So Much Fun...

[Black87GT]

Wow, if i didnt visit this site, you guys wouldnt have anything to talk about :P

ANYWAYS,

i wanted to let everyone know, i got the car back from the shop again, they said this time they found the problem for sure, the intake - head gasket (lower intake) was leaking from around the #2 cylinder, so i was like whatever fix it, they also said they found a glitch in the tps around 3/4 throttle so they put a new one on, but it didnt fix it, so they said they traced a ground issue to my map sensor and replaced that. well $809 later, and the same studder/popping problem is still here, im really lost. The shop has had this car for over a month and they aparently cant figure it out. and im out of money due to me only being 18 and ive put over $1000 into this now. Anyways i thought maybe you guys could be of some assistance because it seems like most of you know quite a bit. so heres what has all been changed:

Tps (changed and didnt effect, so put the old 1 back on)
Iac (have put 2-3 on, and nothing changed)
Map sensor (brand new)
O2 Sensors (was and still is throwing an o2 sensor code, i got the code before so i replaced them, it went away, but the shop said its there now?)
Fuel pressure (checked by shop and they said its fine)
Ghetto comp check (fine)
Timed (by myself and by the shop)
Full dizzy (shop said pip signal failure code came up, so they put in a new dizzy, didnt help :/)
Coolant Temp sensor (replaced the one on the heater rail on the left side of intake)
Plug Wires (msd 8.5mms, didnt change so i took back.. lol)
Plugs (changed when problem first started, problem has been doing it with these plugs for about 5 months)
Coil (tried 2 of them)
Ignition control module (shop said they tried and it did nothing
Lower intake gasket replaced and tested (did nothing)
Egr Valve (didnt help, BUT i was told that the vacuum line (yellow) that plugs into the egr valve is not supposed to have vacuum at idle, mine does???)
Theromostat (had a 160 in thought that was problem put a 192 in)

And i think thats about it,

Also the intake air temp sensor (lower intake) was replaced when we did the intake swap, back in november

Also right after we finished the intake swap 2-4 weeks after, is when this problem started to accure, it ran fine then on the way home from work, just that quickly it started to do it....
Any idea on what this could be?

(btw if you forgot the problem is when first starting the car under any kind of throttle (load) it studders (rpms rise slowly) and it pops (sounds like out of the intake) then when the car reaches operating temp (around 200) the car runs very strong and perfectly normal.

Btw, no i am not selling the car to buy a gm product, or selling the car period!

[Martin0660]

I'm no V8 guy, but a few thoughts based on what I know of EEC-IV from the 4 cylinder stuff.

ECT - It is critical in cold start strategy for the 2.3 stuff. No idea where it is, and how important it is on the V8 stuff, but this sounds like it's adding too much fuel / pulling timing until warm. I did not see that on your list, but they are cheap (relatively)

PIP - I know you said you swapped distributors, but parts store stuff is shakey for this. There is a PIP code set whenever you unplug the spout to set timing (after all, you are interupting the pip signal). Them using that as a basis for swapping Dizzy shows their skill set ;) The PIP is a weird thing and has given folks fits at times. Not only in the dizzy itself, but the wiring / connectors. It will show worse cold, but should still show some issue when warm so it's not likely.

The other thing to check, have you done a vacuum test on the car? Difference between warm and cold? You mention it occuring around the intake swap, maybe its a leak cold that seals up warm.

Random thoughts, keep in mind I've never really messed with the 5.0 stuff.

Bob Myers

[INSANELY CRAZY]

maybe its a leak cold that seals up warm.



i was thinking the same thing.

[Black87GT]

well the shop found the vacuum leak on the #2 cylinder... so im thinking they must have done a vacuum test... right?

[Black87GT]

Also im really leaning toward the pip pickup being bad... because when you time the car and drive it right away its fine, but after a little while it will start to pop again, like the pip is bad and ****ing up the timing makeing the car pop ...

would i be right on thinking this?

[Black87GT]

Anyways, i cleaned all my connections yesterday and put dielectic grease on them all, MAP, IAC, TPS, Salt n Pepper Shakers, Intake temp sensor, Coolant temp sensor, TFI module, and most likely more...

i also cleaned the grounds that i found around the engine bay.

i also got some advice that i should try to drive the car without the spout connector hooked up, so i unhooked it and tried to drive the car, but it just kept trying to die, and sounded like it had a bad miss when i free reved it, or tried to drive it, and when i plugged it back in the car was normal, didnt try to die and didnt sound like it had a miss, but as soon as i drove out of the developement and really got on it, it still was popping..

so i put it to 55mph and drove on a back road for awhile, and once the gauge read right around 188-189* (temp) at 55 you could feel it clear up, didnt move my foot or anything and it just started to go a little faster, and when i really got on it it was perfect...

So any ideas what i can do now? ive looked in haynes + chilton books and cant seem to find any closure...

Could it possibly be the pip ****ing with everything??

Because if i go outside, and **** the timing up, it will run horrible of course, and if i time it again to the right thing, it will be perfect, even cold, not pop or studder, but after awhile it comes back, almost like the pip is ****ed up and not letting it stay timed or something...

does this sound possible or am i just a moron? lol

[Black87GT]

Well ive been talking to Shane (90lxhatch) about this for weeks now, and i think we have come to a pretty good solution to what is going on with my car. What im thinking is going on is that when cold there is a vacuum leak somewhere on the car, and when the car gets warm the vacuum leak is sealing up..
Because its not only when i first start the car.. its ONLY if the car is cold.. if i let it warm up and then shut it off after driving till it gets warm, it starts and runs fine, but if i let it sit for any period of time that it can cool off... the problem comes back.
Anybody else think this might be whats going on? ive had it to 2 shops that i think would have tested everything electrical and nobody could find it, so im thinking its a vacuum leak, and it has all the same symptoms as a vac leak...

So?