98 Regal (3800) stalls immediately after start - Why?

[Kendall Scheer]

I have a 98 Regal GS (supercharged 3800 V6) with 38,000 miles on it.
The other day while going down the road it just quit running. It
would start up for about 1-2 seconds (smoothly) and then die as if it
suddenly ran out of gas or the ignition system shut off. Occassionly
(although rarely), it won't die and is completely drivable until it
suddenly chooses to die again, maybe 20 miles later or a day later or
several starts later. When it is in its "dying mode" it dies both
when in gear or not in gear. It dies both when cold or warmed up.

If, immediately after starting the engine (in park), I can get it up
to 4000 rpm before it dies, the engine will continue running (probably
out of closed loop mode and into enrichment mode). It surges but it
keeps running.

The "service engine" light never comes on. I have not run an OBDII
test yet to see if any codes have been set but, without the light
coming on, I am not sure any codes are being set.

Any ideas??

Kendall in Detroit, Michigan

[Geoff Welsh]

Loose connection somewhere. Cam or crank position sensor?

[Bob Gross]

Cam sensor or crank sensor would be two things to check. If certain sensors
are not "seen" correctly within about two seconds of start up, then fuel and
ignition are shut down.

I'm curious as to why you have not put an OBDII scanner on it yet. It takes
about two minutes to find out the answer instead of guessing about it.

---Bob Gross---

"Kendall Scheer" <ksc...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:fedb8238.02022...@posting.google.com...

[Robert Hancock]

I would suspect either the cam or crank sensor - more likely the cam sensor,
I'm pretty sure that with some engines at least, if it fails the engine can
keep running but will not restart.

--
Robert Hancock Saskatoon, SK, Canada
To email, remove "nospam" from hanc...@nospamshaw.ca
Home Page: http://www.roberthancock.com/

"Kendall Scheer" <ksc...@prodigy.net> wrote in message
news:fedb8238.02022...@posting.google.com...

[Bob Gross]

On my '91 Buick, when the cam sensor broke, the engine was completely dead
and would never start. When the crank sensor got contaminated, the engine
would start cold, run until hot, conk out, and then not restart until it got
cold... most of the time. Once in a while it would start and run for a
minute, then conk, and then start, sputter, conk, etc. ... some of the time.
Not start at all some of the time.

Once all sensors are intact, then it runs good.

---Bob Gross---

"Robert Hancock" <hanc...@nospamshaw.ca> wrote in message
news:n3fe8.122906$A44.7...@news2.calgary.shaw.ca...

[Victor Smith]

Just last week a guy I work with had a similar problem. His '98 Pontiac
stalled, and would start every time, rev to 1000rpm, then die.
The neighborhood garage couldn't figure it out, so they towed it to a
dealer, who fixed it quick. I had guessed TPS or crank sensor.
The dealer said it was a burned out resistor in..........can't remember,
except it controlled the fuel pump. I'll ask him tomorrow, and post.
Two tows, first garage and dealer cost him 250 bucks total.

--Vic

[Bob Gross]

Yes, on my '91 Buick, preliminary troubleshooting had led me to guess it was
the TPS first. After I played around with that for a while, I concluded that
it was not the TPS at fault. Later, the crank sensor was rounded up along
with the usual other suspects.

The TPS is basically a potentiometer, which is a variable resistor like a
volume control. The position of your foot on the gas pedal sets where the
center wiper of the pot is over the range. A little playing around with a
good multimeter will prove it one way or the other.

Let's see a show of hands. How many GM drivers drive around with a good
multimeter and a scan tool in the trunk?

---Bob Gross---

"Victor Smith" <victor...@earthlink.com> wrote in message
news:3c79aa7c...@news.earthlink.net...

[Victor Smith]

Kendall,

Sorry for not following through, but I was off sick on Monday. I talked
to the Pontiac owner on Tuesday, but he said it was just as I had
remembered, a resistor controlling the fuel pump. On his receipt (I
didn't see it, but I trust him.) it just said 'resistor'. They told him
it controls the fuel pump. The part was 40 or 50 bucks.

--Vic

[Victor Smith]

And his Pontiac has the SC 3800.

--Vic

On Wed, 27 Feb 2002 22:20:08 GMT, victor...@earthlink.com (Victor

[Winn]

ksc...@prodigy.net (Kendall Scheer) wrote:
Why wouldn't this be due to a bad oil pressure switch which is
responsible for keeping the fuel pump running after the two second
start period?

WW

>I have a 98 Regal GS (supercharged 3800 V6) with 38,000 miles on it.
>The other day while going down the road it just quit running. It
>would start up for about 1-2 seconds (smoothly) and then die as if it
>suddenly ran out of gas or the ignition system shut off. Occassionly
>(although rarely), it won't die and is completely drivable until it
>suddenly chooses to die again, maybe 20 miles later or a day later or
>several starts later. When it is in its "dying mode" it dies both
>when in gear or not in gear. It dies both when cold or warmed up.
>

[Robert Hancock]

The oil pressure switch is not normally used to keep the fuel pump running
at all, the relay is energized all the time when the engine is running. The
oil pressure switch provides power to the fuel pump only as a backup

--
Robert Hancock Saskatoon, SK, Canada
To email, remove "nospam" from hanc...@nospamshaw.ca
Home Page: http://www.roberthancock.com/

"Winn" <wwfa...@softhome.net> wrote in message
news:cdet7uc71jvvtas5u...@4ax.com...

[vincej...@gmail.com]

I know this forum is from ages ago but did you ever find a fix. Friend of mine has a 99 regal sc3800 that started doing the exact same thing las nigh.