I really need help finding an engine gremlin. (kinda long)

**nitrox28** · 04-21-2007, 05:45 AM

Here's the deal: I parked my Firebird in the garage last October and drove my Jeep all winter. A couple of weeks ago I changed the oil in my Bird, washed and detailed it and drove it a few times when the weather was warm with no problems. Strong battery, perfect idle, ran really strong. A few days ago I tried to start my car and it cranked really hard and didn't fire. I backed the key off and tried again and NOTHING. No cranking, no clicking, nothing. So I backed the key off again and tried again and it cranked and didn't fire again. This went on a few times until it fired right up and idled perfect and ran perfect. Yesterday it did the same thing but it idled like it was firing on 3 cyinders and it was pouring white smoke out of the exhaust and it smelled like raw gas. Then it cleared out and ran like a champ. THOUGHTS??? I thought it might be the sparkplugs or in need of a gas treatment but sometimes when I hit the key and there is no response whatsoever like there isn't even a battery in the car. I'm confused. HELP!!

**Steve Crowe** · 04-21-2007, 08:24 AM

First couple of things I'd eliminate are relatively easy tests.

1) Unhook the NEGATIVE terminal of the battery for at least an hour and while you've got it off also remove the positive terminal and clean both terminals and both connectors on the battery.

Leaving it unhooked for at least an hour will allow the PCM to reset and cleaning the terminals eliminates the possiblity of an internittent connection that could play heck with your electronics.

2) Get the alternator tested. More than one extremely strange manner of intermittent behavior has been traced to an alternator with a "noisy" output.