ManglerYJ
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2005
- Location
- Lexington, NC
I have owned this 1999 Oldsmobile Silhouette now for 6 months and have had all sorts of little gremlins in it. It all started with the hood catches failing which caused the hood to fly up and take out the windshield at 45 mph (testing out the brakes that I freshly replaced) Before we could even get it on the road, I had to install hood-pins to replace the faulty catches. Then, the smaller repairs started. First ones were more of personal convenience repairs:
1: replaced the rear blower motor that only worked some times
2: replaced the rear hatch struts (kept hitting my head on the darn hatch)
3: Repaired some torn seats and installed some lumbar "cushion" (pool noodle) to replace what had worn out.
Drove for a while and started getting a random "Low Coolant" light. Sometimes it was actually low, other times not. Replaced sensor. Kept driving and the only time it would come on would be a true low coolant situation. Periodically still losing coolant, even though it's not leaking anywhere obvious. Took it to Walt's Radiator in Lexington to have it checked and there was a crack in a tee in the heater line. Replaced tee and connector. Now things start getting expensive.
Freon was low in system so I added two cans. Got back and forth to Raleigh on a trip and A/C ran like a champ. Day later, no A/C. On way home from Raleigh, check engine light comes on at a rough startup and motor shakes at idle with no power. Code says cyl 5 misfire. Limp home from Raleigh and wife suggests we fill it with fresh gas. We do, and a few days later while rounding a corner, the check engine light goes off and stumble goes away. Drive for a month or so, have A/C compressor replaced (it's starting to get warm out!).
Saturday, I drive it to drop off my daughter at a friends house and another hard startup causes check engine light again and rough idle. Again, Cyl 5 misfire. Van still had plenty of gas so I haven't filled it yet, but still running rough with CEL.
Even though we know the history of the vehicle (bought it from good friends who had the motor replaced about a year prior to us buying it), my wife is about done with the van already. Aside from the obvious problems we've had, it's a perfect vehicle for her so we REALLY don't want to get rid of it because we won't get back a third of what we have in it, but the repairs are getting old quick.
Any suggestions of things to check without throwing parts at it? First thing everyone has said is change (in this order): plugs, wires, coil pack, fuel injector, O2 sensor (no idea why), PCM, etc. Without the ability to test parts, I HATE the idea of just blindly replacing stuff until the problem goes away. I did trace the plug wire end to end and put a piece of wire loom over it that I had laying around to see if by some chance it was touching something and grounding out. I also checked both ends to make sure they were clipped in properly.
1: replaced the rear blower motor that only worked some times
2: replaced the rear hatch struts (kept hitting my head on the darn hatch)
3: Repaired some torn seats and installed some lumbar "cushion" (pool noodle) to replace what had worn out.
Drove for a while and started getting a random "Low Coolant" light. Sometimes it was actually low, other times not. Replaced sensor. Kept driving and the only time it would come on would be a true low coolant situation. Periodically still losing coolant, even though it's not leaking anywhere obvious. Took it to Walt's Radiator in Lexington to have it checked and there was a crack in a tee in the heater line. Replaced tee and connector. Now things start getting expensive.
Freon was low in system so I added two cans. Got back and forth to Raleigh on a trip and A/C ran like a champ. Day later, no A/C. On way home from Raleigh, check engine light comes on at a rough startup and motor shakes at idle with no power. Code says cyl 5 misfire. Limp home from Raleigh and wife suggests we fill it with fresh gas. We do, and a few days later while rounding a corner, the check engine light goes off and stumble goes away. Drive for a month or so, have A/C compressor replaced (it's starting to get warm out!).
Saturday, I drive it to drop off my daughter at a friends house and another hard startup causes check engine light again and rough idle. Again, Cyl 5 misfire. Van still had plenty of gas so I haven't filled it yet, but still running rough with CEL.
Even though we know the history of the vehicle (bought it from good friends who had the motor replaced about a year prior to us buying it), my wife is about done with the van already. Aside from the obvious problems we've had, it's a perfect vehicle for her so we REALLY don't want to get rid of it because we won't get back a third of what we have in it, but the repairs are getting old quick.
Any suggestions of things to check without throwing parts at it? First thing everyone has said is change (in this order): plugs, wires, coil pack, fuel injector, O2 sensor (no idea why), PCM, etc. Without the ability to test parts, I HATE the idea of just blindly replacing stuff until the problem goes away. I did trace the plug wire end to end and put a piece of wire loom over it that I had laying around to see if by some chance it was touching something and grounding out. I also checked both ends to make sure they were clipped in properly.
