Yet another Car Won't Start. Need some input.

[Matt82]

So, I drained the oil and pulled the filter. No metal, or other debris found, and the filter didn't seem to be blocked. Right now it looks like the oil pump is the next step.

[I12XLR8]

I know you've moved on to your oil issue now but have you figured that the battery was the problem with your starting? Seems strange that you would have issues with the battery and the oil at the same time and they not be somehow related. Anyways, best of luck!

[Matt82]

Me too! I was thinking that maybe the pump died or got clogged on the way there, and possibly could have caused the car to die in the first place. I checked all of the connections, wiring, and fuses to make sure. But the noise pretty much was a dead giveaway that the pump doesn't seem to be pushing any oil to the top end. I was extremely relieved that there wasn't anything in the oil so far. I probably will try to do the pump this weekend when I have the time.

[Matt82]

Well, I suppose I will give an update on the car. I have a new gm high volume pump sitting in the garage. I am holding off on doing the install myself and attempting to see if I can get a local dealer to work with me on the powertrain warranty. After the first Chevy dealer telling me that anything other than a catback exhaust will void my warranty, I decided to call Pontiac customer service (yes I was surprised they still had a number too.) I discussed my situation with the rep, what the dealer had told me, and what my understanding of the Magnuson-Moss act is. The rep told me that the dealer was wrong about the warranty and he actually made me an appointment with another dealer. After making the appointment I informed him that I would not be able to drive the car there with no oil pressure and he informed me that roadside assistance would cover towing it to the dealer. All in all I have been very pleased with the. Customer service to this point. Hopefully my experience continues and the dealer does not try to blame the failure on something I did. I will say that being friendly and patient is paying off so far. Time will ultimately tell though.

[-Ray-]

Whatever they do, retain the old oil pump. I need to see what the sides of the gears look like.

[Matt82]

Yeah I'm curious to see how things look inside there too. Hopefully they won't have any issues installing the high volume version since it is a GM piece. I could do it myself, but since its not hurting me right now to have the car down, I'm trying to see how willing they are to work with me.

[-Ray-]

I said fuel pump. I meant oil pump.

[Matt82]

I said fuel pump. I meant oil pump.

I knew what you meant Ray.

[Matt82]

Well, Its been a long time waiting for an end result dealing with GM, and they decided to void my powertrain warranty. With all that I've done, I expected that on a lot of components, the oil pump was not one of them. Needless to say I spent a lot of time arguing (and getting nowhere) with customer service about the issue. The local dealer wouldn't even try to diagnose the issue until they got the approval of the field rep. The field rep asked them to scan the computer and send him the data. He came back and said that the data was different than stock (not sure how when I flashed it back to stock) and that the "aftermarket program" was causing added stress and was the cause of the issue. I may not be an engineer, but I'm calling BULLSHIT! If a lifter or pushrod or bearing had failed sure, but I don't see how this mechanical pump that is driven off of the crank could be damaged by some tuning. Maybe its just me. Either way, I gave GM a chance to do the right thing and at least check out the car for me and they refused! I even had a new pump sitting in the seat when the car was towed there. So, now I'm getting all the other parts and pieces to change the pump hopefully this weekend.

Please don't get me wrong, I knew with most of the stuff I had done that the warranty would be voided for the majority of the components. But, my understanding going into this was that they would have to "prove" that the aftermarket components were the "cause" of the malfunction. That was the whole point of the Magnuson-Moss act from what I have read. My argument made it to a District level rep and they pretty much told me tough shit. I guess thats about enough of my ranting. Time to go get my parts.

[I12XLR8]

He came back and said that the data was different than stock (not sure how when I flashed it back to stock) and that the "aftermarket program" was causing added stress and was the cause of the issue.

This is disconcerting. Although I am too far away from stock to ever be able to use the stock tune, I did go with my current system so I could avoid warranty issues. Was I deceived?