fastflyer

Hello everyone, new here, my first post. I have a 1980 Supreme 2 door, 260 V-8 with 8,750 original miles. Yes, 8,750. The car was my dad's, when he passed my mother wanted me to have it. The car is perfect, never spent a night outside, no rain , no salt, always a heated garage. He was a professional mechanic and always had other cars to drive so this one is perfect. The car runs well but here's my problem. the check engine light comes on at idle. Once the rpm is brought up a couple hundred, the light goes out. Other than there are no other issues. I work on airplanes all day so so I'm pretty handy working on things, any ideas to steer me in the right direction? Thanks for your help, I'll try to get some pics posted, you won't believe this car.

Lady72nRob71

Welcome!
This link should help you a lot:
http://tlentz.oldsgmail.com/howto.html#Computer

I bet it is the TPS low (throttle position sensor) - I get that with my low mileage '86.
Being a variable resistor in the carb, I speculate that the gas fumes deteriorate it over time.
You can try to adjust it before replacing it (a pain to do).
http://tlentz.oldsgmail.com/howto.html#TPS

Post pictures of the car soon - sounds like a real cream puff!

cutlassgal

Welcome to our site! Some of the smart guys will be with you eventually, lol!! I hate idiot lights.... We do like pics if you have some to post.

Aron Nance

Welcome to CO, Fastflyer! Sounds like Rob is on track with the TPS, to me, from what I remember from y-e-a-r-s ago teaching clinics. Good luck. And, yes; pictures are always welcome.

fastflyer

Here's the car folks. 1980, 8750 original miles, all stock, claret metallic paint, dark claret interior, have all the paperwork, even the slip cover over the visor telling you how to use the seatbelts. Bought new by my dad, Sept 8, 1980. MSRP 8299.57

Lady72nRob71

Nice looking car! Glad you have kept it in the family so long and in such good shape. I do not see this style often - the mid 80s sedan front and rear on a late 70s coupe. I think it was offered only one year.

NorTown Olds

wow!! SHE'S A BEAUTY!! GREAT that you're keeping it! (Seems far too many folks cash-in on the sentimental value and hit cars like this to the auction circuit just for the quick $$$. To each their own I guess.)

Good luck tracking down the "Check Engine" light...one simple thing to check as a possibity if the troubleshooting procedures don't catch it out of the manual is if the Oxygen Sensor has been replaced at all recently...or came loose or whatever -- let's hope its something really simple IF the light is your only real "symptom" it should be an easy fix...

Good luck and WELCOME ABOARD again!!

my72vert

First thing to do is retrieve the trouble codes. You can do this by grounding pin 12 at the ALDL connector. I would suspect a code 45 which is a rich condition. If memory serves me correctly, there was a big black valve located near the oil spout. This valve was called a purge valve. It purged the fuel vapors from the charcoal cannister and sometimes filled up with gas causing a rich trouble code to be stored. Just a guess but at one time was a problem.

Welcome. Nice car.

fastflyer

Thanks for the kind words and help. As soon as it warms up some and the salt is all washed from the roads I will get the car home and use your advise and get her fixed, I'll let you know what I find....thanks again.