First: ABOUT ME:
This is my first post. I wanted to thank any/all of you in advance for your assistance here. This car is meant to get the family around, and I'm trying to make sure it stays reliable. I know very little about cars, so don't hesitate to talk to me like I'm an idiot.

Second: ABOUT THE CAR:
1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, 4 door, Brougham, 3.8, V6. The car was bought by an older couple in 1987. They never went far with it. It only has 36,300 miles on it. [Yes, it has been confirmed that it isn't 136,300]. About 9 months ago, a man bought it for his teenage son. The son drove it drove it for about 2 months, then spent 4 months in jail. Upon getting out, he sold it to us about 3 months ago.

Third: WHAT WE HAVE DONE TO IT UPON BUYING IT:
We gave it a basic tuneup. New spark plugs and wires. New fuel filter. New air filter. New oil filter with the oil change. New battery. The cruise control mechanism seemed to be unhooked from the area of the carb when we got it, so I left it that way.

Last: THE ISSUE:
Everything about this car is great, except for one thing... I've been told to let the car warm up before driving it anywhere. I've noticed that during the morning warm up, when I come back outside [after about 10 minutes], the car is at a high idle. Not always, but most of the time. What holds true 100% of the time is that if I don't let that vehicle warm up for a bare minimum of 10 minutes, it will slowly die out [rattle down over a period of about 2 seconds] as soon as it is placed in gear. It has no issues re-starting, but it will die out again if you try it right away.

I dunno... Maybe this is common with all cars that have to be warmed up?

All I'm sure of is that I feel as though it will keep the younger kids safe, and we have a teenager who will be getting her learners permit soon. I'd like to know that what is happening with the car now, isn't something that could leave any of them stranded in the near future.

Again... I appreciate your help with this.

 

Time for a carb rebuild?

 

It seems to me the idle speed control isn't working properly or the carb is out of tune.
You should be able to cold start any car and be able to drive off right away unless it has been modified for some reason.
Find a reputable tuner local to you and let them sort it out, with the mileage your car has nothing should be worn out yet, although you could have issues due to lack of use.

No way should anyone on this forum talk to you like you're an idiot - you have a problem, don't know how to fix it, and you have asked for help, IMO the smart thing to do.
Ask any mechanic what he'd rather work on, a car that has developed a fault and been brought to his shop, or a car that has developed a fault, the owner has tried and failed to fix it then brought it in.
In the first case a competent mechanic can use his experience and knowledge to find and fix the fault, in the second case he has to unravel what has been done then fix the original problem.

Let us know how you get on please.

Roger.

 

Sound to me like a simple choke adjustment, or a vacuum line is off.
Seem to remember one of the problems with that motor is the carb loosened up, [for whatever reason] on the base, and just tightening the carb bolts resolved a lot of issues.
Remove the air cleaner assembly, and grab the carb at the top, and see if it moves when you twist it - if it does, tighten the carb to about 20 ft. lbs.
Look around for vacuum lines that're loose - if none, start the car and listen for a 'hissing' noise - might have a cracked line.
If you're not familiar with cars, leave it overnight with a mechanic to adjust the choke - car must be cold!!

 

Sounds like a good place to start. Begin with the simple stuff first.

 

Wow... You guys are absolutely amazing.

From the other threads I had read on this site before I created my own post, I could tell that you were all very knowledgeable. What I didn't expect was so many responses so quickly.

The car is cold at the moment, so I'm going to go ahead and take care of the suggestions that you all mentioned here. I will keep you posted on how everything works out. Again, thank you for everything so far.

 

Along with all of the above, check to see if your thermostat is stuck open. Does your heater work? Or maybe a bad coolant temp sensor. If the coolant temp sensor thinks the engine is cold, the ECM may mess with the mixture control solenoid or idle speed control. Those engins also had a heated carb base gasket that always burned out . I think you can check for continuity with an ohm meter. My first guess along with a carb rebuild (it's due) is a bad choke coil (or bad connection to it, or coil to carb choke housing )

 

If none of these solve the problem maybe its something with the torque converter locking up?
Is it a three speed or a four speed transmission?

 

I assume no check engine light? Does the CE light work when ignition is on, engine is off? Have you pulled any codes fromt he computer?

 

Does not sound like the problem I had 12+ years ago, but when I would approach a traffic light or stop sign the car chugged and shook and ultimately died. Started and restarted okay. Ended up being a bad torque converter solenoid valve, occasionally would not unlock (de-energize?) the transmission, causing the engine to stall.

 

Ya, my 88 Cutlass Classic did that. I just disconnected the solenoid on the trans. No lockup, but no stall either.

I hated that car. B)

 

I replaced my TCS on my 87 442 when it did that. Solved the whole problem.

I love that car.

 

Mine was a lemon. I didn't mean to trash the good ones.

When the TCS started locking up, I had a bad head gasket, most of the trim had fallen off, the frame behind the left rear wheel had rotted out, the electronic carb had various things wrong with it, creating intermittent starting issues, the steering wheel was loose (for a second time), had a bad wheel seal, the heater core had a hole in it and was bypassed, I was 21 with a kid and I was broke.

In the four years I owned it, I had to do all of the exhaust, change a bunch of gaskets, including the intake, oil pump, shocks, tie rod ends, radiator, timing chain, the interior smelled terrible, the trunk leaked and one day, I was putting the kid in the back and the floor board broke through.

On the plus side, the air conditioner and cruise worked....



I liked my Buick so much better, but I gave it to my Mom after I bought the Gutlass.

 

Actually doesn't sound like a lemon, it sounds like it was treated horribly by it's previous owner(s).