While driving my car about two weeks ago the check engine light came on, the car missed some and then went dead. Pulled over and restarted. Light was not on and made it home without any problem. Cranked up car today to pull inot garage for some checks and it smelled like catylic or rich or some type smell. Unsure of what I smelled. I gounded A to B for code check and did not get any problem codes as I suspected I would. What do you think the miss and the going dead is
related to? Also what about he smell? The car has very old plugs. What do you master mechanics think?

 

If the odor smelled like a combination of exhaust and burning metal then it's your catalytic converter. How old is the exhaust? How did the car peform before it stalled? Did it start to sputter and lose acceleration with your foot on the accelrator and then stall? If you weren't able to restart the car after it stalled then it maybe your catalytic converter is clogged. On way to find out..... with the car running look under the car to see if the catalytic converter has red glo. If it is ...that's not good.... you need to replace it ASAP.

 

rssshen vette all is orginal on the 88 vette. I mean all. Has 54000 miles and is 21 years old and had the orginal tires until two month ago. Car has been runing fine except a few times when check engine light came on. The as I said sputtered and wnet dead, cranked right up and took me home. Have not taken out since this time. No codes indicated. I need some advise. How much is new cat and where under car is it located. Newby to mechanic's but willing to learn if someone will teach.

 

Looked at your site. Nice , very nice car. Damn!

 

Hi, I think a systamatic diagnostic approach to finding out what is wrong with Your Vette may be in order. Its true that the cataltic converter may be on its last leg. But the seldom if ever clog up on there own. Plugged catalytic conveters are usaully cased by an oil buring engine or a Engine cylider misfire or multiple clylinder misfire over an extended period of time. Raw unbuned gasoline-fuel will kill any coverter in short order.

You mention that your car has very old spark plugs. A good ignition tuneup may be in order. Spark Plugs, Ignition wires, Distribubator Cap and Rotor. With a "BASE" Ignition timing check.

My 1987 Vette would suddenly die without notice at times at the most In opertutent times ! I trace it down to the Pink 10 guage power feed wire to my HEI disrtibuator. The terminal had lost its grip or opened up creating a high resistance poor connection.

Dont rule out a failing Ignition module. They can create similar intermittent, no ignition spark troubles too.

I am a ASE certified master mechanic and advanced driveability specialist. I will try and step you through any questions you have if you decide to take on fixing your own Corvette.

There are some brillant Corvette enthusiasts on this forum I have found in the last few months Too !!

BR

 

thank you 87 vette. I appreciate your response. As old as all the ignition parts are I to think that new plugs, wires and distributor caps are in order. I am no mechanic and really appreciate your assistance and input. I am really surprised at the lack of input to my thread as I thought that many would have input into this thread. I will second order (after doing the brakes, rotors, lines an fluid) replace plugs wires, cap also run some injector cleaner in the system. Maybe this will have some impact and clear up my issues. I am surprised that the ecm did not record any issues as related to codes. I assumed this would be my guide to a resolution. I may have to pm you for advise and thank you in advance for your assistance.

 

Intermittent symptoms like this can be a pain. Are you certain that you don't have any codes?? Especially if the check engine light came on, I'd be looking to find something in the codes. I'm only guessing and NOT suggesting that you change anything until you know for sure, but I have suspicions around you MAF sensor.

 

I thought I would have had codes also but I followed directions and only got code 12 repeatedly. I will do it again and see if it's different. Prior to this event I mention above I did get a check engine light a couple of times but never a miss and light always went out. Does this impact my story any? Is there a check or diagnostic for MAF sensor?

 

It’s been a long time but I believe a mass air flow problem would throw a code 34 at you.

The catalytic converter reaches normal operating temperature usually between 400 and 600 degrees Fahrenheit. When the converter reaches this temperature it then starts to burn off the harmful emissions such as hydrocarbons, nitrogen compounds and carbon monoxide. Temperatures that are out of this range can be an indication the converter is plugged up!

If the outlet temperature reading is higher by 200 degrees or more than the inlet temperature, this indicates the car is running rich and excess CO is present in the exhaust system. In most cases a rich condition will produce what we term “rotten egg” which is simply hydrogen sulfide coming out of the exhaust. A multitude of problems can cause this ranging from the computer not sending the car to closed loop, (defective oxygen sensor), an open or defective thermostat, fuel pressure issue, non-working air pump, and so on.

When the outlet temperature is 500 degrees hotter than the inlet temperature there is un-burned fuel present in the exhaust! Issues that will cause this can range from a defective ignition system (cap, rotor, wires, sparkplug, or a basic ignition breakdown), a vacuum leak, a compression issue in the engine, a leaking or burned valve, defective fuel pressure regulator, leaking injectors.

Willcox Inc.

 

The car is 21 years old and surely needs plugs, wires, cap rotor. I suspect other parts are in order as well. Since i am not gettng codes (will double check) I am going to start with the obvious. Plug, wires and the other. Also some fuel injector cleaner and a full tank of premium gas. From there I will see what happens and if I get check engine light again. If I have some issues they should come up as codes,shouldn"t they?

 

I agree with comments from other's and yourself too - our 20+ year old cars can have any number of components that have served their useful life (like catalytic converter(s), o2 sensors, injectors, fuel pumps, etc, etc.) That's part of the fun (some might call it a challenge - wanted or unwanted!) of owning a classic. Not having a code just makes finding the culprit just a little more challenging. With persistence you'll find it.

Just to share some experiences that I have had which may or may not help...After I purchased my 85, I could hear a rattle especially at certain rpms somewhere underneath - thought it might be a loose gas line, egr line, something in the transmission...) One day, I saw what looked like chunks of wood at the outlet tips of my mufflers - it was chunks of the honey comb coming from inside my catalytic converter. I got underneath and tapped my catalytic converter and sure enough - the rattle was coming from inside it. Somewhere along the way, the cat must have been so hot that the honeycombs inside cracked into smaller pieces. So sometimes they plug up, and sometimes they break apart...

I was chasing an intermittent Code 32 (EGR system - not necessarily the EGR itself) for awhile - it would only come on after driving on the hwy for some time - the Helms manual did an excellent job of helpoing me chase this down the culprit - which was probably the EGR sensor and not the EGR itself, but since I had to remove the plenum to get to the EGR sensor, I changed both. It's a satisfying feeling when you can trace these things down and fix 'em yourself. Keep at it, you'll get it.

 

I agree it is a challenge. I am not real confident in my trouble shooting and mechanical repairs abilities. Sure I will try anything as long as I have some knowlegable folks to tunr to for advise and that is where this forum really helps people like me. I appreciate all you guys input and may need to pm some of you for your thoughts at times. Thanks CF.