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91 Olds - Intermittent Electrical Failure
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snswilliams
New User
Dec 28, 2008, 5:58 PM
Post #1 of 2
(1159 views)
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91 Olds - Intermittent Electrical Failure
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Hi All,
TOTALLY STUMPED and not sure what to do or where to go from here...
1991
Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme V6, 3.1,
Here is the issue...
Car intermittently stalls. There are very distinct things that happen PRIOR to the stalling. We can tell that the car will act up by just watching the radio light. The radio light will flicker badly. If it is dark outside, the headlights will flicker. The car idles fine at first and there is no change to the voltage meter on the dash. If we turn on the turn signal, it sounds as though it can't get enough power. Most times, after turning on the turn signal, the car will die. Just before the car dies (literally a split second), the dash lights go COMPLETELY out, the car will die and then the check engine light, service engine soon light and low oil pressure will come on. Typically, once the car is restarted, there are no more issues and things work fine. TONIGHT, we did notice a complete loss of headlights for a split second, but the car did not die right away. it dies while coasting to a red light.
We have replaced the ignition switch. Other than that, we are unsure where to go from here... Hope SOMEONE out there can help, because we are REALLY stumped and are reluctant to take it to a garage since it is intermittent.
THANK YOU
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Dec 28, 2008, 6:14 PM
Post #2 of 2
(1151 views)
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Re: 91 Olds - Intermittent Electrical Failure
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Some thoughts and maybees:
Battery cable connections might be marginal. It may simply lose power to do diddle for a moment - stall and somehow regain enough connection for a restart. Typically if that's what is happening the clock would reset as if battery was totally disconnected but might not.
I think this car's puter uses a "learn" mode if it loses its memory and takes X # of miles or starts and stops to learn how to behave and not stall again. It may be going thru that over and over causing this hair loss
The GM battery cable's at the battery are not so great over time. I think this model you have to remove the whole front of the car to get at the pos terminal (kidding but it's not right there to inspect if I recall) and uses a remote spot for testing and for jumping if needed.
All connections of all ends of both battery cables need to be good. They may look good and not be.
It's a likely cause by cable style and its age,
T
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