several problems, power steering, headlights, and transmition + more

[toiletduck]

Power Steering- When cold it works fine, but once warmed up it feels like its not even there. Well at idle warm it doesnt work but if i rev the engine to 1100 rpms or so it turns like normal.


Headlights- When breaking they will dim. I have installed a new battery and altenator so its not a charging system issue. Anyone else have this problem or is it normal?


Transmition- This has only happened to me 2 times but it kind of freaked me out. While at a stop light the engine will rev like it is in neutral but it is in drive. once the rpms fall back down it engages in normal drive. This only happened 2 times in a 3 month peoriod but still worries me.



Thanks for the help........seems like this car has a timer to start having problems at 130k.


oh and its a 97 w/3.1

[toiletduck]

Almost forgot, I noticed there was some oil puddled up near the injectors through the gap between the upper and lower manifolds. The car has about 10k since a LIM repair. No noticable coolant or oil loss. Is this a sign of a LIM leak or did i just spill some oil during my last change?


Forgot another one. Is it normal for these cars to run kinda rough at idle? It idles at 6-700 rpm and just kinda rough almost surging. I cleaned the egr valve and IAC valve/passages, new TB gasket and egr gasket. Also replaced the spark plugs and pcv valve. But to no avail.


Sorry for the massive amount of questions but i dont know very much about these cars as this is my first GM.

[HeyDace]

Power steerring pump is failing/ replace pump

Bad ground for the headlights/ locate and clean or repair grounds

Trans is on its way out/ try flushing first

Oil leak/ possible loose valve cover or not properly sealed at the intake ends

Rough idle and surge/ possible vac leak

[rixGAphx]

Powersteering: I *assume* you're using the proper PS fluid, and that it's not leaking.
Therefore, I agree with heyDace.
* * * *

Your 'headlight dimming' and 'tranny doesn't move' are both symptoms of problems in the charging system which consists of batt/alt/cables.

The tranny first gear is operated by an electric solenoid, that needs a lot of amperage from the alt/batt.
A sure sign of alt/batt/cable trouble in a GA is a 'slipping' first gear. (Another sign is 'ABS' light 'on' for no apparent reason.)

Since the batt and alt are new, inspect the cables and their connections VERY carefully.
Remove the molded rubber boots from the battery ends and inspect/clean/replace as required.
Though the boots are very tight, water still leaks inside where it slowly and unseen corrodes the wires.
Even the best new batt and alt can't push power thru bad wires.

Also, inspect the connection of the ground to the engine block, and the auxilliary ground from the batt post to the fender.

Then, inspect the pos cable connection to the starter solenoid. CAREFUL!! It's always 'hot', and will fry stuff (like your finger) unless you first disconnect at the battery.
This connection is below the oil filler cap in the valve cover, and dripped oil seems to collect at this location.
Oil is a great electrical insulator, so if oil seeps into the threads of this connection it will prevent proper electrical flow.

Finally, protect the now-naked battery connections with aftermarket rubber boots that will allow future inspection/cleaning.

Though you prolly need a tranny fluid/filter change (should be done about every 50k miles), I would first service the alt/batt/cables for the problem you describe.

Finally, even your new alternator could be bad.
More than once I've gotten a 'good-quality' remanufactured altenator with bad windings or a bad diode. Frankly, what you describe could easily be an alternator running on only two of it's three diodes.
So unless you've tested it (off the engine, on a shop bench), don't rule-out this possibility.
* * * *

V-6's should idle extremely smoothly.

There should be some stored codes relative to your rough idle, so download the codes.
Proceed from there.

* * * *
There's no engine oil, LIM-related or not, that can get to where you describe it without human intervention.
Even a loose valve cover leaves a trail at the leak point, and the oil in the V-6 valve train is on the bottom of the head; an 'upward leak' is rare considering gravity and whatnot.

So I would guess the oil is there 'cuz somebody spilled it.
* * * *

Good luck.
-Rick