Cyntthia Johnson

I have a 2001 Chevy Cavalier. 2.2. 2 door. 149,000. I'm the 4th owner. It's been handed down from family member to family member since it's birth. It was my daughter's first car. I bought it from her.

Excellently maintained. Has some passenger body work (someone hit it sitting still with the first original owner). BUT mechanically sound. Drove it almost 2,000 miles to Florida 2 years ago. Little things a long the way have gone. Brakes. We replaced the spark plug wires last summer. New cooling fan. New front brakes. Relays. I have idiot lights and from a past mechanic working on the cooling fan caused all of them to go off. BUT? We take this car weekly if not daily?

Everywhere. Road trips, too.

Recently it stalled out as I was going to park it. Had to have it pulled home.

In that week's time I have brainstormed with a few people.

We replaced the fuel filter. Took some coaxing but she started. Never had to use the gas pedal before. Ever. Always started right up!

I drove it in the lot where I live? It died.

So then we brain stormed some more. Went and got the AMF sensor. Discovered it was bad? SO I replaced it. Tried to drive the car again?

She sputters out. She starts then dies. OR she just doesn't start.

So we discovered once again (someone testing the power to the sensors) that the Throttle Arm Sensor (some sensor sitting back behind the throttle body) was not working. We saw fuel in the throttle.

SO back to the parts store for that sensor.

We manage to get it started first time. She idled really high. But wouldn't idle down. SO we disconnected the battery. Again. Let it sit bout 30 minutes. Started up. Ran for a bit. Died out. Started back up. She runs.

Today, it wouldn't start first time. Used the gas pedal to coax it to start. She eventually starts. And stays running. So we're thinking maybe this is it and she's gonna run for us?

Took it up the street. First time it had been out on the open road in a week, too. It scares me because I don't want to be stranded. I'd have to call someone. But don't want to do it.

She stalls out and died less than a half mile from the house. He started it back up. Got it back in the driveway. She stays running no problem. It's when she's out and about for a minute or two.


I can hear the fuel pump back there. Had someone stand back there and listen for it. Definite hum. No clicking or hesitation. Starts right up.

This is a car that we've taken care of mechanically. Maintenance done every 2,000-4,000 miles. She's ran so good she takes off from you! Just lately she's been a little sluggish. But always got us from point A to point B. Starts right up on a cold morning. AC still runs really good. But when I turned it on today to see if it was maybe bogging down the engine? It acted like it was sucking a little bit of power. But the car stayed running.

I tried to sell her but for some reason there's a curse on this car that everytime someone goes to buy it? It never happens.

She's a clean little car.

Tomorrow I am going to go to the junk yard to pick up yet more sensors. O2 sensors. And, the other sensor (forgot what it was called in the same area as the throttle but different area).

All I'm doing is spending money on it so I guess I have to keep it. But, even so?

I'm playing a guessing game at this rate.

Anyone knowledgeable would be greatly appreciated to help me get this car fixed so I can actually drive it on the road again. lol

It has me stressed and baffled.

Thank you for your input.

(I think the car has a lot of sentimental value in our family which is why the deal always goes wrong when I attempt to sell it. Even for the smallest amount. My son gets really upset because it was his sisters first car. SO I have to keep her now)

Cyntthia Johnson

*hears crickets*

I'm gonna repaint my car pink, put pig ears on it and a sign on the side that says:

"FEED ME".

A rolling piggy bank. Cept it doesn't save me any money at all. :/

tech2

welcome to the forum.

you'll get more responces when you post just the symptoms. if the post is to long people won't read it.

get the diagnostic trouble codes read and post the results here. It will give you a starting point for diagnostics

Cyntthia Johnson

No codes. No lights.

It's not that hard:

If I don't post what's going on like I did?

I get asked more questions.

It's like going to the doctor to get treated for a headache.

No one headache is caused by the same thing.

SO the question still that I have is?


What is wrong with my car?

I'm going to the junkyard today to pick up parts.

Ya I'm a woman and I'm fixing my own car thank you.

So let's see if I have some preliminary ideas I can take off with since I'm talking to myself here. Hopefully I can help someone else talking to myself in the attempt to fix this beast.

EGR Valve-possibility
Cataylitic Converter-BIG POSSIBLE problem
Crank Position Sensor-a MAYBE
Fuel Pressure Regulator-Jury is still deliberating but a maybe
Clogged or cracked fuel injectors-a maybe but not likely-I've been under the car. No leaks. No moisture or fluids of any kind. It's at the bottom of the list.

I'll ask my boyfriend to leave his jacks and some tools while he's at work.....

Any other ideas would be nice. Happy lurking.

#smh

tech2

255 views, no replies...cricket...hmmm

do a compression test to rule out mechanical engine issues eg. jumped timing chain.

02 sensors are ignored at cold start up until closed loop operation and at wide open throttle so it won't cause starting problem or until the ecm enters closed loop operation.

i have no idea what a amf sensor is and I worked in this trade for 10+ years.

Good luck with that...I'll lurk elsewhere

kevinkpk

I think she means MAF sensor. If it runs almost at all, it won't be timming. Have the fuel pressure checked. Does it idle "ok", but when you increase rpm does it stall/die?

tech2

cavalier's do not use maf sensors.

if its out 1 tooth it most certainly will run, but poorly and may blow fuel back into the throttle body as was described. It also will cause starting problems.

kevinkpk

It can run with 1-2 cogs off for sure, but not worth a crap. I'd think if that were the case it would throw a misfire. As far as the AMF, she might have meant MAF. Not on a caviler, but thats all I could think that she meant or thought was replaced. I guess what I am not clear on is "run", does it run ok at times, crappy at all rpms all the time? I take it it runs crappy after it has run a couple minutes.

tech2

i do agree with you on fuel pressure. Would be a easy thing to rule out.

Cyntthia Johnson

Update:

Cavaliers DO use MAF sensors. We replaced that. (I have the receipt for it!) Yes we made sure the "pintles?" were just right. Figured that out. Did the security reset with the key because the theft system light came on and off intermittently.

We replaced two more sensors today. Junk yard. Easy fix. It has a total of 4 sensors. The car takes five sensors altogether. (I have diagrams on the engine and we inspected some at the junk yard...five) The one sensor came out of a sunfire. Because sunfire and cavalier are the same car. Different company. (I have done my homework on this car, too....learning as I go)

Took it to Advanced Auto once we got her running. She runs a little rough but a lot smoother than before that's for sure. Hooked up the code reader to it.

It's misfiring. Bought spark plugs and will see if the coil(s) need to be replaced tomorrow.

Stalling? It did once today. Same place. Half a mile from the house. But starts back up and keeps on going. Drove it all over today.

Code readings came back on it with a few things. Timing chain. But, it's always been like that.

Manifold Absolute Pressure or Barometric Pressure

Circuit/Reset Camshaft timing or timing chain. Both intermittent.
Random Multiple Misfire

No state of health from the module. Always been like that which is why there were no lights coming on to let me know something was wrong.

After the two sensors she hasn't died. Starts right up. Runs a lot smoother than before.

Fixed it. For now. I will get the fuel pressure tested for sure. But, no codes came up for the fuel system. If they would I don't know? Pump is working just fine.

Thank you.