[doox00]

2002 ZX3 - Engine problem - video

Car has 104k on it, has always purred like a kitten, change the oil every 4k miles. Started it up this morning and was running bad, engine revving up and down from 500 to 2k+ rpms.. on the low end it would almost stall and did a few times.. rev it up and it would almost want to stall right when you hit the gas. Once it was reved to 2k or so rpms it ran there constant but still very rough, was making a bad knocking sound also when running at low rpms. any ideas? Just started out of the blue. Engine light is now on also, which never was before.

After a minute of this it started to run fine, like normal.. once in awhile it would feel like no power when you hit the gas then be fine again.

Started it tonight and same problems, running really bad, knocking.. rough etc.

 

[loudfocus01]

First thing I'd do is take it to an autoparts store and have them check what code the check engine light is throwing. That should give you some insight as to what exactly has gone wrong with it.

 

[thisdude_05]

Idle problem may be TPS...not sure about knocking though.

 

[doox00]

First thing I'd do is take it to an autoparts store and have them check what code the check engine light is throwing. That should give you some insight as to what exactly has gone wrong with it.

will autozone do this?

 

[thisdude_05]

will autozone do this?

Yes.

 

[doox00]

Idle problem may be TPS...not sure about knocking though.

What is TPS?

 

[doox00]

Just went out and started it again, this time it started normal rpms but runs rough still and a knocking type odd sound.. I realized when I put the clutch in the noise mostly stops, still runs rough even with the clutch in though.. feel vibration and so on. I am uploading a little video I took on youtube.. will post it when its ready.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjgGmelCgs

Half way though the video you can hear when I put the clutch in and out.. the noise comes and goes.

 

[iminhell]

Throttle
Position
Sensor

Did you recently go through a big water puddle? (Though I heard you guys where getting rain pretty good like Chicago, maybe not)

Any way, water has this mysterious way of finding it's way into the spark plug wells and causing random misfires. Pull a plug wire at the valve cover and see if there is water in there. Large syringe, turkey baster or tampon work well for getting the water out.
If it's full of oil, same deal for removal, but try to get the valve cover gasket fixed ASAP and check your oil level.

 

[thisdude_05]

What is TPS?

Throttle Position Sensor. It's attached to the side of your throttle body. I would also check for any vaccum leaks. But first definitely do what loudfocus01 said and take it to Autozone and get it scanned and find out why the CEL is on.

 

[doox00]

Throttle
Position
Sensor

Did you recently go through a big water puddle? (Though I heard you guys where getting rain pretty good like Chicago, maybe not)

Any way, water has this mysterious way of finding it's way into the spark plug wells and causing random misfires. Pull a plug wire at the valve cover and see if there is water in there. Large syringe, turkey baster or tampon work well for getting the water out.
If it's full of oil, same deal for removal, but try to get the valve cover gasket fixed ASAP and check your oil level.

It has been raining, drove it one evening in the rain, was a light rain though.
You watch/listen to the video? make anything out of that?

 

[iminhell]

Might be a misfire, but usually the idle will be off more, generally low and a chug to it, but not always.


Might be the Throw Out Bearing being you said it seems to change depending on the clutch position, but that really wouldn't explain the poor idle.


If you pop the hood with it idling and hear a snapping sound, it's a plug wire grounding out and not making it to the cylinder, i.e. misfire.

 

[doox00]

figured it out.. took it to advance auto, put the computer on it and it showed coil was bad. Bought a new coil, took the old coil out and as I was putting the new one in I noticed a broken wire on the harness that plugs into the coil.. bingo.. resoldered the wire, put the old coil back in and everything is peachy now. thanks all!

 

[Wagamos]

Congrats, always feels good when you get it running right again!