L67 Stalling, Flashing SES

[RebelGTP]

After I discovered that the battery was bad in my 40th, and I put a Red Top in, the car continued its gremlins...

The car will stall out of nowhere like it is starved for fuel, refuse to start for about 10-30 seconds, and when it does the exhaust is smoky black, smells like sulfur, and sputters for a little bit. After about 30 seconds of that behavior, the car will run like normal.

SES light flashes less than it did before the battery was replaced but flashes every now and then. SES light will stay on about 75% of the time.

I had it read and it came back to random misfires...

Any Insight? Coil packs are newish, and plugs are AC Delco Iridiums that are OEM spec on this engine. Plug wires have less than 10,000 miles on them.

Click to read more...

 

[KagA152]

you have a lean misfire (catalyst damaging is what the flashing means). I would double check the wires and plugs

 

[SilentShado]

For what it's worth I had the same issue but with a different car. I found that the plug wires were defective somehow because after I changed them the problem has been gone since. Been almost 2 years now. I'm not sure where you got the wires but I got mine from autozone, had a lifetime warranty no charge for new ones. If you have the same warranty might be worth a shot.

 

[Ron Vogel]

That can happen when the ICM goes bad.

 

[bikrboy128]

check the fuel pressure regulator for leakage into the vac line.

 

[RebelGTP]

The Wires are Delco from Stealership in 2008...

I'll have to check plugs on a weekend where I don't have to use the car... Mainly that is because the engine seized in my Intrepid...

I'm hoping this can be an easy fix... If not, I still have the service contract to fall back on ($250 deductible)

 

[THEHKP7M13]

you have a lean misfire (catalyst damaging is what the flashing means). I would double check the wires and plugs

Yes, try not to drive it until the issue is reesolved.

The Wires are Delco from Stealership in 2008...

I'll have to check plugs on a weekend where I don't have to use the car... Mainly that is because the engine seized in my Intrepid...

I'm hoping this can be an easy fix... If not, I still have the service contract to fall back on ($250 deductible)

OUCH! Whats the point with a deductible like that.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

like biker said, with the engine running or after cycling the key on and off a few times, pop off the FPR vac line real quick and smell for gas, quick and easy and it'll help narrow it down

 

[Mike K]

Flashing SES indicates random misfires, not a catalyst problem. Do you have any way of getting a code scanner on the car to read fuel trims or o2 readings? When was your front o2 sensor last replaced?

 

[Fish]

Flashing SES indicates random misfires

Or multiple.

 

[Eagle]

Flashing SES indicates random misfires, not a catalyst problem. Do you have any way of getting a code scanner on the car to read fuel trims or o2 readings? When was your front o2 sensor last replaced?

Although catalyst problems CAN cause misfire issues...

 

[Fish]

Although catalyst problems CAN cause misfire issues...

This is true too.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

but a bad catalyst will cause skewing of fuel trims/higher than normal boost readings, and severly limit higher rpm preformance

flashing ses during missfire is also a warning that catalyst damage can occur due to overtemp

 

[10sec]

Thats like something straight from wiki James FTW!

 

[Ron Vogel]

This is true too.

It's true, but I don't know what cat he's got on there...I've never seen a plugged cat on the stock 3800. Doesn't mean it couldn't happen, but it's unlikely.

 

[Fish]

It's true, but I don't know what cat he's got on there...I've never seen a plugged cat on the stock 3800. Doesn't mean it couldn't happen, but it's unlikely.

I dont remember either, but I thought he had some mods.

Ive "read" about people clogging cats, but never seen it on a locals car.

Id delete the cat and just have the code turned off. Thats just me though.

 

[Sinister Drag Designs]

Clogged cats on stock l67 and l36s does happen. Happen to a couple customers that had cars running very rich from bad injectors that stuck open.
Also happen to my first impala, though with over 300k miles it was bound to happen.

 

[Ron Vogel]

I dont remember either, but I thought he had some mods.

Ive "read" about people clogging cats, but never seen it on a locals car.

Id delete the cat and just have the code turned off. Thats just me though.

Yeah, On any other car I would never consider a cat a problem...but L67's need to be catless.

 

[02BlueGT]

I don't know what everyone is on about, Flashing SES is constant misfire, nothing else, all other codes set the light on continuous. Yes, a constant misfire can lead to Cat problems.... but only if it is ignition related, and you are dumping fuel out the exhaust (note that other problems will be caused by Gas washing down the cylinder walls in that cylinder(s) that misfiring

 

[Fish]

I don't know what everyone is on about, Flashing SES is constant misfire, nothing else

Multiple.

 

[Eagle]

Multiple.

 

[Ron Vogel]

Big difference between multiple and constant

"people are constantly taking my beer" "Multiple people are taking my beer"

Which scenaro would leave you beerless quicker?

 

[Fish]

People constantly taking multiple beers. In which I would make it a BYOB party.

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

P0300 = multiple/random misfire
p0301 - sp0306 = misfire in that cylinder
Flashing SES= Continuous Misfire with either of the above

 

[RebelGTP]

It was posting P0300.

And it is weird, the light went off a few days ago... nothing since... The Plugs are only 8 months old, but I have to set up a time where I can pull them out and check them.

Oh, and I haz no mods... I drive failboat...

Catless DP is E n T i C i N g though!