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Buick Park Avenue Engine Problems

51 messages,  Last post on Nov 12, 2011 at 6:07 PM

You are in the Buick Park Avenue Forum.

What is this discussion about? Buick Park Avenue, Engine, Sedan

Messages Page 2 of 6

#2 of 51 Re: under hood noise [raelayotte] by imidazol97

Sep 18, 2007 (10:49 am)

Replying to: raelayotte (Sep 18, 2007 8:13 am)
Can you describe the type of noise. Rushing air? Heavy rattling? Knocking?
 
How many miles on the car?

#3 of 51 hi by raelayotte

Sep 18, 2007 (11:28 am)

its sounds like a bad bearing 100000

#4 of 51 Re: hi [raelayotte] by imidazol97

Sep 18, 2007 (11:32 am)

Replying to: raelayotte (Sep 18, 2007 11:28 am)
Is it inside the motor?
 
If it sounds like a bearing, it could be idler wheel bearing on the serpentine belt, the air conditioning compressor bearing, or one of the others.
 
If it' a knocking erratic sound, it could be the crankshaft balancer moving in its rubber mount. Some of those loosen with age and give a heavy knock. Speeding up the motor spins things faster and reduces the uneveness of the crank's turning with the pistons firing and that might make the sound go away above idle.

#5 of 51 Re: under hood noise [raelayotte] by logicchoice

Sep 28, 2007 (4:11 pm)

Replying to: raelayotte (Sep 18, 2007 8:13 am)
The harmonic balancer (and they ALL fail) is about the only problem these Buick's have besides people forgettng to keep the supercharger's oil full. If you take the tension off the belts, you will feel that the pulley is loose from the inner hub. Since it is two pieces pressed together with rubber it will have to be replaced. The best place I found for a factory one is: http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/results.cfm
but maybe an aftermarket could be better since GM didn't get this part right.

#6 of 51 96 buick park avenue wont start by cbart_1

Oct 18, 2007 (4:12 pm)

It has power but when i turn the key nothing happens. I tried my wife's key and the same thing. The security light comes on and goes off like it should. The past two weeks I noticed that it was doing this, but I would just turn it off and start it again and it would work. Now it takes about 20 or 30 tries to get it to start. Someone told me there is an ignition switch on the steering column that would cause this but I don't know where it is or if he is even right. I dont think it is the security on the car. Please respond if you might know what it is that could cause this.

#7 of 51 Re: 96 buick park avenue wont start [cbart_1] by imidazol97

Oct 18, 2007 (5:33 pm)

Replying to: cbart_1 (Oct 18, 2007 4:12 pm)
You need to determine if there's spark and if the injectors are clicking as they inject fuel. You can touch the injector while someone cranks the car. You can take one spark plug wire off and lay it against metal and see if there's spark.

#8 of 51 Re: 96 buick park avenue wont start [cbart_1] by imidazol97

Oct 18, 2007 (5:34 pm)

Replying to: cbart_1 (Oct 18, 2007 4:12 pm)
You need to determine if there's spark and if the injectors are clicking as they inject fuel. You can touch the injector while someone cranks the car. You can take one spark plug wire off and lay it against metal and see if there's spark.
 
Also when you turn the key to "on" do you hear the fuel pump in the tank run for a couple of seconds? If it doesn't prime when the key is turned, the car has to crank long enough for oil pressure to build up and that turns on the main switch to the fuel pump. But that's not 20-30 tries; it's more like 5 seconds or so to build up oil pressure for the switch to trip.

#9 of 51 Re: 96 buick park avenue wont start [imidazol97] by cbart_1

Oct 18, 2007 (7:52 pm)

Replying to: imidazol97 (Oct 18, 2007 5:34 pm)
The engine does not turn over at all when the key is turned forward. It's as if there is no power going to the starter when I try to start the car. It does nothing. The starter is good I had it tested about a month ago. I really think it is the ignition switch, but I've never had this problem before so I'm not to for sure if that is the problem. Thanks for the reply.

#10 of 51 Re: 96 buick park avenue wont start [cbart_1] by imidazol97

Oct 19, 2007 (8:55 am)

Replying to: cbart_1 (Oct 18, 2007 4:12 pm)
Have the battery cables been compltely removed and cleaned? The cables inside may have corrosion also. The most common problem is the double layer contact on the positive connection. Take them apart and remove corrosion. Brighten the contact area if you have a wire brush or sandpaper.
 
I didn't understand that your starter wasn't turning.
 
Check the connections at the starter for corrosion also.
 
Starters do fail. If you see a lot of oil drips from the oil pan bolts, the oil drops that accumulate over miles can get into the starter and cause contact problems.
 
If you do get under the car, use jack stands..., but tap the starter with something heavy like a ball peen hammer or heavy screwdriver handle to see if that improves the contacts.

#11 of 51 Won't crank by kenu

Oct 27, 2007 (12:21 pm)

I have a 1997 Buick Park Ave. It over heated and I added more fluid. The next day, I went to crank it over, and it started for a second and stopped. I discovered through online discussions that the intake gasket leaked into the pistons. It was hydrolocked. I have replaced the gaskets, put in new plugs, and a new starter. The fluid was cleaned out of the pistons. The car will turnover without the plugs in. the car will not crank over at all once I put the plugs back in. No plug wires are crossed. Battery cable connections were cleaned. Also, I checked the valves and each valve is opening and closing. Any ideas?

Messages Page 2 of 6

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