car runs like shit. help
car runs like ****. help have a 94 TA a4 car runs good when cold but when it warms up spits and sputters when it idles its sounds like a cam, car is running real rich and smoking. i am leaning toward o2 sensors but it jus changed them 2 1/2 months ago.. can running open headers foul out the o2 sensors
fouled plugs, o2's, burnt wire, bad coil, bad icm ... all possibilities ... but if it is smoking, and bucking like you say, i will lean towards the opti. when is the last time it was replaced?
On The Tree
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 155
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From: Portsmouth, Ohio
Could be a number of things. Wire(s) breaking down, contaminated O2 sensors, fouled or cracked plugs. You can easily foul O2's. Disconnect them, that won't allow the vehicle to go into closed loop. That's not the best way to rule them out, but it's possible.
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chaned plug wires and checked plugs, the car only runs bad when its warm or in loop. If it was the coil or opti woundn't it run bad no matter if it was in loop or not. when i out o2 sensors in it last i have to splice the wires because i have long tubes chould that make them foul out quicker
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Sometimes even new wires will arc
trust me i know this. If you do find you wires are arcing go to WS6store and get the ACCELL 300+ wires and go to Autozone and get the wire protectors. Looks like header wrap sleeves for wires and put them on the wires down by the manifolds. Then use just a LITTLE AMOUNT of dielectic grease on the ends of the plugs and some at the opti. ***JUST A TAD BIT*** If that doesn't fix it you may need an opti. Check for arcing from the opti to either the water pump or balancer and from wire to wire. I had this problem for almost a year and JUST figured it out yesterday and fixed it. Make sure all grounds are clean from and near the coil and also make sure they are tight. Mine did the SAME thing when it got warm. The wires get heat soaked and start to allow the spark to jump through. What did you gap you plugs at? should be about .035-.045 I did mine at .035 'cause i'm running nitrous soon but don't go much over that gap. Just tryin' to help because i know how frustrating this problem is...
trust me i know this. If you do find you wires are arcing go to WS6store and get the ACCELL 300+ wires and go to Autozone and get the wire protectors. Looks like header wrap sleeves for wires and put them on the wires down by the manifolds. Then use just a LITTLE AMOUNT of dielectic grease on the ends of the plugs and some at the opti. ***JUST A TAD BIT*** If that doesn't fix it you may need an opti. Check for arcing from the opti to either the water pump or balancer and from wire to wire. I had this problem for almost a year and JUST figured it out yesterday and fixed it. Make sure all grounds are clean from and near the coil and also make sure they are tight. Mine did the SAME thing when it got warm. The wires get heat soaked and start to allow the spark to jump through. What did you gap you plugs at? should be about .035-.045 I did mine at .035 'cause i'm running nitrous soon but don't go much over that gap. Just tryin' to help because i know how frustrating this problem is... the plugs i bought where aleady gaped and the wires i got r accell 300+. I didnt do the wrap but i know the wires r no where close to the headers. for the plug wires there no way they can be arcing because the car was doing the same thing before and after the plug wire install. I am leaning towards the o2 sensor cause i did the home aid extenders
k well you didn't say what stuff you used so i didn't know. I'm only trying to help. I'd lean towards and opti, ICM, Coil problem. But do the nighttime test and check just to rule it out.
thanks man. i should have said that in the first place. my bad wat do u think about the o2 sensor i have been talking about. do u think that could be it. oh yea if i sounded like a dick a minute ago sorry. I do enjoy the help.
o2's are a possibility if you have them extended ... like said most do it yourself kits aren't done correctly, or fail.
the icm usually acts up when the car warms up as well. easy fix, and cheaper than the opti.
the icm usually acts up when the car warms up as well. easy fix, and cheaper than the opti.
I had the EXACT same problem, and it was my O2s. and my homemade extensions. I tossed all that crap for some casper O2 extenders and some AC delco O2s and the problem went away. It runs better than it ever has. YOu can get the AC Delco O2s from Walker Auto Parts ( If you have them in your area ) for $58 apiece .
