My car is acting very strangly. It will start every once and a while but usually it won't at all. The starter is fine and starter works everytime so it's not the battery or anything like that. I do know that my TPS is not adjusted properly at all. TPS was replaced to fix a code 33 issue I was having but it wasn't adjusted properly. I tried to make some arbitrary adjustments to it because I don't have a way to take a reading from it. Problem is I managed to strip the head of the torque screw so I'm kinda stuck. Now the car rarely if ever starts. And when it does it runs extremely rough for a few seconds and dies.

I need help bad. I would just have it towed to somewhere but I don't even have enough money to cover my bills yet this month.

 

Well, from my expereince with a bad tps, the motor will turn and the car will die immediatley with a bad tps. So to answer your question, yes it will cause it not to start....as far as your problem, sorry, I don't know.

 

All you need is a $10 digital voltmeter from Radio Shack, and follow the tech article on thirdgen.org. The tech article list is at https://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/tech/ , under "Carbs/FI", it's titled "IAC and TPS adjustment".

The only way a TPS will cause a no-start is if the TPS is busted/stuck, and the TPS is telling the computer that you've floored the gas. The computer won't pulse the injectors, because when you floor the gas (WideOpenThrottle) and crank the engine, the computer goes into "clear flood mode".

There's no real way for you to install the TPS so that it would read that high of voltage needed for WOT.

When it runs rough for a few seconds and dies, does it keep doing that over and over again until you start playing with the gas pedal to keep it going? I've got similar symptoms, and have a leaking fuel injector. When the car warms up, it'll start up no problem.

 

I kinda have the same problem to, the car wont start i just replaced the starter and selenoid and i have checked all the wires going to the starter and battery. When i turn the key i can hear the fuel pump and the guages work but my starter doesnt do anything??
Just last week i got it to start like 5 times when i added a ground wire to my starter but that stoped working for me also.

 

i dont want to sound dumb but what is tps? haha

 

Throttle position sensor, you know. It's the funny looking little device on the upper right hand side (your left as you're looking at it) of your throttle body, has a little lever on it and a connector with three wires going into it.

PS: The only dumb question is the one that isn't asked.

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hey Tom, I actually have a voltometer and I tried a few times to get a reading from the TPS with it but was unsuccessful. Replaced the TPS and still no luck. Not sure why. I used the "back probing" method.

 

What two pins did you check? Pin "A" (top) is negative, pin "B" (center) is positive, pin "C" (bottom) is the signal wire to the ECM. Check pins "A" & "B" if you're not already doing that.

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!!

 

yea that is what i tried, the two top pins

 

Have you tried borrowing a diagnostic scan tool and setting it with that?

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I don't know anyone with a scantool unfortunatly.

 

You can make yourself super-cheap jumper wires. Just find 3 scraps of wire, strip the ends, and unplug the TPS. Keeping the connectors orientated properly, stick the jumper wires into the corresponding holes (A to A, B to B, C to C). Now you'll be able to probe the actual wires instead of trying to backprobe the connector; and that should work out better.

And you've got a digital voltmeter, right? Analog could short the ECM out (too much current draw, compared to the digital)

 

Yeah it is digital. How the hell am I supposed to keep all those wires steady and probe them? I don't see how that is possible.

 

Get leads for your multimeter that have alligator clips and grab the wires with them.

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ah, aligator clips... Where can I get those? Could I use those to attack the wire to the different terminals too?

 

Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-mart, AutoZone, Advance Auto Parts, any place that sells multimeters. And yes to your second question.

The Trickster!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

HAhahah I said attack, I meant attach... damn alcohol... thanks for the help guys.. I'll see what I can do on my waiters salary.

 

I have a 07 jeep commander, it started like pulling back,(felt like I was riding a horse), when I would accelerate the rpm would go to 3 but speed limit would be 30 it would have difficulty changing gears, it was stalling but would turn back on right until now it completely turned off on me and won't start. I changed battery and no start, doesn't even crank, but it makes a clicking noise. any help on what I can do??.??

 

This is a old thread that’s unrelated to your issue. You will find assistance on a Jeep forum. This is dedicated to 3rd gen f body’s.

 

TPS cause no start?
I have a 98 infinity i30, it started like pulling see in When I would accelerate at 30 it would have difficulty changing gears, it was stalling but would turn back on right until now it completely turned off on me and won't start.no crank won't turn over after i ran out of gas. I have A great battery but no start, doesn't even crank, but it makes a clicking noise. any help on what I can do??.