That's what I got today when checking plugs and just an overall scan to see what's going on. That indicates the ETS or whatever is faulty and probably causing my miss. Where is this item? What would you think of me getting a totally new distributor? Mine's 96000 miles old? A plug was pulled and it was white in appearance. I would have had them replaced..but the one's I got.. 4 we're good and 4 had bent electrode areas like they'd been dropped.

Lemme know....... TIA.

JD

 

Most likely code 42 was never reset when timing was set (tan/black wire must be seperated to adjust timing, that will set 42 and must be cleared). Suggest you clear codes by removing - battery terminal for a couple of minutes and then see if 42 comes back.

If it comes back then post up, there are a few ways to trouble shoot this. Could be EST module in distributor, could be bad connections, shorted wires, ECM.

Good Luck,

Pete

 

Thanx...

battery is disconected now.

 

Code 42: Electronic Spark Timing Circuit (EST)
What you have to do for repair: Check wiring at ignition module. Replace ignition module. Possible ECM failure.
:D

 

It sure as hell is still there! I took a ride a little while ago.. Watched my oil pressure gauge too this time... wasn't pretty. I don't know if it's me or not... I thought it should stay about 3/4 of the way up. This was more like a bit more than half :eek: Hope that's not telling me something. Still missing like crazy. The car does love this air though.. I'd have to say it's lower 60's. The only way to describe what it does is like hitting a limiter. I got out of it early not to hurt anything.. But that oil pressure thing worrys me.

Thanks...........

 

JD...Jeez man! I'm starting to lose faith in ol LPE! What's up now? I got the code 42 on mine when the rotor came off inside the cap, punched a hole in the cap and in general wreaked havic with the distributer. I would expect that your miss is related and if I were you I'd replace the module. If that dosn't work I'd just swap out the whole distributer. Or, you can just start with the distributer and get a high performance unit that comes complete with a hipo module.

Sorry to hear about your continued problems! Nothing like a 12 year old Corvette to keep a guy guessing huh! :smash:

 

By the way JD, what's the deal with the oil pressure? What is it reading? How much has it droped from where it was? It's unlikely that the miss and the code 42 are related to any drop in oil pressure, unless it's an electrical gremlin in the system! Any other gage oddities?

Hang in there bud! :yesnod: Corvettes are a constant work in progress...and PITA sometimes! You could always trade it off for a Honda Accord and not have these problems :jester

 

Oh yeah, as you know, white plugs are not a good thing! :nono: They indicate a lean condition and detination! I thought your lean ping problem was pretty much gone :confused: The damaged electrodes are a mistery. Typically damage to the electrodes can only be casued by a foreign object in the combustion chamber, or improper plugs ie...to long, and getting hit by the pistons :eek: This can cause a dead cylinder and of course piston damage! This would obviously casue a bad miss! Have you recently changed to a different plug? Is it your electrode thats damaged or the insulator? Insulator damage can be caused by detonation but not electrode damage.

As bad as my ping is, I've never seen a white plug or any damage to the plug!

 

EZ.....

My Bad.... I meant to say the NEW plugs had an issue with something wrong with the v thing/electrode. It was bent like 2mm away from the center tip of the electrode. I have enough problems now without putting those POS plugs in there. I'm getting new one's and changing over as soon as possible.

Now, the oil pressure thing DOES worry me. It could be my gauge cluster is starting to take a S***. My tach is fluttering all over the place.. The LCD isn't nearly as bright as it used to be and has a draw..The fuel gauge is slightly bouncy(Should I keep going?) so it could be a faulty gauge. I don't think there's a problem with oil delivery(least I hope not). I'm probably going to have John G take care of the cluster over the winter months(Pending this car is in one piece by then LOL).

SO..... once I get "8" GOOD PLUGS ... I will replace them along with a fuel filter and see how things are. I kinda agree on the distributor...BUT the electronics are key...not the shaft/unit itself. Bill C cleared that up for me. The module I will say is a good possibility of being the culprit. Few have said though it'd run like crap, all the time if that we're to blame. NOT CHRISTINE! She's different hehe. Runs PERFECTLY until nearing WOT or AT WOT then She feels like cuhrap.

Thanks for your replies..... you're a dood. I am surprised with all of the tech heads on here not many more responded to this.

Stay in touch.

JD

 

Hey Buddy,
I havent any ideas as of yet to pass along...Ill be doing some reading soon and maybe can find some additional things to check.
Real sorry to hear your having this trouble...it almost feels like LPE didnt really fix the car the first time around..you had mentioned they said they left the timing alone...how could they even fix the det. problem without trying the timing themselves? Sounds fishy to me.

I would also recommend the distributor be pulled and inspected..check the dist gear too.The dist board itself that plugs into the module could be going out as well.
I think its discontiued though from GM parts.

Ill be back in touch soon...

 

Helllloooo..... How Goes it? Umm, So I was told... Graham did the tuning in the ECM/Chip not with the initial setting. Which goes to show why the distributor cap and rotor we're loose even when they we're testing prolly? Vibration is a bit*h. Thinking back... a while ago, like maybe even two weeks after I got it back.. I went to the body shop with it and then manually shifted it to what I thought was 6000(Tach has a fit ALWAYS). I did remember hearing a miss..just one. But it pulled clean and strong. Maybe you Guys are right. This distributor could be taking a dump. Hard to say again without looking at it. Then, my luck would be, it'd be off a tooth or something putting it back in and it'd run like crap! :D. I just have to be a little silly. Trust me, this car is getting the best of me. I am VERY sick of all this garbage while the rest of the E Town crew are making rounds, I am making phone calls trying to figure out why this and that happened. This is NOT the way it should be, but it is how it is. :mad :mad :mad :mad Bill.. I kid you not.. it may be going back..if it can't be simply fixed here. LOL, we'll meet up, 'cause this time I will be there with it,and it isn't taking 2-3 months to fix.

 

If this posts a few times, its because the forum isnt allowing me to reply saying im not logged in yet when I go to log in, im already logged in...lol..

ok JD, a book I have, they are showing either the ignition module is bad or the ecm is going out.
A good tech should be able to follow the repair manual guide and probe the black and tan wire for voltage, and that will lead you to the culprit.
However, as with our luck, its sometimes elsewhere or elusive with these things.

Like the other guys posted, stoopid things like a busted rotor or cap has led to the same problems.

I just realized something...not to scare you since its a rather unlikely event...you mentioned something about the oil pressure...well its known to most tech heads that if the oil pump is taking a dump, the dist shaft is going to feel that and cause spark scatter in there.

Thats another thing I read in Dave Emanuals book on small block chevy performance, he said a high volume oil pump can cause spark scatter on distributors causing mis fires and/or stuff like that and isnt recommended.I wouldnt be suprised if something like that can be a cause to trigger a ecm code.However as I said its a rather unlikely event but you would need to make sure that its just the gauge or the oil pressure sensor thats reading wrong.

One possible way i think to check that is to unscrew the oil pressure sensor from the engine and install a gauge, then with a oil priming tool in place of the distributor you spin the pump over with a drill while someone watches the oil pressure gauge.

Not a very accurate test but may show if the pressure is low or going up and down.This bypasses any electrical errors the dash may be causing or the sensor itself is.

I believe it was Jake who suggested this idea to me when I had the engine on the stand and to test the oil pressure first by priming it and with a gauge before installing it in the car then finding out last minute if something was wrong.
It worked good to.


Also, have your balancer/damper checked as well, and be sure it isnt coming apart.
These are just general ideas to check before you throw parts at the car taking shotgun troubleshooting guesses.
Im sure youll nail it down soon.

Have someone first use the GM repair manual and check the voltage along the proper wires and follow step by step what it says to determine if its the ignition module or the ecm going south.
Good Luck dude!!

 

I just realized something...not to scare you since its a rather unlikely event...you mentioned something about the oil pressure...well its known to most tech heads that if the oil pump is taking a dump, the dist shaft is going to feel that and cause spark scatter in there.

:eek: :eek: :eek:!!! All I need! The oil pump to take a crapper. Lovely. I can only smile once again. How can I be SURE the pump is not crapping out? And the only way to put a new pump in is to<GULP> yank the motor right? Good God..if that is needed at only 25,000 miles there's trouble. Might as well let you in on another idea/problem now that we're on this trouble. The motor does knock, cold for a split second then goes away. It drives my mechanic nuts...maybe that's a sign? If all this is coming together, I won't let anyone handle it but LPE. It hasn't had the hardest of miles(ANY E TOWN GUY CAN VOUCH FOR THAT)but shouldn't need that kind of attention at this low mileage. Man is this car cursed? Sheesh!

 

Think you guys are getting all worked up here! One thing at a time will find the causes of problems!

Lots of info on too many posts to track this problem. If you want to stick with code 42 and solve it I will try and help the best I can.

It's down to: bad connections, something wrong in the distributor, bad ECM. Lets pretend it's not a bad ECM. The module usually just plain fails, but can cause problems also. So, again just for fun, lets pretend the module is OK.

Is the timing connector properly seated and clean? Are the connections on the outside of the distributor also properly seated and clean?

Was the distributor disassembled? Any parts replaced? Is the coil stock GM? Is the ground strap in the distributor properly connected? I would check these things slowly, carefully. Post up and we will try and follow what has happened. Seems like there is a series of events since you got the car back from LPE that I have not read (been away, as many probably have), maybe these details will help the tech-heads out there to lead you to a possible source of problems.

Love your car JD, hate to see it sick. I'll help anyway I can.

Post up, it's a holiday but someone may find something for you.

Pete

 

Thank you Pete L.

Glad to see someone wants to get me on to the road of recovery :D. Umm, stock GM coil.. New Cap/Rotor(soon to be plugs/wires and careful examination of the distributor) ECM is fairly new...two years old. Original module..96 K. Timing connector being the thing that you disconnect to check the timing? Pardon my lack of knowledge.. I'm a driver!

This oil pressure thing concerns me BIGTIME. I don't recall it doing this previously. In fact, when I did 11.84 last year..the pressure was good even though it was detonating the entire way down(worse I'm sure for the motor).

I'll print this out and have my mechanic take a THOROUGH look and return the info on here. Thanks for caring. That's what this forum is all about.