Missing/Surging???

**Red4Mula** · 03-08-2007, 09:26 AM

Ok, I did a throttle body bypass yesterday on my car, and some coolant dripped out from the hoses. Now, I did drive it yesterday with no problems, but today was different.. I was coming home from the gas station, and stopped at a red light.. The light turned green, and I proceeded forward, shifted at about 35mph into 2nd gear and then.... I felt like a backfire, then it started surging forward in gear and felt like it was missing horribly... My service engine light did come on when it was happening, but the weird thing about that is, the SES light stayed on when I bought the car in dec of last year, never turned off.. Until recently about 2 weeks ago when I put a K&N fipk on my car, it magically turned off.. I have no cats, so that was probably the main reason the light was on, and I still have no cats. I told my dad, and he said maybe something was wrong with my computer because the light shouldn't just turn off by itself. I went to car toys a few days after I bought my car (December 22, 2006), to get a new head unit installed, and the guy asked me if my car has ever been submerged in water, because my wires were all corroded, and alot of them shorted, I told him I just bought the car and the owner never mentioned anything like that. So I do not have turn signals cuz my fuse keeps blowing. Anyways just thought i'd let ya'll know the background on my car first to better diagnose it.. My first thought was that coolant spilled on the opti, but wouldn't I have trouble starting it if it did? I went to autozone to get my computer scanned but he said they couldn't do mine cause mine is an obd1, so I don't know which code it's throwing.

Oh yea, when i put it in neutral it doesn't hesitate or sound like it's missing at all, only when in gear..

**SSTODD** · 03-08-2007, 10:14 AM

God, if you have one of those hurricane cars that was under water I would not have a clue what could be wrong.

**Orcus79** · 03-08-2007, 10:17 AM

SOunds like your car got dunked dude, do a title search on it to see where it came from. Corroded wire a a sure sign something got wet. I am willing to bet that your wiring harness is all messed up under the dash and at the fuse block. Time to start investigating and replacing before you have a fire.

**Red4Mula** · 03-08-2007, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Orcus79

SOunds like your car got dunked dude, do a title search on it to see where it came from. Corroded wire a a sure sign something got wet. I am willing to bet that your wiring harness is all messed up under the dash and at the fuse block. Time to start investigating and replacing before you have a fire.

I never had any problems like that before though. Just today, and shouldn't more probs be goin on also, like my dome lights, and all those other lights not be workin?? I don't know how to check which wires go to what, and it's my only car, and I do not have the money to have someone do it for me.. I was hoping it would be something simple which is never the case.

**Wesman** · 03-08-2007, 10:21 AM

Sounds to me like the coolant from the TB could have dripped down into the Optispark, since it was fine before you did the bypass. Take the opti apart, clean it up, and buy new cap and rotor if it looks like it needs to be replaced.

It also sounds like you got a flood car. Corroded and shorted out wires, Check engines light going on and off, fuses repeatedly blowing...not good signs. Run a carfax on it and see what comes up, it was probably a salvage title that got "rebuilt"

**SSTODD** · 03-08-2007, 10:23 AM

I agree, do a background check because it could be a nightmare. Find the law about getting the previous owner in trouble for screwing you.

**Red4Mula** · 03-08-2007, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Wesman

Sounds to me like the coolant from the TB could have dripped down into the Optispark, since it was fine before you did the bypass. Take the opti apart, clean it up, and buy new cap and rotor if it looks like it needs to be replaced.

It also sounds like you got a flood car. Corroded and shorted out wires, Check engines light going on and off, fuses repeatedly blowing...not good signs. Run a carfax on it and see what comes up, it was probably a salvage title that got "rebuilt"

Well for 3k I couldn't pass it up being my first car, and my dream car! Even though I did everything prematurely I should have checked more into it..

**Orcus79** · 03-08-2007, 10:26 AM

Electricle stuff is funny alot of time stuff just doesnt happen. As the wire continue to corrode and wear they heat anad break and get brittle. The more current that goes through the faster it happens, Been chasing them on my truck since i bought it. Usually it only the crimp points on the wires that corrode and you should be able to cut it back till you find "clean" wire. Then splice in some new stuff using a solder joint and heat shrink as a cover.

**Red4Mula** · 03-08-2007, 03:22 PM

Ok, the SES light stays on now, but it doesn't have the problem anymore??? I just got home from driving my car, and it drives like it did when I first got it??

**Wesman** · 03-08-2007, 07:05 PM

Originally Posted by Red4Mula

Ok, the SES light stays on now, but it doesn't have the problem anymore??? I just got home from driving my car, and it drives like it did when I first got it??

Get the code pulled for free at your local Advance Auto. They should have the Actron Code Scanner with the OBDI adapter. You need to talk to someone who knows how to read GM OBDI codes, most parts guys will just tell you "nope only 96+". Just ask if they have the OBDI adapter and if theres anyone that knows how to use it properly. They can find out what the code is for you so you can address the issue

**Red4Mula** · 03-08-2007, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by Wesman

Get the code pulled for free at your local Advance Auto. They should have the Actron Code Scanner with the OBDI adapter. You need to talk to someone who knows how to read GM OBDI codes, most parts guys will just tell you "nope only 96+". Just ask if they have the OBDI adapter and if theres anyone that knows how to use it properly. They can find out what the code is for you so you can address the issue

Will do, thnx man..

**Lawdawg4623** · 03-08-2007, 08:27 PM

My car does the same thing every now and then. It loads up, throws to much gas out. Thats why it sometimes runs sluggish, prolly have a bad 02 sensor. Dont know much about the wires and all but for the running sluggish that could be your problem. What about rear 02 sensors?? You have sims? Running an ORY? If not is the codes deleted out of the pcm? Check into that to.

**0rion** · 03-08-2007, 10:10 PM

pull the codes yourself by using a paper clip and jumping the a and b terminals. I see you have a 95 so I'm not sure that'll work with the 16 pin connectors. I'll have to dig around and see what I can find.

**Red4Mula** · 03-11-2007, 04:00 PM

Well it turns out we don't have any advanced auto parts store here in Arlington.. Auto Zone didn't have the obd1 adapter either, none of them did. It starting to do it again, but this time it only happens when my car doesn't reach op temp, so anything below 190 or so it starts surging. Once I hit op temp then the car drives completely fine.. So is it still the opti spark?? Oh and Orion I have no idea how to pull the codes manually..