Bad part throttle miss, stumble - No Helpful Codes - Help!

[phutch11]

Hey guys,

I've got a wicked miss/stumble at part throttle (above 50% throttle) in any gear above about 3500 rpm. It happens both when the car has just started or when it is already warm. I've pulled the codes several times and haven't gotten anything useful. I'm getting the following codes that should all be related to my removal of the smog pump system and EGR system.

Codes: 31, 84, 85, 91

I have recently relocated my battery to the trunk and just the day before my missfire troubles started, installed underdrive pulleys. I used 1/0 welding wires with solder on connections for both the positive and negative wires and I did not install the alternator pulley b/c I was worried about charging issues.

Thus far I've checked the cap, rotor, and wires (all less that 3 months old), all grounds and everything seems fine. But the miss/stumble continues.

I'm worried that my stator or TFI or SPOUT or coil have crapped the bed. I'm not a big fan of diagnosis by replacement so I'm wondering if anyone's got any ideas and/or ways to check the function of the above components.

Can anyone help? Jrichter?

Thanks in advance....

 

[phutch11]

Anyone?

Bump.

 

[88mouse]

I have been fighting the same problem on another car just got it fix last night. Two of the wires for the maf sensor where shorted out.

You need to get the codes with it running. Have it hooked up on a scanner at a local shop.

 

[phutch11]

Thanks for the help, I'll take a look at the MAF wiring, but I'm hoping to troubleshoot it myself before taking it to a shop.

Just to be clear, the codes I posted are both KOEO, CM, and Engine running codes as well.

Thanks again...

Other thoughts?

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[phutch11]

Oh yeah I turned up my timing to like 26 degrees BTDC b/c I thought the timing was off and the car runs much better - maybe that means that the computer is having trouble advancing the timing?

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[88mouse]

The balancer has spun.

 

[jrichker]

Sounds as if you may have several different problems. Here's the code test path for the 91 code...

Code 41 or 91 - O2 indicates system lean. Look for a vacuum leak or failing O2 sensor.

Code 41 is a RH side sensor,
Code 91 is the LH side sensor.

The computer sees a lean mixture signal coming from the O2 sensors and tries to compensate by adding more fuel. Many times the end result is an engine that runs pig rich and stinks of unburned fuel.

The following is a Quote from Charles O. Probst, Ford fuel Injection & Electronic Engine control:
"When the mixture is lean, the exhaust gas has oxygen, about the same amount as the ambient air. So the sensor will generate less than 400 Millivolts. Remember lean = less voltage.

When the mixture is rich, there's less oxygen in the exhaust than in the ambient air , so voltage is generated between the two sides of the tip. The voltage is greater than 600 millivolts. Remember rich = more voltage.

Here's a tip: the newer the sensor, the more the voltage changes, swinging from as low as 0.1 volt to as much as 0.9 volt. As an oxygen sensor ages, the voltage changes get smaller and slower - the voltage change lags behind the change in exhaust gas oxygen.

Because the oxygen sensor generates its own voltage, never apply voltage and never measure resistance of the sensor circuit. To measure voltage signals, use an analog voltmeter with a high input impedance, at least 10 megohms. Remember, a digital voltmeter will average a changing voltage." End Quote

Testing the O2 sensors
Measuring the O2 sensor voltage at the computer will give you a good idea of how well they are working. You'll have to pull the passenger side kick panel off to gain access to the computer connector. Remove the plastic wiring cover to get to the back side of the wiring. Use a safety pin or paper clip to probe the connections from the rear. The computer pins are 29 (LH O2 with a dark green/pink wire) and 43 (RH O2 with a dark blue/pink wire). Use the ground next to the computer to ground the voltmeter. The O2 sensor voltage should switch between .2-.9 volt at idle.

Note that all resistance tests must be done with power off. Measuring resistance with a circuit powered on will give false readings and possibly damage the meter. Do not attempt to measure the resistance of the O2 sensors, it may damage them.

Testing the O2 sensor wiring harness
Most of the common multimeters have a resistance scale. Be sure the O2 sensors are disconnected and measure the resistance from the O2 sensor body harness to the pins on the computer.

The O2 sensor ground (orange wire with a ring terminal on it) is in the wiring harness for the fuel injection wiring. I grounded mine to one of the intake manifold bolts

Replace the O2 sensors in pairs if replacement is indicated. If one is weak or bad, the other one probably isn't far behind.

If you get only code 41 and have changed the sensor, look for vacuum leaks. This is especially true if you are having idle problems. The small plastic tubing is very brittle after many years of the heating it receives. Replace the tubing and check the PVC and the hoses connected to it.
A secondary problem with only a code 41 is for cars with an intact smog pump and cats. If the tube on the back of the heads clogs up the driver’s side, all the air from the smog pump gets dumped into one side. This excess air upsets the O2 sensor calibration and can set a false code 41. The cure is to remove the crossover tube and thoroughly clean the insides so that there is no carbon blocking the free flow of air to both heads.