[tehmaxfactr]

I have a 93' LX 2.3. Sometimes, not very often, i'll be driving down the road and all of a sudden the pedal will drop all the way to the floor. I will have no power, so i immediately turn the car off, it then proceeds to back fire, most of the time with a ball of flames shooting out of the exhaust and a loud pop comes out with it. I then turn the car back on and then i works as if it has never happened. My friend did mention that my car was running a little rich the other day. He could smell it when he was behind me. I have no idea what is going on here so if someone could help me out.

[OHC230]

all of a sudden the pedal will drop all the way to the floor

Can you clarify that statement? Do you have crusie control?

[Cgross609]

For Starters, it sounds like it is something wrong with your intake. Start first at the air filter. Is it clean? Clean your MAF sensor. Check for obstructions in your intake plumbing. Clean the IAC. Check your TPS voltage. Is there a check engine light? Run the codes.

[tehmaxfactr]

Originally Posted by OHC230 all of a sudden the pedal will drop all the way to the floor Can you clarify that statement? Do you have crusie control?

I do have cruise control but i never use it. It feels like the car loses all power, you can push the pedal to the floor and it will not accelerate at all.

For Starters, it sounds like it is something wrong with your intake. Start first at the air filter. Is it clean? Clean your MAF sensor. Check for obstructions in your intake plumbing. Clean the IAC. Check your TPS voltage. Is there a check engine light? Run the codes.

As for this, i got the car a little less than a year ago. When i got it the air filter was super dirty, so i replaced it the day i got the car. I haven't really been driving it that much, i have only put 2000 miles on it since then. I am going to clean the MAF sensor. As for the the other two abbreviations i am not sure what they are, a little more explaining would help.

Thanks.

[Phinney]

IAC is Idle air control. It will be a aluminum cylindrical part attached to the back of your throttle area with an electrical connector coming out of it. TPS is throttle position sensor. based on the name you can also surmise it is also on the throttle body but I do not know the procedure for testing the voltage.

[OHC230]

I don't think the TPS is the problem. It sounds link you are losing the signal from the crank sensor, or the ignition module is faulty. These items may or may not trigger a code in the ECU.

How often does you car do this?

Do you see or hear any other symptoms before the engine shuts down?

[tehmaxfactr]

Originally Posted by OHC230 I don't think the TPS is the problem. It sounds link you are losing the signal from the crank sensor, or the ignition module is faulty. These items may or may not trigger a code in the ECU. How often does you car do this? Do you see or hear any other symptoms before the engine shuts down?

My engine light is not on. Will the car shoot codes if the light isnt on? It does it about once every 2 months. No symptoms before the engine shuts down. I have noticed that when in first at a stop when i let off the clutch it starts to bog down a bit more than it has been in the past ,so i have to give it a little more gas.

I drive it everyday now that i have blown up my Fiero. I just put a heater core in about a month ago. That was a bit of a joy. As you can tell i really don't have much experience with trouble shooting cars. Thanks for all your help. I will probably try to clean out the intake when i go to my dads house on Thursday and we will see if it runs any better.

[OHC230]

My engine light is not on. Will the car shoot codes if the light isn’t on?

Yes.

Intermittent problems can be difficult to diagnose sometimes, even for experienced mechanics. We often use trends to track down problems, or many times we will go to our parts guys and find out how many of a certain part they are moving through the supply system, which could indicate a defect which is commonly occurring.

A dirty intake tract will not cause your car to suddenly shut down, but a crank sensor or TFI module will. I could test a component on a lab scope and it might not show up as a fault either, yet when I change that particular component, the problem goes away.

If it were my car, I would replace the TFI and then the crank sensor, check for corrosion at all electrical connectors and look for loose or corroded grounds. A running fuel pressure check wouldn’t hurt either.

[zonker]

Originally Posted by tehmaxfactr As you can tell i really don't have much experience with trouble shooting cars.

It's best not to use firearms when working on a car.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[OHC230]

It's best not to use firearms when working on a car.


Why??

[zonker]

never shot a car between the headlights to put it out of it's misery, and if i had a gun handy... well i might.

or shoot myself out of diagnostic frustration.

[tehmaxfactr]

Well i took apart my intake today. Cleaned the intake and the MAF, it still back fired on my way home. there was some corrosion in the crank sensor, i cleaned it out the best i could i am going to replace it soon. Is there any DIY for the other stuff that you all have recommended. I am going to have to get a meter to check the other stuff.

[Cgross609]

Alright. So maybe pull the plugs. Or check your timing. May be as simple as a fouled plug or your DIS might be shot. The DIS is the little black box on the front of the intake plenum i do believe...

[tehmaxfactr]

Originally Posted by Cgross609 Alright. So maybe pull the plugs. Or check your timing. May be as simple as a fouled plug or your DIS might be shot. The DIS is the little black box on the front of the intake plenum i do believe...

It looks like the guy before me had replaced the DIS....... there is one in my trunk and the one hooked up looks pretty new. I am going to replace the spark plugs this weekend and change the oil. I am looking to auto cross this car. I did some last year in my fiero ,but that is gone now. I plan on keeping it in the stock class. Does anyone on this forum autocross there 2.3l?

[Cgross609]

I plan on it eventually. As soon as i get a t-5 in, and do some more work to it. Camshaft, Port & Polish, and 1/4 are my plans. In no particular order. And then run in a modified class...

[OHC230]

Does anyone on this forum autocross their 2.3l?

I have in the past, what do you need to know?

[tehmaxfactr]

Originally Posted by OHC230 Does anyone on this forum autocross their 2.3l? I have in the past, what do you need to know?

I was just wondering if anyone had. I have my first one in my Mustang this weekend.

I changed my spark plugs this weekend...... I am not sure if i did it while i was change the plugs and wires, but one of the spark plug wires was unplugged. It was one under the intake hose, it seems to run better now. I have driven it for 2 days now and haven't had it backfire, i guess ill just wait and see what happens.

[tehmaxfactr]

sorry my computer wigged out and double posted.