Goes out during acceleration after warming up

Daniel Szymonik

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Oct 4, 2021
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Hi everyone, my oldsmobile cutlass supreme from 1987 with 307, after driving some 10 miles, it goes out while accelerating. Olds starts up normally and also accelerate well until I drive aobut 10 to 15 miles. It is starts fading away as I start to accelerate. I replaced the fuel pump, fuel filter, air filter, checked the catalytic converter, ignition distributor, ignition coil, ignition control module, pick up coil was also chacked it has about 900 ohms when teeth are facing each other, no short to housing. There is no ,,check engine light on". after it goes out, it can be turned on, but it accelerates poorly and if you go above 40 miles per hour, it starts to go out again. However, if I wait a little 10 15 minutes, it can be normal again and speed up, unfortunately for a short time and the problem returns.Also I checked spark plugs, they look fine ( are clear as if the mixture is too lean) I should mention that my problems started after driving in very heavy rain for some 15 miles on the highway, there were even puddles on the road in places. after the rain had stopped, when I wanted to accelerate above 60 miles per hour, the car started to go out. Any ideas ?
 
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Olds 307 and 403

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Oct 4, 2018
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Melville, Saskatchewan
What transmission? Is it kicking down on acceleration? I would check grounds and the sensor connectors for moisture.
 

Daniel Szymonik

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Olds has 3 speed with overdrive transmission, Yes it is kick down when I when stepped on the gas pedal. But after I drive about 10 to 15 miles it is starting to clogge during acceletation
 

Olds 307 and 403

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Oct 4, 2018
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Melville, Saskatchewan
Double check your TV cable setting. It could be the transmission solenoid sticking on, that will make it sluggish. You say the check engine light is coming on, while driving? Then goes out and it drives normal?
 

Daniel Szymonik

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No there is no check light on at all. It is just starting to clougge and jerk during accelerate. It happens after I drive 10 to 15 miles, before that engine works quite good and accelerate very well. Where I can find TV cable and transmission solenoid?
 

Daniel Szymonik

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When transmission is on P (parking) position, engine is running and Its hot (after 15 miles ride) and I step down on gas pedal to the end engine starts jerk, clouge and sometimes goes out.
 

Daniel Szymonik

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I have no idea what;s going on. I try with brand new ICM, that I bought today. I was replacing my original ICM with a used one. I will try with brand new and I use spark tester. I have to keep trying,
 

Olds 307 and 403

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Oct 4, 2018
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Next thing I would check is the TPS. Check for 5 volts, ground and approximately .5 to 4.5 volts with a clean sweep, using a volt meter. I have seen those symptoms from a bad TPS.
 

Daniel Szymonik

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I think it will be Ignition problem, please take a look on this movie I made
From 8:10 minutes you can notice that the light starts intermittent and finally goes out while driving. I will just remind you that I replaced distributor, rotor and ICM. I do not replace ignition coli and pick up coil BUT I measured them, They seems to be good. My by I should measure them after heated up. And one question - does my Olds have a crankshaft position sensor?
 

Olds 307 and 403

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Oct 4, 2018
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Get a replacement coil and start there, if it is ignition related. It may be starting to fail. The pick up coil is a PIA to change, I would pick up a used distributor to try. Unless the wires are frayed, they usually just out right fail. I have seen 3 do that on GM HEI's, just dead out of nowhere.
 

Daniel Szymonik

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The wires seems to good, I mean insulation lokks very well. I will measure the resistance of the ignition coil and pick up coil right after the car goes out again. Maybe something happens to them after they. I am terrified of replacing the pick up coil, because it involves replacing the entire distributor and I will have to set the ignition again warm up
 

Daniel Szymonik

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Hi, Could You tell me what is the white wire with brown plug for? It is connected to the distributor, the other wire - red one with white plug is +12V supply for the ignition and I have 12V between red wire and distributor housing. But what is the white wire for? Voltage between red and white wire is 0V sometimes jumps to 6 V.
 

Daniel Szymonik

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IMG_20211023_184724.jpg
IMG_20211023_184647.jpg
 

Olds 307 and 403

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Oct 4, 2018
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Melville, Saskatchewan
Do you have a factory tachometer?
 

Daniel Szymonik

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Do you have a factory tachometer?
On the dashboard I have only speedometer. I dont have any RPM meter. On this white wire with brown plug are 3 symbols ,,PED". And one more question - What is the resistance for spark plugs wires? I measured 50MOhms on one wire and about 20kOhms on another after the engine was beaten, I did not messure all the wires, only this two. In my opinion diffrence is to high. What do You think ?
 

Olds 307 and 403

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Oct 4, 2018
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Melville, Saskatchewan
Buy new wires, those sound very high, even for factory GM Packard wires. Most performance wires are 500 ohm per foot at the most, so 1000ish per wire. I actually have Accel wires that have less than 100 ohm per wire and still provide radio interference protection. Not 100% sure what that wire is. The brown wire with a stripe is the one that needs grounding to check timing. I believe grounding the A to B terminal does the same.
 

Daniel Szymonik

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Oct 4, 2021
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Buy new wires, those sound very high, even for factory GM Packard wires. Most performance wires are 500 ohm per foot at the most, so 1000ish per wire. I actually have Accel wires that have less than 100 ohm per wire and still provide radio interference protection. Not 100% sure what that wire is. The brown wire with a stripe is the one that needs grounding to check timing. I believe grounding the A to B terminal does the same.
When I turn key on the ON position - voltage between red and white wires was 0,5V and and I noted 6V several times but most the time voltage is nearly 0V. Of course I will change the all spark plug wires
 

Olds 307 and 403

Well-known member
Oct 4, 2018
996
265
63
Melville, Saskatchewan
Turn off the power and do a resistance check on the red and white coil wires. It could be starting to break down but they usually last the life of the vehicle. It probably only has full voltage cranking and running. Do a TPS check for voltage with the key on, moving the throttle by hand. Black will be ground, one will be around 5 volts and the other should be .4 to 4.5 volts depending on throttle position.
 

Daniel Szymonik

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Oct 4, 2021
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Turn off the power and do a resistance check on the red and white coil wires. It could be starting to break down but they usually last the life of the vehicle. It probably only has full voltage cranking and running. Do a TPS check for voltage with the key on, moving the throttle by hand. Black will be ground, one will be around 5 volts and the other should be .4 to 4.5 volts depending on throttle position.
Okey I will do that and let You know, Thanks :)
 

Daniel Szymonik

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Oct 4, 2021
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Unfortunately, I replaced the cables and checked the spark plugs, they are all good. It is possible that there is a mechanical fault in the distributor (lubrication, bearings) that causes its excessive heating which leads to the ICM shutdown? Do you know where is relay module located? Maybe something is wrong with the ignition relay?
 

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