'95 Caprice Classic Wagon porblems

[JGrefenstette]

my parents '95 caprice has the Chevrolet 350 V8 LT1 Corvette engine and the standard auto transmission, think its a 4 spd with overdrive (i asume so because the gear selection is "P, R, N, OD, D, 3, 2, 1")

just recently it has started to do somthing very unusual. one morning i had warming up and got in to go, and as soon as i pressed the brake to put it in gear it cut the engin instanly, and there sounded like a compressor or somthing wistling or letting air out or somthing as the belts slowed to a stop. And i thought this had somthing to do with the fact that the radio was on because it did it again in the exact same situation with stereo on.

But just as i though i was narrowing it down, it shut out on me as i was slowing to a stop light. the stereo was on for this time too. I was going between 20-30 when i presed the brake pedal, and i totaly cut out. But then i was leaving work and had it idling with the radio off. got in, pressed the brake..... shut right off! I got no idea.



does anybody have any clue as to what this could be and or a solution.

this type of problem is very unsettling

and one more thing... i got on it pretty good few days ago (not too hard, didnt go to the floor with it) and it seem to not no when to shift. it felt like it stayed in 2nd way way too long, then it almost felt as if it droped streight to 4th cause if it hit 3rd there was really minimal power from it (like in a manual if you wynd out a gear then just go to the next, your still at pretty high rpms and have good power, but if you skip right to the gear after the next you feel the rpm/power loss). could this be an indication of anything? or caused anything?



i would really apreciate any help guys. i dont like these type of problems, specially since its the parents car.

id love any advice and or solutions

thanks a lot

jimmy

 

[JGrefenstette]

nothin guys? come on guys i really need some ideas or advice. im stumped

help would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

jimmy

 

[RustyJC]

Perhaps a cracked or split brake booster diaphragm.



Rusty

 

[JGrefenstette]

just talked to my mom who is out driving it, and she said it cut out while she was accelerating away from a light. What is going on! I am totaly lost.

 

[sdstriper]

I believe it is a 700R4 transmission, sounds like maybe the lockup function of the transmission is on when it is not supposed to be, killing the engine. Go to this site and call these guys. They maybe can give you some phone advice and/or point you to the problem so you at least know what the problem is. May relieve some of the anxiety of not knowing what the heck the problem is and that ill feeling one often gets when a trip to a service shop is inevitable.



http://www.transmissioncenter.net/700r4.htm



PS, I love those LT1 Wagons, too cool. The Buicks had them too...

 

[JGrefenstette]

thanks, ill look into it

 

[Hoefler]

With the air leak sound, I would replace the brake booster. You are loosing vacuum and causing a lean condition which make the engine stall. Also, with low vacuum, it will cause the transmission to shift funny.

 

[JGrefenstette]

well after we took i to the shop and let them look it over and do nothing other than replace the fuel filter, we found that it was the notorious GM side post battery. It had got just enough corosion to cause a short on the tiney little contact plate. that seems to have done the trick. thats for the advice, really appreceate it. can always count on yall for a little help.

 

[clinebarger]

Your transmission is a 4L60E just like a 700r4 but its electronic. corvettes and camaros had aluminum heads, caprice/buick/caddilacs are cast iron and rated at 260hp camaro 275 vette 300

 

[DrDiesel]

The air noise would most likely be the secondary air injection system. The pump, hose`s or check valves could be at fault. (leaks) The air pump runs when the car is first started and runs about 30 to 45 seconds.

If the eng is stalling at random, dieing while driving. Your opti-spark is the most likely fault.

Check the water pump for a leak down the front of the block. If coolant gets into the opti-spark it will cause havoc. The opti-spark is as it sounds. Optical distributor. Light passes through a rotor with slots. Coolant will block the slots and damage the control module. It`s about a $1000. 00 part.

 

[JGrefenstette]

thankfully the battery side post was the problem. i scrubbed em up witha wire brush and the car has been good for over 2 weeks now. also i never looked to closely at the LT1 cause its my dads, but that pancake distributer is the bigist joke ive seen. and the plug wires are practically hidded. gotta love that GM design, i think they make it to complicated for no reason. all the more reason for a diesel. granted chevrollet makes good engines, but the fords are still easier to work on.