1998 Malibu 3100 145k
Okay last night I'm driving home and i pull into my driveway (slight incline)... engine cuts out. When i restart the car it starts knocking like crazy. Running very rough with misfires and stalls out after 5 to 10 seconds. Now the car will not start at all. When I turn the key I get about 1/4 crank then nothing. I can hear the fuel pump turn on when I turn the power on. Earlier in the day the car started to sputter while at a red light idling. And on the way home the car stalled out when I stopped at a stop sign. Check engine light would come on and off recently. When the car sputtered the CE light went off... Does that make any sense?? Think the CE light was the recent discovery of a small leak starting on the top of the fuel tank (thanks to road salt and crappy weather). A scan provided an EVAP code and figured that was the reason. Was planning on replacing the tank and now this. I have read something about the crank position sensor failing and not allowing the car to start. Could this be an electrical problem? If anyone knows what this problem is please help me. I am thinking my engine is shot. A blown head gasket? The car temp would go 1 to 2 notches passed the middle of temp gauge. I know 3100 run hotter as they get older. Is this the result of a bad intake gasket? I sounded like something broke apart in my engine the way it was running so rough. Could my timing chain busted? Please i need help.
