Issue with '98 Grand AM SE

Okay, here's the problem I'm having, but first, a little background.
Pontiac Grand Am SE. V6, 2 door. 118,000 miles (approx.) Just changed all but 1 sparkplug (didn't have enough money). Got it to run finally, but however, when I took it around the block to see how it was running, the accel was sluggish, as the engine was slow to rev in gear, but out of gear, it rev'd fine. I'm getting blue and white exhaust (sometimes at the same time), and it feels like the car is going to stall every so often.

Any insights or suggestions? Is it worth fixing, or should I just break down and buy a new car?

Thanks in advance.

- VB

blue smoke... i think that means you blew a head gasket. it so scrap it that will cost you like $2000 to fix. it could be the cadiletic(sp?) converter. that you can fix for like $500 or so maybe less.

ive had an 88 grand an and now a 03 grand am... ive had good luck with them other than your typical shit that fails on all cars at some point and time.

When you say the accelerator is sluggish, it leads me to think one thing. Fuel filter. I've had it happen to me before. When I revved it out of gear, it was fine, but pulling a hill or hard accelerating, it was sluggish as hell.

Check your fuel filter first, it could be clogged or stopped up. IF that doesn't work, check the air filter for obstructions. Then, if that doesn't work, pony up $0.54 and go buy a fucking spark plug, you cheap bastard.

Blue smoke is more than likely oil seeping past the rings and making it's way into the detenation chamber or where the gas is set on fire and makes the car go. Your rings are more than likely shot and need to be replaced. I wouldn't worry about that right now, especially if it's only smoking on start up. That's pretty common with cars over 100,000 miles on them

White smoke could be a number of things. Oil seeping into the combustion chamber along with advanced or retarded timing. Your timing could be out of whack causing your fuel mixture to be too lean or too rich causing your car to run sluggish.

Try those and get back to me. Or, take it to a Chevy mechanic, let him inspect it and diagnos it.

Oh, for the record Arch009, a head gasket replacement isn't gonna cost $2000. Trust me, I've helped people do probably 20 head gasket jobs. They aren't that complicated nor that expensive. Just time consuming. Nothing major as long as water doesn't seep into the combustion chamber and cluster fuck a valve.

well i think SP beat me to it and summed it up...plus check the wires along with the plugs a faulty wire can give the same sluggish shit you get with a shitty plug.. but check the simple shit before you dish out the bucks...

sounds like its running on 5 or less, it should vibrate more than normal at idle if so. i'd check the cheap stuff first before a gasket or a cam. The timing shouldn't be retarded, your fancy computer in there should conrol that. i would bet that if you get new plugs in, and did you remember to check the spark plug gap?, it might fix it. if not i would just run some fuel injector cleaner through it. that should help anway, if not i'd try new plug wires, if not that maybe 12 bucks for a cap and rotor for your distributor. My advice is to First ask the guy at the auto parts store. He'llknow what you need.

sounds like an intake gasket, very common on those cars

It's hard to say whats causing the sluggishness, but i would start with new plugs, wires, and ignition coil and pick up some throttle body cleaner and clean it out real good it could have carbon causing the throttle plate to stick,and check for a vacuum leak somewhere aswell.
I know the parts stores around here loan out OBD2 scanners it wouldn't hurt to check to see if your computer is storing any codes that may give you a better idea as to what the issue is.
The smoking issue if it just does it at start up but goes away after it warms up it's usually valve seals if i remember right, but if it continues to smoke even after its warm and gets worse when you hammer on it like the poster above said it's more than likely a bad ring.

just had some of the symptoms you explained with a 96 grand am...it was caused by the anti-theft system. the system would interupt the fuel system/cut it off, making it sluggish. as far as the smoke goes, have you had the smell of anti-freeze? if that's the case, it is more than likely a head gasket

mass air flow sensor

Quote:

Originally posted by SouthPaw

pony up $0.54 and go buy a fucking spark plug, you cheap bastard.

Where we're you stealin it from?

Thanks for the info guys, I think it might be worth it to take it to a Chevy dealer and have them look at it. If it's gonna cost more then a decent down payment on a car, I might just go buy a new car.

could be just about anything

Quote:

Originally posted by bob_bj007

if not i would just run some fuel injector cleaner through it.

I think not. Injector cleaner bores rather than clean the fuel injector. I would dump 1 litre of transmission fluid per 20 gallons of fuel into the fuel tank. Transmission fluid is a detergent which scrubs and cleans anything it touches. Ever wonder why a transmission looks so clean on the inside?

Quote:

Originally posted by agentdave

mass air flow sensor

That's $300+. We could definately try the cheap route first.

Quote:

Originally posted by GoatMan

could be just about anything

Thanks for the valueable input, sherlock.