Please help my car is dying...

[Mark96CE]

I need help...
I have a 1996 CE LT1 / I faild smog bad. I ran the codes: They are,

P031 - Bank 1 Sensor - censor circuit low volts
P0134 – CKT no activity
P0157 – Bank 2 – sensor 2 circuit low volts
P0300 – Detected multiple cylinder misfire
P0300 – Random cylinder misfire
P1133 – Manufactor controlled fuel and air metering

I am not sure where to start

I have already put in new plugs and wires. It just wont run now like it use to.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Any DTC present will force an automatic fail of the smog check. When the check engine light is on, don't even bother taking the car to an inspection station.

You start with the factory service manual. Do you have one?

Are you familiar with DIY diagnosis of OBD II engine controls?

Do you have a scan tester?

 

[Mark96CE]

I have the scan tool.

I only have the cheap manual.

No clue on this year car. I am learning as I go. I feel confdent I can learn how to fix this with help. I have always done well with the earlier models, This is just new for me. This is my daily driver and I dont have another car to use yet. I really have to figure this out asap.

 

[jsinga]

I don't have a clue about your ODBII car. But, here is my basic backyarder from hell guide:
Clean the trottle body. I have fixed many a trashy running cars by just this simple maintenance. Get an old toothbrush, some low lint rags and long screwdriver and a can of Throttle body cleaner. Make sure it won't kill the oxygen sensor or cats. Don't use carb cleaner.
Clean the back side of the throttle plates and the idle air passages wipe out as far as you can with the rags on the screwdriver.
Next change out the upstream oxygen sensors. If you have a scan tool I think you can see their output, if you can do it first those 4 wire sensors are @ $100 each.
If you have intermittant problems start un-plugging the suspect sensors. Most systems will fail soft. If the pcm see no input it just midranges the input and marches on. I've seen odb1 mass flow systems run just fine with the MAF sensor unplugged except for the check engine light. Stumbling and surging was the orginal symptom. At least this will give you a good place to start.
I think the TPS is one of the most critical inputs make sure it's not loose or the output jumpy.
An ODBII car will turn on the check engine light if the upstream and downstream oxygen sensors don't agree with each other. It may make you change all of them to turn off the light.
Dump a bottle or 2 of fuel system cleaner in it. Techron or Redline have fixed problems for me. Others are good to I'm sure but these have worked for me.
Good luck,
JS

 

[Mark96CE]

Hey Thanks JS, I will try everything Your recomending. I like the fact I can replace the two front o2 sensors first. I wasn't sure what to do the codes say they are all failing or I think 3 of 4.

Mark...

 

[Hib Halverson]

advise not to try random parts replacements as a solution.

First, throw the "cheap manual" in the trash and buy a set of the factory service manuals. You cannot diagnose problems with your 96 if you don't have that information.

Second, what kind of "scan tool" do you have?

Third, the first attempt at repair should be to locate the engine controls ground(s), remove the bolt(s), clean the surfaces with a wire brush then reinstall the grounds and tighten the bolts.

If the car is high mileage, the dist. cap and rotor or the "optispark" distributor itself may be problematic. In addtion, a bad ign. coil can cause misfire. That said, this is all guessing. Without diagnosis per the service manual, you will be doing little more than that.

 

[svoch]

Take it to a chevy dealer!

 

[dmd]

Great way to get yourself voted off the island, newbie. If you don't have anything helpful to contribute, just keep it to yourself. And don't ever tell someone asking for help to take their car to the dealer. ad

 

[XLR8]

Great way to get yourself voted off the island, newbie. If you don't have anything helpful to contribute, just keep it to yourself. And don't ever tell someone asking for help to take their car to the dealer. ad

Actually, it takes more than that to get the boot, especially in an old thread.

Jane Ann

 

[ScottNoxid]

Actually, it takes more than that to get the boot, especially in an old thread.

Jane Ann

Thanks Jane Ann, some back alley mechanics seem to put mouth in gear before engaging brain. SN

 

[JimBobC4]

First, throw the "cheap manual" in the trash and buy a set of the factory service manuals. You cannot diagnose problems with your 96 if you don't have that information.

.

agreed Chiltons and Haynes manuals stink on this car IMHO. They are very inferior to the real thing. It seems every chapter ended with something like

" this procedure should be performed by qualified personel only. If this ( insert name here) is malfunctioning, take your car to an authourized service dealer. mad"

After reading that I slung it across the garage .. and bought an FSM.

:eyerole

 

[svoch]

:LWhere do take your vette to the Subaru dealer? LOL

 

[XLR8]

Actually, it takes more than that to get the boot, especially in an old thread.

Of course, returning to an old thread just to bait another member is a step in that direction.

Jane Ann

 

[ScottNoxid]

Of course, returning to an old thread just to bait another member is a step in that direction.

Jane Ann

What she said!!!!confusedcoolboogie

 

[dmd]

That's enough from both of you, you sound like little children. My comment was not directed at either of you and you need to act more maturely. I found this thread when I was searching for a similar problem on a friend's car, and it was abruptly terminated by this highly inappropriate comment with no further solution. These threads stay in the archives so they can be helpful to others, without having to start a new thread and ask the same question over and over. It helped neither the original person asking for help nor did it help me. I neither noticed that it was a few months old nor did I care. Got it? Good. I'm out. Please send this worthless thread to the trashcan. ;squint:

 

[XLR8]

That's enough from both of you, you sound like little children. My comment was not directed at either of you and you need to act more maturely. I found this thread when I was searching for a similar problem on a friend's car, and it was abruptly terminated by this highly inappropriate comment with no further solution. These threads stay in the archives so they can be helpful to others, without having to start a new thread and ask the same question over and over. It helped neither the original person asking for help nor did it help me. I neither noticed that it was a few months old nor did I care. Got it? Good. I'm out. Please send this worthless thread to the trashcan. ;squint:

The thread is not worthless as it contains several posts dealing with a technical issue and troubleshooting suggestions to resolve it. If the thread originator had wished to continue, I doubt quite seriously if one member's tongue in cheek comment would have prevented him from doing so. It would appear instead that of all the options available to him, including reporting the post to CAC Staff, he chose to assign it the level of importance it was due and ignored it.

Hopefully Mark was able to resolve the issue regarding his emissons testing failure. Since the new posts have nothing to do with the original topic, this thread is closed.

If anyone wishes to discuss this subject further, please PM me.

Jane Ann