Just bought this 92 ssei and am asking the people who know these cars
-180,000 miles
-basic tune up done.. plugs, wires, air/oil filter, fuel filter
- new icu
my problems..
-rough idle.. revs high and low has a slight miss
-at high rpms the engine and supercarger toils and lose power (sprayed lube in the supercharger as a cheap fix)
-check engine light goes haywire and dings on the highway
I don't hear a vacuum leak so I am assuming it it is going to be something I just have to replace.. thanks for helping out
New cars list of problems needing solutions 92 ssei
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HonchoRyanC
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- Year and Trim: 1992 ssei
- willwren
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93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre - Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
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Re: New cars list of problems needing solutions 92 ssei
First, what's an ICU?
What Oil filter did you use?
What plugs did you use?
Did you replace the PCV Valve?
Second, the worst thing you could have done was spray any kind of lube into your engine, including the supercharger. I assume you sprayed it into the Throttle Body? Your MAF sensor is now probably toast, and I can't imagine how ugly the insides of your supercharger are now. You may very well be pulling your top end soon, but might need to anyway with those miles.
How about you pull your codes using the procedure in Techinfo (using a paperclip) and report back here with the 2-digit fault codes?
Techinfo link at the top of the page.
What Oil filter did you use?
What plugs did you use?
Did you replace the PCV Valve?
Second, the worst thing you could have done was spray any kind of lube into your engine, including the supercharger. I assume you sprayed it into the Throttle Body? Your MAF sensor is now probably toast, and I can't imagine how ugly the insides of your supercharger are now. You may very well be pulling your top end soon, but might need to anyway with those miles.
How about you pull your codes using the procedure in Techinfo (using a paperclip) and report back here with the 2-digit fault codes?
Techinfo link at the top of the page.
Last edited by willwren on Fri Sep 03, 2010 9:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers
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HonchoRyanC
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- Year and Trim: 1992 ssei
Re: New cars list of problems needing solutions 92 ssei
willwren wrote:First, what's an ICU? Icm Ignition control module
What Oil filter did you use? mobile 1 xtended with mobile 1 10-30What plugs did you use? champion(unsure of the rest.. mid range at advanced auto parts)
Did you replace the PCV Valve? no
Second, the worst thing you could have done was spray any kind of lube into your engine, including the supercharger. I assume you sprayed it into the Throttle Body? Your MAF sensor is now probably toast, and I can't imagine how ugly the insides of your supercharger are now. You may very well be pulling your top end soon, but might need to anyway with those miles. The best i can do is clean the maf.. I am just curious how that part would be ruined by that and how a new one would be better.. I just would like to know more about this part. I sprayed white litium in the air intake with wot and the supercharger did improve for me, I just cant afford the $60 for the real stuff. With the supercharger being taken off can it be cleaned then? I can get a used one if it needs it.
How about you pull your codes using the procedure in Techinfo (using a paperclip) and report back here with the 2-digit fault codes?
Techinfo link at the top of the page.
- willwren
- Retired Admin

- Posts: 65489
- Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm
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93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre - Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
- Contact:
Re: New cars list of problems needing solutions 92 ssei
Ignition control module is the ICM, and the coils are separate, and can be tested as well. See Techinfo for that. Your ICM was probably not part of your problem.
The supercharger cannot 'toil' and 'lose power'. It follows the crank pulley by a fixed ratio dependent on the pulley diameters and grip of the belt. Click the red link in my signature for more information on that.
Your issue is very likely a vacuum leak or a bad IAC (Idle Air Actuator) which is the little round-bodied 4-wire black device in the front lower part of your throttle body (not the TPS, which is mounted under the throttle shaft, that's the throttle position sensor). But we still need you to pull codes using the procedure in Techinfo with a paper clip.
What does your boost gauge read at warm idle?
Spraying anything on your MAF sensor is bad. It'll burn onto it and destroy the sensor. Only MAF cleaner or rubbing alcohol and a swab should be used on it. See Techinfo for the cleaning procedure as well as the procedure for cleaning the throttle body and the IAC passage.
Spraying anything into the supercharger should be the last thing you do before you haul the car to a wrecker. The wrong lubricants can gum up in there or cause the correct lubricant in the needle bearings to deteriorate. You could cause your supercharger to seize up by doing this, but there's not much you can do about it now unless you remove and disassemble your supercharger, and if you've never done that before, I'd caution against it.
The supercharger cannot 'toil' and 'lose power'. It follows the crank pulley by a fixed ratio dependent on the pulley diameters and grip of the belt. Click the red link in my signature for more information on that.
Your issue is very likely a vacuum leak or a bad IAC (Idle Air Actuator) which is the little round-bodied 4-wire black device in the front lower part of your throttle body (not the TPS, which is mounted under the throttle shaft, that's the throttle position sensor). But we still need you to pull codes using the procedure in Techinfo with a paper clip.
What does your boost gauge read at warm idle?
Spraying anything on your MAF sensor is bad. It'll burn onto it and destroy the sensor. Only MAF cleaner or rubbing alcohol and a swab should be used on it. See Techinfo for the cleaning procedure as well as the procedure for cleaning the throttle body and the IAC passage.
Spraying anything into the supercharger should be the last thing you do before you haul the car to a wrecker. The wrong lubricants can gum up in there or cause the correct lubricant in the needle bearings to deteriorate. You could cause your supercharger to seize up by doing this, but there's not much you can do about it now unless you remove and disassemble your supercharger, and if you've never done that before, I'd caution against it.

Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers
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HonchoRyanC
- LE Member
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:44 am
- Year and Trim: 1992 ssei
Re: New cars list of problems needing solutions 92 ssei
Ignition control module is the ICM, and the coils are separate, and can be tested as well. See Techinfo for that. Your ICM was probably not part of your problem. I tested the icm by removing the coils and seeing which ones sparked one did not spark. When the icm was replaced it did. Do coils always work 100% is my question on that.
The supercharger cannot 'toil' and 'lose power'. It follows the crank pulley by a fixed ratio dependent on the pulley diameters and grip of the belt. Click the red link in my signature for more information on that. Really looked in to and I am going to say it is the fuel pump
Your issue is very likely a vacuum leak or a bad IAC (Idle Air Actuator) which is the little round-bodied 4-wire black device in the front lower part of your throttle body (not the TPS, which is mounted under the throttle shaft, that's the throttle position sensor). But we still need you to pull codes using the procedure in Techinfo with a paper clip. I'll get that on my next trip I also replaced the pcv vavlve with a little improvment
What does your boost gauge read at warm idle? about -6
Spraying anything on your MAF sensor is bad. It'll burn onto it and destroy the sensor. Only MAF cleaner or rubbing alcohol and a swab should be used on it. See Techinfo for the cleaning procedure as well as the procedure for cleaning the throttle body and the IAC passage. That will be replaced with the fuel pump and iac and I will go from there
The supercharger cannot 'toil' and 'lose power'. It follows the crank pulley by a fixed ratio dependent on the pulley diameters and grip of the belt. Click the red link in my signature for more information on that. Really looked in to and I am going to say it is the fuel pump
Your issue is very likely a vacuum leak or a bad IAC (Idle Air Actuator) which is the little round-bodied 4-wire black device in the front lower part of your throttle body (not the TPS, which is mounted under the throttle shaft, that's the throttle position sensor). But we still need you to pull codes using the procedure in Techinfo with a paper clip. I'll get that on my next trip I also replaced the pcv vavlve with a little improvment
What does your boost gauge read at warm idle? about -6
Spraying anything on your MAF sensor is bad. It'll burn onto it and destroy the sensor. Only MAF cleaner or rubbing alcohol and a swab should be used on it. See Techinfo for the cleaning procedure as well as the procedure for cleaning the throttle body and the IAC passage. That will be replaced with the fuel pump and iac and I will go from there
- willwren
- Retired Admin

- Posts: 65489
- Joined: Sun May 18, 2008 11:07 pm
- Year and Trim: .
93 SSEi
95 SLE (SC)
97 Buick LeSabre - Location: Oregon WCBF'04, '05, '06, '07, '08, '09, '10, '11 Survivor
- Contact:
Re: New cars list of problems needing solutions 92 ssei
Hold on a second. Don't throw parts at this thing. You're wasting money.
CLEAN the MAF sensor, test your IAC with a scantool, and check your fuel pressure at the rail with a gauge before buying a pump. Let's not blast this thing with a shotgun.
CLEAN the MAF sensor, test your IAC with a scantool, and check your fuel pressure at the rail with a gauge before buying a pump. Let's not blast this thing with a shotgun.

Click here for mod list for both cars
93 SSEi, 95 SLE (supercharged) 97 Buick LeSabre Limited
PontiacDad at WCBF '04: Cruise control? That's like surrendering!
Comprehensive guide to troubleshooting, rebuilding, and modifying Eaton Superchargers
- renchjeep
- Posts like an LG3

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- Year and Trim: 1994 Bonneville SE 240k Hot Rod
- Location: Aguanga, CA USA
Re: New cars list of problems needing solutions 92 ssei
Fuel pressure regulator problem, maybe IAC? (I'm not too familiar with the SC engines, but that's where I would start looking.) Definitely check for any codes first!

