those look like Oldsmobile wheels.

Yeah, they're newer alloys. Alero, I think.

I take it you approve then?

thats the lumina that donald duck drove in the commercial!

Posted by CDSbigsby Yeah, they're newer alloys. Alero, I think. I take it you approve then?

compared to steelies:

Yeah, ordinarily I prefer steelies, but they just make a lumina look right at home in a trailer park.

I just have horrible luck with cars.

The Lumina is now stalling out when pulling away from a stop. It has new plugs and wires on it, from what I can find online it seems to be pointing towards either a MAF sensor, Throttle Position Sensor, or Crank Position sensor.

Agree / disagree?

Posted by CDSbigsby I just have horrible luck with cars. The Lumina is now stalling out when pulling away from a stop. It has new plugs and wires on it, from what I can find online it seems to be pointing towards either a MAF sensor, Throttle Position Sensor, or Crank Position sensor. Agree / disagree?

Is it throwing a code? You can throw sensors at it all day long...

Posted by CDSbigsby I just have horrible luck with cars. The Lumina is now stalling out when pulling away from a stop. It has new plugs and wires on it, from what I can find online it seems to be pointing towards either a MAF sensor, Throttle Position Sensor, or Crank Position sensor. Agree / disagree?

cold or hot?
is the CEL or SES light lit?
is it outright quitting, or bucking to a stall?
does it restart easily? Does it do it all the time?
If it does not do it all the time, what are the conditions when it does?

No idiot lights on, though for all I know it may be burnt out.

When I first start it in the morning or when leaving work, it's fine for a few blocks, but the longer I drive it the more likely it is to sputter or die pulling away from a stop.

When it dies, it's always right away, as soon as you hit the gas. Or, if you hit the gas lightly, it sputters and if you leave off of it, it will keep running until you hit the gas again...And it will sputter and die. You have to feather the gas very lightly to keep it running. It doesn't buck to a stop, just quits nice and peacefully.

I've been popping it into neutral and holding the gas lightly at stop lights and it's fine. Or holding the gas lightly while on the brake, just enough to keep it running.

It always starts right back up no problem.

it's one of three things... intake air temp sensor, coolant temp sensor or you have a cracked coil pack.
the first two are very cheap and easy to replace. The last one, not too too bad.

Get the car up to temperature, you know 180-200F. Take a spray bottle of water (this works best in the shade or the dark). Spray the corners of the coil packs where they bolt to the ignition module. On this model 3.1L that's kind of a douch as they are under the front exhaust manifold. Here's what happens... the coil pack cracks around the bolt hole. When the car is cold, the coil pack stays together. As it heats up, well duh, it expands and begins to misfire. When you spray water at it, you should see an arc. I have seen one (in a 90 Z24) do what yours is doing.
Also, I had a 92 Lumina as a garage beater that would mysteriously quit and refire. That was coolant temp sensor giving wonky readings.

now all of this sounds what the fuck, right?

Oh, when you turn the key to ON, the CEL/SES light should come on. Also, upon engine start, it should stay on for a couple of seconds. If it's burned out, well, you won't see shit.

One of my GM friends suggested the MAP sensor, but you said it is running fine when it runs. Personally, my gut is telling me its one of these things.

I'd be interested in fuel pressure, too. I had a BMW with the same issues, turned out to be a weak pump.

And the BMW would start EVERY time after it quit and run fine.

Fuel pump and filter are new in it, that's what I initially thought, too.

And samurai, thanks for the info, I'll try that. Though when I say it's running fine when it's running, I mean the feeling...it's got plenty of pickup, and there's no lag in the throttle (until you try to start from a stop), but it's hard to tell about the sound because there's an exhaust leak and the catalytic converter is hollow. It sounds like it may have a miss though.

Don't forget about the ignition module the coil packs are mounted on top of- they can do funny things.

Also, don't forget the odd ball things, like a bad or gummy ignition switch. Seen something similar on a car that sat a few years. Would just cut out for no reason, and the switch was slowly going back till it killed the engine. I dunno why or how, just know it did. Was a APV if I remember so similar to yours. Kinda.

I had to deal with this issue on my friend Nancy's Lumina; turns out it was water getting under the hood during the rain and entering the throttle body via the IAC. I put a O-ring around the IAC and that solved the problem in addition to fixing the hood leak.

does this Lumina have the 3 or 4 speed automatic?

I had to deal with this issue on my friend Nancy's Lumina; turns out it was water getting under the hood during the rain and entering the throttle body via the IAC. I put a O-ring around the IAC and that solved the problem in addition to fixing the hood leak.

The problem is no worse or better in any weather condition. Appreciate the suggestion, though.

does this Lumina have the 3 or 4 speed automatic?

It's auto, but I'm honestly not sure. I stomped it on flat road today and only counted 3, but I may have just not had time to get into 4th.

--New symptom started today. When I first went to start it up in the morning, and then again when leaving work after it sat all day, I turned the key and it didn't do anything the first time. Dash lights came on, but no 'click' or anything. Turned the key again without touching the gas, and it started, but immediately died. Started it again while giving it gas and it fired right up. This makes me think fuel pump...But I know for a fact it's been replaced within a year, if not within 6 months.

Posted by CDSbigsby The problem is no worse or better in any weather condition. Appreciate the suggestion, though. It's auto, but I'm honestly not sure. I stomped it on flat road today and only counted 3, but I may have just not had time to get into 4th. --New symptom started today. When I first went to start it up in the morning, and then again when leaving work after it sat all day, I turned the key and it didn't do anything the first time. Dash lights came on, but no 'click' or anything. Turned the key again without touching the gas, and it started, but immediately died. Started it again while giving it gas and it fired right up. This makes me think fuel pump...But I know for a fact it's been replaced within a year, if not within 6 months.

the reason I asked if it was a 3 or 4 speed had to do with the torque converter lockup. GM's had a thing where the solenoid that controlled the lockup would fail and not allow the converter to unlock. kind of like coming up to a stop sign in 5th gear and not pushing the clutch in. I've put three or four toggle switches in various A and X bodies over the years to combat this issue. Way to tell if yours is a 3 or 4 is to look at the indicator... if it's a 4 speed, the D will be in a circle followed by another D, then 2, then 1.

now with the fuel pump, is it loud, whiny? has the car been run empty or sat empty for a bit? Does the fuel pump cycle when you turn the key to ON (not start)?

A shot of Lucas Injector Cleaner in the tank and it's...Maybe not perfect, but a hell of a lot better.