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2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off


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Lee v.i.p
New User

Mar 7, 2009, 7:36 PM

Post #1 of 11 (5570 views)
  post locked   2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

Today i was driving stopped at a light,and my car shut-off.a friend towed it to my house.once there,i tried to start it,it starts,i can rev it for like 30 seconds,and it shuts off,also,it only revs when i hold the gas pedal to the floor! my question is,its 9 years old,i'm the original owner,i thought it was the fuel pump.will the car rev if its the fuel pump going bad?? NOW i'm thinking it maybe the catalytic converter,why? because i dropped something on the passenger side,and when i touched the floorboard,it was extremely hot!! also,after continuining to try to start the car,i smell i guess i would describe it as a 'burnt' smell,coming from the catalytic converter.will a blocked catalytic converter shut my car off like this?? also,when i rev it,i see blue/black smoke coming out the tailpipes.so,do u think its the fuel pump,or catalytic converter.Help?


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 7, 2009, 9:03 PM

Post #2 of 11 (5567 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

Take a fuel pressure reading but I suspect that's not it so far.

If this did start up with foot to floor it may have been seriosly flooded and if you allowed to rev out of control that alone would cause a pretty fast super heat up at converter(s) and flood out again when you tried to lower rpms.

It's probably overfueling and may think it stone cold. Check CTS or wait now till it is cold again and try again. If the blue/black smoke reappears it's definately too much fuel. Don't allow overreving if you did - that can cause terrible problems by itself!

T



Lee v.i.p
New User

Mar 7, 2009, 11:36 PM

Post #3 of 11 (5563 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

Hi! thanks,but i guess what i mean is as soon as i let my foot of the gas,it shuts off.i mean would that happen if it was the fuel pump?? or would it just not start?? Also can a clogged converter make it so your car shuts off ??


DanD
Veteran / Moderator
DanD profile image

Mar 8, 2009, 3:53 AM

Post #4 of 11 (5558 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

Went a fuel pump has out and out failed the engine will not start; a weak pump producing low pressure will usually allow an engine to idle but there won’t be enough fuel to rev or produce power.
As Tom has suggested have the fuel pump pressure tested; the pressure, depending on which V6; should fall somewhere between 40 &55 psi.
A plugged converter again will allow an engine to idle but not rev out; unless completely plugged; then the engine would likely not even start.
Look at it this way; if an engine is attempting to draw in 20 gallons of air (just for numbers sake) but can only exhaust 5 gallons due to the converter being partly plugged up; it won’t can’t rev up or produce power. The engine can’t swallow any more then it can exhaust.
As for the converter getting hot; whatever is causing the engine to run so poorly is also allowing raw fuel to enter the converter. A converter is an after engine burner; that if fed to much fuel, it turns into a blast furnace.
You should try and find the root problem as soon as possible; converters will self destruct (melt down) if allowed to run to hot to long.
I’m going to suggest that you stop guessing and take the car in and have it diagnosed. The cost of the test equipment and the chance of damaging the converter; would be a lot more then the cost of a technician’s time. Once that is done, you can still fix it yourself, if you wanted to.

Dan.

Canadian "EH"






Lee v.i.p
New User

Mar 9, 2009, 1:29 PM

Post #5 of 11 (5541 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

 o.k. i replaced my catalytic converter...and i started my car last night and it idles,and 2 minutes later it shuts-off! i tried re-starting it and it would not start at all! I know i fixed a 'small' part of the problem,because i couldn't even get it to start at all before.This morning i tried to start it,it started up immediately ran for about 2 minutes again,and shut-off,,,now it won't start once again,Help!Frown


DanD
Veteran / Moderator
DanD profile image

Mar 10, 2009, 3:33 AM

Post #6 of 11 (5529 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

 
You have to find the root problem(s); as to why the car is shutting off and why the converter is/was running so hot.
By you replacing the converter at this point; has yes remedied one of the effects of the car running so bad; but that’s all it is, an effect not the problem that caused the converter to plug or melt down.
Catalytic converters do not die of natural causes; they are murdered by a poor running engine or engine management system!
You’re setting yourself up for a second converter by not looking for this root problem first.
I know that you kind of understand this because you’re back asking more questions; but we really can’t answer any more with out asking some of our own.
Things we/you need to know are; what is the fuel pressure; when it quits what is missing; no spark, no injector pulse, no communications to or commands from the PCM (computer)?
Is it a false anti theft signal as what Jim has suggested?
All of this takes equipment and a good understanding of how the complete system is intended to work.
That’s why I suggested that you take the car in and have it diagnosed!
Keep guessing and you’ll be going back to whoever you bought the converter from and asking them for warranty on it.
If they see that the converter’s shell is blue from it getting hot. Well; I hope that you have a good sense of humor; because they’ll laugh you out of the store.

Sorry if this isn’t what you wanted to hear but there's not always a silver bullet fix; we need accurate information on the car systems. Without this information all we're doing is guessing.

Dan.

Canadian "EH"






Lee v.i.p
New User

Mar 11, 2009, 8:36 AM

Post #7 of 11 (5516 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

It's runnSlying now,it turned out to be the mass airfow sensor


Guest
Anonymous Poster

Mar 29, 2009, 1:03 PM

Post #8 of 11 (5488 views)
  post locked   post icon Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

Sounds like the Mass Air Flow Sensor has gone bad. It will allow the car to start but then will die. MAF Sensor is between the air box and throttle body.


stmelvin
New User

Aug 10, 2013, 2:08 PM

Post #9 of 11 (3950 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

I have replaced the coil pack, wires,ignition module fuel pump fuel filter, New cat and new exhaust, search all the forums for help oh and now the crank angle sensor Now i see this forum. MAF sensor Im scared to dump any more money into this car
Unsure


Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Discretesignals profile image

Aug 10, 2013, 2:15 PM

Post #10 of 11 (3949 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

Please don't hijack someone elses thread. Create your own thread. Thank you. Topic locked due to age and being that it was resolved.





Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Aug 10, 2013, 2:53 PM

Post #11 of 11 (3945 views)
  post locked   Re: 2000 pontiac firebird(V-6) starts,revs,shuts off  

Not to mention that it's 4 years old too.



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