Ok guys put on your thinking caps. This one is tricky. 2.2 runs like crap - Performance Forum
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Ok guys so here is what we are working with.
2003 Chevy Cavalier 2.2 ecotec 46k miles auto
Symptoms:
Won't rev up at wide open throttle
No power won't acellerate when in gear
Smokes heavy and stutters when accerlerator floored
Pressurized air can be felt coming out of the throttle body opening.
Already eliminated:
TPS is working properly
MAP sensor is working properly
Cat was removed but no change
Air flow in and out is good
Changed oil and plugs just because
Vacuum gauge shows what seems to be good vacuum shows 0 vacuum at WOT
Fuel pressure is good 55psi at idle
I'm having trouble trying to figure out why it is doing this. Maybe it has jumped timing or something computer controlled isn't working properly. I am stumped guys I need help.
Thanks
You say it has good vacuum... what is it at idle
When I originally got the car it had 3 codes. PO108 ( map sensor ) PO300 ( missfire ) PO440 Evap emmisions
It has just set the CEL light again by I have not scanned the new code
If I recall correctly I believe the vacuum at idle was around 15Hg but I'll have to double check. The weird this was that at full throttle there was no vacuum at all 0. Is that odd?
What did the plugs look like? What color is the smoke?
fortune cookie say: better a delay than a disaster
The original plugs I pulled out were factory and they were oil soaked.
I replaced them recently but have not checked them since. Smoke was a blueish grey if I remember correctly.
It seems like it was loading up on fuel.
Do you have the original PCM? Have you had anything done to the PCM tune, dealer flash ect.?
-I drive my car to work-
I have no idea on the PCM. I got the car a month ago. I'm the third owner. Do u think it may be bad?
15 vacuum at idle is a bit low. 20-22 is more likely on a stock vehicle. If it has many mode, camshaft, etc, then it may be down in the 15's, blue smoke is usually burning oil. And for vacuum, at full throttle, it's supposed to go to 0.
I will double check the vacuum and the codes soon.
So does anybody have any theories on what the problem is?
i would try a reflash
senerio for you
i have and 00 swapped in and eco used and 02 eco flash (my buddys cars vin)
his car runs perfectly
mine misfired and would stall when you came to a stop
replaced coils misfire was fixed but would sometimes show up stall stayed, reflashed with update problems are all gone. it failed etest once it reflashed it pasted thats it.
try it and then you can eliminate 1 more thing
JBO since July 30, 2001
Reflash the ECM?? I'm assuming I need to go to a gm dealer??
Is there a super cheap way to do that? Can I just get junk yard computer?
Ok so I just pulled the codes again.
I got a P0172 which is a bank 1 rich and a p0300 which is a random misfire detected.
I'm wondering if the ignition controller is screwing up?? Could it not be advancing the ignition when I throttle up? Maybe it's defective??? I think they are known to go bad right?
I'm not arguing with anyone about the Re-Flash, always a good idea. If the plugs got oil I think you got something else getting in your combustion chamber bro. I mean crank sensor is a good one to check $20 bucks that will flat stop a rebuilt car if bad lol, and reading back, ya your burning stuff inside your piston wall.
Z doesn't mean last, it just lapped A.
Were all the plugs oil-soaked? Evenly?
Check the new plugs and post the results (pics are even better).
Try cranking the engine over without spark plugs. Does anything shoot out with the air (put a piece of paper in front of the plug holes)?
You can also rent a gauge from the parts store and measure your compression.
I wouldn't bother with the ECU; the problem sounds like a seal (valve stems if you're lucky, piston rings if you're not).
You might also want to pull out your primary O2 sensor and see if it's coated.
fortune cookie say: better a delay than a disaster
When I changed the plugs all of them were coated with oil. Now I believe that the oil had probably NEVER been changed ever.. I have a compression tester but have not done that yet. I have a hard time believing that the engine would rine fine until I Flores it if it was a seal problem and even a ring problem. I'm getting a running rich and misfire code. Sounds like an ignition problem to me.
I'll check compression as soon as I can.
How does it run at 80 or 90% throttle?
fortune cookie say: better a delay than a disaster
At about roughly 80% throttle or so it runs fine more or less. Unless I put it in gear then it has to coaxed to move. I can floor it in park or it just sits there and bogs down while dumping fuel. I can get it to drive just fine if I baby it to get it moving.
It's frustrating as @!#$ !!
Couple years ago i went to start the car, sounded horrible and smelled like straight gas and idled rough. Turned out it was the ignition module that took a crap just sitting there overnight. Could be your problem and the car is putting itself in limp mode. Oil on the plugs could be your bigger problem.
Update update: I have new info but still puzzled
Ok so I pulled the plugs and they were covered with soot. Kindy oily but not raw oil soaked.
I also did another vacuum gauge check and I'm only getting roughly 10 inches of vacuum at idle.
I also did a compression check. All 4 cylinders are reading 90 psi of compression. I did each cylinder twice.
So I'm thinking maybe compression and vacuum are low because of the cam timing being off??
Would that explain these problems I'm having. I doubt all 4 sets of piston rings are fried with 46k miles an the same compression readings.
Any thoughts. Please. Pretty please :/
It might be your PCM sounds very close to a problem I had a while back. Take it to a dealer and have them check the PN for your tune. Someone might have used that VIN for a S/C tune and your car could have got jacked up if it got a re-flash. Of course your problem could be something else entirely...
16001591 is a S/C tune and could be causing your problems.
12593509 superceeded by 12598564 are both correct tune files.
My thread if you want to read the issues I was having. After I got the correct tune from the dealer everything was gtg.
http://www.j-body.org/forums/read.php?f=64&i=25182&t=25182
-I drive my car to work-
Sorry, but I don't see how a computer problem is going to cause low compression. It's supposed To be above 180-200 psi. Could there be a problem with timing chain/belt? 10 in-mg vacuum is low and also a possible indicator that the timing is off. Or there could be a problem with all your valves, but that would be quite a coincidence to mess up all the valves at the same time to cause low compression. It's more likely timing is off a tooth or something.
But relatively low miles for a tensioner to be bad,but then again, car is 10 years old.
Crap!!!!
Ok so I took the valve cover off and everything had about 1/8 coating of sludge
I also did another compression check, this time with a little oil in the cylinder. New readings were about 140psi. Which leads me to believe ALL the rings are fried.. Right??i also noticed some pretty good slack in the chain between the cams. Maybe 1/2 or a little more deflection.
I think I'm givin up on this car and selling as is.
Unless someone has a somewhat easy solution
Sludge is bad mmkay. If you think the oil has never been changed then chances are the rings are shot. Rebuild time!
-I drive my car to work-
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