Fed up in DFW Texas area

[14mins]

I surrender, cry uncle, please help. I spent a lot of time and money and got nowhere. I have a 1987 GN with 115,000 miles on it. I have had it for years. My wife was the main driver from the day we bought it with 40k on it in 1990. It never has wanted to idle. It has been to the dealer in the past and they scratch their heads and produce a 250 dollar bill for a mass air sensor or coil pack. After letting the car sit for 3 years my kid (age 11) was begging me to get it back out. I charged up the battery and off we went. Had a good time so i decided it was time to go to work on it. I did the whole spring cleaning, upgraded the fuel pump and wiring harness. Threw in new plugs and wires, changed all the hoses and belts, changed and flushed all fluids. I bought and installed a metal air flow pipe and new rubber hose connectors. I bought and installed a scanmaster 2 and a boast gauge in hte pillar. The tires were dry rotted, so i bought a new set all around. The headliner was saging in the back so i had it replaced also. No matter what i did it still will not idle when cold. I bought a new thrasher chip and it works better cold but DOES NOT LIKE TO SHIFT with the trasher chip in it. I can put the factory chip back in and it shifts fine. So the question is- If this were your car what would you do with it??? I have thought about putting on the trailer and going to connoly in Houston and see what they can do with it. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks

 

[The Radius Kid]

I'd replace the fuel pump with a hotwired 340 walbro.
Put the stock chip back in.
What's your TPS readings,key on/engine off?
We're looking for idle reading and WOT/foot to the floor reading[pull the floor mat out].

 

[mar86gn]

Yes it looks like we need some scanmaster numbers to help you out a little bit better. Don't give up on it it takes a little patience to nail that idle. I'm no expert but i'm in DFW and have a 86 gn that purrrrrs. Let me know if i can help.

 

[John Purdom]

Billy Duke is unquestionably the turbo Buick guru in the DFW area. He, and his partner Greg Kring run 8 and 9 second cars, respectivly, and have many years of experience. Call him at 817- 847-5144.
Call him after 8:00 pm, as he works in a dealershp during the day, and does the Buick stuff in the evening.

 

[87GN]

Install a Max-Effort. Will give you better tuning control.

Nic

 

[John Purdom]

Have another resource for you. Since your problem is mostly one of drivability, and Billy is mainly a racer/performance mod guy, you may want to try Scott Whitehorn. He has 23 yrs of GM dealership experience, and specializes in drivability/electronic fuel injection. He now has his own facility in Keller, Jenkins Perf. The # there is 817-431-5980. Ask for Scott He is not one to just throw parts at a car until one fixes it, and his labor rate of $60 per hour sure beats the dealer rates around here. He has worked wonders on my Corvette and GN.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[BoostedBug]

Take it Larwence...He can make it run like it should.....

 

[14mins]

The radius kid- I installed a pum that i bought from Racetronix a few months ago.

Mar86GN and John Perdom- thanks for the ideas, i will give them calls

I know that i am getting close, just frustrating. Everyone on here has gone down this road before. I just do not want to throw money at it.

I can get the TPS and the IAC set in the operating range. Seems to me that i can not build enough boost(9 or 10 psi) and the O2 numbers have a mind of its own. (new gm purple wire sensor) I think there is something wrong with the trasher chip???


I also think that i need to buy a adjustable wastegate??? And new valve springs. I am not looking to build a speed demon here I would like to get in the real low 13's though

 

[TX87GN]

Check your Air Temperature Sensor, the one in the elbow or on your K&N . I had a bad one and the car idled like crap. I replaced it and all was good, but not perfect. Also, check your vacuum lines for dry rot. HTH's.

John C.

 

[JeffG]

Pressure check your intercooler. I have seen the same symtoms before on another car. It wouldn't idle when cold (didn't idle too great when warm either, but worse when cold). The car would only make about 10 psi of boost and ran pig rich when under a load. You may have a leak somewhere.

Hope that helps...............

 

[Eds87GN]

Originally posted by 14mins
So the question is- If this were your car what would you do with it???

A few things I would check first:

A sticking EGR valve, a split or cracked vacuum hose or a bad gasket creating a big vacuum leak such as the vacuum block gasket or intake gasket or a bad fuel injector o-ring(s).

As TX87GN said, check your Scanmaster to see that the ATS is giving the proper reading. Also check to see that the coolant sensor is giving the proper reading.

Good luck!


Ed

 

[ATEAV8GN]

Richardson Import Auto

I'd recomend Adi at Richardson Import Auto. He was a long time director of the Lone Star Perf Buick Club and can get your car set straight locally without having to haul it to Houston. They work on the Buicks all the time and know what they are doing.

Their number is (972) 234-8488

HTH,

 

[87gnstock]

I have had my Gn worked on at Adi's shop (richardson import auto) and have had great experience with him. Great guy knows what he is doing.

 

[cutt]

clean up

after you check your tps volts try cleaning your t/b and intercooler with a good solvent.

 

[DFWTurbo]

whatever you do stay away from Billy Duke

Billy is a painter and cant really paint that good. He painted my car and the master he says he is needs to go back to school. runs runs runs. he laso checked out my car before i bought it. he said it was perfect. its a pice of Sh*t. stay away from that guy he is a hacker of the highest degree.

 

[John Purdom]

Re: whatever you do stay away from Billy Duke

Originally posted by DFWTurbo
Billy is a painter and cant really paint that good. He painted my car and the master he says he is needs to go back to school. runs runs runs. he laso checked out my car before i bought it. he said it was perfect. its a pice of Sh*t. stay away from that guy he is a hacker of the highest degree.

Wow. That is the 1st time I've heard that kind of critique of Billy. Of course, we're really addressing a tuning issue, and not paint. But I'm also curious about your paint problems. Usually runs are not a problem. Color sand and buff will usually take care of most runs and sags.

There are generally two sides to a story like this. You have the gentleman at a disadvantage here, as your sig does not identify who you are. It would be interesting to hear Billy's side of your experience with him. In all fairness to Billy, I know of many very satisfied customers of his tuning and performance work.

You say he inspected your car before you bought it, and he said it was "perfect". Knowing Billy, I have to question that he would deem any used car "perfect", or that "perfect" is a reasonable expectation of anyone where a used car is concerned. I have a TE51 turbo for sale that Billy knows is in fine working order, but he will not sell it for me, as he in no way wants to guarantee a used part. That alone tells me that it would be unlikely that he would sign off on someone else's used car as "perfect".

I've seen this board used in the past to bash a vendor, with one person's view being blown up into something far beyond reality. This is highly unfair to the vendor if they have no recourse for rebuttal. How about identifying yourself and giving Billy the opportunity to respond to your accusations?

 

[texasturbo]

disconnect the vaccum line going to the egr valve first and see if there is a vaccum at idle causing the valve to open. IAC and TPS would be next. Where is fuel pressure at idle as well??

 

[DCVING 6]

Originally posted by 14mins

Seems to me that i can not build enough boost(9 or 10 psi) and the O2 numbers have a mind of its own. (new gm purple wire sensor) I think there is something wrong with the trasher chip???

I am willing to bet you have a cracked drivers side header. Mine did the SAME EXACT THING before I got it welded up. Do you hear a ticking noise at idle? Thats one dead giveaway.

 

[J Banning]

DFWTurbo: That's a great FIRST post you just made. You signed up just to say that?

 

[Steve Wood]

Beyond the other suggestions, the car may simply have some dirty injectors.