Dear JB,
I have a 1998 Buick Century with a 3100 v-6 engine which has a strange  problem.  It runs fine cold, but once it warms up it runs terrible.  Don't  cars usually run worse cold when there's a problem?

Signed,
Sad Sack Century
Dear Sad,

You're right, it is very unusual for any car to run worse after it warms  up than it does cold.  This does rule out a lot of  possibilities, though, and may even make the problem a little easier to pinpoint.  My first  inclination is to suspect a faulty electronic coolant temperature or ECT sensor.  This is one of the computer's  main sensors and it reports the temperature of the engine to the computer.  If your sensor is out of  calibration it could very well make your car misbehave just like it does.  Another very likely cause for this misbehavior is the fuel pressure

regulator.  If the valve is stuck and is not letting the fuel pressure reduce to its normal range then it will do well cold when the engine needs the extra boost in fuel and then poorly after it warms up.


Dear JB,
I have a 1996 Mercury Sable with a 3.0 liter v-6.  I am beginning to smell fuel in the mornings when  I crank it up.  Then it dies a

few times before I can get it out of the driveway.  Once the smell goes away it runs great.  Is this dangerous and where should I look first for the problem?

Signed,
Woke up and Smelled The Gas.

Dear Gas,
It's only dangerous if your life insurance ISN'T paid up!  Anytime you

smell gasoline you have two of the three elements necessary for a good bomb. (The third and missing piece of the formula being a tiny spark).  I think that you have leaky o-rings in your fuel system either at the injectors themselves or at the connection where the fuel rail joins the line that runs back to the tank.  I would probably guess it is the o-rings on the injectors since I have seen this particular problem many time and it also explains why

your car dies.  Don't be surprised if your mechanic tries to sell you 6 injectors at over $100 a piece.  Is it worth it?  You bet YOUR LIFE!

  JB can be seen each Thursday morning on WDEF-TV News 12's Morning Show at 7:30 A.M. where he answers your car questions.  He can also be heard Saturday Mornings 7-9 on Talk Radio 102.3 FM on the Saturday Morning Garage.  He spends the rest of his time taking advantage of helpless motorists at North Shore Auto Repair in Chattanooga.  E-mail JB at jeepster1515@yahoo.com to have your car care question answered in this column.