Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking


Search for (search options)
 



Guest
Anonymous Poster
donnatms1@aol.com

Jun 30, 2009, 1:20 AM

Post #1 of 11 (3701 views)
1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

My 91 Olds 98 (V6 - 3800) has surging speedometer - up to 100 mph but the car is going about 45-50 when it starts doing this. It also jerks badly. This is occassional occurence and once it settles down the car runs fine. Any suggestions on what might be causing this problem?

Thanks!


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jun 30, 2009, 11:50 AM

Post #2 of 11 (3686 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

It could be many things but the most likely cause would be the speed sensor.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran / Moderator
Loren Champlain Sr profile image

Jun 30, 2009, 11:50 AM

Post #3 of 11 (3683 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

My first inclination would be a faulty VSS (vehicle speed sensor). This would cause the eratic speedometer and trans. shifting. See if you can have the trouble code(s) retrieved and post them here. Most parts stores will retrieve them for you. Just don't let them sell you any parts, yet.
Loren
SW Washington


Guest
Anonymous Poster
donnatms1@aol.com

Jul 2, 2009, 12:55 AM

Post #4 of 11 (3667 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

Thanks for your help!


Guest
Anonymous Poster
donnatms1@aol.com

Jul 6, 2009, 6:02 AM

Post #5 of 11 (3645 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

Have you ever heard of an IAC valve causing this problem? The car has begun to die when you first start it in the mornings. It will restart immediately but will keep trying to die unless you hold your foot on the accelerator. My husband is sort of a back yard mechanic and has some knowledge so he pulled the IAC and was testing it. The speedometer did the surge to 50 and to 100 while the ignition was on but the motor wasn't running. My daughter has named this car Christine.....

In Reply To


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 6, 2009, 6:15 AM

Post #6 of 11 (3640 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

The IAC can certainly cause the stalling problem but I doubt it has anything to do with the speedometer.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Guest
Anonymous Poster
donnatms1@aol.com

Jul 6, 2009, 6:23 AM

Post #7 of 11 (3636 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

The IAC definitely tested bad and we have one on order and should be in today. We are going to go ahead and replace it. I just wondered about the speedometer doing that while he was testing it. Wasn't sure if some electronic signal or something from it could be causing the speedometer to go crazy while we were testing the IAC.


Guest
Anonymous Poster
donnatms1@aol.com

Jul 8, 2009, 8:26 AM

Post #8 of 11 (3611 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

We replaced the IAC and the car no longer stalls but it still does the irratic speedometer surge but it doesn't seem as frequent. Is there any way to test the speed Sensor that you know of?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Jul 8, 2009, 9:04 AM

Post #9 of 11 (3607 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

Yes, but it requires the use of a lab scope.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Guest
Anonymous Poster
donnatms1@aol.com

Jul 20, 2009, 4:43 AM

Post #10 of 11 (3562 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

Just thought I would let you guys know what finally fixed this car. It was the ECM. I talked to my brother who is also a certified ASE certified mechanic and he advised us on how to check the ECM. We replaced it and all is as it should be. Thanks for all the input and your help!

Donna


Loren Champlain Sr
Veteran / Moderator
Loren Champlain Sr profile image

Jul 21, 2009, 1:24 PM

Post #11 of 11 (3552 views)
Re: 1991 Olds 98 Speedometer Surge and Jerking Sign In

Glad to hear you got 'Christine' up and running. Thanks for letting us know the 'fix'. Have a great week.
Loren
SW Washington






 
 
 






Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap