I originally thought my car had a IAC or TPS problem. Aparently this is not the case, both are set and working, yet the car seems to run rich, and backfire, if given gas, the TPS will sense the change, but it bogs out and backfires HARD. So hard, that i think it may have blown the new cat. which it bad news. I turned the car off after not being able to coax it to idle smoothly or rev like it should, and then i noticed smoke coming from the intake, smoke that looks and smells like regular exhaust, this was after i had just replaced the IAC. I'm thinking that rather than the IAc having choked it off intake air, the exhaust gas somehow strangled the engine of fresh oxygen. The thing that is odd to me is the fact that while cranking the engine over it will fire just fine and rev like it should, but once i let the key flip to ON and the starter dissengages, and the ECM takes over operation the car wants to die at idle, backfires, and seems to run rich and choke itself. any suggestions?

I've replaced the IAC and TPS, cap, wires, plugs etc. possibly a weak coil?

 

this is my thought


Now, since exhaust gas doesn't burn, it doesn't exactly help with combustion. At higher RPMs, this really isn't noticeable, but at idle, the reintroduction of exhaust gas will cause a very rough idle and can cause stalling if to much is introduced into the combustion chamber.

if this is true like it says in the code 32 article, wouldnt that be a thought on why it will run right while cranking but as the ECM takes over and controls EGR operation it may be putting too much exhaust into the chamber, giving me crappy idle, backfiring, not enough fresh air, stalling, and hesitation on accelration? somone just give me a simple yes or suggestion on how to fix it if it makes any feasible hypothesis, I am fairly new to the 3rd gen cars so I'm not sure on this stuff.

 

I read through the haynes manual that i bought and read that the timing is control partly through the EST, so i read how to bypass it. I think that i unplugged the right wire, right side of the brake booster/3 prong clip black/yellow wires. After i had done this i started the car, great start and idled alot better than it had before (before it was hit or miss, sometimes it would idle, others it would stall) so i let it run about 30 seconds. The idle started out fine, and then dropped to a rough idle. So after running it i turned it off and tried 2 more times....same effect great start and initial idle, but rough idle after about 5-10 seconds. So i decided to reconnect the plug and try my luck. With the connector plugged back in it would start great, idle fine for 5-10 seconds then begin with a rough idle. It does this now very consistanly, which is very odd considering before it would simply sputter out of life, or have a very rough struggling idle.


If anyone has a suggestion of where to start with this problem let me know please, im trying to use the manual but it isnt that informative, my guess is some kind of electronic spark control, or timer, etc. that is engaged after being cranked over.

 

like talking to yourself? lol.


exhast really doesnt smoke, i havent seen it at least.

 

Sounds similar to what my TPI 2.8 has been doing but on a far worse level. I changed ll the same parts as you and it got better but still idles hard and low at times, and even feels like it's losing power or misfiring in low rpm ranges at times. It's gotten much better though and went from occasional (at least once a day or more) to barely (once or twice a week) I also swapped out the PCV and EGR on mine though and now it's almost totally gone. I think now its just the vacum line to the MAP sensor that broke and falls off every so often that I need to still replace, but I need the sensor first. You might want to look into your O2 sensor while your at it. I'm doing that and the MAP together

 

The ESC wire you're supposed to disconnect to set the timing (is this a TPI car?) at least on my TPI is a single wire, brown and black color. Here's pic showing where it's at, too, courtesy of one of our senior gurus around here.....

 

thanks for the replies, yea ive been talking to myself quite sometime it seems lol. Either im an idiot or no one knows of this problem, it seems somewhat random, at times it runs like a champ, others not so much, so im going through the wires and going to try and reset all parameters. Atleast as many as i can, i also dont know where the o2 sensor plugs into, i have the wire dissconeccted, if anyone has a pic of that, thanks.

 

I have similar problem, it's 350 tpi. On start up it idles fine for like 4-7 minutes then it starts to surge while in gear and seems pretty smooth in idle or park, it's terrible in reverse however. Also, there were days where it would bog down heavily if more than 1/3 throttle was applied, so I had civics passing me. At other days I noticed if I didnt mash out on the gas pedal it would ride very good, then a day after it was almost undriveable with that bogging. Now somehow , and I don't know how, it accelerates and burns tires, but I don't know for how long. It's one of these:
EGR, IAC, TPS, O2, MAP.... etc

 

vernw my brother you just saved me a very big headache, it is a short in my EST i unplugged the wire and it purrs like a kitten now, sets a code because its not recieving singal but it runs revs idles perfect, i thank all you guys. Without the help i get from you guys i would still be on step number one, you honestly dont know what kind of smile it brought to my face to hear her run again.

now that ive found the problem im going to take preventitive measures and ensure this beast survival and save her from extinction hehe peace, and thanks again.

 

I have one question about diabling that EST wire. What will it do to the engine to run it without it? and what exactly does it do, it seems that it isnt nescessary for normal operation. Supposedly the ignition module takes over in the EST's absensce yes? anyway it runs and drives very well, seems to have lost a bit of power, but over all still very strong without it.

 

No problem, glad to help out.

I believe if you leavi it disconnected then the ECM can't won't be able to regulate the timing correctly (and that would explain the loss of power).

 

i have been having the exactly same issue lately and was bugging the hell outta me not to mention dangerous when it would randomly stall out if i held the clutch too long. is there a more perminent solution to this, i would assume that i need to locate the short and repair it but not sure. i dun like running with the SES on so would like to fix it right.... thx again

 

Sirs,
I brought an supposed used 2101 Edelbrock performer intake manifold from Ebay. I can't figure out what style of egr valve is supposed to be on this one. I brought an adapter that was supposed to bolt to it (from Edelbrock). Can someone tell me what EGR valve (or year and model) bolts to this manifold, or possibly what Edelbrock model # is this manifold?

 

 

Is this a manual choke provision instead of an egr provision?

 

Woah. You re-birthed an 11 year old thread my freind. This isn't the way to get help for your problem, especially since the original thread was for a completely different issue. My first advice is start your own thread.

That opening appears to be for EGR. Mounting the valve requires an adapter that is available from Edelbrock. I would suggest a call to Edelbrock tech support for more info. That manifold appears to be a Performer, most likely P/N 2104.