A few questions about my SHO.

[Craig Van Buren]

I have a question or three about my SHO. First of all I had my cams go out on me, then a week later then idiot light came on. It was my O2 sensor. Now the idiot light is back on and I have on idea why. What auto parts/service stores run codes through a diagnostic computer for free? I know Pepboys does it, but there isn't one close to me. I want to know if there is another place that will do it, if not I have to pay at the dealership. Second about how much is the average cost of cams being welded? I heard it is anywhere between $600 -$800, is that accurate? Third what would cause the engine to rev high up in the RPMS when it is in neutral or park? Is it overheating the engine or something worse. And lastly what makes the steering wheel squeek when I trun hard and shake vigorously when I decelerate rapidly? Sorry for so many questions, but I love my car and want to treat it right. Thanks in advance.
Craig

 

[kipp438]

Maybe its just me, but if my cams went out on me, the SES light would be the least of my worries.

 

[97V8SHO]

The shaking vigorously could be warped rotors, tire out of ballance (this would cause it shake at speeds as well), or a bad allignment job. Does that happen only when you turn and stop or any stopping? When you say rev high into the RPM's do you mean with you pressing the gas or is it doing it by it's self? If it's by it's self I would say some one or something has screwed with idle speed screw on the throttle body and or the TPS in the comp, some correct me if am wrong about the TPS. Auto Zone reads codes for free as well. Cam welding cost anywhere from $400-$800 depending on who does it and what's done along with the service. The squeek, mabe a dry joint?

 

[Craig Van Buren]

The shaking vigorously could be warped rotors, tire out of ballance (this would cause it shake at speeds as well), or a bad allignment job. Does that happen only when you turn and stop or any stopping? When you say rev high into the RPM's do you mean with you pressing the gas or is it doing it by it's self? If it's by it's self I would say some one or something has screwed with idle speed screw on the throttle body and or the TPS in the comp, some correct me if am wrong about the TPS. Auto Zone reads codes for free as well. Cam welding cost anywhere from $400-$800 depending on who does it and what's done along with the service. The squeek, mabe a dry joint?

I don't think it is the rotors or tire ballance because I just got new breaks and rotors put on and the tires were ballanced when I got the installed. I'm not sure when the allignment was checked last so that might be it. It is the most noteable when I'm turning, stopping, and backing out of a parking spot. As far as the RPMs go, it is pretty much on it's own. Sometimes when I put the car in neutral or park the idle will just shoot to around 3,000 for no reason. Other times it will be fine and I rev the engine, to show off or just hear the growl of the 3.4 liters, and when I back off the pedal the idle goes down and then kicks back up. Well my question would be can getting the cams replaced and the head rebuilt throw off the idle speed? As for the spueek, it went away for a while when I got it back from the shop and the cam repair. These all seem like pretty easy, cut and dry, and affordable fixes. Now I have to see where the nearest Autozone is. Thanks for your input.
Craig

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Not properly reinstalling all the compenents when doing the cams could certainly cause the rough idle and unsteady idle. Those are tell-tale signs of a vacuum leak.

 

[97V8SHO]

Not properly reinstalling all the compenents when doing the cams could certainly cause the rough idle and unsteady idle. Those are tell-tale signs of a vacuum leak.

Didn't think of that one, check into a vacuum leak. When the heads where replaced and everything it probly has better flow now so if the battery wasn't disconected or if they kept the computer alive that might do it as well. Check your code before you flash the computer to see if that does it. For the shaking, I really can't tell ya. Get an alignment to see if that helps. If it doesn't it might be CV joints or trans

 

[stephen newberg]

CV joints going normally are noisey. I am beginning to think alignment, since my first assumption of warped rotors has been tossed by them being new, unless they have warped again already. It really sounded like rotars to me. Mine have recently warped again and I have the exact same results, with the alignment just having been done and being fine. I will likely suffer with it for a bit, and then finally get tired of it and go get new ones. Not like it is unexpected. They always warp eventually, it seems.

pax, smn

 

[97V8SHO]

Also about the idle check this out, I found it on the v8sho.com spec list.

Idle Air Trim

Idle Air Trim is designed to adjust the Idle Air Control (IAC) calibration to correct for wear and aging of components. When engine conditions meet the learning requirement, the strategy monitors the engine and determines the values required for ideal idle calibration. The Idle Air Trim values are stored in a table for reference. This table is used by the PCM as a correction factor when controlling idle speed. The table is stored in Keep Alive Random Access Memory (RAM) and retains the learned values even after the engine is shut off. A Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) is output to indicate that the Idle Air Trim has reached its learning limits.

Whenever an IAC component is replaced or cleaned or a service affecting idle is performed, it is recommended that Keep Alive RAM be cleared. This is necessary so the idle strategy does not use the previously learned Idle Air Trim values.

To clear Keep Alive RAM, refer to «PCM Reset» in Section 2A («Section 2B», Diagnostic Methods for 1.3L Aspire and 2.5L Probe). It is important to note that erasing DTCs with a scan tool does not reset the Idle Air Trim table.

Once Keep Alive RAM has been reset, the engine must idle for 15 minutes (actual time varies between strategies) to learn new idle air trim values. Idle quality will improve as the strategy adapts. Adaptation occurs in four separate modes.