About to roll my SHO off a cliff....

[92ShoOff]

....if I can get it to drive there first. Okay so I've owned my '92 MTX since October of 2003 and have tuned it up and replaced MANY, MANY parts already. The car had 116k when I got it... and it's my daily-driver for work. So it now has 132k on the clock. Well I think just about every sensor on the car has gone bad since I owned it and each time the check engine light comes on, I run a scan, and end up with a bad sensor and then I replace it right after. Well, a few weeks bad I got a CID sensor code, and just this weekend I replaced the CID sensor. When I removed the old sensor (which seemed to look fairly new due to its cleanliness... but maybe those things don't tend to get too dirty on the inside or out) I noticed a tiny bit of engine oil collected at the bottom of the housing where the sensor was just removed from. I figured maybe that oil over time crept in there and that was what damaged the current CID sensor. So I sprayed just a little bit of throttle body cleaner where the oil was and wip it off with a paper towel. I bolted the sensor back on, clear the code, ran the scan again and everything seemed fine.

Well, just tonight on my way home from work I noticed my tach was skipping around... which is of course said to be a symptom of a bad CID sensor. Well my tach NEVER acted up before I changed the sensor, and now that I have, it is acting up. I don't get it. Then while I'm driving with my lights on I noticed every time I tapped my brake the headlights and dashlights flickered slightly and the tach needle would flutter really quickly. I also noticed that the higher the RPMs were, the more the needle would flicker. The needle went crazy when I tapped the brake at like 4-4500 RPM... the needle actually red-line (though my engine was already dropping down from the 4k RPM's). Then when I pulled home, as soon as I came to a stop in the driveway (I may not have even made it to a complete stop).. the engine stalled. It started back up with no problem... but it's never stalled on me before except it did it a few times while I was trying to get it out of my driveway one day when I first got it. I just don't get it! I've replaced so many sensors and I'm sure when I run a diagnostic scan on it tomorrow it's going to tell me I have yet ANOTHER bad sensor. And also, I'm now hearing a whining in my rear speakers.. very quiet, and the sound goes right on along with my engine's RPMs.

I think I may have heard from someone on here that when your compuer throws codes constantly the computer may be bad. Is that possible? I have an XJ2 EEC in mine... and other than constantly getting new codes after old problems were fixed and I don't know what other signs may point to a bad EEC.

These cars truly needed an integrated/on-board diagnostics scanner. This stuff just gets old. You know what? I think I'm going to run my scanner through the firewall, into the cab, and use some double-sided tape and stick it to my steering wheel. While it's there I can always tell all the ricers that they best back off 'cause that's my power programmer, right? Don't mess with the "red dragon", right? Haha. Yeah right. But I still think sticking my scanner to my steering wheel is an idea. Anyone else agree? Any help on all this would be REALLY REALLY appreciated as always fellas!

Thanks!,
Andrew

 

[92ShoOff]

Also, there is a buttload of carbon build-up on the inside of my month-old exhaust tips. I failed my emissions test (the Hydrocarbon part, if I remember correctly) a few months back, but I also had a bad ACT sensor when I had the car tested. I thought maybe that sensor had something to do with my mixture and was causing it to run rich... I changed that sensor months ago and I don't think it made a difference. I'm sure my valve stem seals are bad because my car blows smoke when I first start it almost every morning. The smoke isn't exactly blue, it's more white/gray colored. But though white smoke usually means coolant I don't think that's the case when it blows white/gray smoke upon start-up. I don't know if something else might be wrong other than the valve stem seals, which is causing all this stuff to go wrong and causing the exhaust to be too pullutant. Sorry I write a book when I post... I just try to be descriptive to help make my problem clear and easier to diagnose for you guys. Thanks again!

 

[projectSHO89]

The oil in the CID sensor housing is due to a worn cam seal.

The flickering lights and stalling is most likely due to a power/ground cable problem, most likely. Start by inspecting battery cable connections and the main ground connections. Also check the grounding wire from the negative battery post to the PCM and the grounding strap from the firewall to the head above the #1 cylinder. If there is any evidence of corrosion, it should be addressed first.

Worn valve stem seals typically give off a puff of blue smoke when started first thing in the morning.

Steve

 

[masho95]

a few months back, but I also had a bad ACT sensor when I had the car tested. I thought maybe that sensor had something to do with my mixture and was causing it to run rich... I changed that sensor months ago and I don't think it made a difference.

The ACT sensor doesn't measure much in the car, and it has no effect on emissions at all. Also SHO's can intermittenly throw a code for the ACT depending on temperature. Possibly something your's might have been doing.

 

[jelloslug]

If you have a power or grounding problem you will throw all kinds of codes due to voltage problems at the PCM or the sensors. My '90 has almost 200k and I think there has only been 2 sensors changed on the car.

 

[fred79]

was there any added electrical equiptment like a stereo or security system. with my mother caprice that had a aferarket security system, the poor wirering of the system led to many small electrical shorts causing incredable grief untill we found the problem and disabled it.

 

[Dr. Tweak]

The oil in the CID is a cam seal leak, and that will cause your CID to fail. The other sensor coming to mind is the CPS. Maybe time for a front 60k? Check out the SHOPP website (link in my sig) and that should help you out.

If you do push it off a cliff, take pics!

 

[autobahnsho]

If you do push it off a cliff, take pics!

Video would be better.

I recall people having stalling problems due to bad alternators. Although the Crank Sensor could maybe cause this, too. Did you run the codes?

 

[92ShoOff]

Bad cam seals, huh? On a scale of 1-10, how big a chore are those things to change out? And could worn cam seals be the cause of all carbon build-up in the exhaust? What are the effects of having bad cam seals (besides ruining the CID sensor)?

And nearly 200k miles and only two sensors? I'm WAY jealous of you. Though I'm sure your car was VERY well maintained all the way through. No telling how often the prior owners of my car even changed the oil. When I changed my oil well seals and valve cover seals... man oh man..... it was nastly looking.

But no sound or security system in my car. The tach needle didn't flicker nor did the lights dim whenever I hit my brake on my way home tonight... so hopefully it just had a glitch or something. Shouldn't have a bad power or ground anywhere though.. but I'll definitely check on that this weekend.

Not sure I wanna do the front 60k service though lol. I did the upper 60k a few months back and got everything nice... wasn't too bad of a job. Front 60k looks a little more difficult by looking at the pics on your site. I do know my engine is leaking oil slightly at the rear and front of the oild pan... so I guess that would be the front and rear main seals, correct? And how hard is all that to replace? It's been leaking like that since I got it... just haven't had the chance to do anything about it just yet.. especially since it's such a slow leak.

I'm not even sure if the previous owners ever had the 60k done. Doubtful. They have very few service records... and they dates and mileages kinda skipped around. For instance, they had the oil change at 10k, then the next record on there was another oil change at like 23k. I hope they changed oil a few times between those records... just didn't write them in. Because like I said, there are MANY miles between most services.. and only like 6 services were listed up to maybe 80k miles.

I just need to drive my car less. Okay I'm done blabbing for the night. Thanks for your helps guys.. all of you! Have a good night!

 

[92ShoOff]

By the way, I did run a scan yesterday. Got code 157 (MAF circuit below minimum voltage) and 542 (Fuel pump secondary circuit failure). Got code 157 before, when still had the factory air box and paper filter. Now have a PRO-M 80mm MAF meter with conical filtered (been on there for almost 2 months) and now I'm getting the code again. Same goes for the 542. Got that code when I first got the car, changed out the fuel pump with a Walbro 190lb. pump and I'm getting that code again as well. This is ******* me off

I absolutely LOVE this car to death but all these problems are starting to get old. And I'm a person with a LOT of patience... but his is just becoming too much work. Something needs to start going right with this car after everything I've done to her.

 

[fred79]

if the oil is from the pan then no
the front nd rear main seals are not sealed to the pan. they are on there own nd the pan seal to metal. either way thee front min seal is very easy to change ounce you get the front torn apart. the front rebuild isn't that hard to do at all I would think the top would be more difficult.

 

[masho95]

Same goes for the 542. Got that code when I first got the car, changed out the fuel pump with a Walbro 190lb. pump and I'm getting that code again as well. This is ******* me off

IIRC the 542 code will come up if the car stalls also.