3.5L 09 Impala weird engine issue

Nokooler

Forum Member
My girlfriend was driving, no noises of course. The car suddenly lost power(I am sure she meant electrical power). Brought the car to a stop, tried to start it and nothing happened. The tow truck driver couldn't get it started, but said it sounded like a motor problem...

I check out the car, most electrical stuff seemed to work, If I cranked it I could hear the solenoid engage but nothing.. not even a motor turning over. The battery terminals were crusty, I cleaned the heck out of them, and the battery, same issue, not cranking. I went out and bought a battery(my charger said it was low and its been dead a couple times this winter). New battery was installed, same issue. Eventually I cleaned the terminals again, and the cable itself on the ground. Did this twice, and it cranked over, mind you this is the 8-9th time I've cranked it. I tried again, she started and idle'd, with a bad noise. Not sure why, but it ATE the belt..

Eventually my dad and my brother came out and said it sounds like a rod knock. My brother hooks up his laptop, and hp tuners I believe. No previous codes at all, looked good *edit, My girlfriend has that allstate obd2 monitor my driving device. He unplugged that and after the very very last crank there was a loud dinner bell sound... I kid you not, DING.. and it currently purrrs.... I replaced the belt today, took it around the block. There is a minor top end noise, maybe lifters/rockers .. minor tick. I don't drive these cars, but it shifts good, and seemed to make power to 40mph.

My thoughts
1) - The starter was engaged the whole time? eventually bogged and stalled the engine on her, hence why it locked up(the engine and starter).
2) - The all state device... is rigged with Skynet
3) - Timing got f*cked, and the reset cleared it and it forced it back into place.
4) - We accidentally bought Christine.

Mind you, this is a very over priced dealer car, pressured into buying, car fax was not ran, and we've had it less than a year. Roughly 4 oil changes, 3 at a shop, her dad did it in February it was around 2.2K miles on this oil.
:beer:
 
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My gf's car kinda did the same thing last year..... I'm not sure if it was related but 3 weeks later the cam broke on her gm 3400
 
A/c still working? Sounds like the compressor seized and slowed the engine to a stall, then when you had it running the compressor was making noise until the clutch broke-ding!
A lot of them tick too, lifters are a problem but really nothing to worry about.
Also, if you had the battery off, you would have no stored codes.
 
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A/c still working? Sounds like the compressor seized and slowed the engine to a stall, then when you had it running the compressor was making noise until the clutch broke-ding!
A lot of them tick too, lifters are a problem but really nothing to worry about.
Also, if you had the battery off, you would have no stored codes.

We thought that too, I should add this made that noise with a serpentine belt.

*edit, thanks for answering my other questions too :)
 
I would take it on a few decent trips (about 20 miles each) to get the drive cycles/readiness monitors up and see if there are any pending faults as well. I think you did the right thing by cleaning the terminals/grounds. You shouldve taken a voltage drop reading on them (0.3 V on positive and 0.1 v on neg is the max limit) Not to insult your intelligence, the volt drop test tells you if the connection is eating up voltage due to high resistance. That could cause the power issue but seeing as the belt got eaten I would start looking into misaligned accy or a nicked pulley. Also check to see if there is any free play in the bearings/shafts of the accys. (would be best done with the belt tension off the pulleys)
 
I would take it on a few decent trips (about 20 miles each) to get the drive cycles/readiness monitors up and see if there are any pending faults as well. I think you did the right thing by cleaning the terminals/grounds. You shouldve taken a voltage drop reading on them (0.3 V on positive and 0.1 v on neg is the max limit) Not to insult your intelligence, the volt drop test tells you if the connection is eating up voltage due to high resistance. That could cause the power issue but seeing as the belt got eaten I would start looking into misaligned accy or a nicked pulley. Also check to see if there is any free play in the bearings/shafts of the accys. (would be best done with the belt tension off the pulleys)

Thanks man! I'm still learning about cars, and electricity, you learn something new everyday :) Awesome post! I'll undo the belt tomorrow and check the pullies before I take it for a drive!!
 
Check the idler and tensioner for a bad bearing race. Not uncommon for A/C comp or Alt failure. Willing to bet the starter is having a solenoid issue. Replace the starter and its main feed cables if the starter does that no click/start again.
 
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