This past weekend, I installed shorties on my l98 350. I aso took out all of the smog stuff. now all of a sudden, it idles and drives like crap. When I am driving it, the car acts as if it is not getting any gas. I don't believe that the fuel pump is going. I think it might be something like an O2 sensor. Would a bad o2 sensor cause my car to act like it is running rich? Oh, I forgot to mention that I also changed my plugs and wires. I want to see if I can get it running right before I go to the track next week. I had the timing set to the stock 6* btc but when I checked it tonight, it was like 12 or 13* btc. I really need help because I would rather be putting on my 1.6 rockers this weekend than be figuring this out. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

 

I would say taking out all of the smog stuff should be a clue.

 

But alot of people take out the smog pump and everything and don't have problems like this.

 

No its not the smog stuff. Make sure you have a new 02 sensor. The TPI system relies on that (and air measurements) to make fuel adjustments after your car goes into closed loop operation. The 02 sensor is crucial to engine performance. Are you sure when you swapped the headers on that you correctly installed the sensor and that the wire is not burnt or anything?

Oh yeah, the fuel pump is operating if your engine is running. As soon as you turn your key, you should hear the pump prime for 2 seconds. Then crank the vehicle.

You car ran fine before the swap right?

 

Is your O2 sensor heated or the single wire? A lot of problems could stem if your are running headers and your O2 sensor is too far away from the heads due to heat loss of running headers instad of the stock exhaust manifold. Try using a heated O2 sensor (3 wire should do it) and see what you get.

 

weird for sure. I did my headers and took off all my smog stuff. I never had any problems. Although I did have to make the O2 wire longer. But my car ran fine. When your setting the timing make sure you disconnect that wire along the firewall. Then plug it back in after you set your timing. I would double check all your wires and also check for vacuume leaks.

 

My guess is you hooked up one of the plug wires wrong. It happens. I would check to see if you didnt't cross any wires by mistake.

 

I would check to make sure the spark plug wires are in the right order, and that they are on secure. Then I would check and make sure the O2 is connected and the wire is ok. Then I would set your timing to something around 8-10.

What did you gap your plugs at?

 

when you start taking **** off you start getting problems, bottom line

 

that is not completly true.

 

yeah I agree. Smog crap is useless is you don't have emissions testing. It just pumps small amount of air into the exhaust system to supply oxygen to the exhaust fumes. Haven't had my smog control on for years now, plus, didn't have one problem when I took it off. Just recheck the wires (spark and O2)and keep us posted.

 

 

 

I checked today. All of the wires are in their correct spots. However, I did notice the intake being a little noisy after the car warms up. Which is when it starts running like crap. So I took apart the throttle body and it still runs like garbage. I don't know what to do. Could it possibly be something wrong with that valve that is on the bottom of the throttle body? I don't really know what it does. I think that it has something to do with the idle...??? You guys are awesome! If you could help me until I find the solution, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

So the car runs fine until it warms up?? Then that my friend is usually a sign of a bad O2 sensor. You see, unitl your car warms up it uses the ECM's warm up method then once warmed up it will go into "closed Loop" which then it will start reading the measeurments from the O2 sensor and MAF or MAP sensors. When you removed the manifolds and swapped on your headers, did you notice if you got the plug all the way on the sensor? Maybe could fell off and burnt possibly shorting it out. Also what brand of header?? Did you install the o2 bung or was it already welded on the header? Also make sure that your "noisy intake" is actually not an exhaust leak at the heads. Did you use gaskets?

 

Hopefully you left the egr valve there, if not that could be a problem. Just a thought.

 

what would happen if he removed the egr?

 

I know for a fact that it is not leaking from the exhaust. Isn't the EGR valve the thing underneath the plenum? I didn't remove that. The O2 bung was already on the headers. I pulled a code 45 today. So tomorrow I am going to change the O2 sensor. Anymore help as to what you guys would do is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

I chnged the TPS and the O2 sensor and everything is running fine.... I appreciate everyones help.

 

Just make sure to correctly adjust the TPS, you will need a digital volt meter, theres a tech article about it on the main page of this site. Glad to hear everythings back to normal. Amazing what a $15 sensor can do huh??