Thread: Need help with a 94 Buick Park Avenue

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Ok, Got a 94 park avenue, drove it to Mpls from Bismarck. Ran fine the whole trip with getting on and off at rest areas and all that. Once I got into Mpls and picked up my daughter and let it idle in the driveway for about 15-20 min went back to get on the highway and it started to sputter like it was vapor locking, It almost seems like the computer is not readjusting the fuel injectors from highway to street speeds. How do I check for codes on this car? And where is the ECM? I am thinking of changing out the ECM to see if this fixes the problem. The car ran fine again once I shut it off for a few minutes.\

Thanks
Tim

Check the fuel filter first

I will need to know the 8th digit of the VIN Number before I can give you the codes.

• Turn ignition switch to OFF position
• Locate Data Link Connector (DLC), see image below.
• Jumper the A&B terminals(a paper clip or a jumper wire work ok)
• Turn Ignition switch to ON position.
• Count the flashes on the "CHECK ENGINE" or "SERVICE ENGINE" light.
• FLASH, pause, FLASH, FLASH = code 12
• NOTE: Some 94 & 95 models do not have the B terminal. In which case a scanner is required.
• NOTE: Some 94 & 95 models that DO have the A & B terminals still require a scanner.
• All vehicles after 96 are OBDII,and require a scanner to access them.

this is what you asked for but I agree with Corvette64 in that its probably in the fuel. the computers just don't give that much trouble anymore.

Originally Posted by joker51

Ok, Got a 94 park avenue, drove it to Mpls from Bismarck. Ran fine the whole trip with getting on and off at rest areas and all that. Once I got into Mpls and picked up my daughter and let it idle in the driveway for about 15-20 min went back to get on the highway and it started to sputter like it was vapor locking, It almost seems like the computer is not readjusting the fuel injectors from highway to street speeds. How do I check for codes on this car? And where is the ECM? I am thinking of changing out the ECM to see if this fixes the problem. The car ran fine again once I shut it off for a few minutes.\

Thanks
Tim

i just thought about it joker, you have the lt1 motor with the dist. behind the water pump, and thats more than likely where the problem is. the dist. won't set a code and its hard to diagnose, but i've had to replace a few and they are not cheap.

my 92 park ave did basicly the same thing & i ended up replacing the cat. converter because it was coming apart & also found out my fuel pump had low fuel pressure. my mech said either part could of caused the problem....joe

Its the 3800 motor. The car runs fine after turning it off for a few min and then starting it again. Which made me think the computer was not resetting after coming off the highway. I don't have the VIN as its my dads car, I will get it tomorrow if its still needed.
Thanks for the replies.

Oh and by the way the fuel filter was replaced after the first time this did it to me last summer. Just had a tune up at that time too. all new plugs and all that. and the thing it that it will drive fine if you stay on the highway, but after a few hours on the highway you come off to low speeds and, and then park it running for a bit, as soon as you try to take off again its starts to sputter. take the load off (put it in Neutral) and it revs up just fine. Back in gear and its sputters like its vapor locking or starving. They checked the filters and all that after it happened the first time too as it had just been in the shop. Nothing was wrong.
I just can't figure it out as its fine again after shutting off the engine for 1 min. So I was thinking the computer was just not recognizing it was not at highway speeds and not readjusting the air mixture down. The car has 101k miles.

If there is no codes and you're going to replace something, I'd rather believe an Ign. module or something before the computer.

Its going into the shop again tomorrow. I am just trying to narrow it down for them as they can't recreate the issue. So I will have them look at the Dist and ingnition before anything else. If they can't find anything then I will grab a "junk" computer and replace it and see if that works on my next trip. If not I will put the original back in. Thanks for the help guys.

after thinking about this more, other things that may cause it is the cam sensor or even cheap plugs & plug wires. on my park ave i bought cheaper plugs & wires only to (basicly) burn them up w/in about a year. i switched to AC/DELO platinium plugs & wires & ran them for the next 3yrs w/o problems(then i sold the car when we bought our 05 trailblazer). i really dout it's a computor but IF it is dont waste ur time on a used one, the new (AC/DELCO) ones have been updated several times.
the guy who works on my late model stuff told me that our 92 park ave computor had been upgraded at least 3 times already & that every computor that he has seen that was "bought" at a parts store was just a tested used one that checked out ok. heck on one of them he opened it up & found dirt & grease....joe

Originally Posted by joker51

Its going into the shop again tomorrow. I am just trying to narrow it down for them as they can't recreate the issue. So I will have them look at the Dist and ingnition before anything else. If they can't find anything then I will grab a "junk" computer and replace it and see if that works on my next trip. If not I will put the original back in. Thanks for the help guys.

you wont find a dist. you dont have one, you have a module and coil pack. the crank sensor takes the place of your dist.

Update on this. It went into the shop Wed. They tested everything, it all checked out ok. Then the mechanic said he thought about it overnight and decided to run some tests again yesterday. Checked the fuel pump pressure cold, came out fine. ran it for awhile and retested it and the pressure was low. So sounds like the fuel pump was going out. So thanks for all your advice it saved a whole lot of money changing out everything until we found the problem.