nd4spd42085

I have searched the forum for 3 hours trying to find information to help me...

I purchased a rebuilt 3.1L with 98k on the block. I have no idea how long it's been since it was rebuilt

it sounded fine before it was pulled, although I did not pull it, and several sensors had to be replaced after I got the motor because of the carelessness of it's removal...

I have replaced the ign module, the wires, the spark plugs, oil and timing chain. I did not remove the oil pan or the intake in order to inspect the valves, though I believe at this point I should have... it should be noted that the engine had sat for awhile, at least a few months prior to being pulled...

I drove the car last night and it has no power whatsoever before 2000-2500 rpms... going up long hills takes me 10 minutes from a stand still... but on long straights I can achieve 60 mph, had it to 70 before I took the exit for my house... but it took nearly a minute to get it to 60...

it idles real low and rough at about 700 rpms... and part of me thinks I feel a miss, like the engine is skipping a beat... but I have good spark at all 6 cylinders

the check engine light I have is due to the fact that I don't have the TPS and IAC plugged in, otherwise it won't hold an idle at all... the only other code it shows is for the EST, and that's from timing it last night with it unplugged...

I was thinking this was a valve stem seal leak... I added some oil and nothing changed so I don't believe it's the rings, although I haven't compression tested any of the cylinders because my compressed gauge is 14 miles away in my other garage, and it's been snowing all morning and the camaro doesn't like that, so I can drive it down and tackle that later...

could this be anything else? a vacuum leak wouldn't cause a terrible take off would it? if I raise the idle to 2 grand it sounds real healthy... but at 1500 and below it vibrates badly... there is no tap, no knock or any tell tale noises...

I also considered this could be misadjusted valves...

really guys I need a second opinion on what this could be...

bmxerboi221

Seems to me if even one of the sensors on these engines are bad or unpluged it never runs right lol. Is you O2 sensor good?

bmxerboi221

Also check the big vaccume line that goes into the back of the intake, make sure its all the way down

nd4spd42085

funny your the second person to say that about the sensors on these...

my buddy nick ended up selling his 85 berlinetta cause he claimed he was "replacing a sensor every time he drove it"

besides that though... I like it just fine...

I'm pretty sure the vacuum seal up there is tight, but I will double check it in a few hours when I check the fluids again...

I also wanna check the vacuum lines that run from the fpr to the evap canister and out to the air pump...

could this be caused by a leaking plenum gasket? seems like such a big draw for something that simple...

nd4spd42085

all the vacuum lines are tight, no leaks...

I'm guessing this is the valves...

any and all advice is requested...

project89

iTrader: (1)

car will not run right with the tps unhooked

nd4spd42085

it runs worse with it plugged in...

I'll have the car ******* the idle at about 700 rpms, plug the tps or iac in and the car will stall... either sensor will do it... I've tried this a few times...

I can play with the throttle and get it to stay running with the tps and iac plugged in, but it will stall out if I don't stay with it...

nixon5

I had sort of the same problem with getting no power the problem i had was a clogged cat the engine would be racing and ide be going like 20 mph

nd4spd42085

mmm... straight piping, no cat...

although the engine does race and fight and I won't be going anywhere...

then suddenly, the power will be back, and bam I'm back accelerating normal again... happens at every take off... but nothing seems effected at highway speeds

does anyone know if a vacuum leak could cause a rough idle and non existent low end power?

I'm gonna swap the cap and rotor in the am, along with checking tranny fluid... I'm also gonna give the vacuum lines another go over... and I might try swapping the coil as well...

what symptoms would incorrect valve lash cause? What symptoms would bad compression rings cause?

project89

iTrader: (1)

is ur car originally a 2.8 car? if so unhook the maf sensor and see what happens

also make sure the o2 wire is not grounded out it will cause issues plug the tps back in and check the reading witht he throttle closed

nd4spd42085

nah it's a 92 and actually has a 91 motor in it...

I will check the voltage on the tps in the am...

is there a common spot that grounds out on the O2?

project89

iTrader: (1)

no just check the waire from the od sensor all the way back up the to that harness and make sure its not pinched anywere or rubbing on anything.

if u ground out the o2 wire the car will run like total ****

nd4spd42085

alright... I was driving the car all day... took me almost a full tank to drive 150 miles...

I reconnected the tps and IAC and got it to a point that it will hold a rough idle and only stalled on me 5 times the entire day...

I should add that it can't climb hills for **** though... even small hills make me lose speed quickly...

I have a code 23 and a code 33... I don't have the IAT installed, the car didn't come with one...

still feels like it's missing every once in awhile, but I can easily hold highway speeds...

doesn't have barely any power before 2000-2500 rpms, and runs outta steam before 4500, although that could simply be the motor reaching a ceiling... although it will intermittently run fine and take off with MORE power... but not FULL power

any thoughts? I'm definitely going 0-60 in about 2 minutes...

oh and project, I did check out all the grounds and connectors on and around the motor, the O2 is fine... although there is an exhaust leak at the y pipe there...

is there any possibility the IAT could cause this? couldn't be 87 octane fuel, right?

I'm just pulling at straws... I'm still betting on the valve lash being incorrect... I was counting on the combined efforts of the far more knowledgable folks on this site though... anything guys... really... throw some ideas

nd4spd42085

no ones gonna offer anything?

project89

iTrader: (1)

get an ait sensor installed for sure and fix the ex leak,it makes it eaiser to fix onc eu get rid of known issues

whats code 23 and 33 i dont know off hand without looking them up

nd4spd42085

I think I may actually run down to the jy right now since I have off today... I'm gonna grab the IAT sensor...

I also will run to a local hardware shop and try to come up with a repair for my exhaust... it's just a small hole that I'm certain I can come up with a repair for... still, there is a serious lack of power from the exhaust leak alone, and I realize that...

I'll report the results later

bmxerboi221

i be if your O2 is not new thats your problem, mine did the same thing (even thought it might have been my valves) till i changed that O2, otherwise code 33 is MAP sensor you should check that out, and take some carb cleaner? and spray around the TB gasket, intake gasket, and all vacume lines to make sure there is no leak. If it revs up or bogs down while spraying theres your prob, oh and be careful not to spray on the exhuast manifolds you could start a fire FAST lol. Also make sure you are disconnecting the battery while disconnecting the sensors and such or youll confuse the computer, disconnect the battery for 5 min or so to rest the codes start it and check for new ones.

nd4spd42085

ok, heres the latest and greatest

it is true that the O2 sensor is in fact leaking, but that's because the old one snapped off and I had to "fabritcate" slightly, I'm just going to weld it in tomorrow with the great weather... it's literally 2 months old

I actually just unplugged the battery for 10 minutes yesterday, and WOW, what a difference!!! still stalled 2 times over the course of 50 or so miles, but that was after I plugged in the IAT, which I did NOT reset the computer for. I figured I'd reset it today and add some seafoam to see if it will help. the JY IAT improved idle, but driveability suffered slightly, seems to run more rough at speed, possibly running lean now and could benefit from a spark plug change

as it stands now, I have the 33 code, which worried me too, except that it's intermittent, and only goes on when the car sits for more than a minute. The CEL goes off when moving. and rough idle can cause that from what my code book tells me

one thing for certain, is that after driving the car for 30 minutes, I can grab the passenger side exhaust manifolds and not burn myself. No way that's caused by the O2 leak, right?

I actually need to get some carb cleaner. I admit, the cone filter hisses so loud I wouldn't know if it was vacuum, so I really should explore that possibilty, but I installed most of the hoses brand new for the air pump, fpr, tb... I know the hose at the AIR pump was smaller than the one that was on it before, but not by much, shouldn't cause this problem... and as far as I can see below the tb everything looks connected well, and I have sprayed some wd-40 on them with no bubbling or idle changes that I could hear.

nd4spd42085

bump for 110 views and 7 responses

Maverick H1L

iTrader: (8)

2 things to check here:
Your passenger's side fuel injectors obviously aren't firing, because if they were, you wouldn't be able to get a hand NEAR the manifold without feeling some heat, much less grab it, and you obviously have spark if the engine runs AT ALL. (Which is why your O2 says you're running lean) Check your "F/I 2" fuse in the fuse panel and also see if there isn't a terminal pulled out of the fuel injector and ECM harnesses for starters, and then check to see if the fuel injectors are actually plugged in (obvious but some people just assume) before you start looking for broken wires in the harness.