I have a 1997 Oldsmobile Achieva with a 2.4 twin cam engine. 1 night when I got home my car was running fine, I turned it off and the next morning I came out to start it and it started and it ran really rough and then immediately died. I have established that I am getting spark and fuel, however I believe it is getting too much fuel as it is washing out my plugs with fuel. I have performed a compression test and am getting about 180 on all 4 cylinders and have even replaced all plugs. It will sometime start for a few seconds run rough and then die and then proceed to foul my plugs again. Could I be off a tooth or 2 on my timing chain, or could this simply be a sensor ? If it is which 1 could it be?????? Any ideas? Signed,---- Desperate!

This happened SUDDENLY so I'm leaning towards electrical-?????? But just don't know !!

It could be several things. Any check engine light? Maybe a bad injector making the others run rich. Throttle position sensor? Idle air? Go to GAOwnersClub.com and ask the owners of the 2.4L's what they have experienced.

Thanks!!!

Yes I have "CHECK ENGINE" lite on sometimes - I checked that out about 8 most ago and it said something bout EGR but has never ran rough and other than an Alternator and starter, it has been a great car.

timing belt or chain i woulden't think you would have such good compression,though thats when they jump .as for a sensor maby map sensor is shorted, .

That's on my to-check list as well as the ambient air temperature sensor in the intake duct which I think has something to do with "spark timing" --you think it would at least start though huh?

theirs a jell to test for water in gasoline,the foulout may be water, unplug a sensor and lift a bat, cable off to reset the ecm, reconnect now the car will relie on preset perimeters in ecm, maby???

I found out it was the COIL SHELL!!! It was only hitting on 2 cyls...THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP:)

Help me find where is memory computer top or under?