I have a 1993 Cutlass Ciera with 220,000 miles on it and it has been kept up with very good. Recently the car has been going haywire and i dont know why. First it started acting like the fuel pump was going out on it shutting off for no reason then cranking up minutes later and being drive able. Now the speedometer will randomly quit then start working again and the fan will come on immediately when the car cranks then shut off when the car is not even hot. It also will go from idling very high to very low almost shutting off in the process. I seem to think it may be the ECM because I can't imagine all of these problems are happening on and off at different times. If it is the ECM does a new one have to be programmed or can it just be installed and its fine. Please help.
You may be right in your hunch the problem is the ECM.
What you describe is controlled by the computer and could be checked to verify that the computer is the cause by process of elimination.
If nothing else such as a problem in the wiring harness or a relay problem is causing the issues, then the computer would be the last link.
I would check the circuits involved, and then get a used computer if you decide that is the problem. You should be able to take a computer off an identical car and use it. The salvage car would need to be the same year and engine size.
SOURCE: 1988 oldsmobile cutlass ciera check engine light on then stalled.
Wow! thats verry low miles for an 88. Check the fuel pressure at the injector. If the pressure is low the filter could be clogged or the pump is not putting out enough pressure. Replace both if the pressure is not up to par. also check the fuel relays.
SOURCE: Car won't start, battery is good, is it likely the fuel pump?
you Have to Check for Spark at the Coils, No Spark the fuel pump Wont get power..
SOURCE: 96 Oldsmobile ciera runs great but dies randomly driving or idle
I would try replacing the ignition module located on the front of the engine where the plug wires connect.The ignition moduel is where the ignition coils them selves screw down to and a harnes plugs into.
SOURCE: 1991 Olds Cutlass Ciera 3.3 v6 would start, run a
jrtvett's "unplug one injector and start" troubleshooting procedure would work if one injector is bad. If more than one injector is bad, then not so sure.
Like you mentioned, one or more injector(s) can go bad and it causes the others to stop working as well. After our experience, I am convinced this observation (fault mode) is correct (see below). Its as if upon warmup the solenoid in the faulty injector shorts, resulting in short circuit of signals to all the other injectors.
We have a 1989 Olds Cutlass Ciera with the 2.8L V6 that recently had the same fault: At least one injector went bad after warmup, then engine refused to restart. All other possibilities were eliminated, including crank shaft sensor, ECM, ignition pack, idle start valve, bad gas, rail pressure, etc.
No Service Engine light illuminated, and there were no fault codes in the ECM computer.
The jrtvett procedure could not easily be utilized in our case because all the injector connectors are underneath the intake manifold and inaccessible.
My cousin is a Ford mechanic told me of an analysis procedure Ford uses to troubleshoot injector problems. They display rail pressure on a LCD or CRT monitor and can see pressure drop with each injector's opening. Unfortunately, if the car is not starting, then this test will not be of much use. The engine has to be idling or at least all of the solenoids in all of the injectors operational to use this test. If engine won't start, then its clear none of the injectors are opening as described above, then no fluctuations in rail pressure would be displayed.
The shop that was working on our car decided to replaced all of the injectors, and the engine now runs like new.
Due to inaccessibility of injectors and fact these injectors were inexpensive ($40-$50 each), it was wise just to replace all six. Grading old injectors is not exact science.
This 3.1 L back center of engine
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