Hey everyone, I have a 1991 Pontiac Firebird, 3.1 V-6, 169,000 miles. The body and interior are in pretty great shape for the age and mileage.

Anyway, my car stalled a couple weeks ago when I was driving down the road going apprx. 40 MPH. I had the car towed to the mechanic and they told me three days later that I had two blown head gaskets. The mechanic gave me a spark plug out of my car and said that the electron end or something was burned out. It looked almost rusted. I had replaced the spark plugs just 3 months ago. I drove the car home where it sat for a few days.

I finally got it on the road again. I noticed a serious miss in the engine so I had my buddys dad look at the car. He sprayed water on the spark plug wires and it looked like a fireworks show, the spark were arching on both sides everywhere. So I went to Autozone that night and replace the spark plug wires. He also told me that it didn't look or sound like I had blown head gaskets.

So I drive the car a few more days and it dies again at the gas station after I filled up the tank. So I finally got it running 5 minutes later and drove it home. I found out my ignition coil was bad, so I bought a new one and put it on my car... it didn't work at all! I go back to Auto Zone and exchange it for a new one... it runs great! I go out for a little bit and when I come out of Krogers to start my car, it won't turn over! It turns out the second coil burned out! I am running out of ideas, money, and patience with this car!

It has a new exhaust system, o2 censor, ignition system, plugs, wires, rotor, cap, battery, alternator. I am at the end of my ropes with my car, I love it so much yet I am really tired of dealing with it. If I end up selling it I have to drive an old Toyota Camry... Oh Crap!!

If anyone knows anything or that could help me out, I will gladly appreciate it

 

check all of your grounds.

 

If you're concerned about failed head gaskets, you can perform a compression test or cylinder leakage test. That will answer your questions one way or the other. If you're not getting coolant mixing with the oil, of if the engine is running normally between coil failures, there is not much of a chance of blown heads gaskets.

If you are constantly losing ignition coils, you may need to check out the HEI amplifier/switching module, col wiring and grounds, and make sure you are using a STOCK coil so the primary current is appropriate for the HEI module.

 

i'd check that first but do not buy those crappy wells coils from autozone. they fail all to often says an autozone insider. (shh.....) they totally suck. get a borg warner coil from orieilys(sp) instead. they work great. i've had many trouble free miles from mine.

 

Many parts I have aquired for my car are Borg Warner and I have had great success with all of them.