Marin

This is going to be a tough one. My whole car's config is pretty much in the sig. After passing emissions and gettting a part-time job I realized it's time to slowly start fixing things up on this car, one by one. I know I'll spend days on these when I start, so I don't expect advice here to be of the sort "Oh, I had the same problem in 1989 when Old Mikey hooked up that hose..blahblah" though, of course, those would be greatly appreciated..

Qualitatevly, after some time I noticed I have a hard time peeling out with my car. Even with the newly acquired Hooker exhaust (I know, it helps more in the high-end, backpressure is lower, tra-la-la..) this is still the case. Could it be that the new Kumhos (245/50ZR16) finally broke in? Or is it something else?

WOT doesn't produce quite the same punch from a standstill anymore. No instant car-jerk, etc.

My idle is @~750 RPM in N, @~550 RPM in D. No surging or similar problems.

Oh, yes, I get the EGR code (32, I think..)

Cold crank takes a little longer.

As far as the rest of powerband goes, no negative changes, in fact, maybe a little improvement in high-band (especially w/the new exhaust)..

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Some of the things I did that could've messed it up:

1) Relocated the MAT to the back of my cowl hood..it was there before this problem started happening, but then again, the summer wasn't in its full zenith when this started happening.

2) Changed sparks. Could it be that I undertorqued one of the plugs or that the old-old plug wires are finally worn?

3) Changed the EGR. I did this before the problem began manifesting. However, I didn't put a new gasket, just a 'newer' one.. While doing some things this spring I broke that plastic vacuum line leading to EGR, so I replaced it with a rubber one..

4) Muy importante: Messed with the TV cable a little --- adjusted it by one or two clicks (2 at most, as far as I remember).. This was after my 700R4 slipped since it had improper oil in it... It slipped only once, that was enough for me to get alarmed and start doing something about it. Didn't drive the car for three days. Filled it with DexronIII and did this TV-cable thing.. After that, drove the car ~10 miles every days for 3 days straight, constantly triple checking the transfluid level and keeping the car cool. This was in June. I was very gentle to the trans since then. Could it be that there is minor permanent damage to TC or the tranny and this is how it manifests? I did one of the TC stall tests using the following method: stop the car while in D and then floor it. The instance your car starts moving take note of the RPM, this is the TC stall RPM. Turned out to be between 1400-1600, couldn't be more accurate than that. Maybe I just need to adjust back the TV-cable?

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Could my timing had gotten out of whack by itself? I didn't touch it.

How much worth is it to put a new O2 sensor in? How hard is it to do it by yourself?

I hear a little whistling noise (distinct from air-gets-sucked-into-TB-noise) during light throttle, especially after I let go and then lightly reapply the throttle (in city driving).

Also, while warming up, the exhaust reeks of gasoline. After it's warm, it's better, except sometimes when I floor it, I can smell it. (Not from the inside of the car, only when I am outside and have a frend do it very briefly). Is this normal? (could be, right? right?) Or does it mean a bad burn for some reason?

BTW, I passed emissions with flying colors. My city mileage is around 18-19, depending on my driving stile and in how much rush hour traffic I get.

Pretty much, I'd like everyone to pitch in with what they think, even if it's a one liner comment lacking any explanation.

Kevin Johnson

You might have damaged one or more of the wires in the process of installing the plugs. Routine maintenance calls for plug-wire, cap, and rotor inspection every 24k or 24 months. From your description (old-old) it sounds like they need to be changed.


This is supposed to be replaced every 24k. It is easy to do, just make sure that you get the special socket with the slot in the side. The sensor runs about $20. Definitely worth doing.


I take it this is a new noise associated with your drop in power? Yes, find the source and fix it. You can get a mechanic's stethoscope or just use a length of smallish vacuum hose placed gently in one ear (hold the other closed). Pass it near/around different areas. A light spray of WD-40 or starting fluid at suspect areas would also likely affect the idle speed.


Could be related to plug wires and/or O2 sensor.

It could be unrelated to these things but they are worth doing just to eliminate them as possibilities. You might consider doing a compression check and leak-down test. Sort of high miles (150k plus).

Marin

Thanks Kevin, I was hoping to get a reply from you, since I read through some of your useful posts on the TBI board.

Yes, the whistling noise is new, I don't recall it being there before. I'll get some carb cleaner and see if spraying it in certain areas affects idle..

Thanks for the info on O2 sensor.. I'll definitely get that replaced.

BTW, how much would WinALDL help here? I haven't tried hooking it up yet or making that connector.

How much would a compression check and a leak-down test cost?
How much do OK plug wires run for? (I am not looking fur ultraperformance here) Which ones do you guys recommend?

Also, is there anyone here who's a tranny board regular who could tell me about the significance of that TV adjustment I did? (I think I am getting a part of that question posted on the Trans board)

Also, could the low whistling noise be coming from IAC? I mean, I can hear the noise from inside the car, but I don't know if would be able to spot it when I am listening with the hood popped, the engine is pretty loud.. I'll try that vacuum hose trick..

Any comments and wild guesses are appreciated..

Vader

Could be. It could also be a misalignment of the throttle plates, commonly caused by wear in the throttle shaft or corresponding bores. In any event, it would be a good idea to thoroughly clean the IAC passages and entire TB, then check/set the TPs and minimum air adjustment. Your idle speed seems to be relatively normal, but the IAC should be controlling that even if the TB is dirty and/or worn.

Marin

Just looked at timing today. Disconnected the bypass thingy.

The timing was exactly at 0 TDC. (strobe checked, of course)

I somehow couldn't find Haynes, so I proceeded without it. I saw the 4 teeth thing which was supposed, I guess, to have degree marks on it (BTDC, I don't think they would bother showing ATDC) -- Anyway, tried to go until I could hear ping/knock, but I couldn't hear anything even after I advanced it to the last (4th) tooth. I assumed this was 8BTDC, but wasn't quite sure. Tried revving the car. The RPMs would start jumping back and forth when they would get at around 3000, so I took this as knocking of some sort. Backed it up to 2nd tooth (4 BTDC?).. No strange behavior in idle. But once I floored it around the block, the RPM needle couldn't, for example, decide whether it was on 2700 or 2800 RPM, so I took it easy. Backed it up to just slightly after 0. No misbehavior anymore.. figured it's good.

BTW, tested all this @ between 200 and 220 coolant temp., since I still want to have a chance of not destroying an engine if I overheat a tad...

So, if nothing else, timing looked set just right. Computer does quite a lot of advance in idle, wow, didn't know it would advance it almost past the timing teeths..

Marin

Kevin was right on 100%!
Thanks !!!
For historical purposes (when someone else searches):

Bouncing tach was due to bad plug wires. I might have damaged it, but they are really really old and soft so they are overdue anyway.

That also caused a chunk of power loss.

One of the plug boots were loose and as soon as I pushed it in more firmly there was no more bouncing tach no matter what I did and how I revved it. Also missing sounds went away.

Also my PCV grommet rotted away and I didn't notice until my valve cover got dirty with oil. I replaced that, the tubing and the valve.

There's still issues but this was a significant one. I have a compression gauge, a vacuum gauge and a fuel pressure guage, so I'll check all there when I get time.

I also connected to ECM using WinALDL and saw some knock counts, which is why timing gets retarded unpredictably and which is why I lose power some time. I still have vacuum issues as I can hear leak sounds all over the place.. it might be tubing and the gaskets...