[Shotimes] Engine troubles

[George Fourchy]

On Sat, 13 Mar 2004 09:34:09 -0800 (PST), Eric O. Angell wrote:

>Thanks for any help or offers.  Let me know what further information I
>should provide to better diagnose the problem.

Welcome to the list.  

Both Pep Boys and the dealer should be able to put the code reader on it and see if
any codes are stored.  Despite what the original design specs say, it is possible
for the CE light to come on and yet there will be no codes stored in the computer's
memory.  If this is the case, it is possible there is an intermittent short circuit
between a worn area of the wiring harness to the engine and some grounded metal
part, either the engine itself or the body.  This often happens around the area
where the fuel lines come up from under the body and cross over the right front
corner of the engine to the fuel rails on the heads.  To be able to check all the
harnesses pretty much requires removing the engine, or at least the heads, since the
top of the engine is so much wider and spread out than the block itself.  I had a
car like that....it would only buck and lurch at certain speeds and with the
throttle in certain positions.  I was sure it was the TPS...throttle sensor....but
that did not fix it.  

When you say the car runs 'like a normal car' during the time this condition is
occuring, is it hitting on all cylinders?  Does it have more or less normal power
when above 4000 rpm?  If so, it is possible that something is knocking out the
circuit that controls the butterflies that do the choosing of the intake ports. 
When the butterflies are disconnected or otherwise don't work, the car feels very
doggy up until about 4k rpm, when the ports need to be open anyway, then it
recovers.  

We are making these cars last much longer than they were designed to, and the
multiple connections between the various sections of the wire harnesses can corrode
and make poor contact, depending on where they are located in the car.  If you feel
up to it, you could find as many of them as you can....there are also several large
ones located under the air cleaner assembly....and disconnect them and clean them as
best you can, then reconnect them with dialectric grease added....that will help
keep corrosion out.

Good Luck....

George and the Lowrider (and Black Beauty)....up by the Bay Area, in Fairfield.