking the computer. Anyone heard of stoichiometry? The ideal stoichiometric ratio for emmissions and driveability is 14.7 to 1. Notice I didn't say power. Truth is, you can gain power by changing that ratio to 12.5 to 1. I.E., richen the mixture a bit. A little ignition timing increase will assist. Why don't they run that ratio from the factory you ask? Excessive emmission output, mainly CO. Also, the overly rich mixture has the negative effect of increasing friction between the piston and cylinder wall, reducing longevity. Ever wonder why modern feul injected engines last so long? In the 70's, you couldn't GIVE away a car that had over 100,000 miles. My Grand Prix has 175k, my Reatta 155k. Both blow clean on the breathalizer. There are a few ways to alter this ratio, and there are mixed results. I can think of ,oh say 3, ways to modify the a/f ratio on this engine using a resistor from radio shack. I'm just sitting down writing, don't make me research this just yet. 1. The ecm will make a decision on how much fuel to inject initially based on the maf reading. Use a resistor to modify this reading. The ecm reads the frequncy of the maf, so it will require more than just a resistor, but they do make tunable modules to modify this signal. Downside, very dangerous. Requires accurate adjustment, may burn up engine parts or clog catylitic converters. 2. tps(throttle position sensor). fuel decision is also based on tps. easy to modify this signal, make the ecm think the car is at wide open throttle(wot) when it is really only 60%. I have also seen these gadgets out there. They will give increased power between 60-99% throttle. makes no difference at idle or wot. Gives the ass-onomoter a hp increase. 3. O2 sensor. after the ecm injects the fuel based on internal calculations, it checks the O2 sensor to see what happened. Is it rich or lean? the ecm will modify it's calculations next time around. modify this signal to change a/f ratios also. The maf and O2 signals have to be modified together or the ecm will 'map' around the modifications, or just disconnect the battery and it will forget it's map everytime you want to drive the car. Or, you could just re-write the software. Anyhoo, had to jump in there. It's my job now.... I ask of you don't take any part of this out of context. Don't read one sentence and write back 2 pages about one misspelled word. I've done 15 years and 3, oops 4 beers worth of research on this reply. Maybe I mis-spoke somewhere, I'm not going to proofread. Remember, this is for fun!!!!! Let's enjoy the forum. I congradulate whoever it was that decided it was worth the 25 dollar education for the rest of us!!
  6. bigrog

    cam sensor

    ok guys, do some research on the cam sensor here. It's not really the cam sensor that fails, it's the magnet pressed into the back of the timng gear that the cam sensor reads that falls out/deteriorates/breaks off. The 10 dollar sensor that is easy to get to is usually fine, but the 5 dollar magnet behind the timing gears takes a while to replace. Anyway, the cam sensor will not cause your stalling. If it's an immediate stall (sort of a twitchy death as opposed to abrupt, like when you shut the key off) after startup, suspect fuel pump electrical circuit. OK, Padgett summed it up quite well, as usual.
  7. ok, the story is getting a little confusing. refresh me....... I should be online here a few times this weekend.
  8. Small clip on the front side of the knob... pry it out, lift knob
  9. I finally did it, quit my day job. I've been wrenching on Buicks for about 13 years now, and took on new career challenges. I'm now an instructor at Universal Technical Institute in Glendale Heights, IL (chicago). Teaching driveability, with an emphasis on GM. My back feels like a slinky, and my hands are clean. I still love to work on cars, just don't want to have to make a living out of it anymore. This might be a good fit. The field is now minus one more technician well versed in Reatta electronics. As a bonus, I've been with my wife so long, I didn't think I would ever be right about anything again. Wow, what a surprise. Just picked up a 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP for the agressive drive to work. Makes the driving and traffic a little fun.
  10. try this--<P> Start the engine<BR> Apply the parking brake firmly<BR> Apply the regular brake firmly(with both feet)<BR> Release the parking brake <BR> <BR> Repeat about 10 times. You should feel the brake pedal kick back slightly when you release the parking brake. This will ensure the rear calipers are "adjusted", but that is not really the right term. The caliper piston screws tend to hang, and this will ensure the pad does not have to travel too far to reach the rotor. If you feel like cking for this condition, pull the back tires and look for a gap between the pad and rotor, or clamp off the rear brake hoses and see if that restores pedal height. Or just run the parking brake a bunch of times and see what happens.
  11. Just trying out my new broadband! love it. Wondr where they put the PCM? is currently in the air cleaner housing on the w-body.
  12. 99.9% sure cams will interchange betwen sI and SII. Positive rollerrockers will work. Did the research a couple years ago, didn't write it down. oops. As long they are both roller cams, they interchange from the c engine up to current, including supercharged, as far as bearing diameter is concerned. If you need to research further, contact Fereal Mogul for part numbers for cam bearings for various years, I'll bet they are all the same. I know the roller retainer plates will fit for all.<P> The 3.8 engines were consistent with roller cam, roller rocker usage. A certain vin code had it. The 3.1, 3.4 lineup varied through production, so even the vin code won't tell you. have to pull the valve covers to find out. Always a pain there, cause the intake gasket is different. Have to do teardown to get the right gaskets. Not the case with the 3.8, oops, except for some around (can't do an approximate sign?) 95?. Keep your eyes wide open during the engine build! That's the way it goes with this stuff.
  13. My 2cents worth...<BR> I like the way you guys think.(insert Tim Taylor grunt here)<P> I don't know where you are going to get a 5-spd for the 3800. The 3.4 twin cam monster in the grand prix(w-body,Padgett) had it for a while, but encountered problems with the thrust of a depressed clutch ruining the crankshaft thrust bearing. It was discontinued for this reason. I would suspect the same problem may arise with the 3800, as it does not have much more crank thrust protection than the 3.4. This may be why it was never offered. <P> Yet another reason the 3.4 sucks, aside from being overcost, under powered, and super expensive to maintain. Not to mention, they really suck to work on.<P> As I write, I think of one of my customers 3.4 with over 225,000 miles and no real failures........ go figure. I wish he'd sell it before it breaks, just keeps on doing maintainence. <P> Good luck, I'm enjoying the posts.<BR> Oh yeah, if your using that plastic upper intake plenum, make sure it is not partially melted at the egr passage near the throttle body. common problem, burns through to the throttle body coolant passage and blows the engine when it finally ruptures and sends 2 gallons of coolant down the intake going down the highway.
  14. Check for corrosion at the positive cable at the battery. Especially if you have the design with two positive cables at the battery. split them apart and check for corrosion inbetween.
  15. Look for incadescent dimming as an input to the bcm, not output. usually the variable resistor for the switch on dash wears out, resulting in no input.
  16. Sounds like you guys have this covered, but I'd mention that there are two connectors from the crtc to the crt. on is a hunk of wire for touchscreen feed, and vert+horiz sync, but there is a cable that appears not unlike a telivision cable also. I suspect this is analog video feed. Should be easy to plug into a screen and find out. <P> Any plans for a gps mapping system?
  17. bigrog

    air conditioning

    No vacuum supply. look at the vacuum schematic on the underhood label and find the HVAC source line. Probably a broken 3-way check valve.
  18. Remove and clean the throttle body. Use brake or carb cleaner, but avoid getting cleaner into the IAC motor.
  19. Check for proper terminal contact at the relay. Sounds like main relay problem, so make sure you have proper terminal tension before you go any further. Most likely situation for a light on with no codes.
  20. Unregistered professional 134 convertor, how long have you tracked these conversions, what vent temps are accomplished(in degrees), pressures, and long term leak success info can you provide? Not trying to be a smart-ass, just want info for when I run out of r-12.<P> I've not been happy with most 134 conversions so far that I've seen, mostly due to short lived compressors.
  21. bigrog

    ECM Help!!

    Been there, been fooled. You say improper voltage to the ICM from the ecm, is that correct? A 41 cam sensor code indicates improper voltage received by the ecm, not sent. The 41 code chart has been revised several times due to coming up with the wrong answer frequently, also. check the magnet, and if it is present, see if it is jelly like in consistincy, or is even magnetic. proper voltage at idle for terminal bc5 should be about 9.5 volts. I'll bet you're seeing 11.5. <P> Look for a black wire in a hole marked 5, don't know which connector.
  22. My condensor leaks also. not a big surprise on a 13 year old car. Evaporator leaks are very common on this hvac system, so make sure that is inspected. Every condensor I have looked at on a Reatta has sustained a surprising amount of abuse from FOD. I've already replaced the evaporator, and after I do the condenser, I wouldn't be surprised if the compressor blows a seal. As for the guy that that says "just put a pound of freon in it", where do you think it went? <P> Unfortunetly, we are well past the service life of all the a/c components of this car. Northern, salty climates will accelerate the deterioration of exposed components as well. <P> R-12 leaks are pretty easy to identify due to the noticeable oil stain, especially on a high side leak. My cost on a Delco condenser is $135. It requires a lot of equipment to service the a/c system properly, hence the high labor cost. <P> Do it yourself tips- once the system is open to the atmosphere, the dessicant bag inside the accumulator will absorb moisture. The system must be sealed and vacuumed within 24 hours or the accumulator will need to be replaced. Main reason- R12 + H2O= hydrochloric acid, which will destroy the rest of your system. <P> Don't convert to 134 unless you have to. As far as your question of how to deal with the shop, "show me" works well.<P> P.S., do not use salvage yard a/c parts, due to the afore mentioned corrosion problem.<p>[ 04-22-2002: Message edited by: bigrog ]
  23. Might could be a shorted injector. This problem is not common, and seems to come and go with temperature. I hope they find the problem soon, and make them gaurantee a fix! <P> I am one of those "dealershit" mechanics, and things aren't always cut and dried on a 13 year old car, but it does sound like she has recieved less than proffesional service. <P> At this point, I would suspect you are thinking the dealer owes you something<BR>(rightly so), so ask them what was the basis for the feul pump replacement? What test was performed that the pump failed? <P> If you still trust them, accept the loaner, refuse to pay any diagnosis charge, and make them gaurantee that their next fix will fix your problem. When the car is fixed, you might be able to dispute the feul pump thing, however ignition coil failures are common on this application, so even though it didn't fix your problem, it probably had to be done anyway. Ask them for a specific reason why it was replaced. I would expect low secondary output, or a carbon track/secondary leak/corroded terminal based on your description.<P> Let me know how it goes.
  24. It is a propane derived refrigerant. My research indicates that it works great, but I would have to dedicate new gauges for it, and the risk of an explosive evaporator leak just isn't worth it. <P> Seems all the suppliers for it are located in Canada. It's illeagal in the States. <P> Bob's right, no a/c shop will touch your car if it has that in it. Once you put it in, you will be commited to a mechanic that will work with it.
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