Hey guys, car has been running well, no issues. This week I replaced the vacuum line from the t junction to vac ball, and line from the t section to cruise servo and line from cruise servo to brake pedal, all cause they were old and just wanted to replace... also took off egr valve to check and clean. All put back together, driven twice since, 30min drives, no issues.
Today I was on my way to work, fine for 15 mins, all of a sudden high rpm's, maintains speed when taking foot off accelerator (approx 35-40mph), hit brakes and rpms drop and car very hard to slow down. Rpms in d around 1500-2000rpm, rpms in p nearly 3000. Brakes almost none existan, was extremely hard to bring to a standstill. Brakes very hot, smell like burnt clutch. At work and can't check till tomorrow, but was going to check for a vac leak, codes, etc...
Anyone have any ideas what has happened and what I should check ?
Thanks in advance.

Auto 305TPI

 

Sounds like a big vacuum leak. Possibly right to the booster. Also make sure the throttle linkage isn't bound up or pulled by the cruise

 

Ok so today, while checking the vacuum hoses I replaced a few days ago I noticed my throttle was partly open, tried pushing it closed and couldn't so i took off the hose between maf and throttle body and found, somehow, a piece of cardboard in one of the throttle butterflies, never made such a rookie mistake but it must've fallen into the section of air intake while I had it on the shelf and I didn't notice and it took a few drives to get stuck in there, my mind is blown, completely, I feel like a massive idiot. I then checked for codes, just the good old 12.

However a problem still remains. After realizing this cardboard in the throttle and rectifying, I tried to start the car, it idled like crap and I turned it off and checked codes again. 42.
I disconnected the battery for about 15 mins, reconnected and tried starting. Will not start. Cranks, very strong, but will not turn over. Code 42 gone.
I'm a bit lost. Can anyone offer any suggestions?
I recall reading one time that if the ecm doesn't receive rpm signal it won't turn over ? I have noticed that the tach is stuck on zero when I try starting it now.

 

Starter motor turns the motor over. (cranks) Yours won't fire. (start)

42 is whining about the ESC module. Are you getting spark?

 

42 code has gone, hasn't logged it again since disconnecting the battery.
I have checked for spark, just checked one, and not getting spark. Late last year I installed a new distributor, cap, and rotor. Didn't replace leads or ignition coil as they seemed ok and the car has run without issue since.

 

So, today after realizing I had no spark, thought I'd swap in my 33 year old icm just to rule it out as a part of the process of elimination, I knew it still worked to some extent at least and only replaced it as the old distributor looked trashed so replaced it as a whole. All I had available to me here in Australia at the time was a $150aud cheapo dissy so I put it in with its new pick up coil and icm.
What ever happened during the events detailed above, has killed the new icm as the car starts up and drives with the old icm installed.

Questions:
Was it just coincidental for it to die while I had a jammed throttle butterfly ?
Was it because I had no choice but to drive it for 15mins to get home while basically doing a low rpm burnout when applying the brakes at stop signs and traffic lights along the way ?
Combination of the above and just cheap Chinese crap parts?
It idles ok now but definitely feels sluggish when accelerating, any ideas why ? Possibly that the old icm is in below average shape ?
In any case I'm going to replace the whole distributor again with a new ac delco piece and replace the ignition coil and leads too which I really should have done first time round.
Any ideas on the above questions will be greatly appreciated.

 

ICM failure was likely just a poor quality part.

Sluggish could be a lotta things..... TPS, MAF, etc. Can you read live data??

 

I can't unfortunately. Still not showing any codes. I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually 😩
Thanks for the help.