Car is an 88 IROC 5.0 TPI, 5-Speed. I was driving on the freeway then all of a sudden **poof**, power goes to hell, idle is erratic as hell, engine occasionally dies at idle, idle speed is all over the place, engine starts cutting out, SES light occasionally flashes on, but does not stay on, and engine RPM drops very rapidly when I clutch the thing to shift, whereas it used to drop slowly.

I take the thing to the shop. It's due for it's 30k tuneup and service anyway. They clean the injectors and throttle body, replace plugs, rotor and cap, replace plug wires (car has 120k on it), and tell me the cat has failed (busted/overheated guts) and the o2 sensor may be bad. All that gets replaced.

It still runs like crap, but not quite as bad. Power is still way down, idle is smooth but idle speed varies. New cat smells like it's getting really hot. Engine RPM still drops rapidly when clutched during shifts. And now, for some reason, the driver-side fan runs all the time, even when the engine is cold.

Any ideas? Computer gone south? Old cat debris plugging the muffler? HELP!!!!!!

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It does sound like your comp took a big s h I t on you, it could also be something in your ign system.

 

Yep, it was the computer. New one in and now it's running like a champ.

 

Good to hear.