SpeedRacer

I'm having some engine trouble with my SS and I need some advice on how to begin trouble shooting it. I've got a few mod's (see list below), so I'm hesitant to take it to the dealer. Should I be?

Here's what's happening: The car was running fine this morning. In fact, I enjoyed some spirited driving on the way into work and was having lots of fun! <img src="images/icons/grin.gif" border="0">

I drove to a meeting after lunch, and I had to back up a slight incline into a parking space. I was trying not to annoy folks with my exhaust, so instead of using the throttle, I just let the clutch out a bit in reverse and the idle was enough to get me moving. I do this pretty frequently, since my exhaust is so loud! <img src="images/icons/blush.gif" border="0">

Anyway, as the RPM's dropped near 600 and I started moving slowly backward, I felt a little shudder. Since I just changed my rear diff fluid on Saturday, my first thought was that something was screwed up in the driveline. Anyway, I attended my meeting and started to drive home. As I pulled out of the parking lot onto the main road, I noticed it again. The car seemed to drive fine once the RPM's/speed increased.

On the way home, I ended up with a state trooper behind me in line at a toll booth. Again, I was trying to be extra quiet so as not to draw undue attention to myself. I let the clutch out a bit and let the idle fall a bit as I inched forward toward the toll booth. When I pushed the clutch back in --BANG!!!. The engine back-fired REALLY loud. Luckily for me, the cop didn't seem to care. That was my first indication, that maybe it was the engine and not the driveline.

The rest of the way home, I experimented with the RPM's and throttle position. If I let the RPM's get too low, it stumbles and runs rough. When the RPM's come back up, it sometimes backfires. When I backed into my garage I could hear that the car was idleing pretty rough.

I guess tomorrow morning, I'll take a look under the hood and see if anything is obviosly wrong (loose ignition wires, etc.). Beyond that, any ideas on what to do about this situation? I've been talking trash to my brother about my bad a$$ Camaro and he's coming Wednesday for Thanksgiving. I'll never hear the end of it if my car isn't running! <img src="images/icons/mad.gif" border="0">

Should I take it to the dealer and see if they can figure it out? Maybe to the local performance shop that installed my headers, plugs, wires, and some other mod's?

Suggestions appreciated...

Mod's to Date (11/17/2001):
Induction: SLP Cold Air Induction Package, Holley Powershot Air Filter, SLP Air Box Lid, SLP Mass Air Flow Sensor, MAF Translator, BBK Throttle Body, BMR Throttle Body Bypass
Exhaust: SLP Tuned Long Tube Headers, Race Pipes w/O2 sims, SLP Loud Mouth
Suspension: SLP Strut Tower Brace, SLP Subframe Connectors (welded), SLP 21mm Rear Sway Bar w/Prothane End-Links, BMR Torque Arm, BMR Panhard Rod
Transmission & Driveline: Hurst Skip Shift Eliminator, Pro 5.0 Shifter, Lou's Short Stick, SLP Leather Shifter ****, SLP Drive Shaft Loop, 4.10 Gears, AAM Differential Cover
Appearance: SLP Windshield Banner (white), SLP Chrome Emblem, Tinted Windows, Sullivan "SS" Racing Pedals, Chrome Hoodscoop Insert
Other/Misc: K-40 Undetectable Radar & Laser Diffuser, Hypertech Power Programmer III Tuning, Mobil 1 Cap & Placard, GM Locking Gas Cap, SLP 160 Degree Thermostat, SLP TCS Logic Module, MSD 8.5mm Spark Plug Wires

Reckless

iTrader: (9)

Could be some unmetered air getting into the intake...look for loose or cracked vacuum lines, or possibly a line detached from the intake. There's a vacuum line in the rear of the manifold. Check that one too!

Todd

SpeedRacer

Thanks for the reply, Reckless. I'm making a list of stuff to check in the morning.

StreetStalkerZ

iTrader: (1)

Check your plugs and plug wires. Could also have bad gas in the car.

SpeedRacer

Suppose it is bad gas...should I fill up right away or try to burn all the bad gas first?

WeatherGuy

I had similar symptoms to that when the former MAF on my car malfunctioned. Check your intake for leaks or cracks, especially on the engine side of the MAF. Then check your MAF to see how it is working - an autotap could help here as well to see what's up.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Sounds like you have a vacuum leak or are maybe even running on 7 cylinders.

Sapient

Seeing that you have the SLP headers on your car, you may want to check that small wiring harness that runs so close to the header on the passenger side. It runs from the computer, down to the bottom of the engine block, by the starter. If your shop installed the headers per SLP's instructions, it should be wrapped with some orange heat shielding material where it passes behind the primary tubes on the header. It pretty much touches one of the pipes, and if it has burned through and started deteriorating the wires for the crankshaft positon sensor, you can get the effects your describing, and it won't set any codes either...or so I've heard. You may want to try wiggling and moving it around a bit to see if that makes any difference. Just a thought.


Damn, I bet your exhaust is pretty loud with that loudmouth! I thought mine was bad with the off-road pipes and B&B exhaust. <img src="images/icons/grin.gif" border="0">

[ November 20, 2001: Message edited by: Sapient ]</p>

c4c5specialist

HI there,
Also, check for code if you can, some codes do not turn on the check engine light.
Bestoyou, c4c5

2000 Camaro SS

[quote]Originally posted by Sapient:
<strong>Seeing that you have the SLP headers on your car, you may want to check that small wiring harness that runs so close to the header on the passenger side. It runs from the computer, down to the bottom of the engine block, by the starter. If your shop installed the headers per SLP's instructions, it should be wrapped with some orange heat shielding material where it passes behind the primary tubes on the header. It pretty much touches one of the pipes, and if it has burned through and started deteriorating the wires for the crankshaft positon sensor, you can get the effects your describing, and it won't set any codes either...or so I've heard. You may want to try wiggling and moving it around a bit to see if that makes any difference. Just a thought.


Damn, I bet your exhaust is pretty loud with that loudmouth! I thought mine was bad with the off-road pipes and B&B exhaust. <img src="images/icons/grin.gif" border="0">

[ November 20, 2001: Message edited by: Sapient ]</strong><hr></blockquote>
This is a good point stated here check this out close. Nobody said anything about fouled out plugs! Could be with the low RPMs (you did say you let the idle move the car often) this might have built up on the plugs and or you might be loading up on gas. Something to look at.

[ November 21, 2001: Message edited by: 2000 Camaro SS ]</p>

SpeedRacer

Thanks for all the ideas so far, guys! I'm making a list of stuff to check when I get some time this evening. Now an update:

I previously thought that it only happened at very low RPM's. Well, for testing purposes, I opened her up today for a bit to see how it felt/sounded. WOT in 2nd gear up to about 4,500 RPM's. It was missing bad. So, it's not just at idle or low RPM's.

Now for some specific responses:

WeatherGuy: I'll take a close look at the MAF (maybe even swap it with the stock one for testing purposes). What parameter should I monitor with AutoTap?

Sapient: Yes, I was concerned about this wire routing when I got the headers installed. It IS wrapped in red/orange fire sleeve material and it IS touching the header pipes on the passenger side. I'll take a closer look and wiggle it around to see if anything looks fishy. (and yes, my car is crazy-loud!)

2000 Camaro SS: I just had the plugs and ignition wires replace when I had my headers installed about a month or so ago. I hope they're not fouled already. My exhaust tips stay pretty clean. If anything, I thought I might be running a bit lean. Well, I'll add it to the list.

Pro Stock John

iTrader: (34)

Sapient, wow, that might be my problem too! One of the wires is for the crank sensor?

Crazyquik

Maybe that little gasket around where the EGR goes into the intake, of course if you've never had that off dont worry about it. What about the BBK TB? I've heard some people say they've had a lot of trouble getting it to work right, so it could be its not sealing properly or something, how long has the TB been on?

What is the most recent mod?

Sapient

[quote]Originally posted by Pro Stock John:
<strong>Sapient, wow, that might be my problem too! One of the wires is for the crank sensor?</strong><hr></blockquote>

Yeah, I think a couple of the wires in that harness are for the crank sensor, however many there are, they're in that harness, and they can be very sensative as far as their signal goes. The car can still run, but will miss alot.

[ November 20, 2001: Message edited by: Sapient ]</p>

SpeedRacer

[quote]Originally posted by Sapient:
[QB]...they're in that harness, and they can be very sensative as far as their signal goes. The car can still run, but will miss alot...[QB]<hr></blockquote>

If this is the problem, what would be the remedy? More insulation? Re-route the wires?

Sapient

I think lengthing and re-routing that harness is the best idea, but I just put a second, smaller piece of that insulation on where it touches the header.

Other readers: If his engine is missing that much, shouldn't he be seeing a flashing SES light? Wonder if A-tap would show a misfire history? Detecting misfires is the crank sensors job, and if there's a problem with it, it may not be registering these. Some good ideas in the other posts, but wouldn't vacuum leaks and the such be showing up as misfires...I'm kind of guessing here, really never had to trouble shoot my own car, it never acts up. I think it's scared of me. <img src="images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

On a '00 model there are 3 wires for the crank sensor. DK BLU/WHT, YEL/BLK, LT GRN. Not sure if that's the same on a '01.

3GROC

yeah John that has to be in the cluster f of wires with the headers wrapped in that orange stuff.

sounds like a plug wire might be burnt or might have popped off intermitently? I had that problem when I intalled my headers and the #8 fell off.

maybe a plug is loose too? its gotta be something stupid I bet.

Good luck

SpeedRacer

The throttle body has been on for quite some time. Probably since July. I had some idle problems a couple of months ago and took it off and cleaned the idle control valve real well. It's been working fine.

The most recent mod's were the headers, plugs, and wires. These were all done together about a month ago.

SpeedRacer

IT'S FIXED! Yeah! <img src="images/icons/grin.gif" border="0"> It was...(drum roll please) a loose spark plug wire. It seems I was running on 7 cylinders. The thing still has a lot of pep with only 87.5% power. <img src="images/icons/wink.gif" border="0">

I checked what I could see and reach under the hood and didn't see any problems, but I couldn't reach 3 of the plugs on the passenger side. So, I took it into the shop where I had my headers, plugs, and MSD wires installed and they fixed it at no charge.

Again thanks for your help and I'm happy to report that I am a menace to society once again. <img src="images/icons/cool.gif" border="0">