Help Quick!..**** the bed 3.5 hours from home

[87owner]

It sumbles pops and backfires the whole nine yards, cant get out of its own way. Can barely touch the throttle. This used to happen when I first got the car but it always stopped. It finally got really bad and it was the mass air meter. Now I know the stockers quit on a regular basis, but this time it runs just as bad with it unplugged. Last time tapping it made it stumble and unplugging it made it run fine. So I tend to think its not that this time. What other parts can just quit and make the car retarded. here is a list of other info.....I put a new coil pack in along with the mass air meter..this has been running fine for like 5 months.....this happened just after I wasked the car, but nothing got wet under the hood.....I took out the thrasher put in stock chip, same crap.....put thrasher back in, got my thrasher idle back, but same crap ...so I guess computer and chip is OK. If its the same with no mass air plugged in, does that mean something...can a bad oxygen sensor do this also?.... for a while it cranked but wouldnt start...now that I got it running its like mentioned above, so does that mean its ignition..maybe the control module? ANy help please..I got it parked at advance auto

 

[TurboDave]

I tend to think it's still the MAF, BUT when you replaced the coil pack, did you also replace the ignition module under it?

Those are really the only things that can cause the symptoms you describe.

 

[boostin6]

I don't want to insult you Are you sure and intercooler hose didn't come off?????? Same thing happened to me and all it was, was the intercooler hose that come off..... Just my $.02

 

[87owner]

insult me please..... I need I ideas...no I havnt checked the hoses, but It would have to have fallen off, becuse I wasnt boosting up or anything. Do you guys know anything about unplugging the MAF..thats how I figured it out the first time. Maybe its the ignition controle module, thats not been replaced.

 

[boostin6]

Well my buddys T-type was acting the same way your car is.... Just one day before the dragstrip he called me and asked to fix his car..... I looked at it and it was spewing black smoke out of both tailpipes and ran like crap....So I did the tap test on the MAF and the car stumbled then died...So replaced the MAF and it was fine again for about 1 year...Same thing all over again....Is there any way you can use a known good MAF???? By the way he was using brand new GM MAF's at the time..... Are you getting any codes??? Once on my car I didn't have the chip in the computer quite right and it popped missed and threw the SES light on ...It must have went into limp mode on the computer....

 

[Slow91z]

If you unhook the MAF and it still does it then I'm 99% sure it's not the problem...My buddies did that after the 02 took a major crap so try unhooking it and see if it helps, you will get a SES light, but it'll go off as soon as you replace the 02...If not that, then maybe the Ignition module...Do you know someone with a scantool???

Just noticed what you said about the idle...it idles ok with the thrasher?? I'm gonna guess the 02.

 

[87owner]

yeah it seems as if these MAF do it all the time. But my main concern is that I have one shot at this. I can get a bunch of stuff my 9 tomorrow morning from advance, but if I guess wrong. I am screwed one day before christmas eve. I need a list of al possible culprits, and i am going to get all of them. What is the part # for the correct ignition control module, and what is a spark control module. Can a cam sensor do this, what about oxy sensor?

 

[87owner]

Originally posted by Slow91z
If you unhook the MAF and it still does it then I'm 99% sure it's not the problem...My buddies did that after the 02 took a major crap so try unhooking it and see if it helps, you will get a SES light, but it'll go off as soon as you replace the 02...If not that, then maybe the Ignition module...Do you know someone with a scantool???

good thats what I was thinking.....unplugging doesnt help this time.......and you think an oxy sensor that is F'd can make it run this bad. I have to try unplugging that as well as check hoses. ...I'm headed back to advance. They have the oxy sensor in stock right now

 

[Slow91z]

yeah when we unplugged the 02 it would "get where you were going"...don't expect to break any land speed records like that though.

 

[azgn]

doubt the 02 sensor would cause those problems....Thrashers idle in open loop anyway

might want to check the cam sensor....start the car and unplug the sensor...if it runs better, there you are (you cannot start the car w/o the cam sensor plugged in)

pull the cover off the sensor and make sure the interruptor ring is tight........if it can be moved, reseat it and locktite the screw that holds it

 

[y-hate]

Check ground wires behind the passenger side head, I/C hoses could have came off (check that closely)..Do you have a scanmaster? fuel pressure gauge? if so check the basics first

 

[mgmshar]

So far, I think the running list is (in no particular order)...

1. O2 sensor (I tend to doubt that one)
2. Ignition module (the box under the coil packs)
3. Cam sensor - unplug it AFTER you start the car
4. Shorting wires - especially the positive and negative battery cables
5. I/C hose blown off

I'd like to add one: loose harmonic balancer, or bad/mis-aligned crank position sensor. I think that needs to be checked. If the balancer ring is hitting the cranks position sensor, or if the balancer is loose, funny stuff can happen.

I guess I'll add another one (long shot) - dying fuel pump or FPR. Put a FP gauge on the rail and watch it. Make sure the pressure is staying reasonably stable.

The good news is that a lot of the above stuff can be checked either visually or by unplugging something after the car is running.

Good Luck,

 

[Sinful6]

Try just disconnecting the orange wire, then reconnecting it after a couple seconds. Perhaps that will be all it needs to make it home where you can further diagnose the problem.


-DC

 

[Quick6'n'-K.C.]

well, i also could be where the computer chip seats into the computer- unplug the orange wire and pull your chip out and check to see if one of the prongs might be bent away and not seating correctly- reverse steps and see if the car runs OK-
also when you are there, just check the wiring at the computer to see if one of the wires may be loose, just push the wires in toward the computer...

if not, then unplug MAF sensor and take uppipe off and see if the car runs OK- if it runs and idles fine, then its the MAF-
you can drive the car like this, but it wont have much power!
NAPA sells the MAF-

then check the other suggestions as the cam sensor interruptor ring could have broken free or loose!!!
just get a long phillips screw driver and pull the cap off, you dont need to remove the entire shaft to check this... just pull the cap off, and inspect it, if its tight, your alright-

crawl under the car to see if the crank sensor is alighned correctly- ive never had one go bad, but you never know-

could it be something as simple as your gas gauge is off, and your out of gas?

BW

 

[87owner]

GOT IT! TPS??? I got it running, started just pulling sensors left and right. I thought I was onto something with the cam sensor. The idle changed when I got ahold of the harness when I was about to unplug it. Ended up not helping or changing things. Car would just die. Any way it was the F'n TPS sensor. I unplugged it for the hell of it and the idle changed. Still broke up a little but way better. It seemed to then clean itself up in the next couple of minutes. Must have been the computer doing stuff at this point. Plugged it back in and smacked it around a little and whammo, back to normal. I never knew a wacked out TPS sensor could cause that sort of major problems. Add it to the stumble list I guess. My only concern is the toll my MAF took with me beating the **** out of it trying to make the car stumble. Thanks for all your help. Wish you were there. Did an audience worthy vicory dougnut in the Advance auto parking lot. The ricers loved it anyway

 

[Slow91z]

LOL...Glad you got it fixed.