Ok...lately my car has been idling fairly ****ty in drive. Today I was going to my friends house and as i was pulling into his neighborhood, my car like sputtered and the check engine light came on (car sounded like it wanted to die). I pull the car in his driveway, put it in park and lightly rev it. The car begins to shake pretty bad so i turn it off and pop the hood too check some ****. Nothing unusual so i let the car sit, fire it back up and it runs fine. So i go home and alittle bit later me and my dad take the car out, i push it pretty hard and it runs smooth as it has in a long time. Can anyone tell me what happened?

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1991 Camaro RS (auto)

PERFORMANCE
-Custom exhaust
-14x5 K&N open element
-K&N X-stream lid

APPEARANCE
-TTops
-4" Cowl induction hood (functional obviously)
-GTS taillight blackouts

 

RS,

Don't listen to just anyone. You want a bone? Pick it from your ECM. The "SES" lamp is trying to tell you something, so listen. Get the error codes from the ECM and you should have a pretty good guess as to the problem.


First, you'll need to acquire a GM OBD I ECM Diagnostic Trouble Code Retrieval Tool (commonly known as a paper clip to TGO members).

With the engine and ignition turned off, locate the ALDL connector under the dash, just to the right of the steering wheel in the driver's foot well area. There should be a small rectangular cover over the access hole in the lower dash trim.



Insert a tool as described above (paper clip) into the 'A' and 'B' terminals on the ALDL connector:



WITHOUT STARTING the engine, turn the ignition to the "RUN" position. Watch the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) and it will begin to flash. This is also commonly called the "Service Engine Soon" or "SES" lamp. The first code will flash three times, and will usually be a code '12'. This is encoded by one flash of the lamp, a brief pause, then two successive flashes of the lamp. Each code will repeat three times, so you should see a "Code 12" flash three times. Any other error codes will follow in numerical order, and each code should flash three times. After all codes have been displayed three times, the "Code 12" will again flash three times, then all other codes will follow as described earlier. This cycle will continue until the jumper is removed or the ignition is turned off.

After you have made a note of all error codes, turn off the ignition and remove the jumper immediately. If you forget to remove the jumper and attempt to start the engine with it in place, you could damage the ECM. For this reason you should remove it immediately.

Once you have a note of all error codes, check this file for the decoding:

GM Error Codes.pdf.

You'll need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open/print the file. (See below)

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Later,
Vader
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Justice and Freedom will Prevail
Adobe Acrobat Reader

 

Maybe a clogged fuel filter or dying fuel pump.

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"Rice burners are like tampons...Every pu$$y has to have one"
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
3" Hooker CatBack w/Aero Chamber muffler
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat, just switched to 180* b/c of winter coming and going to college in the mts.
3:73 Posi
Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

 

I know how to pull the codes, done it before w/ no problem. I was just curious as to whether anyone knows what my symptoms might mean...

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1991 Camaro RS (auto)

PERFORMANCE
-Custom exhaust
-14x5 K&N open element
-K&N X-stream lid

APPEARANCE
-TTops
-4" Cowl induction hood (functional obviously)
-GTS taillight blackouts

 

well, what code did u get?

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- David
88' GTA 5.7L TPI MODS---> air foil, K&N, Shift Kit, 180* therm, TB bypass, Gutted CAT, Flowmaster 80 Series

http://www.geocities.com/david_angel_16

 

from the discription you gave of your problem it appears you have something affecting one or more of the ecm sensers and it should set a code. scan it for codes and trouble shoot it from the book flow down for that code. you might also want to make sure you have a good tune up and all the parts are in good condition.

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ICON Motorsports
1st & 3rd
MM Black Diamond 538 F&AM

 

Sorry, i meant to say i know how to pull the codes,i havent done it yet. I'm gonna do it later today after work.

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1991 Camaro RS (auto)

PERFORMANCE
-Custom exhaust
-14x5 K&N open element
-K&N X-stream lid

APPEARANCE
-TTops
-4" Cowl induction hood (functional obviously)
-GTS taillight blackouts

 

Sounds like the EGR valve to me. My old camaro RS was doin the same thing and it turned out to be a sticking egr valve.

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89 Firebird Formula
5.0 TPI T-5 WS6 G92 dual cat exhaust 3.42 posi T-tops Grant signature series steering wheel (sweet), Kenwood head unit with Infinity speakers, Accel cap, rotor and wires, AC Rapidfire plugs, K&N Filter, Flowmaster 80 series muffler w/ full 3 inch exhaust, 180* stat, AFPR
New best run 14.8 @ 93mph