i hope this is ok to post here since its not actually an LT1 but my g/f's car is in dying need of some help. its a 96 Olds cutlass V6. the problem is that the car will start and idle (really rough) but when you put it in gear as soon as it gets a load on it, it sounds like it floods out and dies. its idling really rough and you can actually hear a knock (although its only due to the misfire, not low oil etc.) it sounds like an engine does when a coil goes out, only much worse. i suspect its a sensor. but i dont know which ones to check. by the way, the check engine light is flashing. any advice?

EDIT: I have added a new post below.

 

Scan it. If you don't have the tools, then go to Autozone. Then report back with the DTC.

 

I had a similar situation where that was a bad vaccum leak.....also, if you were just fooling w/ the plugs/ wires, you might have them out of order and it is misfiring.

 

Disconnect the MAF if it still does the same thing with it disconected thats your problem.

 

You're gona have to explain that one.

 

well in response to the vacuum leak suggestion, let me add something here real quick. the car was in an accident about 2 weeks ago and the vacuum bowl (the black ball thing that has a single vacuum line running to it) was broken. it had a big hole in it and was dragging on the ground so the insurance adjuster just took the ball off leaving the vacuum line just dangling and not hooked up to anything. but like i said, that was 2 weeks ago and it has ran fine up until yesterday....? could this have caused a sensor to go bad?? i can hear air being sucked up into that line while the car is running. im going to try and trailer it to autozone today to get it scanned.... any ideas knowing this new info??

 

Probably not your only problem, but stick a golf tee in that vacuum line to seal it up.

 

ok i did that. problem still exists. i took it to auto zone and had them scan it. its giving a code 300 (multiple/random cylinder misfire) the guy at autozone said it is most likely a sensor.....what all possible sensors could it be?

 

first, check plugs and wires, spray around the intake with carb clean, and, is the car blowing black smoke or anything like that?

 

Being that it's a cutlass and not an F body, the chances of us helping you are slim to none. The fact that it's a misfire doesn't help much either. Depending on how it senses a misfire could indicate anything is the cause. If it uses vibration or rotational position, it could be fuel (too lean or too rich), timing, ignition wiring, vacuum leaks or even loose sheet metal components. Obviously the first place to look is the ignition system. After that, it's anyones guess except a specialist.

 

actually, what engine is that got?

a 3100, a 3400, or a 3800?

 

First thing that i would check. Is like everyone else said your plugs and wires make sure they all have good tight connections. You said it was a 96 and i am thinking that that is a distributorless ignition system so you can check your coil packs to a certain exstent just bye using a timing light, just hook your timing light up to the battery and then your lead wire just clip it to all of your spark plug wires and hit the trigger on the gun that will atleast tell you if you are getting fire to all 6 plugs. The next thing that i would check is the spark plugs. You could be getting that code from bad plugs look at them and make sure there not all coroded and check the gap on all the plugs. Also if you have a KV tester you can check your plug wires and see just how hot your spark is. No more then a fuell filter costs might not be a bad idea to go ahead and replace that. Someone said you can unhook your mass air flow sensor and if it still runs the same that is your problym which is almost always the case but that kind of depends on where your MAF is located, you could have a crack in an air flow pipe (hose) anywhere in between the mass air sensor and the throttle body and be getting improper airflow readings from the computer causing them to run poorly, but that doesnt always set a misfire code but like anything it would be possable. Hope something there might help you