i have a 89 forbird, 305, it is missing a bit. my service engine light comes on and off but i always miss. i was wondering if it could be bad timing as i just had the heads replaced and it wasnt anywhere near this bad before (had a very slight miss only noticable at idle). so i was wondering if its that or maybe my injectors are messing up, im not sure.

also my temp gauge stopped working, even though it is plugged in..........the times you wish you would have done something yourself.......

 

A source of an intermittent SES is no EGR. If the EGR is blocked, or missing, it will do that.

How was the timing set? Did you unplug the EST and set the base timing to whats called for on the emissions sticker under the hood?

 

actually, what was throwing a code was one of my injectors not being plugged in, and thought it may be a bad map sensor or CTS (which is what i though was my temp sending unit), after trying both i broke down and tried the distributor, my miss was from my timing being a few degrees off. i loosend the bolt and set it by ear (im pretty good about that), i would have used a light but i dont have the little bracket with the degree marks on it.as for my guage not working, turns out the idiot who did my heads didnt transfer the temp sending unit over from the old heads, havent put it back in yet.....when i do though will it poor water all over the place or is it a dry sensor??

 

Could also be knock sensor.

At the OP: Figure out what code it's throwing, that's just elementary.

Do not set timing by ear in an EFI car, or any car for that matter. Make sure the EST is unhooked, get a timing tab, do it right.

Sensor is wet. Get teflon on the new one, do the swap cold, and swap 'em fast so you don't spill too much.

 

i kinda figured, it was just wishfull thinking that it wouldnt be. on all my other cars it was located on or near the thermostat housing on the manifold, but those were carb cars. just to be sure, i found a connector on the driver side that can plug into my temp sending unit, but i have a few connectors laying around the engine compartment (previous owner was a shade tree half a$$ kinda guy and did not properly elliminate anything) i just want to make sure thats the right one before i hook it up and find out thats the fan switch and the TSU is on the passenger side

 

my experience starts at carbs, skips TBI, and goes strait to the new style ECMs. i know how to plug a scanner in (new style) and read what it says like any trained ape, but im under the impression these dont read the same.....how do they work...i know its something like your long flashes are your tens collumn and short flashes are your ones column, so say one long flash and three small is thirteen. but how do you get it to flash to begin with?

 

Jump the ALDL.

Count the codes from the SES.

There is no long and short flashes, just tens column then singles column repeated three times, then a long pause, then the next code.

 

ow do you jump it??

 

Assembly Line Diagnostic Link

There is a tech section on this site.

https://www.thirdgen.org/service-eng...ht-error-codes

 

sweet thank you