I experienced a problem similar to this a couple years ago with my '95. It turned out to be the shift solenoids. There are two of them mounted in the bottom of the transmission. The PCM will default the transmission to second gear in a situation where the solenoids are bad. Mine were(somehow),physically broken. The MIL (service engine soon) will also illuminate and a code will be set. Hope this helps, it's at least something to look at...
I have a service manual in front of me and in order of things to check out are
Off-vehicle Dynamic balance On-vehicle dynamic balance On-vehicle runout check Off vehicle runout check Measure wheel runouts Check index assemblies on wheel studs Measure axle or hub flange runout Check engine drive line imbalance.
I agree that changing the tires again will probably not solve the problem. my guess is it's either a bent rim which a wheel run out check would find , poor alignment or an imbalance with the drive axles and assembly. Hope this helps you a bit.
Ok Civicnitro We have had enough.......sell us your Aurora so we don't have to listen to your diatribe any longer.Why do I have the feeling that if you went home an Aurora would be an import.
For this reason alone I bought my aftermarket warranty. Developed a leak a little over a year ago, but didn't have it fixed (lazy) as it took up to 6 mos. to leak out. Once it got to 1 mo., I waited 'till the compressor got noisy so they would for sure replace that, too. Why fix the leak but not the compressor too as the system has been compromised and I have heard the old "if it ain't broke, we ain't gonna pay to fix it" from aftermarket companies before. So I got the job done at the local Olds/Caddy dealer, but the warranty Co. did not want to pay the (lowest the dealer would go) $560 for the compressor. They said they would overnight a new GM, but not Delco (?) compressor which would only cost them $350. Caddy guy comfirmed this buy calling the place that would be sending the compressor. Strange, but oh well. Leak was supposedly right behind the compressor. Hope it doesn't still leak (out of the evap.)! One big point to remind everyone about our common Aurora problems: if you have to have a part like the Alt. or a compressor replaced and you are paying for it yourself, most GM dealers offer the PartsPlus program which is a lifetime parts AND labor warranty so after you replace that waterpump the first time out of warranty, its basically the last time you will pay for it as long as you own the car. Just a reminder.
Know what would be nice to see on these boards? Personal preference settings with the ability to filter out messages based on the authors user name (like, say, "civicnitro"). Also maybe a "rating" scheme so that "troll" messages can be voted down and a filter setting would then exclude those messages from appearing based on personal preferences.
The rear main seal on my '95 seems to be leaking pretty heavily. I haven't determined a consumption rate yet, but have already had to put a quart in after only about 800 miles from the last oil change (could have not been filled all the way -- don't know yet). I typically change my oil every 3200-3500 miles and have NEVER had to put in any in between.
Other than the pulling the whole engine/trans out to fix it, does anyone have any suggestions that might at least slow it down?
hammen an garnes;thank you for the info. We are from west central Wisconsin,I have contacted Old's an they are to get back to us on Thursday after they talk to the dealership. The dealership took the car to another chevy dealership that has this very expensive contraption So the ball is rolling towards a lemmon.We love the car,but the shakin gotta go. we will not be scared to get another if they offer it. thank's for your help!!!!
Where exactly do you live? If you decide to try taking it to another Olds dealer for diagnosis, I can recommend a couple in the state: Kuettner Olds GMC in Waukesha is my dealer, and they are very good (Renner Olds, where I bought my '98 used, was not). I've heard that Ahrens Cadillac Olds in Madison is pretty good (where my mother-in-law bought her '98 used). Hesser in Janesville was terrible (since closed).
Larryfl--I have a neighbor that had the same problem. He took it to the Olds dealer to have it fixed, but didn't want the expense of installing the new gasket(s). The Olds dealer said they could put some silicone on the spot where is was leaking. He said he would try this first before spending the big $$$$$$. The silicone job has lasted 2 years now and is just starting to drip again. He thought he would see if they could do the same thing again.
I thought I would try it if my leak gets any worse. I do have the extended warranty but I'm not sure I want just anyone doing serious work on my car.
Robert we are from Tomah . we purchased the car at bob burg in LaCrosse. We are very satisfied with the dealership and their service dept. I think is outstanding.They are working with us an are helping us get the ball rolling. I will make sure to keep you updated on our lemon. Thank's again. Jim
On my 2001 Aurora the head lights and all the lights inside the car flicker off and on. At one time while driving for about 20 minutes one night the lights flicker off and on about 15 times. Since that time the lights have only flicker about 3 times. The dealer took me that this is a normal operation condition for the Aurora with this type of air pump!!!! When the air pump comes on it drains the electric system to much. Has anyone else had this problem and is it a "normal condition" as the dealer said.....
Well welcome to the new year everyone. Mine started out great! My buddy bought a house in the country and threw a nice New years bash. Great time, anyways, on my 240 mile round trip to the bu-fu country, the classic ran great, cruised like a dream. Next morning start the car and DIC reads LOW COOLANT, shut off, open up the cap, BONE DRY! Hum, only a small puddle on the ground. Hum? Happy New Year!!!
What make my experience EVEN BETTER is that on that 240 mile trip my aftermarket warrenty EXPIRIED!!! Can you belive that, just hours after coverage is up, I dry up, and LOSE. Murphy's law. Just hours after.
Filled it up today with some dex-cool approved, went straight to the Caddy/Olds dealer with an extra bottle of coolant in the back seat. I was planning on buying there Heritage Caddy 3-yr warrenty for $1700. Just talked to the Finace guy 3 weeks ago, never guess what happend next, They dropped that warrenty company 2-weeks ago, had problems paying the bill on a 3G head gasket leak. So He couldn't offer me any good warrenty on my high mileage 96, has 91K Only thing at the time I can get is 1-yr GM powertrain only for $1,110. That stinks. He said that there not even going to look for a warrenty company right now. This dealer sells mostly New Caddys so not a big priorty for them.
Thank you car gods. Haven't I been good to you? I buy you nice things, wash you with better towels than I use on my body, All ways feed you Premium from Amoco/BP. Why? Why? Why?
OK, interestingly enough, once a got to the dealer I checked to see how much leaked out. NOTHING. What's up with that? DIC still read Low coolant, My service guy guesses that it's a gasket. After the dealer I went to work, stoped checked in between, level was same, checked before and afterwork, same, and there weren't any spots on the pavement either. Makes things a little better. Going to find an aftermarket warrent this weekend and wait the 30-days before my first claim. Hopefully I don't get shafted.
Go check the Intrigue board - lots of owners there having the "flicker". Your dealer is right, evidently it's the air pump drawing too much current from the alternator. There are newly-revised alternators, but this doesn't seem to fix the problem - there appears to be no solution (other than to file a complaint with NHTSA - http://www.nhtsa.gov
happy New Year to you as well. Was the tranny and oil dip stick checked for any possible coolant content (would indicate head gasket or tranny cooler problem)and have you checked the floor under the pass side dash for possible heater core leak? If those things are clear it could be the water pump, loose hose or small rad leak. Next time if you see a coolant puddle check to see where it is in relation to where the car was parked. I have a 96 as well with about 130K on it (35K driven in 02). I spent about $600 on maintenance and repairs last year...so far I am not sorry about having any warranty....runs like a dream.
So, I just bought my first american made car in...well, first time. I bought a 1996 Olds Aurora, gas guzzling v-8 and all. Car is a beautiful car, just turned 74,xxx miles. Runs great except for one problem. Whenever I'm driving, and then apply the gas pedal pretty hard and accelerate ( Pedal to the metal, don't do it often), the SES light will then come on. When I get to my destinitation, and am idling into a parking spot, the car will then die. I'm able to start it right back up, and it'll run fine. But...the SES light will stay on for a day or so, and then just one day, will turn off. I don't have a aftermarket warranty on it yet..(any suggestions on one?), so i'm reluctant to take it to the dealership yet. Any guesses on what could be causing that problem? So far I've tried switching from preminum gas to lower ones, still happens. any guesses? anyone else experience that problem and find the cause?
Also....Looking at aftermarket warranties. I like accel warranty so far, but, there's a few things they don't cover which I'd like a warranty to cover. Like...the Engine control computer/module. Anyone ever have problemw ith their aurora's where those fail?
Fuel Pressure Regulator is a common Aurora problem - might be something worth swapping out anyway at 74k.
Can't speak for the warranty company you're looking at, but I have 1Source and they've been excellent. I've had 3 major repairs (AC compressor, IAC motor, and an electronic control module in the dash) - all covered with no hassles and at no cost to me. I recommend getting an "exclusionary" warranty, where they list what they won't cover, not what they do (lots of holes in that approach)...
...have heard that AutoZones have scan tools and will be able to tell you why the SES light is coming on, w/o paying a diagnostic fee to a dealer. Never had a need to do this, though...
I would check the EGR value issue, also a very common problem. If that does not fix the problem there is another possiblity. However I do not want to scare you with that just yet. (Check the obsession board for my postings about my repairs.)
I fixed the exact same problem on my 95 Aurora by changing a broken relay inside the transmission. ($14.00 at the local Chevy dealer!) It took some guts to keep removing parts but if your real careful and brave it can be done and save you $$$! I photo copied pages from a repair manual at the library which showed which relay to check. Before this I had never opened any type of transmission.
Have fun!
PS Be careful not to loose any of the little ball bearings in the valve body.
Recently I have noticed a major loss of power when accelerating from a stop. The rmp's are also way too high during the acceleration process. It feels like the overdrive might not be working, but when I put into drive 3 there is a noticable difference. The sport mode button is also not working, could this be the problem? Could a recent change of my AC compressor have caused this? The fuel economy is also horrible now. What could it be?? I have had the car for 18 months and have had only maintanence to worry about....now I fear that this means the transmission is going out. Someone with expertise please give me some advice.
I have a 1995 Aurora. Love this car! I have had a few problems though. I have seen web sights that explain how to retrieve the Self-Diagnostic Codes for northstar systems on Cadillac's, and on Old's Toronados. On these GM cars you hold down the "off" and the Warmer" buttons on the climate control panel to enter the diagnostic mode. My Aurora does not have an "off" button, but has a rotary knob to turn the system off. I have tried several different combinations of button pressing on the Driver Information Center and on the Climate control. But none got me to the diagnostic mode. How is the done on the Aurora?
Thanks for the info Dave
1. Turn the ignition switch ON. [Bruce notes: interestingly, the engine can be on or off]
2. On the cars up to 1995, on the Climate Control panel, press the OFF and WARM buttons simultaneously.
I have a 96 with 79,000 miles. My car was also dying at idle, then would start right back up. No light came on, but for the engine stalling, I would replace fuel pressure regulator. O'Reilly Auto Parts has part for about $45.00. VERY easy to change! I would also replace plugs & wires and fuel filter if not already done.
As for extended warranty, I'm getting ready to purchase one from warrantywizard.com. Right now they have a 4 yr/48,000 mile, $0 deductable, for $1149 or $1249. The $1249 plan (preferred price), covers far more components than the $1149 plan. It does cover the engine control computer. The $0 deductable is the best way to go. You can however get $100 deductable for a cheaper price. But first time you use warranty, the $0 deductable will pay for itself. If I were you, I would definitely check them out. Accel was $1349, or something to that effect, for 3 yr/36,000 mile. You can pay total upfront, or they also offer 0% interest payment plans.
I just priced one of these for my '98 Aurora - $66. I now just need to know where it is located on the engine. I've been having that same stalling problem, usually in the first 10 minutes of driving after coming to a stop. About 10 seconds passes, then I feel the engine rpm drop, almost as if the engine is being overloaded, then she stalls. Re-starts are always immediate and successful.
A week after I bought my Aurora (used, '98), I took it in for tire rotation. When the guy took the plastic covers off, those stupid tabs on one of them broke. The heat here in florida probably doesn't help. A week later, another cover fell off while I was driving. I called everywhere and found a junk yard that wanted $55 each! I took the other two off and gave them to my son who used them to make a model of a flying saucer for a school exhibit!! I wonder if anyone makes a cheaper replacement cover or snap-on ornament. I actually like the look better without those 'duddy' covers now....
That stinks. Are they chrome or alloy rims? Go to www.aaa.rims and call there 800 #. Caps arent listed on the site, but they DO have them. I recently lost one of my chrome caps and they are $15 for new aftermarket cap. Looks perfect. I bet they would have the alloy ones too. When you call there 800 number, you usually have to leave a message, they will call back with in hour or 2.
Your fuel pressure regulator is mounted to the fuel injector for cylinder no. 7. You will need to remove the plastic cover over the intake manifold. Take care with the gasoline that will leak out.
My '98 Aurora has run great since I bought it used 7 months ago. Aside from stalling occasionally at lights - and I'm looking into the fuel pressure regulator replacement - it has run great. Last night, it began missing on one cylinder. Took it to the shop and they told me I need a new coil set. There are a total of 4 - one for each two cylinders. Cost to replace including new plugs and wires: $600. Am I being "hosed"? I figured the dealership would want double that......
I too have had the ignition coil problem in my 95 classic. The coil for cylinders 6&7 develops corrosion at both of its terminals and on the plug wires at the coil pack end. There have been many reports of this on the forums lately but I haven't seen any root cause yet. I replaced the wires and used a dremel tool with wire brush to clean up the coil terminals, applied new silicone to the coil boot and all seems fine now. Originally it would occasionaly backfire and miss on acceleration. The problem seems to always be with coil and wires for cylinders 6&7 (end coil on the passenger side of block). I only had 50K miles on my 95 so I believe it is a defect rather than a maintenance issue.
I have '95 Aurora with 140k miles on counter. Today I've noticed that sometimes Oil Pressure Lamp goes on. I've switched the computer so it shows oil pressure now. When the red lamp is on it show --- kpa. After few seconds it show 863 kpa and the lamp is going off. Then it jumps to 0 kpa. What is the correct pressure if my engine is hot (200F)? I'm using Mobile 1 Syntetic 5W50 oil.
Michael - I don't have much of an idea, but I doubt you are going to 0 pressure. Maybe a sensor is going bad. If you had little or no pressure, I'd think the rest of the car would have a serious and immediate problem. I'm sure others here will know more.
From Poland - very cool. I remember way back Zinc mentioned that somebody in Poland had an Aurora. Maybe you are this person. I hope your car has been good to you. Where do you get service for an Oldsmobile in Poland?
Off topic but what the heck - I took a vacation in Poland a couple years back. Absolutely beautiful country. I know some people there too. I'd like to visit again someday. The Aurora in Poland must get some attention.
I also have a '95. Mine has about 95K miles on it. I just experienced the exact problem. It turned out to be the oil sending unit. REPLACE WITH A GM ONLY!!
When I put my car in for it's last oil change, the mechanic (great guy) called me and said he noticed my oil sending unit was leaking. I told him to replace it. Two days after I picked up the car I was sitting at a stop light and the DIC alarm came on w/ low oil pressure. Like you, I switched to the monitor and was reading about 9 or 10 PSI. It came back up when I reved the engine a little, then went down to about 5 PSI and the light came on as it idled back. But the car had oil in it and was sounding / running fine.
My mechanic changed out the oil sending unit the next day and everything seemed fine until a week later when it happened again. Seems he was using an aftermarket unit. He replaced it again w/ a GM/Delco part and problem solved.
Hope you're enjoying the car as much as the rest of us!
It would be highly improbable the entire coil set would need replacing. There are 4 coils and each one can be replaced individually I think they are about $40.00 each. Just 2 screws hold each one in. If you are having a miss you can usually see an arc fire from the metal peg to the coil itself (removing a wire one at a time while the engine is at idle) So $600 is a lot considering the parts would amount to about $300 to replace all 4 coils and plug cables.
I don't have this problem, but I still want to understand. What is the oil sending unit? Is it responsible for physically sending/delivering oil and producing pressure in some way, or does it send a signal/reading??
The OEM coils are about $45 each at a discount GM dealer. Accel has a replacement at same price; they are yellow. I do not have the Accel part number at hand, but can find it if you need it. It is not likely that 4 coils failed at the same time.
OEM GM plug wires are expensive; I paid about $110 three months ago. AC Delco plugs are about $4 each. I don''t have information on labor as I did the work myself.
I replaced plugs and wires at ~83000 miles because of ignition misses.
The ignition module, which the 4 coils plug onto, is a possible culprit. It is a $400 part. The good news is that I have never seen any post about a defective one.
My dad's 1997 Regal GS started hesitating badly with about 90,000 miles on it (I'd noticed a slight hesitation for some time but he didn't) so he took it to the dealer. They wanted about $500 to change just the plugs and wires. So I guess that's a usual price to have it done. However, we both found it fairly unreasonable so I just did it for him. If you are reasonably handy, you may just want to do it yourself.
Greg, I think a better name for the part Larry is talking about is oil pressure sending unit. As sinatra said, it is what sends the oil pressure reading. It doesn't send any actual oil. They usually aren't too hard to replace, but sometimes are hard to find. They look and attach a lot like an O2 sensor. It's a big cylinder with a pigtail that screws into the engine somewhere.
Sinatra2's right. The oil sending unit is a sensor that screws right into the crank case and monitors the oil pressure. It's what sends the signal to the oil gauges or (in our cars) the monitor. Apparently my replacements weren't calibrated right from the aftermarket manufacturer for the Aurora and were sending the wrong readings to the DIC.
Twice in the last month, right after starting, my Aurora has chimed at me and displayed "Check Oil Level" on the DIC.
The first time was after just turning the car off (didn't wait more than 1-2 seconds before restarting it). Having just had the oil changed, I checked it after the engine cooled, and the level was fine. I attributed it to the quick re-start and thought nothing of it.
Well... it happened yesterday after lunch (car was off 30-45 minutes). I drove back to work and let it be (it just dinged right when I started driving), and checked the oil level (full) before going home.
It's cold outside (10 degrees F), so I don't know if that's related (don't remember what it was like the first time it happened). I do let the car warm up at least 1-2 minutes (more if it's colder), and don't push it above 2500-3000 rpm's until it's warmed up.
Thoughts? Ideas? I'll be sure to mention it to my dealer at the next oil change. Hope it's just a gauge anomaly, not a problem getting oil to the engine (since the level is fine)...
Hi - thanks for your helpful hints:) I'll look round for oil sending unit and try to replace it. Garnes: I bought the Aurora from US dealer and transported it to Poland. There are some people in Poland who worked in US and when they came back to Poland they've started their own business - they repeair us cars. The main problem is parts. If I order a GM part I have to wait about 2 weeks till it comes to Poland. Delco is worse. They offer only ship transport and I wait about 1 month:-( If you would like to visit Poland... you are welcome:) As far as I know there are about 5 Auroras in Poland (95-98).
I would make a suggestion that you invest in a service manual for the book that would address some of the questions you have. The service manuals can be found on the internet (I cant remember the website). As an alternative, the books are occasionally posted for sale on ebay. The books usually go for about $65.00.
Comments
Off-vehicle Dynamic balance
On-vehicle dynamic balance
On-vehicle runout check
Off vehicle runout check
Measure wheel runouts
Check index assemblies on wheel studs
Measure axle or hub flange runout
Check engine drive line imbalance.
I agree that changing the tires again will probably not solve the problem. my guess is it's either a bent rim which a wheel run out check would find , poor alignment or an imbalance with the drive axles and assembly.
Hope this helps you a bit.
Cheers for the New year
Roger
One big point to remind everyone about our common Aurora problems: if you have to have a part like the Alt. or a compressor replaced and you are paying for it yourself, most GM dealers offer the PartsPlus program which is a lifetime parts AND labor warranty so after you replace that waterpump the first time out of warranty, its basically the last time you will pay for it as long as you own the car. Just a reminder.
The rear main seal on my '95 seems to be leaking pretty heavily. I haven't determined a consumption rate yet, but have already had to put a quart in after only about 800 miles from the last oil change (could have not been filled all the way -- don't know yet). I typically change my oil every 3200-3500 miles and have NEVER had to put in any in between.
Other than the pulling the whole engine/trans out to fix it, does anyone have any suggestions that might at least slow it down?
Any help would be appreciated.
http://www.dot.state.wi.us/safety/consumer/rights/lemonlaw.htm
Where exactly do you live? If you decide to try taking it to another Olds dealer for diagnosis, I can recommend a couple in the state: Kuettner Olds GMC in Waukesha is my dealer, and they are very good (Renner Olds, where I bought my '98 used, was not). I've heard that Ahrens Cadillac Olds in Madison is pretty good (where my mother-in-law bought her '98 used). Hesser in Janesville was terrible (since closed).
Hope this helps,
--Robert
I thought I would try it if my leak gets any worse. I do have the extended warranty but I'm not sure I want just anyone doing serious work on my car.
Hope this helps
we are from Tomah . we purchased the car at bob burg in LaCrosse. We are very satisfied with the dealership and their service dept. I think is outstanding.They are working with us an are helping us get the ball rolling. I will make sure to keep you updated on our lemon. Thank's again.
Jim
The dealer took me that this is a normal operation condition for the Aurora with this type of air pump!!!!
When the air pump comes on it drains the electric system to much.
Has anyone else had this problem and is it a "normal condition" as the dealer said.....
What make my experience EVEN BETTER is that on that 240 mile trip my aftermarket warrenty EXPIRIED!!! Can you belive that, just hours after coverage is up, I dry up, and LOSE.
Murphy's law. Just hours after.
Filled it up today with some dex-cool approved, went straight to the Caddy/Olds dealer with an extra bottle of coolant in the back seat. I was planning on buying there Heritage Caddy 3-yr warrenty for $1700. Just talked to the Finace guy 3 weeks ago, never guess what happend next, They dropped that warrenty company 2-weeks ago, had problems paying the bill on a 3G head gasket leak. So He couldn't offer me any good warrenty on my high mileage 96, has 91K Only thing at the time I can get is 1-yr GM powertrain only for $1,110. That stinks. He said that there not even going to look for a warrenty company right now. This dealer sells mostly New Caddys so not a big priorty for them.
Thank you car gods. Haven't I been good to you? I buy you nice things, wash you with better towels than I use on my body, All ways feed you Premium from Amoco/BP. Why? Why? Why?
OK, interestingly enough, once a got to the dealer I checked to see how much leaked out. NOTHING. What's up with that? DIC still read Low coolant, My service guy guesses that it's a gasket. After the dealer I went to work, stoped checked in between, level was same, checked before and afterwork, same, and there weren't any spots on the pavement either. Makes things a little better. Going to find an aftermarket warrent this weekend and wait the 30-days before my first claim. Hopefully I don't get shafted.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Again, this only happens with the V6...
Hope this helps,
--Robert
that quote is music to my ears.
Henri
But...the SES light will stay on for a day or so, and then just one day, will turn off.
I don't have a aftermarket warranty on it yet..(any suggestions on one?), so i'm reluctant to take it to the dealership yet.
Any guesses on what could be causing that problem? So far I've tried switching from preminum gas to lower ones, still happens.
any guesses? anyone else experience that problem and find the cause?
Also....Looking at aftermarket warranties. I like accel warranty so far, but, there's a few things they don't cover which I'd like a warranty to cover. Like...the Engine control computer/module. Anyone ever have problemw ith their aurora's where those fail?
Can't speak for the warranty company you're looking at, but I have 1Source and they've been excellent. I've had 3 major repairs (AC compressor, IAC motor, and an electronic control module in the dash) - all covered with no hassles and at no cost to me. I recommend getting an "exclusionary" warranty, where they list what they won't cover, not what they do (lots of holes in that approach)...
Hope this helps,
--Robert
--Robert
(Check the obsession board for my postings about my repairs.)
Good Luck
Have fun!
PS Be careful not to loose any of the little ball bearings in the valve body.
My Aurora does not have an "off" button, but has a rotary knob to turn the system off. I have tried several different combinations of button pressing on the Driver Information Center and on the Climate control. But none got me to the diagnostic mode.
How is the done on the Aurora?
Thanks for the info
Dave
1. Turn the ignition switch ON. [Bruce notes: interestingly, the engine can be on or off]
2. On the cars up to 1995, on the Climate Control panel, press the OFF and WARM buttons simultaneously.
As for extended warranty, I'm getting ready to purchase one from warrantywizard.com. Right now they have a 4 yr/48,000 mile, $0 deductable, for $1149 or $1249. The $1249 plan (preferred price), covers far more components than the $1149 plan. It does cover the engine control computer. The $0 deductable is the best way to go. You can however get $100 deductable for a cheaper price. But first time you use warranty, the $0 deductable will pay for itself.
If I were you, I would definitely check them out.
Accel was $1349, or something to that effect, for 3 yr/36,000 mile.
You can pay total upfront, or they also offer 0% interest payment plans.
Your fuel pressure regulator is mounted to the fuel injector for cylinder no. 7. You will need to remove the plastic cover over the intake manifold. Take care with the gasoline that will leak out.
Michael from Poland (somewhere in Central Europe)
From Poland - very cool. I remember way back Zinc mentioned that somebody in Poland had an Aurora. Maybe you are this person. I hope your car has been good to you. Where do you get service for an Oldsmobile in Poland?
Off topic but what the heck - I took a vacation in Poland a couple years back. Absolutely beautiful country. I know some people there too. I'd like to visit again someday. The Aurora in Poland must get some attention.
I also have a '95. Mine has about 95K miles on it. I just experienced the exact problem. It turned out to be the oil sending unit. REPLACE WITH A GM ONLY!!
When I put my car in for it's last oil change, the mechanic (great guy) called me and said he noticed my oil sending unit was leaking. I told him to replace it. Two days after I picked up the car I was sitting at a stop light and the DIC alarm came on w/ low oil pressure. Like you, I switched to the monitor and was reading about 9 or 10 PSI. It came back up when I reved the engine a little, then went down to about 5 PSI and the light came on as it idled back. But the car had oil in it and was sounding / running fine.
My mechanic changed out the oil sending unit the next day and everything seemed fine until a week later when it happened again. Seems he was using an aftermarket unit. He replaced it again w/ a GM/Delco part and problem solved.
Hope you're enjoying the car as much as the rest of us!
If you are having a miss you can usually see an arc fire from the metal peg to the coil itself (removing a wire one at a time while the engine is at idle) So $600 is a lot considering the parts would amount to about $300 to replace all 4 coils and plug cables.
Good luck
Roger
Sorry if I sound stupid.
The OEM coils are about $45 each at a discount GM dealer. Accel has a replacement at same price; they are yellow. I do not have the Accel part number at hand, but can find it if you need it. It is not likely that 4 coils failed at the same time.
OEM GM plug wires are expensive; I paid about $110 three months ago. AC Delco plugs are about $4 each. I don''t have information on labor as I did the work myself.
I replaced plugs and wires at ~83000 miles because of ignition misses.
The ignition module, which the 4 coils plug onto, is a possible culprit. It is a $400 part. The good news is that I have never seen any post about a defective one.
Greg, I think a better name for the part Larry is talking about is oil pressure sending unit. As sinatra said, it is what sends the oil pressure reading. It doesn't send any actual oil. They usually aren't too hard to replace, but sometimes are hard to find. They look and attach a lot like an O2 sensor. It's a big cylinder with a pigtail that screws into the engine somewhere.
Sinatra2's right. The oil sending unit is a sensor that screws right into the crank case and monitors the oil pressure. It's what sends the signal to the oil gauges or (in our cars) the monitor. Apparently my replacements weren't calibrated right from the aftermarket manufacturer for the Aurora and were sending the wrong readings to the DIC.
The first time was after just turning the car off (didn't wait more than 1-2 seconds before restarting it). Having just had the oil changed, I checked it after the engine cooled, and the level was fine. I attributed it to the quick re-start and thought nothing of it.
Well... it happened yesterday after lunch (car was off 30-45 minutes). I drove back to work and let it be (it just dinged right when I started driving), and checked the oil level (full) before going home.
It's cold outside (10 degrees F), so I don't know if that's related (don't remember what it was like the first time it happened). I do let the car warm up at least 1-2 minutes (more if it's colder), and don't push it above 2500-3000 rpm's until it's warmed up.
Thoughts? Ideas? I'll be sure to mention it to my dealer at the next oil change. Hope it's just a gauge anomaly, not a problem getting oil to the engine (since the level is fine)...
Thanks, in advance,
--Robert
Regards
Mike
Thx and regards
Mike