Engine surges and dies....Help!!!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,759
Likes: 0
From: Round Rock,Austin, Texas
Engine surges and dies....Help!!!
This does not happen every day but maybe every other day or so. It started about 3-4 days ago. I had RR and Headers installed on car. It drove fine for 4-5 days. Then one day I went out to garage to start car for work and it took 5 tries and then it studered to a start. Driving to work the car surged several times and even died once at a light. Got to work :mad . left for work and the car drove fine. Drove fine another day strait and then started again the next day on the road to my parents place and died twice at a light after studering. Another thing I noticed when I had the car doing this I watched the coolant temp gauge on digi display and as the car studered it displayed "LO" then went to 34...67...174 and then leveled out. This is all I can really give for info. I pray that it is not opti :blueangel:
[Modified by RadPolo96, 12:04 AM 8/11/2003]
[Modified by RadPolo96, 12:04 AM 8/11/2003]
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 17,103
Likes: 39
From: stop the fun suckers
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (RadPolo96)
coolant temp readings are not usually related to the opti going bad... the surging and stuttering is.. however, since you are having other electrical issues (erratic coolant temp readings) I would first
1. Check to make sure you reconnected all your grounds after putting on the headers and RR's
2. Check to make sure you dont have any wires that were laying on the headers that may have burned through.. the coolant temp wire is on the passanger side cyl head between the #6 and #8 spark plugs - that could easily have burned up and is shorting something..
3. pull all your ECM codes if you have a check engine soon light on
4. check to make sure the ECM isnt bad.. (very unlikely - but possible)
1. Check to make sure you reconnected all your grounds after putting on the headers and RR's
2. Check to make sure you dont have any wires that were laying on the headers that may have burned through.. the coolant temp wire is on the passanger side cyl head between the #6 and #8 spark plugs - that could easily have burned up and is shorting something..
3. pull all your ECM codes if you have a check engine soon light on
4. check to make sure the ECM isnt bad.. (very unlikely - but possible)
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,759
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From: Round Rock,Austin, Texas
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (Pete Pulos)
Called my mechanic, and he said it might be a bad MAF too. He said its prolly not Opti cuz they usually just falt out die.
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 47
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From: Shawnee OK
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (RadPolo96)
JUST REMEMBER, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A STUPID QUESTION...I JUST INHERITED AN 84 VETTE WITH ALMOST THE SAME PROBLEM YOU ARE HAVING....SO WHAT EXACTLY IS A "MAF" ..AND THE "OPTI"...APPRECIATE THE HELP...
:confused:
[Modified by jennykayes84vette, 5:53 PM 8/11/2003]
[Modified by jennykayes84vette, 5:53 PM 8/11/2003]
:confused:
[Modified by jennykayes84vette, 5:53 PM 8/11/2003]
[Modified by jennykayes84vette, 5:53 PM 8/11/2003]
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Instructor
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 171
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From: waukesha, wi usa
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (RadPolo96)
Jenny
Welcome
I have good and bad news. The good is that you dont have to worry as your '84 doesnt have either. MAF is Mass Air Flow sensor found on '85-89or so and then starting again in '92. The Opti is the Optispark distributor found on '92 to '96 they tend to go if they get damp as they are located by the water pump.
Now the bad news. Since it's not an MAF or Opti issue on your '84, it is something else. Maybe an IAC or ECM (Idle Air Control located by your 2 throttle bodies or Electronic Control Module - the computer) I would check for codes first. do this by putting a paper clip in the computer plug in under the driver's side dash. Jump the A and B terminals with the key off. then just turn the key to on without starting the engine and watch the flashes on the middle instrument panel. Service engine light will flash once and then twice and do this 2 more times. This is a code 1-2 meaning the system is ready. If you have a error code the flashes will repeat three times each. For example a 4-3 is 4 quick flashes followed by 3 quick flashes.
Hope this helps
Welcome
I have good and bad news. The good is that you dont have to worry as your '84 doesnt have either. MAF is Mass Air Flow sensor found on '85-89or so and then starting again in '92. The Opti is the Optispark distributor found on '92 to '96 they tend to go if they get damp as they are located by the water pump.
Now the bad news. Since it's not an MAF or Opti issue on your '84, it is something else. Maybe an IAC or ECM (Idle Air Control located by your 2 throttle bodies or Electronic Control Module - the computer) I would check for codes first. do this by putting a paper clip in the computer plug in under the driver's side dash. Jump the A and B terminals with the key off. then just turn the key to on without starting the engine and watch the flashes on the middle instrument panel. Service engine light will flash once and then twice and do this 2 more times. This is a code 1-2 meaning the system is ready. If you have a error code the flashes will repeat three times each. For example a 4-3 is 4 quick flashes followed by 3 quick flashes.
Hope this helps
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Shawnee OK
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (Pete Pulos)
wow!!!!! i have a lot to learn about these mean machines!!! thanks soooooooooooooo much for your response to my post. will check out the codes..and go from there...
Thanks again..
Jennifer :auto:
Thanks again..
Jennifer :auto:
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,759
Likes: 0
From: Round Rock,Austin, Texas
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (jennykayes84vette)
Yesterday it started to studer again and I just got it in the garage in time to try the MAF test. As it was studering I unpluged the MAF. It studered once more and then stopped. I let it run for a few min with no problem. I am not for sure its the MAf but I am gunna try driving it today without MAF plugged in. I hope this is ok, I really need to see if it studers with it unplugged too.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 40,156
Likes: 45
From: San Pedro CA
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (RadPolo96)
have you checked codes yet?
Using a paperclip, jump terminals A & B on the ALDL under the dash, drivers side, near the consol... count the flashes.
The first group will be <flash> pause <flash> <flash> pause pause, 3 times, that is a code 12 (12 indicates you are in diagnostic mode). Then it will display the actual code(s).
[Modified by bogus, 5:13 PM 8/12/2003]
Using a paperclip, jump terminals A & B on the ALDL under the dash, drivers side, near the consol... count the flashes.
The first group will be <flash> pause <flash> <flash> pause pause, 3 times, that is a code 12 (12 indicates you are in diagnostic mode). Then it will display the actual code(s).
[Modified by bogus, 5:13 PM 8/12/2003]
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,143
Likes: 7
From: San Diego CA
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (bogus)
A 96 is a different interface for codes. Try this...
http://www.c4vettes.com/codes.htm
Also, take a good look at the temp. sensor on the front of the water pump. If it's at all questionable, replace it, it's one of the few inexpensive Vette parts.
It controls what the computer sees as engine temps at idle. If the temps are low the mix is enrichened and leaned if hot.
[Modified by John Row, 2:34 PM 8/12/2003]
http://www.c4vettes.com/codes.htm
Also, take a good look at the temp. sensor on the front of the water pump. If it's at all questionable, replace it, it's one of the few inexpensive Vette parts.
It controls what the computer sees as engine temps at idle. If the temps are low the mix is enrichened and leaned if hot.
[Modified by John Row, 2:34 PM 8/12/2003]
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,759
Likes: 0
From: Round Rock,Austin, Texas
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (John Row)
I noticed one of the sensors on the headers for coolant is busted...but that one is for the gauges would that still affect the rich ness?
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Shawnee OK
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (Pete Pulos)
awwwwwwwwwww!!!! even tho i have a head full of hair. :troll
beginning to think this vehicle will make me pull it allllllllllll out! ha ha...anyways...pulled the codes...AND SUPRISE SUPPRISE.....NO CODES! so what ideas do you all have to check next? the surging and dying seems to only happen when coming to a stop light or turning a corner...and NO...running stop signs/lights is not an option.hehehehe appreciate the responses..and hope to track this down quickly!
[Modified by jennykayes84vette, 9:37 PM 8/12/2003]
[Modified by jennykayes84vette, 9:37 PM 8/12/2003]
beginning to think this vehicle will make me pull it allllllllllll out! ha ha...anyways...pulled the codes...AND SUPRISE SUPPRISE.....NO CODES! so what ideas do you all have to check next? the surging and dying seems to only happen when coming to a stop light or turning a corner...and NO...running stop signs/lights is not an option.hehehehe appreciate the responses..and hope to track this down quickly!
[Modified by jennykayes84vette, 9:37 PM 8/12/2003]
[Modified by jennykayes84vette, 9:37 PM 8/12/2003]
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 1,759
Likes: 0
From: Round Rock,Austin, Texas
Re: Engine surges and dies....Help!!! (jennykayes84vette)
Well I replaced the broken coolant sensor and it still surges after a while. I cant figure it out for the life of me. Untill I can get someone to autotap my car or get a fuel pressure gauge on it I wont really know anything.
