Oldsmobile Aurora

Henry

The BEST way is STILL to see if you can HIT 125mph!

Henry

Okay guys, its now time to place your bets on the date I will get my car back.

The winner will be determined by the date I receive the phone call from the dealership to pick up the car. Remember, they have had the car since the third week in June.

Hey PAT you wanna get in on this one???

wingnut396

Mark me down for Dec 7....

Just don't give me your warranty as a prize :P

hardesty

Henry, put me down for the same day that my dealer calls to tell me to come pick up my 2002 Aurora. It is scheduled to be built next week, and then needs to make its way from Lake Orion, MI to Grass Valley, CA. Tommorow I am going to hit AAA to try and reserve plates for the new Roarer. "BYE OLDS" is still available in CA, and I think that it belongs on an Aurora 4.0L ...

nne3jxc

I just (2 days ago) picked up a beautiful 95 Aurora. I love it, so far! It's a big change from my modified Ford Probe, but not as fast.

Does anyone know how to breakdown the VIN #? Also, where is the "build sheet" that someone was talking about located on the 1995s? (That person said the 1998+ models had it under the spare.)

Thanks,
JC

shucknet

What ever happened with this? I heard the host talking about it, but never anything further. Anyone?

shucknet

Does anyone have any technical info on the specs of the Bose system? I'm doing some stereo work on my car and using a Bose headunit as the center. Specifically, how low are the low level outputs the service manual talks about?

pat

Some wanted it, some didn't, and we seemed to be far from a consensus.

I can get one fired up for those interested if you'd like - those not interested certainly don't have to participate - this discussion will not change in any way, so if you don't want to participate you really won't see any difference - of course you may miss posts made by other Aurora enthusiasts, but that is an easy problem to solve if you'd like to do so.

For those who might not know, the Owners Club is a dedicated folder where you can have as many discussions as you would like. Take a look at some of them here to get an idea of the possibilities. You will see that the various clubs have separate discussions for things like introducing yourselves, posting pictures, maintenance issues and whatever other related topics the groups may find of interest.

This discussion will remain here on the Sedans board, but will be linked to the Owners Club folder as well, making it accessible from either place.

You can "subscribe" to the entire owners folder, which makes reading all the posts in the various discussions very easy to do. You will also eventually have the opportunity to have regularly scheduled owners' chats if you are interested in doing so.

Let me know if you have any questions. If this sounds like a good idea, just give me a couple of positive posts and I'll go ahead and get it started this time, really!

Pat
Host
Sedans Message Board

hardesty

My 2K1 AV8 does 62 MPH @ 2000 RPM. All 2001 V8 Auroras have the 3.71 final drive and 0.68 fourth gear.

redskin024

Henry>>> Toss me in for Sept. 7th

Zinc>>> I have hit 110mph in my fathers I30. Fast, and windy. Dont know if that is the limit on the I30, thats just when i decided to back off. What is it like at 139 mph? I would assume everything happens very quickly.

For those that didnt catch it, Dale Earnhardt was only doing about 30 mph faster than Zinc when he hit the wall at Daytona.

An Aurora on the track at Daytona... wouldnt that be fun!!

shucknet

I know I already voiced my opinion on this, but I think it would serve us well. Much better than scrolling through x-thousand messages blindly.

wingnut396

I have not gone over 100mph in my Aurora, but....

In my more careless days,

I would consistently bury the 120mph speedo on my 68 chevelle. I once got my VF1000R up to about 160. Wasn't really paying attention to the gauges, kinda was more focused on the road ahead :~o

Things do happen very fast, taking in to account that you are covering a mile in less than 30 seconds. (at 60mph, 1 mile per minute. My biggest worry was someone was going to change lanes. At that speed, you would have no time to react to a person driving at 70mph or so. Further, being a bike, they likely would not have seen me when (if) they checked when they changed lanes.

Of course now, I'm a little more worried about my own neck, and will only do such stunts on a track or in a more controlled environment.

larryfl

Congrats on you're purchase. I did the same. Bought my '95 in May with only 50,400 miles. Bose, Dual Power/heated seats, Sunroof, the works. It's been a dream. I travel all over the state of Flordia (doing a Tampa/Jacksonville/ Miami/Tampa loop next week) and the Classic performs great. Of course, with that kind of driving, the mileage won't stay low for long. In fact, it's now a little late for it's 60K service. Guess I'll be putting her in for her first "check up" in the next few weeks.

This forum is a great source of info about the car (i.e. See all the info on the performance tuning over the last week or so -- thanks blk97aurora, garnes, fjk57702 - and everyone contributing to that discussion). I admit I do more lurking than posting, however.

Henry> put me down for Sept 15. I really hope you get it back much sooner; but I've been there.

garnes

I found a company that said they have a chip for the 1998 (and I would assume other classics). It's from ASE Performance Chips. 714-632-9344. They said it would add about 10% HP, but they said they don't have/didn't dyno it, so I am very unsure about this. How in the world do they know what they are doing if it is not tested and refined?? They may not know. They said something about removing the chip and sending it in. My understanding was that this was not possible for the 1996 and newer OBD2 computers on these cars.

Superchips uses "microtuners" for these types of computers to download the stock programs and reload performance programs. And as I've mentioned before, they don't have anything for the Auroras - except for maybe 95's. So I'm not sure what ACE is talking about and I'll pass on this for now. It was around $600 I think. But I thought of throwing this out there anyway.

Hey you new 95 owners, call Superchips if you are interested in more HP. I think they had a chip at one time for the 95. I don't know if they still do, but if so, I'd love to know how it performs.

zinc1

redskin024 - I didn't keep it at that speed for more than a second or two - it's too nerve racking - but the rear window wind noise is very loud at that speed and every small bump feels like a speed bump. I scoped out this lonely stretch a while back, and, very late at night when no cars are there, it looked like a good place to test it - but I don't recommend it.

FYI - Here's a link to a page where rrr111 has installed the RSM induction kit. He posted a couple of pics of how it looks installed with the K&N cone filter.

Also, Jacobs Electronics offers a 'GM DIS (Distributerless Ignition System) Ultra Coil' for the Aurora. Claims average dyno increases of 5% to 7%. Their website is www.jacobselectronics.com

Owners Club: I've already casted my 'Aye' vote

Re: The link I posted earlier for the Brix Aurora pics, the photographer will sell 8x10s (rough size) for $25 each, if you have the bucks.

mcboz44

i want to get the factory cd changer for my 95. I have the bose stereo in there now...I can get the factory changer itself for a hundred bucks...what else would i need to install it??

mcboz44

also, where in the trunk do they mount the cd changer? there doesnt look to be much room with the speakers and amps

nne3jxc

Zinc1 & Larryfl, thanks for the welcome. It's nice to find a user message board that isn't all about "My car's faster" and "Car 'xyz' sucks!"

Question: My "new" 1995 Aurora seems to kind of "hunt" a little when running at very low throttle. That is; when maintaining say, 40 mph on a flat road and just *barely* on the throttle, the car seems to very slightly surge every couple of seconds. It does it with the AC both on and off -- and actually seems more noticeable with the AC off. It seems to me that it could just be the computer/transmission trying to maximize gas mileage (switching in and out of neutral?), but I'm not sure.
Do you all notice anything similar on your Auroras? Do you think it is something I should be worried about?

Thanks,
JC

taylorb27614

The factory changer in mounted hanging from the right passenger side fender. It's actually a good location because you can still access the cassette when the trunk if quite full.

rbreen

I recently bought a '99. I wanted one without a sunroof because of head clearance. I did want one with the autobahn package. I had to settle for no sunroof, no autobahn package. Every classic Aurora that I saw with the autobahn package also had a sunroof. Just out of curiosity does anyone have [or seen] a '95-'99 Aurora, with the Autobahn package and no sunroof?

shucknet

You will need to get a CD Changer cable that plugs between the head unit and the car's wiring harness. I bought one off of ebay last week - they show up every once in a while.

ygo2work

I just bought a '99 V8 in Denver, champagne and beige with sunroof. A few questiions for you experts if someone has the time and answers:
Is there any way to put a license plate on the front without messing up the car's handsome nose?
It runs halfway between 200 and 250 degrees when idling around in town. Should it run this hot?
Thanks for any info. It drives smoother and more comfortably than any car I've ever driven.
The service record (from MI) only showed two minor repairs done under warranty so I'm hoping it will be trouble free! It has 32K miles. Should I go ahead and get that warranty from Warranty Direct that has been recommended or wait until the factory warranty runs out at 50000?
Louis

wingnut396

I am about to take my factory front plate holder off. Down here, you only need a rear plate. I just need to get a set of the torx head drivers to remove it. I'm also wondering if I will have some hole in the front facia. Has anyone removed a front plate holder?

If you want it, let me know..

larryfl

My '95 had a front license frame when I bought it. It's drilled into the bumper so there is no easy way to remove it without having the bumper repaired and painted. I'm stuck w/ it.

nn3jxc - my car doesn't "hunt" or surge. However, I have noticed, under the driving conditions you mentioned, an almost imperceptible movement of the accelerator. I can feel the pressure in the pedal change as if a computer somewhere is adjusting the throttle for some reason, like it has a mind of it's own. Isn't modern automobile technology wonderful?

andyl2

The CD changer in a 95 Aurora is mounted on 2 brackets at the upper right side of the trunk. I have a changer with mounting bracket, the trunk carpet to go around the changer and the portion of the factory wiring harness that plugs into the back of the changer (I do not have the radio end of the harness). Email me at AndrewLobsenz@TX.SLR.COM if you want more information.

andyl2

What did you pay for the changer on Ebay?

larryfl

My '95 stays around 210-250 in town here in Florida (mid-90s outside temp). I bought it in May so I haven't had it during the cooler months. It seems to be normal. Of course, these Northstar engines have the "limp home" mode if it does actually overheat. Hope I don't have to use it, though.

Henry

My 1995 has the package and it does not have a sunroof. they are out there.

I got the call today!

The car is ready!

Did anyone have August 24th??

I will pick it up next week.

andyl2

My 95 has it without a sunrrof and so does my parents 95. We did special order them that way.

Unfortunately mine was totalled about a month ago when someone ran a stop sign.

vwbus1979

Last summer, my wife was driving our '97 when a plastic bag came from the bowels of hell to cover the radiator. Well...The temp climbed all the way up ... up... up...The car went into the heat protection. She still drove it...Then the car went into EXTREME heat protection...4 cyl mode! She STILL drove it around (I guess she didn't notice the warning, bells and temp guage MAXED out!) Anyhow...In case you were wondering, the car will SHUT OFF completely if you drive it while in the protection mode. Even after it cooled down (The car, not my wife!), it would not start. The dealer had to turn off the protection and remove the bag from the radiator (oops). Didn't cost me anything but my pride...Anyhow...Thought I would share that amusing story. At least the car wasn't in the shop for six weeks this time. *sigh*

Oh...BTW---The rear seal around the back window has come off again! I give up...GM won't honor their recent repair work and Warranty Direct will not cover this type of repair. Auurrgghhhh....

hammen2

Hey vwbus1979 (welcome back BTW),

My rear seal keeps coming off my '98 as well - the metal clip at the bottom of the back window keeps sliding down. My dealer's just glued it on (and put duct tape on it for 2-3 days) each time, but, after we get some hot weather, it just slides off. This has been done 3x in 4 months

My car is still under warranty (and I'm well aware that the warranty companies don't cover this sort of repair). Any suggestions? I've thought about:

a) calling the Oldsmobile Assistance Center (never had to do that)
b) trying another dealer
c) getting a quote from an auto glass place to fix it right.

My warranty dies in 16,000 miles or November 29, whichever comes first :-)

Also, have to ask a question about the auto-leveling suspension. On my mother-in-law's 95, it was quite audible (whirred for a few seconds when someone would sit in the back seat/put something heavy in the trunk). I've had 4 additional passengers in my car, but have never heard the suspension. I guess I should get it checked out... maybe time for a different dealer...

--Robert

pizza442

JC;I, too, have been having this surge problem. Have changed (original 2 mo. used car warranty) plugs, wires, EGR,cleaned throttlebody, decarboned top end, I think original owner had fuel injector PROM replaced under warranty. Unplugged EGR and symptoms were less severe, but still there. Only problem I haven't fixed is that the lip of the air intake hose is slightly peeled back and molded in its new position under the worm clamp, where it hooks up to the air filter box. I don't think any air is leaking by and I duct taped it anyway. Anyone, if there is a disturbance in airflow past the sensor in the air box or in the tube to the box, could this cause the surge?JC, if you find a solution, let me know.Jay

blk97aurora

My '97 runs between 210 and 250 degrees also. At first I was really worried, since every other car (exclusively USA V-6s and V-8s) I have owned ran at or slightly above the thermostat rating, unless there was a problem. When I found out that every other Aurora owner I talked with had the same experience, I quit worrying. I wonder if the temp sender is in a different location relative to other engines.

garnes

wwbus - thanks for the story. I've always wondered what would happen.

In the summer on a hot day - yeah my temp is somewhere about 1/8 to 1/4 inch past the 200 mark. I'm not sure what exact temp that is - I guess I could interpolate it. On the highway, even on a hot day, it's about an 1/8 inch below the 200 mark. Seems OK. When I first got the car, it was a little low on coolant and I got the message from the computer. It seemed to run a little hot. After getting that taken car of, it seemed to run cooler. I swear you have to shine a light through the coolant overflow box and rock the car a bit to determine the level in the box.

Check out Corsaperf.com. (I know I've mentioned them before - and no they aren't paying me) They seem to have a really nice cat-back system for the Seville, and I called to see where they are at again on the Aurora. The guy I spoke with said his neighbor has an Aurora and they will (when they get the time - maybe months) bring his in to see what is needed for the Aurora. Like I was saying before, their systems are on many of the GM pace cars by Wheel to Wheel, so I'm hoping this happens. He also gave me the other neighbor's (who has a Seville) number to call as a reference. They used this guy's car to develop the system. These systems are supposed to be pretty quiet at normal rpms and sound sweet when you hit it. All stainless.

nne3jxc - yeah, I know what you mean about some of the "other" rather heated discussions about "my car can beat up your car". These guys really measure themselves this way if you know what I mean. That and the "Charles Winchester" ( I really think that nails it) attitude of it all is really over the top. I never thought an ego could crowd out space on the web.

gisom

In my 95, I put the changer right on the trunk floor on right side. I did not want any drill holes so I just used velco pads (the wide ones)and it works fine. The harness you need to hook to radio can be had at www.radiosand more. This harness hooks up to cd and radio so you can use your steering wheel controls also. On the right side of car is a canal to put your wiring thru. This is very thoughtful of the design team. And you will have to pull up your back seat to get it thru the trunk but it is very easy.

gisom

had me worried on my 95, so I immediately changed the thermostat, but this did not improve it. I found that this is normal for the auroras. Once you go on expressways, the temp drops down to 200 but don't worry about it, the limp function does work exactly like it is designed to do. I found that out when water pump seized at 78,000.

aurorabill

The following is a very subjective answer to your question. I, too, have a 95 and I noticed the same thing. It improved when I put in dry gas. That improved it by about 66%. The rest just seems to have worked its way out - or I'm just used to it. I also had my gas lines cleaned out, carburator cleaned but this only helped by about 10%.

Aurorabill

Henry

ITS OFFICIAL!

The aROARa is back in MY parking space.

larryfl

Great news! Congratulations on getting the baby back. You be gentle with her now, she's been through a lot.

I think I still have you beat on the warranty company delays. My Q45 was out from June 15 through the end of Nov (1999). What's that, 5 1/2 months? Wynns- Phoenix American Warranty Co. They are absolute crap. I don't wish that on anybody and I hope no one beats that record.

Be Gentle! She's probably a little stiff and needs to work everything loose. When I got my car back, the tires had flat spots, the battery was shot, all the windows, sunroof, and the gas gauge were stuck. Although, it all worked itself out in a few days. Enjoy!

rocket95

Pizza442

You might want to consider checking the Heated Oxygen Sensors (HO2S) for silicon or other contaminates from fuel or the use of improper RTV sealant. A white powdery coating can result in a high but false signal voltage (rich HO2S signal) which can cause the PCM to reduce the amount of fuel to the engine. You may also want to check the fuel filter. It appears that you have checked almost everything else.

garnes

wwbus - dream car Studebaker Avanti. Very cool. I saw one once. Some kid in college had one - that was 1984 or 1985. He started it up and it was just awesome. It sounded powerful. I read once that Studebaker made some experimental Avanti cars with lethal amounts (500+) of HP. Just cool.

All these 95 owners and it seems nobody is interested in superchips. I think they had one for the 95. Maybe they don't have it anymore - don't know. I'd love to know what it will do. Oh well.

Henry

My Aurora spent 9 weeks and three days in the shop (or 66 days) in total.

I believe I am the undisputed champ for most time spent in the repair shop in a single visit.

All Hail the KING!!!

Henry

Although the car was in for a total of 69 days. The dealer called me on Friday and told me the car was ready. I did not pick it up till Monday. I think the clock should end when the car is ready and not when it is actually picked-up.

pizza442

Rocket95: I forgot to mention that we did replace the fuel filter, too. I like the idea of the O2 sensor. Am waiting for my aftermarket warranty to kick in, 400 miles to go. I get a rotten egg converter smell (rich condition) sometimes when I come to a stop and I was cruising slow. This can happen on some cars right after you have been running it hard (rich) but not after slow, stead cruise, so I know there is a mixture problem. I have been able to get a stronger surge/miss to show when I manually hold a gear to about 3000 rpm so it is in a lean, non-accellerating situation and it surges quite obviously (for the benefit of the techs and service writers that "can't feel it" when driving!--it is a smooth car and it masks the pulse quite well, but after a day or even a couple of hours of driving it, eventually everyone who drives it, notices it.Jay

nne3jxc

Hi,
The problem is getting progressively worse.
Now, when travelling at about 40mph, if I give it enough gas to accelerate, but stop applying power just shy of the point where it will shift down, the engine/tranny bucks strongly.
I'm having the dealer take a look at it on Friday. Any ideas? I'm looking to see if anyone else has had this problem so I can have some extra "ammo" when I talk to the dealer.
I'll also let you know what the dealer says/does.

JC
---
>>My "new" 1995 Aurora seems to kind of "hunt" a little when running at very low throttle. That is; when maintaining say, 40 mph on a flat road and just *barely* on the throttle, the car seems to very slightly surge every couple of seconds. It does it with the AC both on and off -- and actually seems more noticeable with the AC off. It seems to me that it could just be the computer/transmission trying to maximize gas mileage (switching in and out of neutral?), but I'm not sure.<<

larryfl

Henry:

Do you mean the "undisputed champ" for Auroras in the repair shop?

My Q earned me that title for being in the shop for OVER 160+ DAYS for a single issue! (see message 1481) Although that's certainly not a title I'm happy to have, I hope no one ever wins it away from me.

Henry

I am only talking about time that an Aurora spent in the repair shop.
While I "feel your pain" over your Q45, I think I am safe with claiming the title for the Aurorians.

Henri

zinc1

Henri - You're never safe as the Shop King. But enjoy your right-to-gripe privileges. May you use them wisely and often. (larryfl, you should warn the Q45 guys about that car - still makes me feel better about my shop time)

blk97aurora - I picked up the deflector yesterday and it is the right one. Thanks again. Part number 25677742, group 7.833, "deflector, f/end fascia" is the visible deflector/air dam under the front end. When I get it installed I will offer an opinion as to what exactly it's there for.

Currently uploading better resolution images of Van Man's car to his page - with the AROARA license plates.

blk97aurora

zinc1,
Glad I was able to help with the part number; let me know if I can look up anything more for you. It will usually take several days for me to be able to get to the microfiche machine at work.

Thanks for the pointer to Jacobs ultra coil ignition products.

garnes,
In our search for performance improvements, I can summarize my thinking as follows:
* intake -- you have made good progress to improve airflow and to lower temperature with modifications to the stock Aurora air box; we still need a good scoop or duct of some kind. Expected power increase is 1% per 10 degrees F. reduction in temperature.
* exhaust -- the Corsa guys sound like they may come through with a low-restriction exhaust, but it may not be soon, and will probably cost at least $1000.
* Superchips, Hypertech, ACE, etc. -- I see these as potential increase of 10 to 15 hp if we can get versions to work with our cars. Price about $150 to $260. I view this option as changing fuel management and spark timing.
* Jacobs and MSD ignitions. These may also affect spark timing but their main function is to enhance spark energy and duration. I'm just beginning research here. I think these are complementary to superchips, etc., but don't know for sure. The MSD DIS-4 is about $400, but I do not know yet if it will work on our Auroras.
* I am not at this time considering internal engine modifications such as different cams.

Henry

That name is a blast from the past.

The best description of the Classic was "it looks like a car would look if it worked out".

So I guess that makes Aurora, the Goddess of the Dawn, a female bodybuilder.

Henri