After my father passed away I inherited his 1991 Regency Elite with the 3800.
It has just under 300,000 miles on it, but it's still going. This is my primary vehicle as I have not yet fixed the brakes on my other Olds yet. (See this thread for that: https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...ety-eight.html)

My question is in regards to the '91 not starting when it's above 60 degrees outside. Sometimes I'll get in, turn the key, and nothing. I have to sit there with the radio on for ten minutes, then when it clicks off automatically the car will start. (Most of the time).
I figured it might be part of the security system, but my father had the ignition core removed and a standard one put into the steering column after the key wore out about 13 years ago. The original key had a chip in it.
I can't figure out why it only happens when it's warm outside, and why I have to leave the radio on. Any ideas?

 

The starter won't even engage? Or the engine won't fire. Either way it's over my head, I am asking for the sake of clarification for the people who are familiar with this vintage.

 

Nothing happens. The key turns, the lights work fine, the starter does nothing. The car has a courtesy mode, so I have to take the key out, wait ten minutes with the radio on, and then when it switches out of that mode the car will start. If it doesn't I have to wait ten more minutes.

I'd guess that it was haunted.

 

On my wife's car (02 Impala) the radio is somehow part of the ecm, or is the ecm. When did they start tying the units to the radio, or what else is tied to the circuit? Hypothesizing out loud here, cause this is WAY over my head. Just throwing stuff out to see if anything sticks to the wall so to speak. Does this ring of anything but stupidity to anyone? Any other thoughts, or ideas?

 

I think my catalytic converter croaked today. I was driving home on my lunch break when it started to shake really bad at a stop light. I pushed on the gas the whole car shook worse, but once I hit second gear it stopped.
It idles very rough, and I think I heard it backfire (or something broke), but once I get going everything seems okay.

I don't know, maybe it's time to retire it.

 

RE: car won't start and courtesy mode. I have a 95 Regency elite. It also has the "courtesy" mode you're describing. To cancel it, all you have to do is open the door. That opens the circuit. But if you're not even getting power to the starter, there's probably something wrong in the igintion module. Go to a trusted mechanic for a diagnosis or fix.

Not running right? If it's part of the cars electronics, it might reset if you stop the car, shut it off and then restart. If that doesn't have any effect, refer to the first item: see a good mechanic. The 3800 series 1 is a good engine overall and has a history of good performance. 300 000 miles? Depends on whether they were highway or city. Look at it this way...
the car cost you nothing. It was your dads. If it costs you even 1000. to fix and be reliable you're way ahead of the game with a helluva ride! + it's a real nice sentiment to remember your dad by??

 

That sounds awfully familiar to me. I drove my friend's 2002 Monte Carlo SS for a while. It had the pass key system and it would malfunction like that...same thing, 10 minutes right on the dot the car would start up. It was a pain in the ****! Especially when I had to leave for work or other important stuff.

 

Jon,
did you find out anything more about the pass key problem or the stumble on your car? I just had a ton of body work done to mine. Lately the electronic stuff (AC and PW) have been a little bit of irregular, but nothing that would cause a problem on the car.

One thing I read about: with the stumbling the coil packs could be faulty. Apparently they should get replaced in sets. If your car had just one set done, that might contribute. Has this car had the spark plugs AND wires changed in the last 60000 miles? It might be time. BTW on one of the rear spark plugs, you have to take off the blower motor and r.s. mounting braket to get to it. ALSO< > dumb as it sounds, pull the spark plug ends off the coil pac and lable them so you know what's going on. Look for any corrosion or rust build up on the tips of the coil pack where the spark plug boot sits. Clean it if you find any and put some lube like no corrode on the tips to keep it from coming back.

 

No, I wasn't able to fix it before the #5 piston gave out. I've signed the car over to a family friend who just happens to rebuild G-body Oldsmobiles.
He's already started to fix it for use this winter. It wasn't an easy decision, luckily I had my wife there to make it for me.

I spent last Tuesday cleaning and waxing the car before taking it over to him. My wife didn't understand why I'd spend time shining up a car I was giving away. I figured after 300,000 miles, getting my family out of a flood, surviving a tree falling on it, and getting us around town safely, it deserved it.

I have mentioned the issue with the ignition to him. He thinks it has something to do with the original key having the chip in it as well. The new key is just a standard key. I'll let you know what he finds out.