1992 Olds 88 shakes and loses power when accelerating-Help!
#1
09-25-08, 10:54 AM
Join Date: Feb 2008
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1992 Olds 88 shakes and loses power when accelerating-Help!
Hi,
My Olds 88(1992) shakes when I get up to approx. 40 mph. It also loses acceleration when I push on the gas. It does it worst the faster I go? Really loses acceleration when going up a hill.
It was strange because the car was sluggish and we put all new spark plugs in and it seemed alot better and there were NO shakes previously.
The shaking started one morning as I started to drive on the highway no previous prblem with the shaking.
Could a failing catalytic converter cause this problem or is it HOPEFULLY something easier. It seems I do smell something a little strange I had Googled information about a catalytic converter going bad and some posts said that, when failing, the catalytic converter has a "rotten" smell?? I smell a strange smell but I don't think I would go as far as saying it is rotten??
Many, Many Thanks for any Help!
My Olds 88(1992) shakes when I get up to approx. 40 mph. It also loses acceleration when I push on the gas. It does it worst the faster I go? Really loses acceleration when going up a hill.
It was strange because the car was sluggish and we put all new spark plugs in and it seemed alot better and there were NO shakes previously.
The shaking started one morning as I started to drive on the highway no previous prblem with the shaking.
Could a failing catalytic converter cause this problem or is it HOPEFULLY something easier. It seems I do smell something a little strange I had Googled information about a catalytic converter going bad and some posts said that, when failing, the catalytic converter has a "rotten" smell?? I smell a strange smell but I don't think I would go as far as saying it is rotten??
Many, Many Thanks for any Help!
#2
09-25-08, 11:52 AM
A bad cat could cause this problem. But only if it was restricted. u would have to take a back pressure reading. or remove the oxygen sensor closest to the engine drive with a noisy exhaust and see if it is any better
#3
09-25-08, 04:20 PM
Did you take off spark plug wires out of distributor, or just off the plugs? Maybe wires were bad and the way you have them layed now is causing cross fire between a pair of them.
Check for sparking under the hood, around the plug wires, etc., in the dark.
Pull the plugs out again and make sure they all are tight, that you did not cross thread, that none of the insulators down inside or outside of plug got cracked(you have to look very carefully), and check color on all plugs.
Check for sparking under the hood, around the plug wires, etc., in the dark.
Pull the plugs out again and make sure they all are tight, that you did not cross thread, that none of the insulators down inside or outside of plug got cracked(you have to look very carefully), and check color on all plugs.
#5
09-25-08, 07:17 PM
If your car only does this at 40 and over or up hills. it is missing under large loads. Wires may be your problem. another way to test would be to spray water on the wires and see if the engine runs worse, u may also load the engine in gear with the brake held firmly to trigger spark arching. But if a wire was off it would miss poorly all the time and would most likely also have a check engine light
