Yesterday I made this thread https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...hreadid=325918

Then today I went to get something to eat, and when I was at a stoplight and when I went to push on the gas it felt like it was bogging down, so I let off and pushed on it again and it seemed fine. Then not even a mile down the road I was attemping to change lanes, but I had to speed up to get over, it wouldn't downshift and bogged down again, then I hear a poping sound coming from the back(backfire maybe?) and seen white smoke in the rearview and of course the smell of gas, but I smell that every time I get on the gas a little hard... So when I got home I could smell gas from the exhaust pipes too. What's going on? Is it running too rich or is it about to go?

I haven't had the car a week and already want to set it on fire and push it off a cliff. I know you guys are gonna say take it somewhere to get it looked at, but I have no money. I have 3 dollars in my wallet right now and it's supposed to last the rest of the week

 

Your car sounds like mine Mine has a stumbling problem that comes and goes still as does a rough low idel (though it sounds like a mean V-8 when it does it) to high and running almost hot high idle at times. All on it's own. Dosen't matter how you drive it or when you start it. It comes and goes. Is fine then problems. Mine also gets a bad gas or rotten egg smell from it. Cat convertor probably going bad. I've changes almost all the sensors. Just a few more to go along with the EGR (did PVC already) and possibly another tune up and check of the timing. IF that dosen't fix it, either the computers shot or the wires are. But the wires look fine so far from my inspections.
Start simple. Get paid first, barder with who you can for more time to pay them later or to get money from them for services rendered. (I live paycheck to paycheck as well). Do an oil change, check fluid levels, plugs, wires, cap & rotor, check vacum lines for leaks, (WD-40 works well for this) check other wires and sensor connections. Adjust what you can, like the IAC. Get a new TPS, set timing, see if it clears up. Every time I've workled on mine it's gotten better and runs fine for a week or so and then the same problems come creeping back. Maybe not as bad but still annoying and/or robbing power. Just one thing at a time. If I get it this time I'll let you know. But then you'll be replacing every sensor anyway and rewiring a few possibly as well. If it turns out to be a fuel pump, or computer problem, it'll be expensive but at least I'll know. And at least the car's gotten all new maintainence parts over the last 4-5 months.

 

I defiantly have the bad gas mileage. I burned 1/4 tank just going to Wendy's and back. I was stuck in the school traffic for about 10 mins, but to the Wendy's and back it's about 10 miles. Instead of fooling with all that crap trying to figure out what's wrong, might aswell save up for a engine swap.

 

Oh, and I also hear this weird sound when I take my foot off the gas. It sounds like something is loose and rattling, the other owner said it was a loose bolt on the cat bracket, but I checked today and there is no bolt loose... I checked all the bolts on the exhaust and still can't find it. If you leave it in park or whatever and barely push on the gas you hear it, it doesnt matter how hard you push on it. and the noise lasts about 2-3 seconds. it does it when you acclerate too but it's harder to hear over the engine.

 

True about the saving up. I've had no choice as an engine swap for me would take the car off the road and leave me with no wheels, and I don't have the money to do a swap right now. That's why I've been on top of this little problem. It used to buck, and vibrate like it had no power, had me thinking it wasn't changing gears, (mines an automatic), bad rotten egg smell. The gas mileage sucked. Did a tune up and changed the TPS and IAC. Ran so much better but still not 100%. Still stumbled and idle was back and forth, and the smell, but it had more power, was less hesitant. Just had to watch the tach (to not go under 1,000 or over 4,000 , that's when problems would start) and the temp. two weeks later, did the PVC valve, air filters, thermostat, water temp sensor, and IAT sensor. Car cooled down, ran stronger idle is still off, but calmer, wider power range, only an ocassional bad smell. Thinking about cutting out and unclogging the Cat convertor to this weekend. I've only got a couple hundred on it and another $150 to go and it'll be done. Might be cheaper after all, but it's your ride and money, and time.

 

the noise you are hearing, is probably your muffler. i just got my camaro about 2 weeks ago and it has been doing that noise. i took the tailpipes off, and looked in the muffler... there was just pure rust everywhere inside it.

 

The exhaust system is not even a year old, so I doubt there's rust in there.

 

hmm, is the exhaust system in contact with the frame anywhere? that could cause vibration.

 

No, I checked all that.

I'm thinking it's something with the engine, because now the noise is constant and louder, never stops.

 

there are a few problems you could be experiencing. one, you could have a clogged cat, which in your case would be great. becuase the temporary fix is free. Take your cat off, and shake it. If you hear pieces flopping around in there, you have a bad cat. And in which case you can hollow it out for the time being. next, you could have bad plugs/wires, which would cause a bad bog down under full acceleration. nothing fatal, but it should be taken care of as soon as the funds become available. the final one could be bad injectors. when mine went i heard a non stop clicking noise, strong fuel exhaust smell, and very poor performance. that is unfortunately your worst case scenerio, as they are about 200 for a set from summit. so, you have some options, i'd say try the cat first, its not that time consuming, and you should replace that twelve year old dinosaur of a cat anyway. hope that helped

 

go around the back of the car. lift up on one of the tail pipes. see if the muffler unti will swivel on the incoming pipe (allowing muffler and two tailpipes to rotate upward) if it will there is your rattle. just weald the hell out of it to fix the problem

 

I found out that the motor in my car was not rebuilt... The o-rings, valves are burnt(that explains the smoke) and it's not running on one of the cylinders(explains the bogging/loss power.... So bascailly I need a new engine. The mechanic said it's not even worth changing the oil in it.

 

not worth changin the oil huh?
i dont like to think that way .did he do a compression tast on that cylinder?.,.,., im wonderin if maby you just need to rebuild or buy new heads? ide say if your realy into your ride,.spend some time with it. i treat my 3.1 r/s like my girl,.i spoil her,support her,allways spendtime with her.,and every onec and a while i like to get a lil rough with her [hehe] hell just lookin at her gives me a stiffy,. but i realy like my car i always wanted a camaro when i was a kid now i got one.,and she has been very faithfull to me,.i also have always felt the same way about those 3 wheelers,.i wanted one as a kid and i had owned 5 of them,. but had to sell do to finacial problems a few years back,.,.i never forgave my self for that.,so im trying my best not to have to sell my babygirl,.ide like to own a few more but stupid california law says i can only own so many vehicals.,errr but the hell with them.....................

 

I'm not gonna pay to rebuild the 3.1 when I can get a TPI for around $1,000. For now I'm gonna drive it until it doesn't run anymore.

 

you could probably go to the junkyard and get a motor for like 200, people on here sell rebuilt 305s for that much.

as for your current motor, just keep a cellphone with you just incase