Problem with 93 Cadillac Deville

Sniper82

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
16,517
0
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My bro has a 93 Cadillac Deville with I think a 4.9 in it and for some reason if he drives it more than say 30-40 miles it dies and won't start back unless you let it set. Sometimes you can let it set for 15mins sometimes 2 hours. All lights come on but it just won't crank. He said sometimes before it does it, you can be driving and it acts like it ain't getting any gas. That makes it sound like a fuel issue but doesn't explain why the car won't crank once it has died.

Any ideas? Sounds like a sensor but who knows.
 

RU482

Lifer
Apr 9, 2000
12,689
3
81
dammit....I've heard of this problem with other GM cars, but I can't think of what it is.
you might check AutomotiveForums.com. I'm sure they have a deville section you could search.
good luck
 
Aug 26, 2004
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i had this exact problem on my buick regal and it turned out to be the crankshaft postition sensor

has he hooked it up a code reader yet?
 

Sniper82

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
16,517
0
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Originally posted by: quakefiend420
i had this exact problem on my buick regal and it turned out to be the crankshaft postition sensor

has he hooked it up a code reader yet?

Yeah but all tested fine. He said the guy told him that the car would probably needed to be hooked up when it was having the problem. But of course when it's having the problem he's usually broke down somewhere.
 
Aug 26, 2004
14,685
1
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Originally posted by: Sniper82
Originally posted by: quakefiend420
i had this exact problem on my buick regal and it turned out to be the crankshaft postition sensor

has he hooked it up a code reader yet?

Yeah but all tested fine. He said the guy told him that the car would probably needed to be hooked up when it was having the problem. But of course when it's having the problem he's usually broke down somewhere.

the code should still stay in the system for a while

tell him to rent an obd1 reader and keep it with him, when it freaks out see what it says
 

Sniper82

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
16,517
0
76
what exactly does a crankshaft postition sensor do? Could this likely be the problem? How hard and how much did it cost you to fix it?
 
Aug 26, 2004
14,685
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Originally posted by: Sniper82
what exactly does a crankshaft postition sensor do? Could this likely be the problem? How hard and how much did it cost you to fix it?

detects the position of the crankshaft and reports it to the ecu? :confused:

LOL, i'm not 100% sure what it does, honestly...it cost me about $50 for the sensor and cost an hour of labor to install it

right around a c-note took care of it, IIRC

my knowledge of cars is somewhat limited...i understand how an internal combustion engine works, and can do simple stuff like an alternator, battery, belt, tune ups, and some sensors, stuff like that... so long as they're easy to get to and i know what i'm looking at

do a google search, i'm sure you'll find out :)

 

Sniper82

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
16,517
0
76
One site said this:

An occasional problem on this vehicle is failure of the Crankshaft Position Sensor. Failure of the Crankshaft Position Sensor can cause the engine to not start or stall. The cost to replace the Crankshaft Position Sensor is estimated at $52.68 for parts and $58.50 for labor. All prices are estimates based on $65.00 per flat rate hour and does not include diagnostic time or any applicable taxes.

By not start I wonder if they mean not crank at all(like a dead battery)?
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
10,621
1
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Originally posted by: Sniper82
One site said this:

An occasional problem on this vehicle is failure of the Crankshaft Position Sensor. Failure of the Crankshaft Position Sensor can cause the engine to not start or stall. The cost to replace the Crankshaft Position Sensor is estimated at $52.68 for parts and $58.50 for labor. All prices are estimates based on $65.00 per flat rate hour and does not include diagnostic time or any applicable taxes.

By not start I wonder if they mean not crank at all(like a dead battery)?
No, it should still crank. The CPS is there so the computer knows the position of the pistons in the cylinders, so it fire the spark plugs and fuel injectors at the right time to make the engine run.

Edit: N/m - just saw that the 4.9 doesn't have one.