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Comments
What is the $115 option? It needs to be vented or one of those totally sealed batteries that some have tried. Otherwise you run the risk of an explosion from an unvented to the outside battery. Hydrogen gas.
Even with the OEM battery, you might need to replace the vent kit. The newer Delco batteries are slightly shorter than the original and the vent plugs might not be securely fastened to the battery. Make sure you get the right one when ordering, a lot of the older ones still in the system a couple of years ago.
About 16 months ago entering Winter both numbers started dropping and the lights started to dim at idle. So I got an Interstate 880cca replacement.
The new battery jumps to 15.4 at start and drops to 15-15.2V after running for a while. There are a lot of toys drawing on these batteries, and I don't want my heated seats to go hungry.
Jack
It seems that 17.6V would cook a battery in short time. My memory is foggy, but I think a battery should read about 12.8V without a load (engine off). It is impossible to go beyond that fully charged point because of how a lead acid battery works. Higher voltages are present during the charging state.
The best place to check would be right at the battery, and I'm talking probing the actual contact on the battery.
Batteries also act as huge capacitors removing the AC component from the line to end up with pure DC. Output of alternators is rectified to DC but result in a huge ripple, AC component, filtered by the battery. Most meters will read that component at their RMS value and depending upon the circuitry of the meter, with reaction times involved, might see it at the peak value, and that is on the DC scale. See what you have present on the AC scale.
And when I say meters, that includes the one in your dash. I don't know if that has built in metering or is just a display for a signal passed from the computer or other box.
If you find an AC component at the battery, I'd suspect a problem with the battery. Older batteries might not filter the AC component sufficiently. As batteries age from use, they tend not to take the charge as readily and internal resistance can go up. Also a battery that sits on shelf for about a year will be dead and often not chargeable. (I don't understand that phenomenon)
You are using a digital volt meter?
Make readings at the battery itself, probing to the contact of the battery.
Put meter on AC scale and see what it reads. Also use the body/frame as the grounding point for meter at some point other than connecting bolt and check for a low voltage with engine running. Set meter to lowest scale and check for both AC and DC. You may have a weak bond allowing the positive voltage to float slightly above earth/chassis ground reference at some points, the important ones. That may not make sense (poorly worded on my point), but do it anyway as a method of eliminating possibilities.
The voltage regulator is built into the alternator, right?
I suppose it is possible for stray noise on the line to disrupt proper regulation especially if there is a defective component in the regulator. Are there any capacitors on the external of the alternator? Or the original one if you remember?
If it is noise disrupting regulation, it obviously is coming from something not on the alternator test bed. But that does not mean it is normal noise not handled by the alternator (defective).
Good Luck
The chip in the PCM is flashable, but likely not involved. Since OBD II, many vehicles within a make could have the same exact PCM, except for the programming. Before OBD II, many could have the same computer but the chip inside had to be model specific because they were not dealer programable.
A GM dealer with the proper equipment is best for this work. When a computer problem is involved, other shops will pull it and take it to the dealer for checking and programming if necessary. To the best of my knowledge, GM still does not disperse this info except to dealers. And they would have any updates as well which are distributed electronically through the GM net to the testing/flashing machines.
Just a heads up.
It certainly seems strange that the PCM acts as voltage regulator. My guess would have been that it might convert the voltage to a signal for the DIC to display.
Also sounds like maybe the charging caused damage. Because the battery was basically dead, it was not acting as enough of a filter for the output of the charger and AC ripple getting to the system might have done the damage.
Also I had noted that with the advent of computer controlled vehicles the procedure for disconnecting battery has changed, so it seems. Everyone used to just pull the positive terminal from battery. Now the recommendation is to pull the negative (ground) terminal from battery first. And as added caution short the two together once battery is disconnected.
This is a 97.
Since that's a healthy chunk of the value of the vehicle (despite its less than 50K miles!!!!!), other alternatives seem necessary.
An internet search shows that the going rate for remanufactured R & P assemblies (with 3 year warranties and free shipping) is about $220-$250, and Autozone quotes $354.00 for a new part.
My questions.
Are remanufactured items generally reliable?
Are there more parts to R& P replacement than just the assembly?
Will repair shops be willing to work with parts that the customer brings in?
The quality of the rebuilt depends on who did it. Why don't you try NAPA auto parts. They usually carry good stuff.
As for installing it, you'll have to work that out with your private garage. Some might install your part but will not warranty the work.
Also, do some comparative shopping for estimates on repair. These are hard times. You can bargain. Shops need work right now.
I'd tend to stay away from chain stores as their quotes have a tendency to change.
A local family owned business would be a good place to start, or ask AAA to recommend a shop.
I have no idea where Autozone gets their new parts from. You should ask them where they are manufactured. If its Sri Lanka, maybe not a good idea (although it's a beautiful country and all). :P
Just in case someone was haven that kind of problem.It would be something to look at.
Also has anybody had the tranny flushed? I know in the owners manual it says to do it at about 100,000 miles and I talked to a guy up the gm dealership and he said that most cars get flushed at 60,000 but my book didn't mention it until 100,000? If anybody has done so have any problems come of doing this?
THANK YOU I love this car and would really hate to sell it so hopefully my problem will be solved!
As far as the stalling out. This is common on Olds Auroras. Could be your fuel regulator. If you smell gas in the front hood then it's probably that. 60$ for the part.
One trick you can try is put the car in neutral at a stop. Your rpm's will come up alittle or you can push the rear defost buttom this activates the water pump pulley and the rpm's come up a little. See if it stops stalling.
After testing the above theory out. Change out your PCV value. Very easy to do. Go to any autozone or auto parts store and pick one up for 5-6 bucks. It takes 5 seconds to install it. It's located in the back left under the hood right on top of the engine block.
Finally, pray this is the only problem you have.
Someone can correct me on this, but I believe the fuel filter on this car is in the gas tank. The fuel pump is definitely in the tank along with the fuel gauge sender, accessible through an access door on the trunk floor. I wonder how many times your fuel level was driven down to one gallon by previous owner(s)......sucking the dregs off the bottom of the tank and heat stressing the fuel pump that depends on fuel in the tank for keeping it cool. Food for thought if we are talking about a fuel delivery issue.
As far as octane selection, I have burned 87/89/91/93 over nearly 12 years from brand name gasoline companies and have never had a performance or mileage issue......over 106,000+ miles. I'm still on the original ignition system! Have had fuel injection service twice.
My 1998 Aurora owners' manual lists 150,000 miles for the first transmission fluid change under "normal" operating conditions. Less in heat, livery, and towing applications. Nonetheless, I've changed/flushed evry 35,000 miles. The transmission runs like new. at 107,000 miles.
Ya gotta love the car! Keep us posted on your success with this.
Also, turn on your rear-deforster. I.E hit the button this pump the RPMS up a little. If not thse you could have something wrong with your fuel system. I.E clogged fuel filter, bad fuel regulator. Do you smell any gas under the hood. Try the following low end fixes. If not be prepared to pay.
Can you be more specific? Did you have some associated code?
How many O2 sensors do you have on your model? (Can be up to four.)
Is the Autozone a new or rebuilt?
It could be that the labor is over-priced. By that I mean the hours listed in book which might show 10 hours but they actually only need 3. Shops use short cuts that are not approved too often. Example, I had an 86 Parisienne with Olds 307 and water pump failed. It had seven belts and much of the brackets/braces for other parts were either attached to the water pump housing or in the way. Upon returning the core it was discovered they did not give me the lifetime pump I had asked for which made me mad because it was near 8 hours to do the job properly. Mechanic in store overheard conversation and sad he could do it in 1 hour. I asked how with all those brackets and parts in the way. Answer, "Simple, just bend them out of the way!" That meant there were a lot of customers out there that had belts running crooked and wearing prematurely.
I'm unsure of the procedure to change on this vehicle, but I think I read somewhere that it involves lowering the sub-frame. Tools for popping the tie rod ends are loanable at Autozone and if you are moderately mechanically inclined this is something you might consider doing yourself.
Read back a few months and you will see a horror story a lady had when a shop did the job. My suspicion is they screwed up the job and then don't want to be responsible. Possibly overtorqued (bolts then broke or stripped) or left bolts loose resulting in near catrostrophic failure about a year later.
Bearings on the idlers were going out and to get at them you pull the front mount and lower to have room. Major effort for me.
Dealer was outrageous price, and the plastic pulley on the tensioner was only available as an assembly, double ouch! I went to Autozone and picked up aftermarket. They were not available at Pep Boys then. Parts only carried 30 days and a quick look told me why. The seals on the bearings were horrible. Basically they had no seal against the hub of the bearing. Just flat rubber up to it, no feathered edge, no garter spring. So anything such as dust or water would get centrifugally get impelled into the bearing. Pure crap! The ones from NAPA were far superior and just a few dollars more, but they also had a fault with one pulley. Its position on the bearing would not have allowed for changing the belt without disassembly, pulling the front mount again. I solved that by pressing the pulley farther onto the bearing allowing just enough room to slide new belt between it and brackets.
The low ball can happen anywhere. You just have to make sure you are locked in with the price. And then there is always the uncertainty of whether local independents are using the top quality part. It usually is the same part you can buy at Autozone, PepBoys, Discount Auto, etc. And at twice the price!
All Data has the charts and procedure for what is going on but I haven't looked recently. Mine has a problem where it sometimes stays on and I get the clean key message when the vehicle interior is hot. I have not yet located the solution. It might be the wiring from ignition to the pass-key box or maybe the box itself.
If you knew the exact codes, troubleshooting charts are available to diagnose problem. Almost all codes have a few pre-checks to make sure the computer is diagnosing correctly the code, such as vacuum leaks, or the presence of other codes which it will then show you the proper one to start fixing first.
Did you actually talk to the mechanic or was it the guy in charge. I hate when you get the in-between guy. Truth is often obscured. GM made a bad decision in closing dealerships, in my opinion. Worse than bankruptcy.
Hate to see you paying for unnecessary parts. Current guy will likely say it is different problem and without you knowing, you are likely stuck, bleeding money.
I think I would go to another shop, but tell them to diagnose only and then go from there. Knowing what is currently wrong may give you some leverage against the first guy if the diagnosis leads to pre-conditions for what parts he changed. After the diagnosis, then tell them what work was previously done to see if their diagnosis changes. They likely will spot previous work though.
Good luck.
By the way, mine is a 98 with 62,000 miles and everyone who drives in it asks what it is or comments on how well appointed and comfortable it is.
Does anyone know where to get a small deck lid spoiler that would flush mount at the very edge just above the center red plastic panel?
Thanks everyone for keeping this place going.
p.s. I also own a 96 SHO...I guess I just love those orphans!
http://www.blazerforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=210550
Take a look at that link which gives a different meaning related to the sensor. Was that the only code? Autozone will check them for free.
I need to renew my AllData or I would check it for you.
It could possibly make sense, the new computer. Is that the sensor they already replaced:? Was it a GM? I checked many at local parts stores and they did not have a many fluted on the sensor possibly slowing sensing.
There are multiple O2 heater fuses as I recall. (you would likely get another code if the heater was not working. There are maybe 6 or 8 codes for each sensor)
Was the wiring verified? Dirt or debris cleaned from connector before the new one was plugged?
Usually there will be some indication such as hesitation, stumble, etc. with a bad circuit. Maybe the computer is smart enough to use data from the other bank collectively with the last two sensors.
If you are at all mechanically inclined I would recommend getting All Data subscription.
work now. All the fuses are good , is there a breaker for these?Or do I have a different problem.Can a dealer find a bad wire?
Really need some help.
I hate to fix something if it ain't broke.......
Has anyone run into this before me?