Buick Regal Starts And Dies - Mechanic Live Chat

Question: I have a 1999 Buick regal that starts from a cold start but then sometimes it will die and sometimes it wont, so when it does'nt die it straightens out, then half way through of letting the engine warm up it will completely die and then i have to fight it by turning the key over ten times to get it to start. In the meantime of me trying to start it it at first sounds like it wont start but then as i keep trying it starts up then dies immediately. it does that so many time but then after a bit it will start and straighten itself out where i can then drive it for how ever long. With it even sometime dieing on me while i am in the middle of driving it after the engine has been fully warmed up. so what should i do?
 Mechanic: What engine size in your Buick?

V6 3.8 non turbo charged.
 OK. If you press the gas several times hard, does it sort of "Clear Up" ?

It depends on when your talking about i push the gas down. If your talking about pushing the gas down during the times i am trying to start it, it will still die but yet you can here a whooshing sound as it dies with the pedal pushed down.
 You may have a leaking fuel pressure regulator. This causes a very fuel rich condition because fuel fills the vacuum line of the regulator and goes into the engine. Upon initial start up when it is running bad, a few gas pedal presses to the floor will clear it out and it will run better.

Ive tried that and it doesnt run any better with the vacuum hose on oor off the regulator.
 Was there any fuel in the line when you removed it? Do you mean like dripping from it?

Yes, or even a smell of fuel. Well i remove the line when the car is started. What should i do? Remove it when the engine is steadily idling or remove it after the i start up the engine but then kill it?
 After it stalls, let it sit for a few minutes, then remove the line.

Ok then what? i have read that gas is supposed to go into the vacuum line to regulate pressure, regulate pressure to the fuel injectors.
 NO- NO gas in the vacuum line. That means the regulator is leaking.

Oh ok. and if there isnt any gas in the line but yet it smells like gas what then? I am sorry for so many questions its just that winters coming and i don't need this problem then LOL.
 No problem. If it smells, then it is still leaking and should be replaced. That may be all your problem. Sitting overnight that fuel vapor will condense into raw fuel and cause a very rich condition.

 

I have been told to that it sounds like a faulty coolant temperature sensor too. i mean a lot of parts are the originals on this car so thats why i am trying to find a temporary fix to help to where i can get parts every once in a while since i don't have a lot of money at one time and the back of the exhaust is pretty black and smells of rich gasoline after all this happens. In fact its black right now but without the smell.
 Sound like the regulator. Does not sound like a temp sensor. Either the regulator of possibly MAF sensor.

Well when it does try to die after being started from a cold start, the air that sucks in through the throttle body starts to sound as if it is screaming. i do have the air filter off though too.
 That is a normal sound on the 3800.

Ok. well now you say it could either be the MAF or the regulator. now how do i tell if the maf is bad?
 That is difficult without a scanner to view MAF data stream.

Damn, what about if the leads that are inside the throttle body are dirty?
 Cleaning them may help

I wish there was a way i could get a phone number to where i can talk to you over the phone, it would make it so much easier lol. But anyways when i go to take the line off, do i take it off both the regulator and the MAP sensor or no? and could it be the map sensor?
 Just take it off the regulator. The map sensor does not have a vacuum line.

Whats the little thing with the wires that the bigger vacuum line connects to on the left side of the engine in front?
 That is the EVAP purge valve.

What about the evap purge solenoid going bad? And is the valve actually called the solenoid?
 Yes, also called a solenoid. That will not effect how the car runs.

Will the TPS throttle positions, IAC or IAT effect how the engine runs?
 Yes, they all will. You need to get the computer scanned for codes.

How about a dirty throttle body? I mean like i said these are pretty much all original parts for when it rolled out of the factory and if the problem doesnt throw a code then what do i do? i have been told that can happen.
 Yes, a dirty throttle can effect starting but not prevent it from starting. The IAC can, the TPS can, the MAF can, low fuel pressure can, crank sensor can, IAT can, computer can, etc. Look at the regulator first- especially with the exhaust so black and rich.

Thank you so much for you help!