I recently acquired a 94 Cutlass Supreme convertible and overall is a solid car but has an issue on start up when cold. The engine wants to cycle up and down between 500 rpm and 1500 rpm for several minutes until it warms up. Sometimes it stalls during this oscillation and sometimes not. Once it warms ot operating temperature this goes away so it seems to be an issue during open loop warm up I am guessing. Also it failed a recent smog check for apparently having a leak in the evaporative return system so not sure if the two are connected here and also looking for some thoughts on a typical failure point for the evaporative return system as this runs the entire length of the car in a combination of rubber and hard plastic tubing. ( fyi it wasn't the gas cap )


Any thoughts or experiences here that could be helpful are appreciated.


Grant

 

3.1 or 3.4

On my 3.4 the intake gaskets were a culprit. Along with an idle solonoid I believe

 

Sorry, 3.4 engine.. Intake gaskets sound like fun.

 

NHolds is right on both counts, that's probably it. I bought a 1994 SL Hardtop new with the 3.4 and mine has since been replaced, I think it was at about 55,000 or so. Another thing, watch your oil very closely, check it at least once a week for about the first 1500 miles you put on the car, or after you've gone on a long trip. Check for how much oil you lose. These motors had an issue with oil consumption, I think it was due to bad positioning of a PCV valve or something like that. The oil just goes away, mine was so bad I lost a quart between every 500 and 1000 miles. And it never smoked, it still runs fine. I think there may have been a recall, but I missed the memo due to moving to CT in 1995 and I still have this problem. Well not so much me, I gave the car to my dad and I always check the oil for him when I visit him. It always needs more.

 

Thank you for the info guys.


Appreciate it.