Missing and Sputtering
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
Missing and Sputtering
I've had this problem for a while now and it seems like its getting worse. First, when the rpms are below 1200 it has a miss sometimes, otherwise it runs great. When it has this miss the rpms will drop to about 650, otherwise they're about 700-750. I've replaced cap, rotor, plugs, and wires a few times now and still hasnt fixed the problem. The wires are not getting burnt up anymore. Where else should I be looking?
A second problem i've been having just recently is that on startup, it runs choppy for about 20 seconds and then runs fine. When you try to give it gas it hesitates first. After driving around for a minute this completely goes away. I think it might be a fuel problem, but again i've replaced most of that stuff too. New injectors, O-rings, filter, and pump. Still has the stock FPR on there (took my Holley off) and the pressure holds like it should. Could this have something to do with the cold start injector? Maybe both of my problems are related?
A second problem i've been having just recently is that on startup, it runs choppy for about 20 seconds and then runs fine. When you try to give it gas it hesitates first. After driving around for a minute this completely goes away. I think it might be a fuel problem, but again i've replaced most of that stuff too. New injectors, O-rings, filter, and pump. Still has the stock FPR on there (took my Holley off) and the pressure holds like it should. Could this have something to do with the cold start injector? Maybe both of my problems are related?
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 658
Likes: 1
From: Centerville OH
You may want to consider removing the IAC and IAC housing from the throttle body and give the housing and pintle a throrough cleaning. Carbon buildup will sometimes cause the IAC to stick. Also, spray some throttle body cleaner on a cloth and clean the throttle body bores behind the butterflies. There can be a significant amount of carbon buildup here over time.
Finally, if you have never done so, I highly recommend that you remove and clean all of the ground wires that attach to the engine block and bellhousing. I had a problem many years back where my car didn't want to idle at all but it ran great otherwise. I finally isolated it to a poor ground at the block. I've had several issues over the years that were fixed simply by cleaning these grounds. YMMV.
Finally, if you have never done so, I highly recommend that you remove and clean all of the ground wires that attach to the engine block and bellhousing. I had a problem many years back where my car didn't want to idle at all but it ran great otherwise. I finally isolated it to a poor ground at the block. I've had several issues over the years that were fixed simply by cleaning these grounds. YMMV.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
Originally Posted by Z51L9889
You may want to consider removing the IAC and IAC housing from the throttle body and give the housing and pintle a throrough cleaning. Carbon buildup will sometimes cause the IAC to stick. Also, spray some throttle body cleaner on a cloth and clean the throttle body bores behind the butterflies. There can be a significant amount of carbon buildup here over time.
Finally, if you have never done so, I highly recommend that you remove and clean all of the ground wires that attach to the engine block and bellhousing. I had a problem many years back where my car didn't want to idle at all but it ran great otherwise. I finally isolated it to a poor ground at the block. I've had several issues over the years that were fixed simply by cleaning these grounds. YMMV.
Finally, if you have never done so, I highly recommend that you remove and clean all of the ground wires that attach to the engine block and bellhousing. I had a problem many years back where my car didn't want to idle at all but it ran great otherwise. I finally isolated it to a poor ground at the block. I've had several issues over the years that were fixed simply by cleaning these grounds. YMMV.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
Cant find anything wrong with the grounds. Connections are clean and tight, no singed wires or anything. I talked to my friend about it and he said it could be a bad ignition module or a bad distributor. The gear on the distributor looks just fine to me, but I couldnt tell ya about the module.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,816
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From: :45 minutes from everywhere / E-I-E-I-O
It's 20+ years old.
It probably has more resin in it that a bong bowl. A little corrosion around electrical connections doesn't help. Those rubber emissions hoses are probably suckin' air too.
All these things combined will cause problems without lightin' up any codes. They are totally and cheaply repairable too.
Ya' really gotta' get a wrench on, and see what's there. There's nothin' lika a finely tuned twister spinnin' under the hood.
If ya' want, I'll post up a simple article on TPI tunin'.
It probably has more resin in it that a bong bowl. A little corrosion around electrical connections doesn't help. Those rubber emissions hoses are probably suckin' air too.
All these things combined will cause problems without lightin' up any codes. They are totally and cheaply repairable too.
Ya' really gotta' get a wrench on, and see what's there. There's nothin' lika a finely tuned twister spinnin' under the hood.
If ya' want, I'll post up a simple article on TPI tunin'.
