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Cadillac Repair/94 DeVille stalls when put into gear
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Question
QUESTION: I have a 1994 Deville that has been sitting all winter. When I start it up, it usually takes a few tries but the engine sounds ok and I am able to rev up the engine while it is in park. When I go to put it into gear, however, it immediately stalls. The guy I bought it off of thought it may have a problem with the fuel pump.
ANSWER: Hi,
Fuel pump sounds unlikely unless it is cavitating.
You say it was sitting all winter. Since I don't know where you live, I can tell you what happened to me with the car parked in the garage. A mouse decided to have babies--In My Exhaust!!!!
Car would stall when a load was put on like yours. I limped down the road and put the gas on, slowly it started getting more power and then I looked in the rear view mirror and saw the fuzzy remains blow out of the exhaust.
Check under the hood for feed in the air filter or any sign of rodents.
I would tell you the problem might be a catalytic converter, but it didn't sound like you had problems before you parked it.
The possibility of rodents trying to find a place for winter is real common in Wisconsin.
Just a thought.
You have an electric fuel pump mounted in the fuel tank. In most cases, if you have a bad fuel pump, it will crank for an extended time before starting. If the fuel pump is defective, the engine won't run, because the minute you turn the ignition in the on position, the fuel pump is running.
If you find remains of furry little critters, let me know.
Rob
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I asked the guy I bought it from and he said that it has had problems in the past stalling out. He was able to restart it again, but it would stall a lot i guess. thanks for your info. im going to code it out today and see what comes back.
Hi,
See, I can only give information on what I am supplied. Still do not think it is fuel pump. Good idea on checking codes. Could be a lot of things. The way you had the question made it sound like there were no problems before parked for winter.
Good luck
Rob
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Rob Painter
Expertise
Alarm system questions cannot be answered on this forum. These systems are not what I can answer. Without being physically at the vehicle and not knowing what kind of electrical service has been done on the vehicle, there is no possible way to give an accurate answer over the internet. My expertise is in Ignition/key based anti-theft systems. These issues include GM VATS (resistor chip in key blade) PASSLOCK (MRD)-ignition lock rotation based, no special ignition key and the PKIII Transponder (computer chip in key) systems. These systems are not alarm based and are integral with the starting of the engine. This is why I cannot diagnose alarm problems without physically looking at the vehicle: Alarm systems are a completely different annimal than ignition key/lock based anti-theft system. Many alarm questions come from vehicles 10 years old, and since older, many hands that had been involved over the years.I am an expert in all GM factory (ignition/key based)systems. Alarm system questions pose to many situations beyond my knowledge as to what has been done to the vehicle over the years. Some guy may have actually wired the stereo into the alarm system. Who knows? Over my past 30 years in vehicle wiring repair, I have seen unbelievable wiring disaters done by guys that consider themselves "mechanics." I have seen stereos and alarms intalled using surgical tape. I have seen modules burn up, un-fused circuits, wiring jambed between the doors and even lamp cord used for a starter kill. To answer alarm questions over the internet without examining the vehicle is like asking; What does it take to remove a dent?
Experience
Education/Credentials-ASE certified. 11 years with a GM dealer and 17 years with a repair facility dealing with only the repair of theft recovered vehicles.
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