Well, I just picked up my GSL-SE a week or two ago and since I have been doing the maintenance to it. I've changed the plugs, oil/filter, flushed the nasty old "coolant" out of the car, changed fuel filter and drained the tank. Problem is it still breaks up after a few minutes of driving and practically stalls. I'm still trying to solve this weird issue, I'm leaning towards the rotor and distributor cap. Does anyone have any idea about what would cause the car to break up after a while but idle fine (if not very high-1,200RPM)? Could it be a timing issue?

This is completely different from the FD and I'm stumped.

 

Have you checked the Fuel Filter AGAIN? ( i know you just changed it)
Might have a clogged injector too.

Give Andre a call, tell him Alex sent you. - 786-417-7963

 

I checked it for leaks. I hope it's not an injector, sending them out to be cleaned gets kinda pricey. I'm not really looking forward to spending a lot of cash on this car considering it was free. Though I do need a running car now since I blew the motor on the FD. How would I check the injectors BTW? I put in some concentrated fuel injector cleaner from STP.

 

Fuel pump.

 

so it drives and idles 100% for the first few minutes, but once it warms up it doesn't run ok, except at idle?

is that what you're trying to say?

If you haven't checked the cap and rotor, I'd check them.

does it work ok at WOT after it's warm or no?

 

It runs fine for a good while once warmed up then after like 5 minutes it just starts bucking and breaking up. Fuel pump... there's a way to check it if I remember from reading the FAQ... either that or my haynes book... I'll run it for a while tonight and tell you guys. I need to check that cap and rotor anyways... Man you guys are much friendlier than the 3rd gen guys.

 

Had the same issues when my fuel pump was going.

I just replaced mine due to the miles it had on it, but one good indication was it started to make more of a whining noise as it became worst.

 

haha thats right, and youll soon begin to wonder why the FDs are so pricey and our cars people think are "peices of shat"

 

*rubs hands* we've converted another, muahahahah

damn I'm tired

 

i dont know how the se works, but on most newer fuel injected vehicles they start in a closed loop system where the computer runs a preset injection phase.... once the car warms up it goes into open loop, actting upon the info from the oxygen sensor... so i would say check the o2 sensor

 

Quagmire is on the right track. The oxygen sensor, along with the coolant temperature sensor (among others), tell the computer when the engine is fully warmed up and ready to be computer controlled. It seems, though, that the sensors telling the computer to start working, are working, it switches into open loop and the problems start. I definately think that it is a sensor related problem. If I were a betting man, I would start by testing your throttle position sensor, then the o2 sensor, then the injectors. This all assumes you have no vacuum leaks that could be causing the problem.. Good luck...

 

There is a small in-line filter on the GSL-SEs, more like a strainer that is in the fuel line, right before the pump. This occasianally gets clogged with some debris from the gas tank, and causes stumbling/stalling issues. Had this exact problem on a friends -SE and took us forever to find it. Symptoms are about exactly what you are describing. Id give that a shot.

Also, if you havent changed plug wires already, definately do that. Ive had "new" wires completely die on me before and make a car almost undrivable, but stil idle fine.

 

Actually Quagmire has it backwards, fuel injected cars start in open loop and when warm operate in closed loop. At WOT it goes to open loop again. I would agree that it's a sensor related issue, I just can't help you as my SE had issues, but I just said it has character and sold it when I joined the service.

 

Yes, judging from the guys around where I live, I must agree with you. And to think WE are the ones with the cooler cars too.

 

Ok, I've changed the fuel filter and drained the tank so that's not it. The fuel pump does not make any type of noise at least not that I can hear over the loud exhaust leak. I'm going to check the o2 sensor after class tommorow. Couldn't check the car since was too late before I could get a ride. Hrm seems like the problem could be a lot of things.

 

Yes it could, also check the fuel/air. To set the fuel there is a screw located on the passenger fender well in a blck cover. It should be towards the lean side. It will have r & l marked on it. ( rich and lean) If it has stuff in it, like melted plastic then don't mess with it. If not then it is likely that it has been adjusted before and could be out of adj. Just a thought. I got mine out of adj. and wouldn't hardly run.

 

Alright, finally went over there and drove it, it doesn't just occur when the car is warmed up. It happens all the time. I did a little test, I floored it in nuetral and kept it floored. As I did this, the revs jumped norally to 4 grand, then the car just stalls and comes back to life at around 2-300 RPM and back up to four over and over again.

I'm thinking it might be the fuel pump now since I believe that this problem could be due to loss of fuel pressure. Need to pressure test the fuel pump to be sure.

 

Did you check the strainer in the fuel like like I had suggested?

 

You mean the filter? filter is changed and new? If you mean a strainer, I haven't seen a mention of it in the hayes book. I'll get under the car today and look.

 

Yea, there is a small strainer located inside the fuel line, right before the fuel pump. I dont believe it is mentioned in the manual. It took me days of messing around to find it. It was clogged from debris from the gas tank, and caused the car to sputter and almost die, and not rev.

 

Also don't forget to volume test it.

 

Update: Ok, looks like the problem was found. Bad trailing coil, going to replace it and hopefully that will fix it.

 

Update: Replaced the coil, still has the problem... This damned thing is pissing me off. Now that I think about it, the more crap that I replace the worse the problem gets. Before I started doing the maintenance and stuff it was at least drivable. Now it won't rev passed 3 and even to get it to rev to 3 you have to baby the throttle. It just seems like it's choking or flooding. It just stalls unless you open up the throttle all the way, then it idles fine and no more problem until you rev it again.

Well since the problem started getting worse as I replaced things I wonder, what would be the symptoms of putting the fuel filter on backwards. Would the engine even see any fuel? Or would it just be reduced? Any insight would be appreciated. Also I don't know if this is related or not, but while in gear theres this terrible metallic whine coming from the back of the car, My father thinks it's the diff I however believe it's the pump. But maybe he's right since it only occurs while in gear. Or maybe I'm right since maybe the pump needs to work harder in gear. Whining can only be heard from inside the car BTW.

 

hey man if i were u i would just get a holley red fuel pump, cause i have a gsl-se and it was giving me the same problems, but to solve it i got a weber 45dcoe side draft and a holley fuel pump.. runs great now... emissions is another thing

 

yo man, i had an identical problem in my FC... it would NEVER get past 4k. Turns out the first time it happend it was the secondary injectors frozen shut. So, after a full service and about $1,000 of stuff (not just injectors, also brakes, shift bearings, etc.) it was fixed. THEN it did what you are talking about, where it would rev to 4k, drop to 2, rev to 4, drop to 2, over and over again. After about 2 weeks of cursing and working on the friggin car, i accidentily found the problem when i bumped into my tps with the car running... a wire had come loose. So, check your TPS (the wire was loose inside the connector, so I couldn't even see where it was loose) and press all of your wires a little bit into the tps, and into the connector (From both sides). maybe it's the same issue... worth a shot anyway