Buick Regal Will Not Accelerate


1998 Buick Regal GS. 3800 SC

Repairs for this problem = Changed fuel filter. Question = My car will start, it will die immediately. It will run if I press the gas. The car will sputter and not exceed 4200 rpm. Any advise would be appreciated.

Answer:
If the fuel filter that you changed was extremely clogged, you can bet that the fuel pump has gone out now. After the pump has been working against a restriction, once that restriction is gone the pump fails easily because it can't keep up anymore. If you can get it started, you may be getting enough fuel pressure for that, but since it sputters and dies out, you don't have enough to keep it going.

If you can get the fuel pressure checked, it should be in the 55psi range. A little bit lower is ok, but anything 10psi or less than spec is bad. Another you might want to check is that you installed the fuel filter correctly. It is meant to have fuel flow through it only one way, and if it's backwards that will cause a problem too. If it has different fittings on each end, where it only goes on one way, then you should be ok there.

Other problems that may be related are a bad crank sensor, faulty fuel injector, bad pcm, or other electrical problem. A clogged catalytic converter can cause an issue like this too.

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1992 Buick Regal Custom Replaced crank position sensor, ignition module,computer,EGR replaced. New fuel pump, fuel regulator and fuel filter.

Question = Car runs perfect until warms up driving 15 or 20 miles then shuts off. Usually restarts but misfires badly. Get it running down the road it will run until you get to a light or stop sign and dies. MAF,IAC,Coil Packs all check good. Wiring checked for shorts,all OK. It appears to be a wide open vacuum leak after it warms up. No sign of vacuum line leaks. Help!

Answer:
If you are saying that the car shuts off at idle, yes this sounds like a vacuum leak. If you are sure the IAC is working correctly, i mean you have tested it, then look for a vacuum leak around the intake manifold gaskets. You say you cannot find one, so you need to look elsewhere. Again, make sure the IAC is working. Just because it moves in and out, does not mean it has got full and accurate travel.

Check the wiring at the Throttle Position Sensor (TPS). Let the car idle, then pull on each individual wire to see if you can cause it to stall. Do the same for the IAC, MAF also.


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