I had my 2004 Grand Prix for 10 years and had the hard start from 30,000 and no one could figure out the problem. The issue got worse over the years and began to lose power, engine would cut off and then when started back up would take off like a bat out of hell. Found your video and seemed to be an easy job and what the hell couldnt hurt to try it out. Well, the job worked and the damn car starts up like its brand new! No more pressing the gas to start and no more cutting off and unwanted take offs. Thank you so much for the video and your help! Truly appreciated!! If others are experiencing those problems then trust me and do this job! Thanks Again!!
No problem Rudy, and thank you! I appreciate the great feedback for sure. I also love hear success stories like this one, and hear how it brought the car back to life! I am pinning this for sure. Thanks again for the feedback, and thanks for watching!
Why do you so many of you guys post videos that are not helpful tell us what size tool you're using what size socket instead of us just trying to guess you're supposed to be doing videos to help us figure shit out and you don't even want to tell us what size sockets are you using if you're going to post a video make sure you describe details or otherwise take your videos off the air cuz they're no good to anybody
Hey, I agree with you entirely. I know my earlier videos didnt have it at all, but I have been including it in many current videos, including this one. My current videos list it at the beginning of the video, but I do mention it in this video too. Did you happen to watch the video in its entirety? if you did, your comment doesn't make sense. I mention the tools at 5:05. Hope this helps clear things up.
3 years of owning my '08 and here i am watching one of your videos again as a guide. thankin you again for making the videos youve made. youve helped me simplify the work- again. :) total time- from poppin the hood to closing the hood- about an hour.
Welcome back to the channel. It really is crazy how much of a difference a dirty throttle plate can make. Awesome news that you found the video. Thanks for watching!
@@NexusAuto cleaning the throttle body helped a lot. next day a coil pack and ICM took a crap. replaced those and after 200 miles of driving realized my cars been tellin me for a bit theres a problem although my scanner wasnt showing any codes. she running great now.
@@tomsteve3804 damn, that sucks about the coil and ICM, but that's how it goes sometimes. It's awesome news that everything worked out and the car is running great now!
Thank you for the video! I done have a Pontiac, but a Buick Lacrosse with a series 3 3.8 as well. It idles so much better and starts right up now! Also I see some people hating on the length of the video, but I really appreciated it. It gives beginners like me the confidence to do stuff like this when everything is thoroughly explained. Some more experienced people may already know some of this stuff, but I didn't and it really helped. Once again thank you!
That's awesome news. Glad to hear the video helped out and your Lacrosse is working much better. And thank you for the great feedback on the video layout and length. I really do appreciate it and happy that it gave you the confidence to get this done. That's the hope when I make the videos and comments like this make it worth it. Thanks and have a great weekend.
I bought a used 2005 LaCrosse a few months ago and it stalls out at start up unless I hold the gas pedal down some. The dealership said it was the starter and wants to replace that for $600. It doesn’t seem like a starter problem to me. Seems exactly what your talking about! Thank you for this video.
My car has been starting rough for 3 years, I came across this video and did this exact thing and BAM!!!! my car starts and runs perfectly. Thanks for the video.
Great video, I just did this to my dad's 2004 Grand Prix. It had the starting issue where he had to press the gas pedal to get it started. This solved the issue right away. Thank you.
You are 100% right very very good cars the never break down just keep the maintenance and tune-up you're all good and they are very fast cars 3800 is call the power plant engine the best in the world good job GM😊
Thank you for this video. Instruction was really good and clear. I have a 2004 GTP. Cleaning the throttle body changed the responsiveness of the car to the positive considerably. I had no starting problems but hesitation on acceleration. I have a K&N air filter which I do for the improvement of air flow and cost over time but I wasn't seeing much improvement in hp or performance. It didn't take long to remove the part and cleaning took about 30 minutes. All told I spent an hour. The throttle was really dirty on the engine side and a bit discoloured on the air side. When I hit the road the change was significant - pedal goes down, car responds and goes fast as it wants. Shifting gears is much better and in automatic (I have the tap shift also) everything is smooth even when I punch it. Wish I had done the cleaning when i first got the car. Glad it is done now. Thanks again!
No problem. Glad to hear the video helped out and you were so successful! It's crazy how much of a difference it makes. Funny thing is, its not just the GPs with fly-by-wire throttle bodies...i'm seeing the same sort of thing across many many cars with these new throttle bodies! A big design flaw in my book. Thanks for the great feedback and letting me know how it went!
Just a note, the throttle body gasket does pop right out. It's just a regular square cut o ring, pops right out with a pick, and can be purchased separately. But for the most part, you can usually reuse them! Good video!
This is next on my list. Just changed out water pump, thermostat and cleaned out my heater core yesterday. I've watched a few of your videos on the 04 grand prix. You're on it, it helps me a ton. Thanks man
That is the stuff I like to hear...makes making these videos worth it. Glad to hear they have helped out. Let me know how it goes once you've completed the job, and the condition of the Throttle Body! Thanks for watching!
I have the same issue with hard starts in my 08 GP. It's at 188k but I've had the issues since I bought it a year ago. Definitely going to try this out, you saved me a lot of time and money trying to diagnose it!
I got my prix 3rd or 4th hand and was told the starter was going out thats why it didnt start right and id have to give it gas to keep it ON! I had no idea this was the REAL problem. I JUST did the cleaning this morning cuz my warning light came on yesterday for the engine and it also had that decreased engine power notification, then died on me while driving. I had to keep putting the var back in park turning it off even though everything was dead and restarting it just to make it HOME! SCARY cuz it died in on coming traffic ! So i did this and changed the filter while i was there. Car is starting BETTER! And it didnt die on me while driving it !!!! THANK YOU! !!!! I didn't have the money to go get this figured out at the auto shop !!! Now...how do u clean the intake manifold ???
You are the first to describe this issue! I was so relieved to find this. My 04 Grand Prix has has this issue since I bought it around 35K miles and eventually it started to have an oscillation when gently accelerating. I am going to do this when I get home!
It amazes me how, to this day, this issue is not acknowledged by GM, and in fact, by many other manufacturers, as this happens to many new cars! Glad to hear the video was very helpful and you will get the job done soon. Let me know how it goes...any success or failure in the job! Hope it all goes well!
About 3 years ago I had to clean a throttle body on a friends 05 Grand Prix. I searched online and guess who's video came up. I didn't even realize it till now when I wanted a refresher on how to do mine. A friend offered his heated garage to do mine in. When the car is warmed up and you start it, it'll quit and you have to give it a little gas and restart. It's been driving me bonkers for a while now. When I did the last one, I used one of those green scrubbers (like on a sponge) to scrub everything down. It came out pretty good. It had about 160,000 miles on it. Mine shouldn't be as bad. It only has about 80,000 miles on it. One last thing. I have a rule. If it's on a car and has threads it gets never seize put on before I put it back together. Doesn't matter what it is. Anyway, awesome vid as usual. Keep up the good work and Happy New Year.
No way!! That is a really cool story. Funny how that all came back around. Great tips on what you did to get the job done. Will help other viewers for sure. I do somewhat disagree on the never seize, only because there are some things it should not go onto (certain suspension components, aluminum heads, etc) but generally speaking, it is an excellent rule to have, and no problem for the throttle body bolts. Have a great day and have a happy new year too. Thanks once again for the support, I really do appreciate it. And awesome work on your car too
This fixed my problems with starting GP. Every other time the car wouldn't start until you give it gas. I also cleaned MAF sensor it's on the opposite side of throttle body, attached to the air filter compartment door. Use MAF sensor cleaner for that. Combination of cleaning 2 worked for me. The car started from the first try, no check engine light, no need to re-learn throttle position. The car starts every time now, with no need to give it more gas. Thank you for clear instructions. It took me about half an hour just to clean throttle body and I couldn't even get all of it off, but mine looked worse than the one in a video (cheap supermakerket gas? lol). Thanks again.
Great video. For the clumsy who know theyre going to drop a bolt you can use a old towel or small thin blank/sheet to act as a catch net when you reinstall.
04 Grand Prix gt 81k miles. Hard start and having to pump gas peddle to prevent stall after 3rd or 4th long crank. Friend gave me the professional 3 part fuel system clean kit. Only unhooked air box hose and had girl press gas peddle to hold open electronic butterfly valve. It helped a bit, but after your video, I think I am going to dissemble the whole unit to do a more thorough job. Thanks for the video! Wish me luck!
engine light went off after finishing this but still a little slipping when accelerating but nowhere near as bad as before today, thanks man literally no other vid on UA-cam about this
Great and informative video. This video fixed the stall problem and RPM jump, Thx! I just wanted to say to all, while you have all that you need taken apart you should also take off the Mass Air Sensor (behind air filter, 2 -10m bolts and clamp) and clean it with sensor spray like I did. DO NOT touch the sensors inside, just spray and let it dry a few minutes. Thanks again!
February 10th 2020. Mine looked a lot like yours did, except it had some "Sludge" pooled where gravity pulls. It cleaned up fine and the throttle control code went away as soon as I reassembled everything and started it up. So THANK YOU! So many places online dont show "MY" car when explaining things and it isnt helpful.
@@FelixUmbra that's awesome news! I'm really happy to hear that the video helped out! This is such a common thing on these cars (and indeed, many new cars too). Sounds like the car will run like new from now on! Thanks for leaving the feedback...appreciate it!
Just bought one and the first night this issue started. Couldn't even use the remote starter cause it would stall out a few times before it can start and it locked me out of using remote start from there till I used the key. It's cold as hell so I manually opened the throttle body after disconnecting it and wiped with rags and carb cleaner until I saw little carbon. In the spring I'll clean it properly. Thumbs up
Thanks. I used this process last night after seeing the video. But I spray cleaner in metal 2oz cup. And clean brush with concentrated ZEP degreaser and a cup of really hot water about 10 times to save on cost of cleaner. Worked Great.
I think this is the 3rd or 4th video of yours that I'm going to try out on my Pontiac. All the others have been successful, so I have no doubt this one will work too! Thanks for the great uploads and education! Much appreciated
No problem at all. Just happy to hear that these videos make a difference. Throttle body cleaning really helps on these cars. Thanks for the great feedback!
@@NexusAuto Just wanted to report back that everything went just as smooth as the video! My throttle body pretty much looked the same as yours, but with the same cleaner and a soft toothbrush it came right off! Thanks again
@@rotitnhoj awesome! Glad to hear it all went well and you got it cleaned up. I'm curious to if you notice a fuel economy increase or better drivability. Hopefully you'll notice an improvement. Thanks for the update!
i will be doing this today. everything we found online told us Throttle Body. really good video. my wife is worried i will lose something lol or make the car worse
Awesome, glad it worked out. This is such a common issue on these Fly-By-Wire throttle bodies. I put out new videos every week, but on various car-related things. But there will be more Grand Prix Videos coming soon.
@@NexusAuto Hey I cleaned my throttle body out and it is running like a champ! No more hesitations during accelerations and no more starting issues. The throttle body was extremely dirty just like yours on the video. I would love to see your video on the air intake cleaning whenever you decide to tackle it becuz mine was pretty dirty as well but for now I'm loving the improved performance and improved fuel economy.
@@mcdavidhome100 It amazing how many issues come from fly-by-wire throttle bodies, and especially on this car. It causes so many drive-ability issues on the car. Glad it all worked out and the code went away too! Awesome!
Yeah my 04 does this, especially after a cold start! It usually starts when cold, but sometimes now I have to give it gas! And sometimes it seems its seems its getting no gas at all!
You should definitely clean the throttle body. While it is not always the fix, it fixes it about 80% of the time. Give it a go for sure. Sounds exactly like a dirty TB
I have a 2007 GP and my car wouldn't crank yesterday I had to get a jump ( New battery 3mos old)😒 So I took it to the auto parts to get a test ran on it. And alternator/battery fine. So me being a newbie to the mechanic world. I went on a Google binge. And I end up here despite this video being 3yrs old it is very informative. I want to go out and buy me some tools and try to fix my car myself. But I will leave that to the experts. I appreciate you I will most definitely give this a try
Definitely. Dont worry, I respond to all comments at some point, maybe not the same day, but I am still around and videos still go out weekly! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and the great feedback. I really appreciate it. This is a VERY common problem on GPs with the newer throttle bodies, called 'Fly-By-Wire' Throttle bodies. IT happens to a lot of newer cars too. I hope they get your car fixed...sounds like some sort of electrical issue. Was the car sitting for a couple of days at least? Whatever the fix is, I do recommend giving your throttle body a cleaning. It makes a huge difference!
@@NexusAuto 'preciate your rapid response and I found out that it's a shortage in the postive cord running to my battery. Hopefully it shouldn't cost that much to get it fixed.
Very good and helpful video! I've been having problems with my wifes 06 for a while, every one in a while the low power warning comes on, a lot of people online say its a dirty throttle body so I thought I would try this, so far so good, I had between a 16th to an eighth inch of black crud on the inside. The car runs much better, thanks!
I'm most definitely going to try this on my 2004 Grand Prix GT some idiot told me that my starting issue was the TPS and that it's expensive. thank you
I do my 2004 gt on the car . Wedge a 2x2 to hold the gas pedal to the floor with key on but not started the throttle body will wide open get clean rag put it in the lower part of the throttle body in the manifold , I use old school combustion chamber cleaner similar to gm old Kleens ,spray the throttle butterfly and the walls let sit 20 min then respray and work with a tooth brush and respray . The rag catches most of the grunge that comes off once the butter fly and wall are clean remove the rag . Once that done I use some throttle body cleaner to remove the combustion chamber cleaner . Reassemble every thing clean mass air flow sensor also with mass air flow sensor cleaner . Start car as normal run couple min I also clean the valves and upper combustion chamber with combustion chamber cleaner letting the car sit over night . Huge difference in performance done correctly
These are really good cars if you do frequent oil changes and tranny changes and power steering fluid changes my 2004 had 408000 on the clock drives and runs like new . They also get good gas milage and super cheap to repair and maintain. If you live in the rust belt oil under coat the whole car yearly and spray oil into the rockers and all sub frame boxed frame sections I even do under my carpets hood fenders doors quarters trunk suspension coil towers rad mount ,drill 1/2 inch holes and use under coat plugs after oiling is complete . My car gets 5-40 synthetic in warm weather and 5-30 in cold weather I also add motorkote to the oil .
@@nickking1510 fantastic! That mileage is very impressive (although not unheard of, as you know). You put a great amount of care in your car...love seeing stuff like that. It is true...these cars will last forever. My mileage isn't nearly as high...not even close. But the car runs like new and I am the same...just regular maintenance (especially the transmission). Nice tips on the throttle body as well. Good alternative for those watching. Thanks for sharing and great feedback.
I enjoyed watching your video about cleaning the throttle body and would like to add a couple of things. I just bought a 2006 Grand Prix with 34k miles on it in January 2001. So, am going to change all fluids and clean certain parts like the throttle body, air box and mass airflow sensor. I was surprised that you did not clean the mass air flow sensor at the same time as cleaning the throttle body. In my experience it is essential, will improve performance and is fast and easy to do. And, I will always have some electrical contact cleaner on hand when disconnecting and connecting back electrical plugs. A fast spray is worth it.
Glad to hear the video was enjoyable. In response, I actually had cleaned the MAF at a different time, and intended to make a video on it, and never did. I agree with you 100%. same with the electrical cleaner, but I have to admit, at the time of this video, I had never even heard of electrical cleaner. I had just inspected and blew it out in the past. I found out about it about 3 yrs ago and keep a few cans on hand at all times now. Thanks for the great feedback
@@marteebus No.! Do Not Use WD-40 electronic contact cleaner!!! Buy the Red Can of "Mass Air Flow Cleaner" Spray it from both sides if you have access and let it dry for a few minutes.
@@MotoStringer All right just checking because it's a great electronic contact cleaner that I just found at the store I've never used it before but I will get just the type you recommend and not use my WD-40 branded stuff I'll use that on my computer's and other connectors.
This video was extremely helpful. Thank you very much for making this. Mine was about as black as yours so hopefully this cures the hard start (fingers crossed)
Thanks for the great vid. It showed exactly what I was looking for. My 05 has been hard starting for some time and the extreme cold temps really made it worse. I’ll start with this procedure and hope it takes Care of the problem. Thanks again.
Just wanted to start off by saying thank you for this video, it really helped me out tremendously after cleaning the throttle body. I still have some problems though with my 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix and i've been told to try and clean out the air intake manifold. Do you have any videos or anything to show how to do that? I still consider myself an amateur at this sort of stuff so I still need quite a bit of guidance so any videos or additional advice would be greatly appreciated
Glad to hear the video has helped you out. Thats fantastic news. Unfortunately, I do not have a video on the intake manifold (yet), but I try and assist as best as possible. What issues are you having?
You wont regret it. Just be careful with the MAF sensor.... it is a bit sensitive. But other than that, you will be good to go .Thanks again for watching.
I will be performing this very soon but would like to get a performance intake also. I have been told and believed the sluggish starting was caused by a bad fuel injector. My acceleration seems sluggish at times, and I have transmission jolt and been told there's a leak of which I will use your other vid as reference. Thank you!
No problem at all. Let me know how it goes. It's a very common issue with these cars, so hopefully this fixes the sluggish starting. And hope you find the leak too
@@NexusAuto Just finished the throttle body and what a difference it's like having a new engine installed. Used to have to hold the key on start a little longer cause there would be a dip before idling but not anymore! At 148k and also noticed added torque, power, and huge responsiveness after pressing the pedal. The only downside which isn't new is intermittent sluggish acceleration from around 40mph depending on the gear but the trans maintenance is next. Thanks for your videos!!!
@@josephtinkler6306 that's awesome news! Sounds like the cleaning fixed many problems all in one shot. It's crazy how one dirty butterfly flap can cause so many issues. Hopefully the transmission video fixes the rest! Thanks for the update, much appreciated!
No problem! And actually I added a spectre intake and used your air box mod video for guidance. Everything went well with the assembly but it actually is giving less power with the performance intake. I ordered an AEM intake of which I'll try next.
@@josephtinkler6306 Sounds great! Interesting that the intake and air box mod actually worked out negatively. Curious to hear how it goes with the AEM intake.
I just have a few questions... since I'm not into engines and such.. my mechanic said I needed a new air flow sensor? My 04 GP GTP is leaking oil and coolant so I think I need gaskets too but I'm so lost on what to do. Edit: she's a bit old, but she's got 210k miles on her.
Hello. Sorry to hear you're having so many things go at once. Hopefully you can get it all resolved at a good cost. The leaking oil and coolant can be quite a few things, but gaskets are a big cause of these issues. Is it leaking outside of the car, or into the engine? As for the mass air flow sensor, why is that being recommended? Not calling out your mechanic for sure, as I am not there and nothing beats being there, but I would say I have seen far more dirty throttle body issues than Mass Air Flow Sensor issues. Are you having starting issues as well? An Air Flow Sensor can be the cause, but I have dealt with quite a few of these Grand Prixs (my own included) and the Mass Air Flow is rarely a problem (although, again, it does fail at times for sure). What is happening with the car to have this recommendation?
You mentioned a lot of troubles difficulty starting what about over heating? I had a guy tell me that he was a mechanic for over 20 years and that that could be a problem as to why my car was overheating. Have you had any experience with that?
It can cause overheating. It's not a Common cause for an overheat, but if its malfunctioning, it can cause the car to run lean, which can cause it to run hot.
Very useful video. had the hard start on my 05 Grand Prix 184000 and watched your video earlier, took me about an hour or so but got er done.Fixed the hard start to just turning key. Ty
Did this to my 2007 Grand Prix and it fixed the starting problem! Only thing wrong now is I lost that little clip when taking it off and can’t find it. If you could let me know where I could get a new one that would be great!
Awesome! Glad to hear the video helped out! A very common issue. As for the clip, that is hard to come by. Most aftermarket places I know of do not sell them, and I dont think the dealer does anymore. You may be able to find one at the junkyard.
My 05 GP has progressively been taking longer to start up with stuttering and stutters when switching gears. I'm gonna try this if it gets really bad. For now I'll keep the gas pedal press trick in mind
Definitely give this a try. From the sounds of it, it should make a big difference. My GP was doing exactly the same thing, and since cleaning, it has been perfect!
Great video. My '06 Lucerne has an issue with erratic rpm under load (like going up an incline). I suspect the throttle body needs cleaning, but is the throttle position sensor on the throttle body for the series 3 3800? I am wondering of the TPS is going out. Thanks!
@olsonjk2 the tps is part of the throttle body on the series 3. It's integrated into the TB itself. It's not a replaceable part (officially), so if it's going, you need to get a new TB
Hi. Thanks for the video. It really made a difference for my Series 3 06 LaCrosse with 3800 that would sometimes stumble after starting with 65k on it. I do have a question regarding your car. Have you looked any further at cleaning the intake and valves? I've recently learned of the Direct Injections issues many manufactures have where the fuel does not wash the intake valves due to the Direct Injections fuel delivery method. Many cars begin getting large amounts of carbon build up. Also poorly designed and sometimes plugged PCV valves add to the problem. Some are recommending catch cans, synthetic oil, and manually cleaning the valves.
Just cleaned my throttle body and my car starts perfect now. It’s been doing it for years. Any tips on why my cruise has stopped working, it hasn’t work in a long time. My tail lights, brake and accelerator switches all work fine.
Awesome news, glad to hear that the TB cleaning had worked out well. For the cruise, hard to say without testing it. For sure the brake light switch is working? I worked on a Cadillac Escalade last year that the brake light switch was testing ok but cruise was not working. It testing led me back to the switch anyways. I replaced it and the cruise works beautifully now.
Thanks for watching and for leaving the great feedback. Appreciate it. The Manifold video is one that I haven't gotten to yet, but it is requested fairly frequently. I will definitely look at getting it out in the near future.
@@NexusAuto Just wanted to report back and say that my throttle body cleaned right up and it hasn't started hard since so I believe this did fix it. Thanks for the video!
@@crzzymnn911 Awesome news. Thanks for letting me know. Sounds like you are on your way now. FYI I did this on my car 5 years ago and it still starts up with 0 issues to this day
I have a 04 Grand prix and when its in park it starts shaking and when you put in reverse it backs up slow but RPM would rise and same in Drive until it start going it will become normal....thanks i did this project today with throttle body and mass airflow sensor with the correct Bottle sprayer
I was thinking of doing this to my 08 Lacrosse and found this video. I have the same starting issue. Never had it on my 01 Regal series 2 for whatever reason.
Give it a go for sure. Hopefully it fixes your issue, but if it doesn't, it will still help in others areas. This issue is actually very common on many modern cars. Basically, any car that now has an electric throttle body will have this issue at some point. Your 01 Regal had a TB with a throttle cable and even with the carbon build up, the force of the cable pulling on the plate would still cause the throttle body to be forced open and work. With the fly by wire throttle bodies, there is no mechanical force to force them open, so when the carbon is too much for the electric motor to take, it starts malfunctioning. Can't tell you how many modern cars from all manufacturers, American, German, Japanese, Korean, that I have done and there is always an immediate improvement.
@@NexusAuto there was really bad buildup. I cleaned it and the engine fires up with barely a touch now. When I test drove it, I noticed a big improvement in overall driveability. Should have done it sooner. Thanks for a good video on an easy fix.
Very useful video and well done. Hey guess what? My 2007 Grand Prix (my wife's actually) has a leetle problem that this video possibly refers to. No warning to this problem, was running like a champ, was left idling in the driveway for 1 minute and it died. And there she sits two days later.... No one was in the car when it died. Attempting to start the car is rewarded with a brief firing every ten or twenty tries. And a bad smell from the exhaust when it does fire. Two weeks ago a garage in Albuquerque, New Mexico charged me $120 to change the air filter and oil (Synthetic oil that can be mixed with regular oil). The car has 90k miles with only a new power module (ECM) needed, otherwise no problems. Throttle Body has never been cleaned. Fixes I have tried: #1. Added premium fuel to the tank with a 5 gallon can. #2. Poured an injection cleaner gas additive into the tank. Tank has 9 gallons in it, if the fuel gauge is correct. The gas additive I chose was not the kind that dries up water in the tank or deals with water, instead it deals with injection cleaning. #3. Disconnected the battery for 30 minutes. #4. Opened up the Throttle Body intake and sprayed starting fluid into the throttle body while having it cranked. (This was one before the battery disconnect attempt). The starting fluid attempt completely failed. It didn't fire at all. Any advice? Today I cancelled an appointment with a backyard garage mechanic and have decided to schedule the car with the Pontiac dealer I bought the car from, because after researching the net I realized this car is a piece of work when it comes to fixing anything, requiring a PHD in car computer codes, etc...
Well everyone here's what it was: An oil leak from the timing cover caused the crankshaft positioning sensor to fail. Who could have guessed. $ 1,150 dollars later, the mystery is solved. Since it was all apart I had other things fixed too. Oil pressure sensor, ignition coil (cracked), radiator flush, serpentine belt, etc...
Turns out my 2007 Grand Prix had a malfunctioning camshaft sensor. To get to that part a lot was removed. Other things found. 2 cracked coils. A melted Catalytic Converter. Ignition Control Module. They gave it back to me with a loose battery cable which when disconnected caused the anti-theft system to disable the starter. After performing an animal sacrifice the car started but is ignoring one of the two keys belonging to it. And that's the short story.
WOW was it dirty! I used to get 30-31mpg on the highway a few years ago. Never could figure out what changed.... Did plugs and wires within the last year myself (car has 130,xxx miles on it now). Not much of a change. I track all fuel economy on fuelly.com. Well on my drive to work today 30-31mpg on the highway! Back to where I was! Wow this was the problem the whole time! Car is more responsive, and starts better too. I noticed the starting issue about 2 years ago and figured it was my fuel pump going out slowly. My supercharger intake needs to be cleaned but I'll save that for when the heater helper hoses need to be replaced. Anyway, thanks for the video! I also took my 2004 silverado's throttle body off (a little more invovled but not terrible at all) and cleaned that one as well. That wasn't nearly as bad. I will be taking my wife's 2006 base grand prix's throttle body off soon (her car only has 90,xxx miles on it.) Anyone with a 3.8L with higher miles needs to check this out!!!
That's awesome news Looks like it fixed a bunch of major issues. It did the same for me. Funny how the dirty throttle body can cause so many starting and idling issues with the Series III engines(and in fact, many GMs with fly by wire throttle bodies). I did the same for my dads Trailblazer and it made a huge difference too, although not as much as the GP. . Appreciate the great comments too! Thanks again for watching and happy driving!
Thx for the great videos homie, saw your window regulator replacement video and just did both my back ones today in about 30 minutes to complete both. I'll be doing this throttle body cleaning next! I have 1 question maybe you have run into this issue or not, sometimes I get a "service stability system" "traction control" and "reduced engine power" message not sure what this could be related to, I installed an aftermarket radio and the message started randomly coming up so I started there first, checking all the wires and everything is fine, could it be a wheel sensor? Dealership wanted to start at the corroded negative battery cable which i will try next, just wondering if you had any ideas, thanks again great vids!
No problem at all. Glad the videos all helped out. For your issue with all the lights, a wheel sensor could be the cause. Actually, there is a few causes. I would check and clean the negative and positive terminals, along with cleaning the throttle body. Do you see any issues with those errors come up? Does the car run rough or have problems starting? Does it feel like the ABS is kicking in when it shouldn't? Anything else related to these errors?
No abs light comes on, just the traction light and the messages in the info center, also the rpm and gas gauge shut down but the speedometer still works, this problem is intermittent and some days wont do it at all, I will try cleaning some connections and throttle body and see what I come up with. Thanks for responding!
Now did you have to drain any fluids or anything before removing the throttle body or do I not need to worry about any fluids pouring out when removing this part?
Well, both. You definitely do not need to drain and fluids at all when doing this job. At the same time, there is coolant channels, so there will be fluid coming out when you remove the throttle body. But it is very very little...nothing you need a drain pan for. Just put a rag underneath and you should be good.
I’ve done these before on other cars. Just tried this on my 06 GP. TB was stuck on so bad I didn’t bother taking it off. I was afraid I would break it if I pulled any harder. Just cleaned what o could from one side.
That is better than nothing at all, that's for sure. You work with what you can...don't want a 10$ cleaning job turning into a very expensive repair. Hopefully you were able to get enough to make a difference
I need a video to give me an idea as to replace the secondary air injection check valve. I cannot find one and I am having a heck of a time figuring it out on my own. Hopefully you see this soon.
Unfortunately, I don't have a video, and can't make one on it. I can tell you it on on the top of the engine, under the engine cover(if you still have it on), attached to the cylinder head, pretty much on top of cylinder 4 (middle rear cylinder). It will look like a cylinder with a hose coming out of it, running to the driver side of the engine, if I recall. I hope this helps, wish I could help further.
Nexus Auto Hey thanks for replying, I really appreciate it. I just want to know if there are bolts underneath? I’m really confused as to how I’m going to remove and replace the secondary air injection check valve.
@@alguapo6181 I will give you what info I could find, but since I can't confirm it completely, I recommend to double check everything and it is at your own risk. First, disconnect the hose on the top. From what I can see, there is a hose at the bottom of the check valve, that goes to a connector with 2 nuts at the end. Remove the two nuts (not sure how hard that is). There is a bracket that holds the check valve in place. Remove bolts holding it in. Unplug check valve electrical connector at top. You should be able to remove the check valve assembly now. I can't confirm if there is anything else, but from what I can tell, that looks like it. Hope this helps with the fix, or at least, get you started on it.
Hi- I am having the same issues with my 03 Grand Prix. Checked everything, including computer, MAP and MAF sensors, TPS, Coils, Spark plugs, fuel pressure regulator- nothing has worked. My GP has pretty much the same issues as yours- stalling, erratic RPM. It runs smooth, but it is also kicking codes so it won't pass emissions. I am going to clean the throttle body, so thank you for the video you shared. By the way, did this solve the issues? I don't think you mentioned if it fixed the problem. I will do it anyways, because I am checking the lists of what to do- hopefully this is the last one that works. Thank you again for posting this.
It did solve my issue with the hard start, and it has not come back once since. It has also worked for many other 3800 owners. I can't say for sure this will be your fix, but it is absolutely worth doing.
I hear you on that. I have used oil based filters all my life, since my first car until now. I have the cone in the Grand Prix, and a regular K&N drop in filter in my JX35. I heard of many issues with the oil getting on the MAFs, but I have never had this issue. I believe it has to do with the fact that I am very careful with oiling them, and I take a few hours to do it, being sure to clean up the excess when sprayed down and giving lots of ample time to dry. A big issue is not letting it dry when washing it, as oil and water do not mix, and I think this causes the oil to not soak in properly and fling off the filter when installed. Even so, I have used dry filters before, and also had no issues. So nothing wrong with getting a dry cone. But this whole 'add horsepower' is a farce. It does not add any real horsepower, and is not really effective unless ignition and exhaust is done and the car is re-tuned. What it DOES do is improve response time with the engine, giving the engine a quicker response when you press the accelerator. And it sounds pretty dame cool. So there is benefits, but it is not significant.
Use only a soft rag carefully and lots of cleaner. Vacum out that intake mani tbough..Please! Another good tip is clean your MAF sensor regularly as well. These cars will run stronger and get better mileage... 238k on mine.
Hey man, ZZP has larger throttle bodies for sale on their website, do you think they'll fit on a series 3 3800? I thought about buying it for my 04 Grand Prix..
Sorry for the late reply. Do you have a link for the larger throttle body you're talking about? i checked their website but couldn't find any info on the larger throttle body
I have a 97 Grand Prix GTP. I was having a fuel issue. I started with the cheaper parts first. Changed fuel filter....still wouldn't start, changed n relocated fuel pump resistor....still same issue. So, I purchased a new fuel pump off eBay. Problem fixed......sort of. The problem I am having now, when you drive the car and floor it, it has a slight bucking as if it's not getting enough fuel. I told the person/place of business I got the fuel pump from. They sent me a new one.(both say they're for the GTP, which I read somewhere the GTP fuel pump has more pressure because its supercharged). It's a beater car in fair condition but, I plan to sell so I don't wanna go spend 2-400$ on a new fuel pump. I am at this point considering trying to buy an after market pump to somehow put into this unit(sending unit). Any help??? Thanks
Obviously I couldn't get through your video due to the obvious over use and incorrect use of the word "obviously". I used it wrong and excessively on purpose as an example. Otherwise good and detailed information. I still gave you a 👍for your helpful contribution to the 3800 community.
Well, obviously I appreciate the like and it should be obvious that I welcome all comments and feedback. That may not have been obvious, but it in case it wasn't, it should be obvious now. I do hope that this video makes an obvious improvement to your obviously owned 3800 engine, obviously! 😂😂 Never noticed I did that in this video, but in retrospect, I know my reasons. I had to rewatch as I wasn't even aware. I said it A LOT! Lol. Meh, as long as the video helps, not particularly concerned. I don't think it happens in my later videos, but I'm not even sure. Oh well. Appreciate the feedback!
@@600zxr definitely. If you can't laugh at yourself and can't learn as you go, then what's the point? I'll be more aware of it going forward, no doubt. Thanks again for the great feedback!
First of all, thank you very much for your video! I am not sure if you still check the comment from this video. I have a 2008 pontiac grand prix. Recently, I experienced some rough idling on my 2008 grand prix. Although the situation got improved after I cleaned my throttle body, sometimes (this does not happen every time), I feel kind of shaking from the engine when I am stopped at the red light, and my rpm jumps up and down a bit from 700 to 650 range, and it normally only last less than a minute. Thus, I am wondering if is this something normal? By the way, I have recently replaced both of my spark plugs and ignition coil. Thanks a lot
No problem at all! And yep, I do still check the comments section from time to time. The situation you have is not normal, but does happen. Ideally, it would be best to have the vehicle hooked up to a scan tool and see what is causing the issue. Could be a number of issues. But I know that's not always possible. Off the top of my head, there could be 2 potential commom causes. 1. The MAF sensor is dirty or damaged, and is giving occasional off readings, causing that off-idle. 2. If your throttle body is dirty enough, sometimes a reset is needed after the cleaning to reset engine settings. (relearn or recalibration). But both of these may not be the fix. They are just common causes. I would start looking there. But if you have a scanner or know someone who does, you can check a variety of things as well and it may give you a better answer.
@@NexusAuto There was a noticeable improvement, and it also had a pretty nasty upper intake manifold. I had already replaced the intake manifold gaskets though, and I don't remember it looking that bad.
@@NexusAutoYeah, I cleaned the opening on the intake manifold when I did the throttle body, but I can't get super deep without taking the whole thing off.
I have the starting issue as well just bought the car i was wondering about that....im 3/4 through the video did he/ mention a charging issue at the beginning? I cant remember hearing it
Doing this stopped my 05 grand prix from having the no start until second or third try. Usually only when I took a brief trip and went to start it, it would happen.Now it always starts on the first try
Just did this and omggggg it was even worst then yours was it took me a 2 hours to clean I used 5 tooth brushes put it back together and it started the first try my power was back no jerking no cutting the rmps stabled out well after a ride (real fast ride lo) I get home and the idle was jumping back and forth again? What else would make the rmpz jump up and down
I watched the video, and the little clip at 4:18 isn't on the connector, is there any way to find one online by chance? Thanks for the informative video btw!
I took a quick look online and couldn't find any. I know you can't just go and buy them, which sucks. Probably your best bet is to either head out to a junkyard and see if you can any 3800 Series 3 vehicle and grab it off of there, or you may have to replace the entire harness.
I had both my bypass elbows fail and i changed them out , had the tensioner pulley crack where the heater hose mounts on to it so i replaced that . But in the process i kept observing that area of the head gasket and some of the gasket looks pushed out from the engine and some looks sucked in . I'm not sure if if it's a actual blown head has6seeing how its not that common in the 3800 engines but im looking forward to replacing it anyways because its about to be a 20 year old car with nothing but original parts in it. I know its time to change them all out But my head gasket situation is alittle odd.
Looks like you're getting some stuff checked off on the list for your GP. I agree, the head gasket situation is a bit odd, but anything is possible. At 20 years in, I'd say you have a good run with the OEM parts!
@@NexusAuto well I was mistaken, what I was seeing was the plastic gasket for the intake manifold, lower manifold gasket practically melted (due to me driving in this 100° AZ weather ) other than that now this car is now my project and I'm planning on getting another GM car ( i kinda want another grand Prix)
@ThaProd1gy ah gotcha. Makes sense. That Arizona heat is no joke (not that you need me to tell you that lol). These GPs are really great project cars. I'm actually typing to you from inside my GP right now as we speak lol. Hopefully you find another great project (maybe a GXP?). Fun cars to have!
@@NexusAuto another update: got the thermostat changed , bypass elbows aluminum, coolant flushed for the most part and...... One of the aluminum elbows blew 🙃
@ThaProd1gy *me reading this comment* oh nice, got a lot more stu...whaaaat? Lol. Damn, that sucks. Really rare to hear of one of the aluminum elbows blowing, especially new. Hopefully you were able to get it fixed quickly! Was it like the o-ring that went, or the elbow itself? That's wild!
Thanks. Great video on doing this job. As you know, many of us neglect doing this relatively easy maintenance procedure. But it can and usually does make a difference in the performance of the engine. I have watched several of your videos recently on the GP. I too have one, a 2004 GTP. Great cars! Had a 1997 GTP before this one. Keep up the good work! Have you done a video on a transmission oil / filter change on the GP ? I wonder if you have ever done that and run into the issue of getting the old seal out of the filter port and how you were able to remove it.... Thanks again... And I did subscribe.....
Hi Patrick, thanks for the great feedback and for subscribing! Appreciate it. I do agree, generally people do not complete certain basic maintenance checks or work on their car, whether it be from shop or themselves, and it can often lead to worse issues. This throttle body cleaning alone makes a world of difference in how the car drives and operates...it was like night and day!. Glad to see you are a multi-Grand Prix owner too. I had a 97 as well, funny enough. But it was an SE base model, but with the 3800 engine option and a few other bells and whistles. Was an awesome car, and I am still enjoying my 2005 as well. I do have a video on changing the Transmission Fluid. I have tagged the video here ua-cam.com/video/_BwtK5ke11s/v-deo.html . It details everything (including to make sure to never completely flush the trans). Hope it helps. Thanks for watching!
Hey man, so I have a 2004 Grand Prix gt1, and I thought my TPS was going out due to such limited acceleration. So I found this video and decided to take a shot at just cleaning it up like you did. Now, I have no action when I press the gas pedal.. probably need a new sensor, but the sensor is affixed to the throttle body. Any chance you know where to find a replacement?
Sorry to hear that the throttle body cleaning didn't work it. It was worth a shot, but sometimes that's just the way it goes. Unfortunately, the TPS is part of the throttle body, so you have to replace the whole unit. The surprise for me was it seems very hard to find a TB. I even checked rockauto and ZZP, who I've used before, and they don't seem to have a TB in stock. So my only guesses at this point it a either a local parts shop (which may not even have the part), a junkyard (if you have one close to you), or an online site like ebay or Craigslist. I hope you find one, and at a good price too
@@NexusAuto I bought one on eBay for $130. It’s recognizably used, but I’m satisfied with my find. Took me like 4hrs.. Thanks for your response tho man! I found one on Amazon for like $945 lol, and another on CARID, I think, for $450ish. Ridiculous lmao..
@@RubiksMind nice!! Sweet deal. Even a used one, that's a great price, especially with how rare the TBs seem to be getting now. Those prices are unreal!
@@RubiksMinddid the TB from Ebay work? They are verified to be in working order? I was looking at those not too long ago but my biggest fear is buying one and then it still having the lean mode issue
@@engineerandy7 No it didn’t. I mean the tps I ordered may be in working order but now I’m also getting a voltage correlation issue with the accelerator pedal.. for some reason that I can’t seem to figure out. I’m also getting voltage surges that disconnect my scan tool. Idk what to do with it tbh..
Just got a 07 Grand Prix 2 months ago and everything worked fine until I smelled gas inside of my car today. Checked the fuel injectors and looks like leak is coming from there. Do I need to change all or is there a fix for it? Thanks very much
@Rjay Montecino definitely verify if it's just the rail. If that's the case, then you only need to replace the rail itself, not the injectors. Would be a good idea to put new seals in. But be sure first.
I had my 2004 Grand Prix for 10 years and had the hard start from 30,000 and no one could figure out the problem. The issue got worse over the years and began to lose power, engine would cut off and then when started back up would take off like a bat out of hell. Found your video and seemed to be an easy job and what the hell couldnt hurt to try it out. Well, the job worked and the damn car starts up like its brand new! No more pressing the gas to start and no more cutting off and unwanted take offs. Thank you so much for the video and your help! Truly appreciated!! If others are experiencing those problems then trust me and do this job! Thanks Again!!
No problem Rudy, and thank you! I appreciate the great feedback for sure. I also love hear success stories like this one, and hear how it brought the car back to life! I am pinning this for sure. Thanks again for the feedback, and thanks for watching!
Rudy Garcia man I’m having so many problems with mine I want to scream
Why do you so many of you guys post videos that are not helpful tell us what size tool you're using what size socket instead of us just trying to guess you're supposed to be doing videos to help us figure shit out and you don't even want to tell us what size sockets are you using if you're going to post a video make sure you describe details or otherwise take your videos off the air cuz they're no good to anybody
Hey, I agree with you entirely. I know my earlier videos didnt have it at all, but I have been including it in many current videos, including this one. My current videos list it at the beginning of the video, but I do mention it in this video too. Did you happen to watch the video in its entirety? if you did, your comment doesn't make sense. I mention the tools at 5:05. Hope this helps clear things up.
I disagree with Justin. I have never commented on a youtube video but I had to write to thank your for a very thorough video. @@NexusAuto
3 years of owning my '08 and here i am watching one of your videos again as a guide. thankin you again for making the videos youve made. youve helped me simplify the work- again. :) total time- from poppin the hood to closing the hood- about an hour.
Welcome back to the channel. It really is crazy how much of a difference a dirty throttle plate can make. Awesome news that you found the video. Thanks for watching!
@@NexusAuto cleaning the throttle body helped a lot. next day a coil pack and ICM took a crap. replaced those and after 200 miles of driving realized my cars been tellin me for a bit theres a problem although my scanner wasnt showing any codes. she running great now.
@@tomsteve3804 damn, that sucks about the coil and ICM, but that's how it goes sometimes. It's awesome news that everything worked out and the car is running great now!
Thank you for the video! I done have a Pontiac, but a Buick Lacrosse with a series 3 3.8 as well. It idles so much better and starts right up now!
Also I see some people hating on the length of the video, but I really appreciated it. It gives beginners like me the confidence to do stuff like this when everything is thoroughly explained. Some more experienced people may already know some of this stuff, but I didn't and it really helped. Once again thank you!
That's awesome news. Glad to hear the video helped out and your Lacrosse is working much better. And thank you for the great feedback on the video layout and length. I really do appreciate it and happy that it gave you the confidence to get this done. That's the hope when I make the videos and comments like this make it worth it. Thanks and have a great weekend.
I bought a used 2005 LaCrosse a few months ago and it stalls out at start up unless I hold the gas pedal down some. The dealership said it was the starter and wants to replace that for $600. It doesn’t seem like a starter problem to me. Seems exactly what your talking about! Thank you for this video.
My car has been starting rough for 3 years, I came across this video and did this exact thing and BAM!!!! my car starts and runs perfectly. Thanks for the video.
Awesome, glad to hear the video helped. It makes a huge difference for sure! Thanks for watching!
Great video, I just did this to my dad's 2004 Grand Prix. It had the starting issue where he had to press the gas pedal to get it started. This solved the issue right away. Thank you.
thanks for watching and glad it helped. what a difference it made in day to day driving of my GP. you're dad will definitely notice a difference
euroglx My car does that it's 2004 Grand Prix I have to step on the gas when I start it I'll go ahead and try to clean it see if works thanks
Thank you so much!! I just finished this project and my car started on the first try, no problems. Plugs and wires tomorrow.
ilgesmccool awesome! glad the video helped, and thanks for watching
One of the greatest car made by gm. Really hope we see some Grand Prix and g6 and g8 somewhere in the future
I agree. The car still holds up today, over 10 years later. I'll have more videos soon too. Sucked that Pontiac had to be closed down
Nexus Auto sucks about Oldsmobile too...
You are 100% right very very good cars the never break down just keep the maintenance and tune-up you're all good and they are very fast cars 3800 is call the power plant engine the best in the world good job GM😊
@@NexusAutooh wow i thought Pontiac are GM cars
@@cportmikesautomotiverepair1355 they are GM cars. Great cars, too
Thank you for this video. Instruction was really good and clear. I have a 2004 GTP. Cleaning the throttle body changed the responsiveness of the car to the positive considerably. I had no starting problems but hesitation on acceleration. I have a K&N air filter which I do for the improvement of air flow and cost over time but I wasn't seeing much improvement in hp or performance.
It didn't take long to remove the part and cleaning took about 30 minutes. All told I spent an hour. The throttle was really dirty on the engine side and a bit discoloured on the air side.
When I hit the road the change was significant - pedal goes down, car responds and goes fast as it wants. Shifting gears is much better and in automatic (I have the tap shift also) everything is smooth even when I punch it.
Wish I had done the cleaning when i first got the car. Glad it is done now. Thanks again!
No problem. Glad to hear the video helped out and you were so successful! It's crazy how much of a difference it makes. Funny thing is, its not just the GPs with fly-by-wire throttle bodies...i'm seeing the same sort of thing across many many cars with these new throttle bodies! A big design flaw in my book. Thanks for the great feedback and letting me know how it went!
I had the hard start problem for a couple months. This video walked me through the process on my 06 grand prix with no problem. Thanks for all you do!
That's awesome news. Love hearing these stories. Thanks for watching and glad it helped
Just a note, the throttle body gasket does pop right out. It's just a regular square cut o ring, pops right out with a pick, and can be purchased separately. But for the most part, you can usually reuse them! Good video!
great info & tip. Thanks for posting and leaving the comment. And thanks for watching!
This is next on my list. Just changed out water pump, thermostat and cleaned out my heater core yesterday. I've watched a few of your videos on the 04 grand prix. You're on it, it helps me a ton. Thanks man
That is the stuff I like to hear...makes making these videos worth it. Glad to hear they have helped out. Let me know how it goes once you've completed the job, and the condition of the Throttle Body! Thanks for watching!
@@NexusAuto Thanks for posting
I have the same issue with hard starts in my 08 GP. It's at 188k but I've had the issues since I bought it a year ago. Definitely going to try this out, you saved me a lot of time and money trying to diagnose it!
Christian Grimes no problem. thanks for watching. hopefully it works out for you. the car has never run better for me
I got my prix 3rd or 4th hand and was told the starter was going out thats why it didnt start right and id have to give it gas to keep it ON! I had no idea this was the REAL problem. I JUST did the cleaning this morning cuz my warning light came on yesterday for the engine and it also had that decreased engine power notification, then died on me while driving. I had to keep putting the var back in park turning it off even though everything was dead and restarting it just to make it HOME! SCARY cuz it died in on coming traffic ! So i did this and changed the filter while i was there. Car is starting BETTER! And it didnt die on me while driving it !!!! THANK YOU! !!!! I didn't have the money to go get this figured out at the auto shop !!!
Now...how do u clean the intake manifold ???
Do this if your car runs rough. Did it a few hours ago and mine is 100% better.
Great video with great instructions!
Awesome, thanks for the great feedback. Glad it worked out for you!
You are the first to describe this issue! I was so relieved to find this. My 04 Grand Prix has has this issue since I bought it around 35K miles and eventually it started to have an oscillation when gently accelerating. I am going to do this when I get home!
It amazes me how, to this day, this issue is not acknowledged by GM, and in fact, by many other manufacturers, as this happens to many new cars! Glad to hear the video was very helpful and you will get the job done soon. Let me know how it goes...any success or failure in the job! Hope it all goes well!
About 3 years ago I had to clean a throttle body on a friends 05 Grand Prix. I searched online and guess who's video came up. I didn't even realize it till now when I wanted a refresher on how to do mine. A friend offered his heated garage to do mine in. When the car is warmed up and you start it, it'll quit and you have to give it a little gas and restart. It's been driving me bonkers for a while now. When I did the last one, I used one of those green scrubbers (like on a sponge) to scrub everything down. It came out pretty good. It had about 160,000 miles on it. Mine shouldn't be as bad. It only has about 80,000 miles on it. One last thing. I have a rule. If it's on a car and has threads it gets never seize put on before I put it back together. Doesn't matter what it is. Anyway, awesome vid as usual. Keep up the good work and Happy New Year.
No way!! That is a really cool story. Funny how that all came back around. Great tips on what you did to get the job done. Will help other viewers for sure. I do somewhat disagree on the never seize, only because there are some things it should not go onto (certain suspension components, aluminum heads, etc) but generally speaking, it is an excellent rule to have, and no problem for the throttle body bolts. Have a great day and have a happy new year too. Thanks once again for the support, I really do appreciate it. And awesome work on your car too
A ASa we 21:58
This fixed my problems with starting GP. Every other time the car wouldn't start until you give it gas. I also cleaned MAF sensor it's on the opposite side of throttle body, attached to the air filter compartment door. Use MAF sensor cleaner for that. Combination of cleaning 2 worked for me. The car started from the first try, no check engine light, no need to re-learn throttle position. The car starts every time now, with no need to give it more gas. Thank you for clear instructions. It took me about half an hour just to clean throttle body and I couldn't even get all of it off, but mine looked worse than the one in a video (cheap supermakerket gas? lol). Thanks again.
That's awesome news! glad to see the video helped out. Thanks for taking the time to respond, appreciate it.
How long did it last?? Any updates you can give? Gonna try the senor now!!! How do you know if it needs to re-learn the throttle body?
Great video. For the clumsy who know theyre going to drop a bolt you can use a old towel or small thin blank/sheet to act as a catch net when you reinstall.
Great tip! Any small DIY tips like that go a long way. And glad to hear the video helped out!
04 Grand Prix gt 81k miles. Hard start and having to pump gas peddle to prevent stall after 3rd or 4th long crank. Friend gave me the professional 3 part fuel system clean kit. Only unhooked air box hose and had girl press gas peddle to hold open electronic butterfly valve. It helped a bit, but after your video, I think I am going to dissemble the whole unit to do a more thorough job. Thanks for the video! Wish me luck!
Good luck for sure. From the sounds of it, I think the throttle body is a good place to start. Hope it all goes well!
engine light went off after finishing this but still a little slipping when accelerating but nowhere near as bad as before today, thanks man literally no other vid on UA-cam about this
No problem at all. Glad to hear there was an improvement, although not a perfect fix.
Great and informative video. This video fixed the stall problem and RPM jump, Thx! I just wanted to say to all, while you have all that you need taken apart you should also take off the Mass Air Sensor (behind air filter, 2 -10m bolts and clamp) and clean it with sensor spray like I did. DO NOT touch the sensors inside, just spray and let it dry a few minutes. Thanks again!
Great tip. As you have the throttle body off, good to kill 2 birds with one stone. Thanks for watching!
Man thank you for uploading this video this fixed my hard starting and idle problem. I have 185000+miles on it.
Awesome. Glad it helped out and got the car running proper again. My still feels like new, 2 years later! Thanks for watching!
Been trying to fix the start issue on my 07 lacrosse for months now. This was the fix thank you!!
That's awesome news! Glad to hear you found this video! Your LaCrosse will run and accelerate so much better now too! Thanks for the great feedback
As a current owner of 2004 Grand Prix. THANK YOU.
February 10th 2020.
Mine looked a lot like yours did, except it had some "Sludge" pooled where gravity pulls. It cleaned up fine and the throttle control code went away as soon as I reassembled everything and started it up. So THANK YOU! So many places online dont show "MY" car when explaining things and it isnt helpful.
@@FelixUmbra that's awesome news! I'm really happy to hear that the video helped out! This is such a common thing on these cars (and indeed, many new cars too). Sounds like the car will run like new from now on! Thanks for leaving the feedback...appreciate it!
My 2004 Grand Prix I had to push on the gas to get it to start. I cleaned the throttle body and it starts great now. Thankyou for the video
Awesome...glad to hear the video helped and the car is running properly now! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this video. Figured it would be straight forward but I appreciate watching someone else before I get into it myself. Thanks for the post!
No problem at all! Never hurts to see a visual before beginning the work. Thanks for watching!
Just bought one and the first night this issue started. Couldn't even use the remote starter cause it would stall out a few times before it can start and it locked me out of using remote start from there till I used the key. It's cold as hell so I manually opened the throttle body after disconnecting it and wiped with rags and carb cleaner until I saw little carbon. In the spring I'll clean it properly. Thumbs up
Awesome, glad to hear the video helped out. You will definitely get by until the spring. Thanks for watching!
Thanks. I used this process last night after seeing the video. But I spray cleaner in metal 2oz cup. And clean brush with concentrated ZEP degreaser and a cup of really hot water about 10 times to save on cost of cleaner. Worked Great.
Your welcome! Great workaround too! Even more money saved is always a win! Great news to hear everything worked out!
I think this is the 3rd or 4th video of yours that I'm going to try out on my Pontiac. All the others have been successful, so I have no doubt this one will work too! Thanks for the great uploads and education! Much appreciated
No problem at all. Just happy to hear that these videos make a difference. Throttle body cleaning really helps on these cars. Thanks for the great feedback!
@@NexusAuto Just wanted to report back that everything went just as smooth as the video! My throttle body pretty much looked the same as yours, but with the same cleaner and a soft toothbrush it came right off! Thanks again
@@rotitnhoj awesome! Glad to hear it all went well and you got it cleaned up. I'm curious to if you notice a fuel economy increase or better drivability. Hopefully you'll notice an improvement. Thanks for the update!
i will be doing this today. everything we found online told us Throttle Body. really good video. my wife is worried i will lose something lol or make the car worse
Thanks, appreciate it. Give it a go, your wife will thank you when your car starts up like new! Lol. Hopefully everything works out ok
This fixed my starting problems 100 percent thanks for the video I hope you makes some more videos in the future.
Awesome, glad it worked out. This is such a common issue on these Fly-By-Wire throttle bodies. I put out new videos every week, but on various car-related things. But there will be more Grand Prix Videos coming soon.
I'm about to do this to my daughter's 2005 GP. Thank you !!!!!
No problem. Glad it helped and thanks for watching!
OMG! I am having the same problem and had no idea why it was doing it. Man thank you so much for this video
No problem at all. Such a common issue for these cars. Let me know how it goes afterwards.
@@NexusAuto ok sure will!
@@NexusAuto Hey I cleaned my throttle body out and it is running like a champ! No more hesitations during accelerations and no more starting issues. The throttle body was extremely dirty just like yours on the video. I would love to see your video on the air intake cleaning whenever you decide to tackle it becuz mine was pretty dirty as well but for now I'm loving the improved performance and improved fuel economy.
@@NexusAuto One more thing to add. I had a check engine light staying on throwing a P0420 code. Now it has went off since the cleaning. Wow
@@mcdavidhome100 It amazing how many issues come from fly-by-wire throttle bodies, and especially on this car. It causes so many drive-ability issues on the car. Glad it all worked out and the code went away too! Awesome!
Yeah my 04 does this, especially after a cold start! It usually starts when cold, but sometimes now I have to give it gas! And sometimes it seems its seems its getting no gas at all!
You should definitely clean the throttle body. While it is not always the fix, it fixes it about 80% of the time. Give it a go for sure. Sounds exactly like a dirty TB
@@NexusAuto yeah, cause a new TB is between $188-$400!😱
@@lordmalice8368 Yeah tell me about it!! Better a $5 can of throttle body cleaner and some brushes instead of that!
I have a 2007 GP and my car wouldn't crank yesterday I had to get a jump ( New battery 3mos old)😒 So I took it to the auto parts to get a test ran on it. And alternator/battery fine. So me being a newbie to the mechanic world. I went on a Google binge. And I end up here despite this video being 3yrs old it is very informative. I want to go out and buy me some tools and try to fix my car myself. But I will leave that to the experts. I appreciate you I will most definitely give this a try
Definitely. Dont worry, I respond to all comments at some point, maybe not the same day, but I am still around and videos still go out weekly! I really appreciate you taking the time to comment and the great feedback. I really appreciate it.
This is a VERY common problem on GPs with the newer throttle bodies, called 'Fly-By-Wire' Throttle bodies. IT happens to a lot of newer cars too. I hope they get your car fixed...sounds like some sort of electrical issue. Was the car sitting for a couple of days at least? Whatever the fix is, I do recommend giving your throttle body a cleaning. It makes a huge difference!
@@NexusAuto 'preciate your rapid response and I found out that it's a shortage in the postive cord running to my battery. Hopefully it shouldn't cost that much to get it fixed.
@@MicaMonroe69 that shouldn't cost too much at all. It's a pretty easy fix. At least you found the issue ...awesome stuff. Glad to hear!
Very good and helpful video! I've been having problems with my wifes 06 for a while, every one in a while the low power warning comes on, a lot of people online say its a dirty throttle body so I thought I would try this, so far so good, I had between a 16th to an eighth inch of black crud on the inside. The car runs much better, thanks!
Awesome news! Glad to hear it made a big improvement to your wife's 06. Thanks for watching and the great feedback.
I'm most definitely going to try this on my 2004 Grand Prix GT some idiot told me that my starting issue was the TPS and that it's expensive. thank you
No problem. Thank you for watching. Let me know if it works for you.
Very helpful we have one from copart that needs this done.
No problem. Glad the video will help out!
I do my 2004 gt on the car . Wedge a 2x2 to hold the gas pedal to the floor with key on but not started the throttle body will wide open get clean rag put it in the lower part of the throttle body in the manifold , I use old school combustion chamber cleaner similar to gm old Kleens ,spray the throttle butterfly and the walls let sit 20 min then respray and work with a tooth brush and respray . The rag catches most of the grunge that comes off once the butter fly and wall are clean remove the rag . Once that done I use some throttle body cleaner to remove the combustion chamber cleaner . Reassemble every thing clean mass air flow sensor also with mass air flow sensor cleaner . Start car as normal run couple min I also clean the valves and upper combustion chamber with combustion chamber cleaner letting the car sit over night . Huge difference in performance done correctly
These are really good cars if you do frequent oil changes and tranny changes and power steering fluid changes my 2004 had 408000 on the clock drives and runs like new . They also get good gas milage and super cheap to repair and maintain. If you live in the rust belt oil under coat the whole car yearly and spray oil into the rockers and all sub frame boxed frame sections I even do under my carpets hood fenders doors quarters trunk suspension coil towers rad mount ,drill 1/2 inch holes and use under coat plugs after oiling is complete . My car gets 5-40 synthetic in warm weather and 5-30 in cold weather I also add motorkote to the oil .
@@nickking1510 fantastic! That mileage is very impressive (although not unheard of, as you know). You put a great amount of care in your car...love seeing stuff like that. It is true...these cars will last forever. My mileage isn't nearly as high...not even close. But the car runs like new and I am the same...just regular maintenance (especially the transmission). Nice tips on the throttle body as well. Good alternative for those watching. Thanks for sharing and great feedback.
I enjoyed watching your video about cleaning the throttle body and would like to add a couple of things. I just bought a 2006 Grand Prix with 34k miles on it in January 2001. So, am going to change all fluids and clean certain parts like the throttle body, air box and mass airflow sensor. I was surprised that you did not clean the mass air flow sensor at the same time as cleaning the throttle body. In my experience it is essential, will improve performance and is fast and easy to do. And, I will always have some electrical contact cleaner on hand when disconnecting and connecting back electrical plugs. A fast spray is worth it.
Glad to hear the video was enjoyable. In response, I actually had cleaned the MAF at a different time, and intended to make a video on it, and never did. I agree with you 100%. same with the electrical cleaner, but I have to admit, at the time of this video, I had never even heard of electrical cleaner. I had just inspected and blew it out in the past. I found out about it about 3 yrs ago and keep a few cans on hand at all times now. Thanks for the great feedback
So could I just spray out the mass airflow sensor with my WD-40 electronic contact cleaner?
@@marteebus No.! Do Not Use WD-40 electronic contact cleaner!!! Buy the Red Can of "Mass Air Flow Cleaner" Spray it from both sides if you have access and let it dry for a few minutes.
@@MotoStringer All right just checking because it's a great electronic contact cleaner that I just found at the store I've never used it before but I will get just the type you recommend and not use my WD-40 branded stuff I'll use that on my computer's and other connectors.
@@marteebus Use the Electrical Contact Cleaner on plugged connections and sockets. Not the MAF Sensor!
This video was extremely helpful. Thank you very much for making this. Mine was about as black as yours so hopefully this cures the hard start (fingers crossed)
Fingers crossed for you too. Thanks for watching.
Hi! I just want to thank you for this video! This help solve my gf car starting problem. Thank you soo much!
No problem at all! Glad to hear the video helped you and your GF! Awesome news! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the great vid. It showed exactly what I was looking for. My 05 has been hard starting for some time and the extreme cold temps really made it worse. I’ll start with this procedure and hope it takes
Care of the problem. Thanks again.
I hope it helps out. Let me know how it goes, and good luck
Just wanted to start off by saying thank you for this video, it really helped me out tremendously after cleaning the throttle body. I still have some problems though with my 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix and i've been told to try and clean out the air intake manifold. Do you have any videos or anything to show how to do that? I still consider myself an amateur at this sort of stuff so I still need quite a bit of guidance so any videos or additional advice would be greatly appreciated
Glad to hear the video has helped you out. Thats fantastic news. Unfortunately, I do not have a video on the intake manifold (yet), but I try and assist as best as possible. What issues are you having?
Will be doing this plus cleaning the MAF sensor today. Tired of the annoying hard start!
You wont regret it. Just be careful with the MAF sensor.... it is a bit sensitive. But other than that, you will be good to go .Thanks again for watching.
Just bought an 05 going to do the throttle body had an O2 with a 3-1 over 300,000 I'll get another 150 on this one thanks for your video
No problem. Glad it helped out. Thanks for watching.
I will be performing this very soon but would like to get a performance intake also. I have been told and believed the sluggish starting was caused by a bad fuel injector. My acceleration seems sluggish at times, and I have transmission jolt and been told there's a leak of which I will use your other vid as reference. Thank you!
No problem at all. Let me know how it goes. It's a very common issue with these cars, so hopefully this fixes the sluggish starting. And hope you find the leak too
@@NexusAuto Just finished the throttle body and what a difference it's like having a new engine installed. Used to have to hold the key on start a little longer cause there would be a dip before idling but not anymore! At 148k and also noticed added torque, power, and huge responsiveness after pressing the pedal. The only downside which isn't new is intermittent sluggish acceleration from around 40mph depending on the gear but the trans maintenance is next. Thanks for your videos!!!
@@josephtinkler6306 that's awesome news! Sounds like the cleaning fixed many problems all in one shot. It's crazy how one dirty butterfly flap can cause so many issues. Hopefully the transmission video fixes the rest! Thanks for the update, much appreciated!
No problem! And actually I added a spectre intake and used your air box mod video for guidance. Everything went well with the assembly but it actually is giving less power with the performance intake. I ordered an AEM intake of which I'll try next.
@@josephtinkler6306 Sounds great! Interesting that the intake and air box mod actually worked out negatively. Curious to hear how it goes with the AEM intake.
I just have a few questions... since I'm not into engines and such.. my mechanic said I needed a new air flow sensor? My 04 GP GTP is leaking oil and coolant so I think I need gaskets too but I'm so lost on what to do.
Edit: she's a bit old, but she's got 210k miles on her.
Hello. Sorry to hear you're having so many things go at once. Hopefully you can get it all resolved at a good cost. The leaking oil and coolant can be quite a few things, but gaskets are a big cause of these issues. Is it leaking outside of the car, or into the engine?
As for the mass air flow sensor, why is that being recommended? Not calling out your mechanic for sure, as I am not there and nothing beats being there, but I would say I have seen far more dirty throttle body issues than Mass Air Flow Sensor issues. Are you having starting issues as well? An Air Flow Sensor can be the cause, but I have dealt with quite a few of these Grand Prixs (my own included) and the Mass Air Flow is rarely a problem (although, again, it does fail at times for sure). What is happening with the car to have this recommendation?
You mentioned a lot of troubles difficulty starting what about over heating? I had a guy tell me that he was a mechanic for over 20 years and that that could be a problem as to why my car was overheating. Have you had any experience with that?
It can cause overheating. It's not a Common cause for an overheat, but if its malfunctioning, it can cause the car to run lean, which can cause it to run hot.
Very useful video. had the hard start on my 05 Grand Prix 184000 and watched your video earlier, took me about an hour or so but got er done.Fixed the hard start to just turning key. Ty
That's great news. Glad it worked out for you, and thanks for watching!
Thanks man,you explained everything perfectly. My gf n I was able to clean it without any problems. Thanks so much
Awesome. Glad the video has helped out you and gf out! Thanks for watching too!
Thank you!! Did it myself today! Much better!!
Awesome news. Glad the video helped to get the job done!
Awesome!!! my 05 grand prix runs great now, good video, you helped me a lot cheers!! from Ontario
Awesome news. I am in Ontario too, so glad to hear this video helped close to home! LOL. Thanks for the great feedback
Did this to my 2007 Grand Prix and it fixed the starting problem! Only thing wrong now is I lost that little clip when taking it off and can’t find it. If you could let me know where I could get a new one that would be great!
Awesome! Glad to hear the video helped out! A very common issue. As for the clip, that is hard to come by. Most aftermarket places I know of do not sell them, and I dont think the dealer does anymore. You may be able to find one at the junkyard.
My 05 GP has progressively been taking longer to start up with stuttering and stutters when switching gears. I'm gonna try this if it gets really bad. For now I'll keep the gas pedal press trick in mind
Definitely give this a try. From the sounds of it, it should make a big difference. My GP was doing exactly the same thing, and since cleaning, it has been perfect!
Great video. My '06 Lucerne has an issue with erratic rpm under load (like going up an incline). I suspect the throttle body needs cleaning, but is the throttle position sensor on the throttle body for the series 3 3800? I am wondering of the TPS is going out. Thanks!
@olsonjk2 the tps is part of the throttle body on the series 3. It's integrated into the TB itself. It's not a replaceable part (officially), so if it's going, you need to get a new TB
Thank you
Hi. Thanks for the video. It really made a difference for my Series 3 06 LaCrosse with 3800 that would sometimes stumble after starting with 65k on it.
I do have a question regarding your car. Have you looked any further at cleaning the intake and valves? I've recently learned of the Direct Injections issues many manufactures have where the fuel does not wash the intake valves due to the Direct Injections fuel delivery method. Many cars begin getting large amounts of carbon build up. Also poorly designed and sometimes plugged PCV valves add to the problem. Some are recommending catch cans, synthetic oil, and manually cleaning the valves.
Just cleaned my throttle body and my car starts perfect now. It’s been doing it for years. Any tips on why my cruise has stopped working, it hasn’t work in a long time. My tail lights, brake and accelerator switches all work fine.
Awesome news, glad to hear that the TB cleaning had worked out well. For the cruise, hard to say without testing it. For sure the brake light switch is working? I worked on a Cadillac Escalade last year that the brake light switch was testing ok but cruise was not working. It testing led me back to the switch anyways. I replaced it and the cruise works beautifully now.
Great video! Very good, precise and thorough job of explaining what was needed. Would love to see how you cleaned out the manifold. Thanks!
Thanks for watching and for leaving the great feedback. Appreciate it. The Manifold video is one that I haven't gotten to yet, but it is requested fairly frequently. I will definitely look at getting it out in the near future.
I just bought a Prix that does that starting thing so hopefully this fixes the issue.
I hope so too. It doesn't always fix it, but it is the problem 85% of the time. I hope this is the case for you. Fingers crossed.
@@NexusAuto Just wanted to report back and say that my throttle body cleaned right up and it hasn't started hard since so I believe this did fix it. Thanks for the video!
@@crzzymnn911 Awesome news. Thanks for letting me know. Sounds like you are on your way now. FYI I did this on my car 5 years ago and it still starts up with 0 issues to this day
I have a 04 Grand prix and when its in park it starts shaking and when you put in reverse it backs up slow but RPM would rise and same in Drive until it start going it will become normal....thanks i did this project today with throttle body and mass airflow sensor with the correct Bottle sprayer
Awesome. glad the video helped out. thanks for watching!
I was thinking of doing this to my 08 Lacrosse and found this video. I have the same starting issue. Never had it on my 01 Regal series 2 for whatever reason.
Give it a go for sure. Hopefully it fixes your issue, but if it doesn't, it will still help in others areas.
This issue is actually very common on many modern cars. Basically, any car that now has an electric throttle body will have this issue at some point. Your 01 Regal had a TB with a throttle cable and even with the carbon build up, the force of the cable pulling on the plate would still cause the throttle body to be forced open and work. With the fly by wire throttle bodies, there is no mechanical force to force them open, so when the carbon is too much for the electric motor to take, it starts malfunctioning. Can't tell you how many modern cars from all manufacturers, American, German, Japanese, Korean, that I have done and there is always an immediate improvement.
@@NexusAuto there was really bad buildup. I cleaned it and the engine fires up with barely a touch now. When I test drove it, I noticed a big improvement in overall driveability. Should have done it sooner. Thanks for a good video on an easy fix.
@@johnw9612 That's awesome news. Sounds like the Lacrosse is all set. Thanks for the great feedback!
Fantastic! I'll be doing this today! Thank you SO much!
No problem. Hopefully it all went well. You should notice a huge difference
Doing this on my day off , thank you for the tutorial ❤
Awesome news! Glad it is helpful!
Very useful video and well done. Hey guess what? My 2007 Grand Prix (my wife's actually) has a leetle problem that this video possibly refers to. No warning to this problem, was running like a champ, was left idling in the driveway for 1 minute and it died. And there she sits two days later.... No one was in the car when it died. Attempting to start the car is rewarded with a brief firing every ten or twenty tries. And a bad smell from the exhaust when it does fire. Two weeks ago a garage in Albuquerque, New Mexico charged me $120 to change the air filter and oil (Synthetic oil that can be mixed with regular oil). The car has 90k miles with only a new power module (ECM) needed, otherwise no problems. Throttle Body has never been cleaned. Fixes I have tried: #1. Added premium fuel to the tank with a 5 gallon can. #2. Poured an injection cleaner gas additive into the tank. Tank has 9 gallons in it, if the fuel gauge is correct. The gas additive I chose was not the kind that dries up water in the tank or deals with water, instead it deals with injection cleaning. #3. Disconnected the battery for 30 minutes. #4. Opened up the Throttle Body intake and sprayed starting fluid into the throttle body while having it cranked. (This was one before the battery disconnect attempt). The starting fluid attempt completely failed. It didn't fire at all. Any advice? Today I cancelled an appointment with a backyard garage mechanic and have decided to schedule the car with the Pontiac dealer I bought the car from, because after researching the net I realized this car is a piece of work when it comes to fixing anything, requiring a PHD in car computer codes, etc...
Well everyone here's what it was: An oil leak from the timing cover caused the crankshaft positioning sensor to fail. Who could have guessed. $ 1,150 dollars later, the mystery is solved. Since it was all apart I had other things fixed too. Oil pressure sensor, ignition coil (cracked), radiator flush, serpentine belt, etc...
1Life 2live your grand prix has had a tough 90k. I'm at 160 and have fixed almost nothing
Turns out my 2007 Grand Prix had a malfunctioning camshaft sensor. To get to that part a lot was removed. Other things found. 2 cracked coils. A melted Catalytic Converter. Ignition Control Module. They gave it back to me with a loose battery cable which when disconnected caused the anti-theft system to disable the starter. After performing an animal sacrifice the car started but is ignoring one of the two keys belonging to it. And that's the short story.
my trust 06 GP GT is starting hard and I will be doing this, this weekend. Nice video!
Thanks for watching. Hope everything goes well. It will make a big difference for sure!
WOW was it dirty! I used to get 30-31mpg on the highway a few years ago. Never could figure out what changed.... Did plugs and wires within the last year myself (car has 130,xxx miles on it now). Not much of a change. I track all fuel economy on fuelly.com. Well on my drive to work today 30-31mpg on the highway! Back to where I was! Wow this was the problem the whole time! Car is more responsive, and starts better too. I noticed the starting issue about 2 years ago and figured it was my fuel pump going out slowly. My supercharger intake needs to be cleaned but I'll save that for when the heater helper hoses need to be replaced. Anyway, thanks for the video! I also took my 2004 silverado's throttle body off (a little more invovled but not terrible at all) and cleaned that one as well. That wasn't nearly as bad. I will be taking my wife's 2006 base grand prix's throttle body off soon (her car only has 90,xxx miles on it.) Anyone with a 3.8L with higher miles needs to check this out!!!
That's awesome news Looks like it fixed a bunch of major issues. It did the same for me. Funny how the dirty throttle body can cause so many starting and idling issues with the Series III engines(and in fact, many GMs with fly by wire throttle bodies). I did the same for my dads Trailblazer and it made a huge difference too, although not as much as the GP. . Appreciate the great comments too! Thanks again for watching and happy driving!
great video my car has had no starting issues since!
Awesome. It's an annoying issue with these Grand Prixs. Thanks for watching!
Thx for the great videos homie, saw your window regulator replacement video and just did both my back ones today in about 30 minutes to complete both. I'll be doing this throttle body cleaning next! I have 1 question maybe you have run into this issue or not, sometimes I get a "service stability system" "traction control" and "reduced engine power" message not sure what this could be related to, I installed an aftermarket radio and the message started randomly coming up so I started there first, checking all the wires and everything is fine, could it be a wheel sensor? Dealership wanted to start at the corroded negative battery cable which i will try next, just wondering if you had any ideas, thanks again great vids!
No problem at all. Glad the videos all helped out.
For your issue with all the lights, a wheel sensor could be the cause. Actually, there is a few causes. I would check and clean the negative and positive terminals, along with cleaning the throttle body.
Do you see any issues with those errors come up? Does the car run rough or have problems starting? Does it feel like the ABS is kicking in when it shouldn't? Anything else related to these errors?
No abs light comes on, just the traction light and the messages in the info center, also the rpm and gas gauge shut down but the speedometer still works, this problem is intermittent and some days wont do it at all, I will try cleaning some connections and throttle body and see what I come up with. Thanks for responding!
thank you was informative ,im gonna do this to my 2008 buick lacrosse ,again thank you
No problem at all. Glad the video helped out!
Thanks Bro this worked very well on my 07 grandprix
rocket science nice!! glad it helped. thanks for watching
Now did you have to drain any fluids or anything before removing the throttle body or do I not need to worry about any fluids pouring out when removing this part?
Well, both. You definitely do not need to drain and fluids at all when doing this job. At the same time, there is coolant channels, so there will be fluid coming out when you remove the throttle body. But it is very very little...nothing you need a drain pan for. Just put a rag underneath and you should be good.
LMAO!!! Best part of the whole video 19:32 "these nuts" LMAOOOOOO BROOOOO
hahahahaha got eem! :D
I’ve done these before on other cars. Just tried this on my 06 GP. TB was stuck on so bad I didn’t bother taking it off. I was afraid I would break it if I pulled any harder. Just cleaned what o could from one side.
That is better than nothing at all, that's for sure. You work with what you can...don't want a 10$ cleaning job turning into a very expensive repair. Hopefully you were able to get enough to make a difference
Thanks for the video ,did the clean job and what a difference. Thanks
Awesome, glad to hear the video helped out. It is a huge difference for sure! Thanks for watching!
wow, great guide. I'm going to try this on my '06 Buick Lacrosse soon.
thanks for watching, and hope it helps! Definitely worked well for me. Good luck
I need a video to give me an idea as to replace the secondary air injection check valve. I cannot find one and I am having a heck of a time figuring it out on my own. Hopefully you see this soon.
Unfortunately, I don't have a video, and can't make one on it. I can tell you it on on the top of the engine, under the engine cover(if you still have it on), attached to the cylinder head, pretty much on top of cylinder 4 (middle rear cylinder). It will look like a cylinder with a hose coming out of it, running to the driver side of the engine, if I recall. I hope this helps, wish I could help further.
Nexus Auto
Hey thanks for replying, I really appreciate it. I just want to know if there are bolts underneath? I’m really confused as to how I’m going to remove and replace the secondary air injection check valve.
@@alguapo6181 I will give you what info I could find, but since I can't confirm it completely, I recommend to double check everything and it is at your own risk.
First, disconnect the hose on the top.
From what I can see, there is a hose at the bottom of the check valve, that goes to a connector with 2 nuts at the end. Remove the two nuts (not sure how hard that is).
There is a bracket that holds the check valve in place. Remove bolts holding it in.
Unplug check valve electrical connector at top. You should be able to remove the check valve assembly now.
I can't confirm if there is anything else, but from what I can tell, that looks like it. Hope this helps with the fix, or at least, get you started on it.
Hi- I am having the same issues with my 03 Grand Prix. Checked everything, including computer, MAP and MAF sensors, TPS, Coils, Spark plugs, fuel pressure regulator- nothing has worked. My GP has pretty much the same issues as yours- stalling, erratic RPM. It runs smooth, but it is also kicking codes so it won't pass emissions. I am going to clean the throttle body, so thank you for the video you shared. By the way, did this solve the issues? I don't think you mentioned if it fixed the problem. I will do it anyways, because I am checking the lists of what to do- hopefully this is the last one that works. Thank you again for posting this.
It did solve my issue with the hard start, and it has not come back once since. It has also worked for many other 3800 owners. I can't say for sure this will be your fix, but it is absolutely worth doing.
It worked for me
How do you like those cone air filters are they really worth the money, just afraid of the oil u have to put on them messing up the MAF sensor
I hear you on that. I have used oil based filters all my life, since my first car until now. I have the cone in the Grand Prix, and a regular K&N drop in filter in my JX35. I heard of many issues with the oil getting on the MAFs, but I have never had this issue.
I believe it has to do with the fact that I am very careful with oiling them, and I take a few hours to do it, being sure to clean up the excess when sprayed down and giving lots of ample time to dry. A big issue is not letting it dry when washing it, as oil and water do not mix, and I think this causes the oil to not soak in properly and fling off the filter when installed.
Even so, I have used dry filters before, and also had no issues. So nothing wrong with getting a dry cone.
But this whole 'add horsepower' is a farce. It does not add any real horsepower, and is not really effective unless ignition and exhaust is done and the car is re-tuned. What it DOES do is improve response time with the engine, giving the engine a quicker response when you press the accelerator. And it sounds pretty dame cool. So there is benefits, but it is not significant.
GREAT VID! Doing my 04 GP today!
Awesome. Glad the video helped out. Thanks for watching and hope all goes well!
Use only a soft rag carefully and lots of cleaner. Vacum out that intake mani tbough..Please!
Another good tip is clean your MAF sensor regularly as well. These cars will run stronger and get better mileage... 238k on mine.
Completely agree. Cleaning the MAF is a great idea too!
Getting a P0327 code. For a knock sensor. Do i have to remove top of block or is it accessible just outside of the block somewhere
Hey man, ZZP has larger throttle bodies for sale on their website, do you think they'll fit on a series 3 3800? I thought about buying it for my 04 Grand Prix..
Sorry for the late reply. Do you have a link for the larger throttle body you're talking about? i checked their website but couldn't find any info on the larger throttle body
@@NexusAuto No Worries man! I gotta get you that link. Hopefully they'll still have it in stock
I have a 97 Grand Prix GTP. I was having a fuel issue. I started with the cheaper parts first. Changed fuel filter....still wouldn't start, changed n relocated fuel pump resistor....still same issue. So, I purchased a new fuel pump off eBay. Problem fixed......sort of. The problem I am having now, when you drive the car and floor it, it has a slight bucking as if it's not getting enough fuel. I told the person/place of business I got the fuel pump from. They sent me a new one.(both say they're for the GTP, which I read somewhere the GTP fuel pump has more pressure because its supercharged). It's a beater car in fair condition but, I plan to sell so I don't wanna go spend 2-400$ on a new fuel pump. I am at this point considering trying to buy an after market pump to somehow put into this unit(sending unit). Any help??? Thanks
Obviously I couldn't get through your video due to the obvious over use and incorrect use of the word "obviously". I used it wrong and excessively on purpose as an example.
Otherwise good and detailed information. I still gave you a 👍for your helpful contribution to the 3800 community.
Well, obviously I appreciate the like and it should be obvious that I welcome all comments and feedback. That may not have been obvious, but it in case it wasn't, it should be obvious now. I do hope that this video makes an obvious improvement to your obviously owned 3800 engine, obviously! 😂😂
Never noticed I did that in this video, but in retrospect, I know my reasons. I had to rewatch as I wasn't even aware. I said it A LOT! Lol. Meh, as long as the video helps, not particularly concerned. I don't think it happens in my later videos, but I'm not even sure. Oh well. Appreciate the feedback!
@@NexusAuto at least you got a good sense of humor and can laugh at yourself while learning and moving forward. Keep up the awesome work!!
@@600zxr definitely. If you can't laugh at yourself and can't learn as you go, then what's the point? I'll be more aware of it going forward, no doubt. Thanks again for the great feedback!
Helped with stalling out constantly too and erratic tachometer
Absolutely. Sounds like it made a huge difference to your car.
First of all, thank you very much for your video! I am not sure if you still check the comment from this video. I have a 2008 pontiac grand prix.
Recently, I experienced some rough idling on my 2008 grand prix. Although the situation got improved after I cleaned my throttle body, sometimes (this does not happen every time), I feel kind of shaking from the engine when I am stopped at the red light, and my rpm jumps up and down a bit from 700 to 650 range, and it normally only last less than a minute. Thus, I am wondering if is this something normal? By the way, I have recently replaced both of my spark plugs and ignition coil. Thanks a lot
No problem at all! And yep, I do still check the comments section from time to time.
The situation you have is not normal, but does happen. Ideally, it would be best to have the vehicle hooked up to a scan tool and see what is causing the issue. Could be a number of issues. But I know that's not always possible.
Off the top of my head, there could be 2 potential commom causes. 1. The MAF sensor is dirty or damaged, and is giving occasional off readings, causing that off-idle. 2. If your throttle body is dirty enough, sometimes a reset is needed after the cleaning to reset engine settings. (relearn or recalibration).
But both of these may not be the fix. They are just common causes. I would start looking there. But if you have a scanner or know someone who does, you can check a variety of things as well and it may give you a better answer.
@@NexusAuto Thanks for the reply. I will go ahead and borrow the scan tool in Autozone. I will keep you updated.
On my scanner, I got an error code of misfire from cylinder 5, which ended up caused by a malfunction spark plug.
@shouyudu936 ah gotcha! Glad to hear you got your hands on a scanner and it helped you get it fixed. Sometimes it just takes one small thing!
The throttle body on my GP looked pretty similar to that at 130,000 miles, but that one also had a misfire for a while.
Damn. Hopefully you noticed a big improvement once you cleaned the TB
@@NexusAuto There was a noticeable improvement, and it also had a pretty nasty upper intake manifold. I had already replaced the intake manifold gaskets though, and I don't remember it looking that bad.
@@legoboy-ox2kx Damn! I guess the Intake Manifold will be the next project. At least the throttle body cleaning was effective.
@@NexusAutoYeah, I cleaned the opening on the intake manifold when I did the throttle body, but I can't get super deep without taking the whole thing off.
@@legoboy-ox2kx although I haven't tried it yet, I know a few people who said they used seafoam and it worked great. Maybe worth looking into
I have the starting issue as well just bought the car i was wondering about that....im 3/4 through the video did he/ mention a charging issue at the beginning? I cant remember hearing it
Doing this stopped my 05 grand prix from having the no start until second or third try. Usually only when I took a brief trip and went to start it, it would happen.Now it always starts on the first try
That's awesome news! Happy to hear your GP starts up now with no problems!
Awesome did this to my grand prix. And it stoped staling after startup
Awesome news. It makes such a difference in how the car drives. Glad to hear the video was helpful
Good video man, this is my next project
Awesome, hope it all goes well. Let me know if you notice any improvements.
Just did this and omggggg it was even worst then yours was it took me a 2 hours to clean I used 5 tooth brushes put it back together and it started the first try my power was back no jerking no cutting the rmps stabled out well after a ride (real fast ride lo) I get home and the idle was jumping back and forth again? What else would make the rmpz jump up and down
@Barry Shaw ok I'll try that thanks
I watched the video, and the little clip at 4:18 isn't on the connector, is there any way to find one online by chance? Thanks for the informative video btw!
I took a quick look online and couldn't find any. I know you can't just go and buy them, which sucks. Probably your best bet is to either head out to a junkyard and see if you can any 3800 Series 3 vehicle and grab it off of there, or you may have to replace the entire harness.
@@NexusAuto Yeah, that's what I figured, thanks for the reply!
Thank you again! Saved my car.
No problem at all. Glad it all worked out!
I had both my bypass elbows fail and i changed them out , had the tensioner pulley crack where the heater hose mounts on to it so i replaced that . But in the process i kept observing that area of the head gasket and some of the gasket looks pushed out from the engine and some looks sucked in .
I'm not sure if if it's a actual blown head has6seeing how its not that common in the 3800 engines but im looking forward to replacing it anyways because its about to be a 20 year old car with nothing but original parts in it.
I know its time to change them all out
But my head gasket situation is alittle odd.
Looks like you're getting some stuff checked off on the list for your GP. I agree, the head gasket situation is a bit odd, but anything is possible. At 20 years in, I'd say you have a good run with the OEM parts!
@@NexusAuto well I was mistaken, what I was seeing was the plastic gasket for the intake manifold, lower manifold gasket practically melted (due to me driving in this 100° AZ weather
) other than that now this car is now my project and I'm planning on getting another GM car ( i kinda want another grand Prix)
@ThaProd1gy ah gotcha. Makes sense. That Arizona heat is no joke (not that you need me to tell you that lol).
These GPs are really great project cars. I'm actually typing to you from inside my GP right now as we speak lol. Hopefully you find another great project (maybe a GXP?). Fun cars to have!
@@NexusAuto another update: got the thermostat changed , bypass elbows aluminum, coolant flushed for the most part and......
One of the aluminum elbows blew 🙃
@ThaProd1gy *me reading this comment* oh nice, got a lot more stu...whaaaat? Lol.
Damn, that sucks. Really rare to hear of one of the aluminum elbows blowing, especially new. Hopefully you were able to get it fixed quickly! Was it like the o-ring that went, or the elbow itself? That's wild!
Thanks. Great video on doing this job. As you know, many of us neglect doing this relatively easy maintenance procedure. But it can and usually does make a difference in the performance of the engine.
I have watched several of your videos recently on the GP. I too have one, a 2004 GTP. Great cars! Had a 1997 GTP before this one. Keep up the good work! Have you done a video on a transmission oil / filter change on the GP ? I wonder if you have ever done that and run into the issue of getting the old seal out of the filter port and how you were able to remove it.... Thanks again... And I did subscribe.....
Hi Patrick, thanks for the great feedback and for subscribing! Appreciate it. I do agree, generally people do not complete certain basic maintenance checks or work on their car, whether it be from shop or themselves, and it can often lead to worse issues. This throttle body cleaning alone makes a world of difference in how the car drives and operates...it was like night and day!.
Glad to see you are a multi-Grand Prix owner too. I had a 97 as well, funny enough. But it was an SE base model, but with the 3800 engine option and a few other bells and whistles. Was an awesome car, and I am still enjoying my 2005 as well.
I do have a video on changing the Transmission Fluid. I have tagged the video here ua-cam.com/video/_BwtK5ke11s/v-deo.html . It details everything (including to make sure to never completely flush the trans). Hope it helps. Thanks for watching!
Hey man, so I have a 2004 Grand Prix gt1, and I thought my TPS was going out due to such limited acceleration. So I found this video and decided to take a shot at just cleaning it up like you did. Now, I have no action when I press the gas pedal.. probably need a new sensor, but the sensor is affixed to the throttle body. Any chance you know where to find a replacement?
Sorry to hear that the throttle body cleaning didn't work it. It was worth a shot, but sometimes that's just the way it goes.
Unfortunately, the TPS is part of the throttle body, so you have to replace the whole unit. The surprise for me was it seems very hard to find a TB. I even checked rockauto and ZZP, who I've used before, and they don't seem to have a TB in stock. So my only guesses at this point it a either a local parts shop (which may not even have the part), a junkyard (if you have one close to you), or an online site like ebay or Craigslist. I hope you find one, and at a good price too
@@NexusAuto I bought one on eBay for $130. It’s recognizably used, but I’m satisfied with my find. Took me like 4hrs..
Thanks for your response tho man!
I found one on Amazon for like $945 lol, and another on CARID, I think, for $450ish. Ridiculous lmao..
@@RubiksMind nice!! Sweet deal. Even a used one, that's a great price, especially with how rare the TBs seem to be getting now. Those prices are unreal!
@@RubiksMinddid the TB from Ebay work? They are verified to be in working order? I was looking at those not too long ago but my biggest fear is buying one and then it still having the lean mode issue
@@engineerandy7 No it didn’t. I mean the tps I ordered may be in working order but now I’m also getting a voltage correlation issue with the accelerator pedal.. for some reason that I can’t seem to figure out. I’m also getting voltage surges that disconnect my scan tool. Idk what to do with it tbh..
can you remove the throttle position sensor from the front of the throttle body and replace it
I don't think so. As far as I know, there isn't even an official part number for the TPS. It's an all-in-one unit
Just got a 07 Grand Prix 2 months ago and everything worked fine until I smelled gas inside of my car today. Checked the fuel injectors and looks like leak is coming from there. Do I need to change all or is there a fix for it? Thanks very much
Hello. Depends on where the leak is coming from. Is it coming from a single injector, or from the fuel rail?
I think its from the fuel rail
@Rjay Montecino definitely verify if it's just the rail. If that's the case, then you only need to replace the rail itself, not the injectors. Would be a good idea to put new seals in. But be sure first.
You need some rouge and polishing bits to repolish the back of the throttle body butterfly.
What's rouge and publishing bits?