Am I siezed?? please help.

[09851]

Hi guys:

Happy Friday to you all. My weekend has gotten off to a horrible start. Last nite, I went out for a little cruise. I did a hard launch, everything was perfect. When I came out of the pass, decelerating, the engine began to sputter. The SES light was on. It sounded like an exhaust leak at first, it was lacking power and sounded terrible. Needless to say, I limped it home and called GM in town. They told me to bring it down and they would scan it. I asked if they thought i should really drive it. The service advisor advised me to go ahead. While driving, the SES light began to flash, I was looking for a place to pull over. The car stalled.

At this point, I am terrified. I call a friend with a towtruck. He arrives, asks if it will turn over. NO harm in trying, right? I give it a turn, and it sounds like a siezed engine would. We proceed to the local dealership. I get in the car to try to roll the windows up, no battery power.

Can anybody set my mind at ease, or at least lie to me? The temp and oil press. did not so much as fluctuate. I checked the oil level, perfect. Please somebody tell me something.


Jamie Stringer
99' WS6

[gimp19]

My guess is the engine is perfectly fine, I know at least with obd1 controlled cars the "check engine light" comes on for nothing more then sensors and electronic engine magangment. Have you gotten your computer scanned yet?

[09851]

They have not been able to scan the car yet. I am crossing my fingers......

[Christopherrr]

hummm...your battery died just like that??? Sounds to me your altenator went out...that explains why your car sputtered and died. Not sure why it'll sound like a siezed engine...but I'm more than positive it's electrical if your oil level is fine and everything don't seem out of place...

would a bad altenator throw codes???

[gimp19]

Code P0620 means "alternator malfunction" the alternator could be throwing codes.

[fastTa]

I think it is your alternator as well. When your alternator dies, your ignition system will run for a while directly off the battery until the battery starts to go dead itself. When the battery starts to die the ignition system will not have enough juice to give proper spark and your motor will sputter like you mentioned.

Have them check your battery as well as the alternator.

You mentioned that when you tried to turn it over that it made sounds like it was seized. Can you descibe those sounds?

[paxton350]

lol if it was siezed you would have known dude. first thing to do is a spark an compresion check that will ease your mind... a siezed piston also makes a terrible screaching sound also. try turning it over by hand or if its a stick, stick it in 1 and push it if you can. my guess is its something in the ignition/electrical system. what was your voltage when the car felt like it had no power? did the lights dim? hope everything works out... my car is sittin in the driveway now. my msd ignition/boost control unit fried an im for them to ship it on mon or tues.

-chris

[snatchss454]

Im not qualified in complete engine diagnosis but every experience Ive had with the flashing SES light means its a misfire. Probably plug wires or coils. Just my .02
Thanks,
Shane

[stingant0]

sounds like what happend when a friend of mine ran a Neon R/T up to 7200 braking the alternator belt. It ran without lights for 100 miles, we made to a friends house with it sputtering and then it died. I would say get a new battery (like out of another car you have, and bring it over to your car and see if it runs. If it runs then its your alternator...if not...then get a brand new battery and alternator and try it again...the last thing I would do is take it to a dealer....even though they have to car now they will take some time for them to get around to looking at it.) Just my 2 cents...if someone like fastT/A says otherwise then believe them...they know a lot more than me.

[09851]

Hey guys, based on all of the inpt\ut I have received, I feel alot better. The symptoms were just as you described, sputtering as though it had lost at least one cylinder. And judging from the distance I made it, it would be just about right to be running on battery power. And the more i think back, the sound was more like a coat hanger in an oscillating fan, rather than a piston against the cylinder wall. I checked the dipstick, the oil color and smell was perfect. Well, we will find out on Monday when GM has a chance to look at it.

Thanks again everyone, I will keep you posted.

Jamie