Loss of power - Tried troubleshooting, could use some sug.

[Caldwell]

Hey,
Well, I must say the car has been behaving all year except until now.

I'm having major loss of power problems.
What happens usually is my car will lose all power for a second or two and then it comes back.

My check engine was thrown and it told me there was something wrong with the EGR valve - which makes sense...

now my buddy and i unplug the EGR to see if that would stop the sudden energy loss - but it still happens, just not freqently.

The problem never used to be bad, but every week or so I notice it more and more until now it happens daily. And now I've had it happen when I was on open throttle...
and my EGR is still unplugged...

 

[mo_dingo]

Very strange. Have you gone through the plugs/wire/cap/rotor? Checked any of the electrical connections? Battery cables loose?

I wonder if the EGR could have an effect like you have experienced. I have never had an EGR fail on me, so idk what the symptoms are.

Hopefully someone else will chime in.
Scott

 

[HISSIN50]

Describe more about how it cuts out.

A PIP burp can be not unlike what you describe. The IDM generally won't pick up that kind of PIP issue since the PIP is the source of the signal.

Good luck.

 

[The Green GT]

My PIP went out recently. It did the same thing, except on a larger scale. My car died and wouldnt start. I changed the distributor and all is well.

 

[wytstang]

Describe more about how it cuts out.

A PIP burp can be not unlike what you describe. The IDM generally won't pick up that kind of PIP issue since the PIP is the source of the signal.

Good luck.

My thoughts exactly, if your power loss involves the RPMs dropping until it's almost dead and then picks back up I would suspect the PIP stator. I had that same nighmare happend to me and at a worse time.

 

[Caldwell]

Hm, not bad suggestions.
Let me see if I can elaborate on the symptoms.

the issues usually only occur when i am accelerating.
or mor accurately, never when i have my foot off the gas pedal.

the stalling, or burps usually when the car is cold, but it isn't uncommon when the car has been on for awhile, it just seems more freqent when the car is cold.

... like for instance
when i am accelerating, at any given amount, the car not always, but will freqently loose power... it doesn't feel like a stall... so much as a loss of power.

It reminded me of when I was having a problem with my cai - part of the rubber seal came off and cause for a huge lack of power - but this is definitely more of sudden jolts.

 

[BlackVert]

Very strange. Have you gone through the plugs/wire/cap/rotor? Checked any of the electrical connections? Battery cables loose?

I wonder if the EGR could have an effect like you have experienced. I have never had an EGR fail on me, so idk what the symptoms are.

Hopefully someone else will chime in.
Scott

+1 on the ignition system. mine was behaving similaryl and it was intermittant loss of spark due to a couple bad spark plug wires

 

[gcomfx.com]

Have you pulled the codes?

 

[Caldwell]

+1 on the ignition system. mine was behaving similaryl and it was intermittant loss of spark due to a couple bad spark plug wires

hm, i'll give those a shot. I know it's been almost 3 seasons since I've done those.

Have you pulled the codes?

whoops, yes... i did.
I guess i should have elaborated more on that.

It gave me both my o2 sensors, left and right... and it gave me the EGR... code 334 i believe.

the o2 codes were... 116, and 113 i think?

 

[1slow95]

Don't know if I can help you out, but the codes 116 and 113 are for "ECT outside limits during KOEO test" and "IAT sensor circuit open, or reads -40*F". Code 334 is "EGR closed voltage higher than expected".

 

[Caldwell]

Don't know if I can help you out, but the codes 116 and 113 are for "ECT outside limits during KOEO test" and "IAT sensor circuit open, or reads -40*F". Code 334 is "EGR closed voltage higher than expected".

you are help hehe

i know i remember the 334 correctly.
i'm just going by memory to be honest on the 02 sensor codes,
but i know i had the right and left codes because i checked the book, and then i didn't believe it and checked my online database
i do remember the o2 codes to be something like 111 - something in the teens.

do you think the engine codes are leading my astray?

 

[AznStanger3v]

did you remove the vacuum line off of the egr or just unplug it? the only reason i cant see it being an egr is that you are talking a pretty noticable loss of power.

 

[Caldwell]

did you remove the vacuum line off of the egr or just unplug it? the only reason i cant see it being an egr is that you are talking a pretty noticable loss of power.

yep, i did plug up the vacuum when i removed the egr...

like you said, it's a huge power loss, which is confusing me

maybe it has something to do with a throttle sensor?

 

[deadlast]

egr will have nothing to do it, it really only affects the idle, and as you said its useless during WOT. how old is your coil?

 

[HISSIN50]

egr will have nothing to do it, it really only affects the idle, and as you said its useless during WOT. how old is your coil?

EGR doesn't function during idle.

 

[mo_dingo]

EGR doesn't function during idle.

yup, part throttle acceleration only.

 

[Caldwell]

yup, part throttle acceleration only.

exactly.

Update on the situation:

My buddy and I took a look at the TPS and sure enough the connector was all corroded away. We cleaned it up and took it for a spin.
I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch, but we were out for a good two plus hours and the problem hasn't re-occured yet.



here's to hopin!

 

[gcomfx.com]

Ah ha.... the codes reveal it. I get a cookie!

 

[Caldwell]

Ah ha.... the codes reveal it. I get a cookie!

LOL

I love you man!

you think this will seriously solve the problem?
i'm not trying to get all excited too early here.
but the tps does sound... logical...

which makes sense that when the egr was unplugged and capped, the problem got better... not entirely, but a significant improvement?

 

[gcomfx.com]

I can't see the computer showing a sensor is out of whack when it's not something in that line (sensor itself, wiring to or from, or the signal dropping off due to bad grounding). And either way, if it showing something is out of whack, it's going to try to compensate for it. You get rid of the codes, you car is bound to run better.