1995 Eldorado ETC- Engine quits, vibrating accelorator pedal.

1995 Eldorado ETC.- 146,000 miles.  About 6 months ago while running along at 60 mph or so the engine quit. While coasting in neutral and trying to restart several times it fired right back up and ran normally. Never had a problem again until yesterday. Car ran fine to the store but wouldn't start for the trip home. It sounded like it was firing but only on a couple cylenders and then it would die. I heard it pop like a backfire from the engine compartment once or twice while it was trying to run. The accelerator pedal was vibrating against my foot as it was trying to start and any attempt to touch it made no difference. After about 10 trys or so, letting it sit for about 30 seconds between each try it started right up and ran normally. When I got home I started it in the drive several times and it started normally each time. Today it quit running again twice, accelerator vibrating, but while traveling about 50 mph the first time and 35 the second time. Both times after several tries it fired right back up. Any ideas ? Thank you - Jim 

Afraid to drive it anywhere because it might cut out without warning I took it to the dealer to have a look. They ran a complete diagnostics on it and couldn't find anything on the fault codes. They had it for a week and said they drove it extensively, nothing. I told them the next time it happened, hopefully where I can get safely to the side of the road with it, I won't try to restart it and just call a tow truck. Great vehicles when they're right but I expected a lot more from the diagnostics check. - Jim H.

fuel issue?
fuel filter, water in gas, fuel reg, injectors?

Thanks for the reply, I thought about a fuel problem too but I was told that the diagnostics computer should have picked that up showing a fuel pressure problem if it was the pump or filter or in the case of water in the gas, a bad fuel mixture (rich or lean).  Might be worth putting some gas treatment in it I suppose. - Jim H.

I wonder why the tech said that.  Your issue is sporadic and non-predicatble so
I dont think the diag computer would see it unless it happens when you are looking at it.
I may be wrong, but it still sounds like a fuel or fuel system issue to me.

Could the fuel pump be stalling or having momentary lapses or the fuel filter clogs for an instant? 
IF it did, the car simply thinks you run out of fuel.  Does running out of fuel trow a code in your car?

Also, there are two natioanl problems that few think about. 
  - IF you buy corn additive fuel, it starts to gel in about 15 days and starts to clog things up.
  - IF you buy gas right after or during the time when the tanker fills the ground tanks,
     you could get sediment or moisture pumped into your car tank.  The filling stirs up
     whatever is in those ground tanks.




.

I'm not sure if lack of fuel would throw a code but I would assume if the diagnostic computer would show a lean or rich condition it should show that. Then again the problem is sporadic but I understand the computer holds fault codes in it's memory for a period of time. Why a fuel filter would become totally clogged and then clear itself again is beyond me though. At this point I suppose one guess is as good as another. Thanks for your ideas on it, - Jim H.

My car doesnt trwo codes for out-of-fuel. 

In regards to your comment of the fuel filter, it is not unheard of having syrup or gel in the tank.  This is stuff that can block and later let go.  Sort of like a blood clot.  Not that it is that common, but still a posibility. 
I have also dealt with a series of malfunctioning fuel pumps that would halt and then restart.  I could actually hear the pump running and then slowly stop.  Bearings or bushing problem I think.  At any case, I had to drop the fuel tank twice. PITA.

...........the gel, think it's called napalm *chuckle*. I've been using the car since I've had the trouble and it hasn't done it again. I'm going to try a fuel filter and see what happens. You mention dropping the tank, I take it the fuel pump is in the tank? I wouldn't fool with something like that. I love getting in deep with motorcycles but cars, nope. Thanks again for your input.  - Jim H

Well the week before last, heading to work, 65 miles per hour - flame out again. Coasted to the side of the road and called a roll back this time without trying a restart. The local Cadillac dealer called me later that day to tell me it was an intermittent short causing the fuel pump to stop and the fuel filter would need replacing too. $940.00 later I picked it up the next day and drove it to dinner that evening. Backing out of a parking space after dinner it felt like it dropped a cylender but when I put it in drive it picked right up again. Driving it home you could feel the miss getting more frequent. I ran it in second gear at about 4000rpm for a mile or two to see if it might clear but returning to normal driving it seemed to be getting worse. I looked at the bill later that evening and in the notes section it read "slight miss, needs plugs and wires replaced". I had the platinum tipped plugs and wires replaced approximately 40,000 miles ago at 100,000 miles so the next morning I went out, popped the hood, pulled the engine cover and started looking for an errant vacuum hose or a loose plug wire. It was almost too easy, the plug wire on the rear bank on the drivers side wasn't down tight and after pushing it on the car is back to it's flawless running self. Wonder if I can bill them now? - Jim H.     

Eldo, nice find, and there oughta be a law!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Send them a bill.

man, i'm good, sometimes.  the  e-monster attacks again.
glad to see yours running well.

I be interested to hear WHERE the short was.

lastly, can you hear the fuel pump when you turn ignition ON but BEFORE you crank the engine over?
i can hear the fuel pump on all my cars except the 4x4 - not sure why that one is so quiet.
i did miss out on suggesting that you do that.

quote:

ORIGINAL: stomper

I wonder why the tech said that.  Your issue is sporadic and non-predicatble so
I dont think the diag computer would see it unless it happens when you are looking at it.
I may be wrong, but it still sounds like a fuel or fuel system issue to me.

Could the fuel pump be stalling or having momentary lapses or the fuel filter clogs for an instant? 
IF it did, the car simply thinks you run out of fuel.  Does running out of fuel trow a code in your car?

Also, there are two natioanl problems that few think about. 
- IF you buy corn additive fuel, it starts to gel in about 15 days and starts to clog things up.
- IF you buy gas right after or during the time when the tanker fills the ground tanks,
you could get sediment or moisture pumped into your car tank.  The filling stirs up
whatever is in those ground tanks.




.

..................and the saga continues damn it! Drove it to work yesterday, engine has been running fine, back to it's old self after the loose plug wire was found. I get to work and get a trouble warning message I've never seen, " Service Ride Control". So now I'm thinking, "well they left a plug wire loose so when they were putting on the fuel pump did they disturb something in the ride control?" You think I'd even let them get back near it?
Is there a connection or something back there near the fuel tank that could have been left loose when the fuel pump was put in that I might be able to find without dropping the tank or should I just begin by looking for a relay in the electrical panel? - Thanks, Jim H.