Ls1 running bad..HELP

**Nates98ta** · 05-08-2010, 03:23 PM

I have a 98 Trans am. I gutted the catalyst converters and since then the car has ran poorly, idle surges high then so low it dies, mostly in cold weather, missing, running so rich it burns your eyes and hesitates during acceleration. here are the codes it throws...p0121-p0131-p0133-p0134-p0135-p0151-p0161-p0300-p0420-p0430 and p1133.

**sunsetorangess** · 05-08-2010, 04:33 PM

Thats a long list....
Well a few of the codes are conveter and emissions code which is to be expected.
You also have a random and multiple misfire code, Tps sensor code, and sensor 1 02 codes.
Any other mods to the car? When you "gutted" the cats did you remove just the cats or did you take the manifolds off also? Did you reconnect the front 02's? Are the wires melted?
J

**Nates98ta** · 05-08-2010, 04:39 PM

one of the cats is gone and replaced with a stright pipe and the other is just guted out. no other mods done to it yet, i just got the car in dec. I didnt mess with with the o2s at all.

**0rion** · 05-09-2010, 06:57 AM

like sunset said.....131-133-134-135-1133 are drivers side front O2 codes, 151 is passenger front O2 code, and 121 is a tps code. Those are the codes you should focus on. Looks like something is definitely up with that front drivers side O2. Check the harness and to test the sensor you could move it to the passenger side and see if the codes change to passenger side codes. How many miles on the O2's? You could try cleaning the tps or just clear that code once and see if it returns.

**Armani Camaro** · 05-09-2010, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Nates98ta

one of the cats is gone and replaced with a stright pipe and the other is just guted out. no other mods done to it yet, i just got the car in dec. I didnt mess with with the o2s at all.

if you have a problem with miss fire then doatune up and change the spark plugs and wire if that is not gonna help then you have to change ignition coil that happen to me but i prefer original parts acdelco becouse aftermarket high performance parts like spark plugs and wire this is a skam

**Nates98ta** · 05-09-2010, 04:36 PM

Thanks..I was going to go with msd wires and e3 plugs, I didnt know they were a skam. There are 120,xxx miles on the o2's. So are you saying that the guted cats will not effect how the engine is running? What about the rumor that it throws the car into '' limp mode'' ?

**0rion** · 05-09-2010, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by Nates98ta

Thanks..I was going to go with msd wires and e3 plugs, I didnt know they were a skam. There are 120,xxx miles on the o2's. So are you saying that the guted cats will not effect how the engine is running? What about the rumor that it throws the car into '' limp mode'' ?

no, removing/gutting the cats won't throw it into limp mode. That's a shit ton of miles on those sensors. I would replace those whether they need it or not. Even if a sensor isn't throwing codes (which yours are) they're a maintenance item just like plugs/wires. 80k I believe is what the recommended life of them are but they'll start to drift well before that even. One thing you can try to see if the sensors are your problem is move the rear sensors to the front and see if the car runs any better. The rears have the same amount of miles though so I would swap for new ones even if it isn't the issue.

**Nates98ta** · 05-09-2010, 05:26 PM

thats a great idea..I dont even need the rear sensors because i have guted cats, just have them tuned out and get 2 new front senors along with the tune up right?

**0rion** · 05-09-2010, 05:48 PM

right....you only need 2. If you plan on headers down the line I would probably go ahead and get bosch 13111 sensors. Just looked them up on ebay for another thread and found them for $46 apiece plus $5 shipping. I paid $75 apiece for mine locally 2 years ago.

**Nates98ta** · 05-09-2010, 06:04 PM

sweet..upstream 02's right? and yes, headers are in the plan book.

**0rion** · 05-09-2010, 06:07 PM

yeah, upstream

**Nates98ta** · 07-16-2010, 02:37 PM

ok.. so I just put MSD wires and ACDelco Iridium 41-110 plugs on last weekend, along with new fuel filter and it didnt help at all, kinda seems worse. The plugs are gaped at .045. Im thinking its a bad coil pack because when at low rmp it misses while hitting the gas and going up hill with cruise on and very bad missing when at idle with the ac turned on. sound like a bad coil pack?

**dennis ss** · 07-16-2010, 02:58 PM

you really need to change the up stream O2's, the re-check your codes

**0rion** · 07-16-2010, 09:18 PM

Are you still throwing codes?

**Nates98ta** · 07-17-2010, 09:25 AM

I havnt put it back on a diagnostic machine yet, is there a code reader I can buy for myself that will pretty much pin point the problem? If I take it to a shop to have done, I have to listen to them B*#!h about the cats being gone and them say " well thats your problem"

**Orcus79** · 07-17-2010, 09:36 AM

well, first suggestion go over everything and make sure you got all the plug wires on all the way, its easy to think they are fully seated, when they are not, should get more then one click when doing the coil side of the wire.

Plus you really need to get those 02s replaced, they meter your fueling and would I almost bet on being the soure of your issues and multiple codes as the car is being over fuled and fouling the plugs, creating misfires and so forth.

**Nates98ta** · 07-17-2010, 10:01 AM

ok..replacing the 2 upstream o2 sensors is my next step.. I looked on ebay and im having a hard time finding them. Any ideas on what to type in to find them plus how hard is it to change them?

**Orcus79** · 07-17-2010, 10:07 AM

Save the time and wait and just hit a parts store, or type in "bosch 13111 sensors" to change they should be easy, hit with some penetrating oil and let them soak. either take them out with a sensor socket or a box end wrench.

**Cutlass** · 07-17-2010, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by Nates98ta

I havnt put it back on a diagnostic machine yet, is there a code reader I can buy for myself that will pretty much pin point the problem? If I take it to a shop to have done, I have to listen to them B*#!h about the cats being gone and them say " well thats your problem"

Yes, you can get a simple code reader for $70 or less. Shop around and you might find one for around $40 to $50. Look for the small ones like this and read the description of what it does to make sure it does everything you want.

**0rion** · 07-17-2010, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by Orcus79

Save the time and wait and just hit a parts store, or type in "bosch 13111 sensors" to change they should be easy, hit with some penetrating oil and let them soak. either take them out with a sensor socket or a box end wrench.

unless he gets lucky it's tough to find them cheaper than on ebay...even after shipping.

By all means check a parts store but mine were ~$75 a piece when I bought mine. These are $51 shipped.
Bosch 13111