ACT temperature sensor problem?

[sdpatt]

That sounds low. Too low. Something has moved. If the rear motor mount has been damaged, it may allow the firewall side of the motor to sag. The stock Y-pipe has a bracket that attaches the Y-pipe to the passenger side rear of the oil pan. That wouldn't allow the Y-pipe to change angles with the motor, so the motor must have changed angles if you are still using the stock Y-pipe.

I can't compare to mine because I have a PP Y-pipe and Borla system that I had installed to fit snugly up under the tunnel.

Scott

 

[RStalveyARFF]

As far as the plug issue, I mean if you pull it, see if it shows signs of richness (meaning it isn't firing), leanness (meaning the injector isn't injecting), or a nice healthy color. Normal per haynes description is: "brown to grayish-tan color and slight elctrode wear". Rich would be rull of carbon deposits. Lean would be a whitish color I believe. If you took the plug to any parts store they'd be able to tell you. My exhaust hangs lower also, but it is because I took the resonator out, which had an upward curve on it to tuck the exhaust into the tunnel. No I didn't take it off willingly, It just wanted to "drop in" on the action when I launched at the drag strip, and "couldn't take the heat" when it was dragged down the 1320.

oops!

 

[Diameg]

Is there a trick to getting the plug wires off?

Also, does the SHO have a #1, #2, and #3 cylinder? Geezus.....I'm going to have to dislocate a few limbs in order to get back there!

In my description of my exhaust, I may be making it sound worse than it is. It's not right from the cat's, but definitely in the area right under the front seats/gearbox/etc, the top of the pipe is quite noticable.
As I mentioned, I am changing the entire cat-back and Y-Pipes soon but my dilemma is that I was going to drive about 200 or so miles to get to Josh (Sho Nut) and he was going to do it.
Am I advisable to even attempt this?
Please anyone, let me know which of the following most holds true:
(A) Given that the car is still running strong other than perhaps a bad spark plug, a drive like that should not be too bad. All 111 codes for self test, you should be okay to get there.

(B) You really should change out the plugs and wires first, and see if that makes a difference. If it does, great. The possible bad exhaust and/or bad tranny or motor mount should be okay to get there.

(C) What are you, some kind of idiot?? Loosen up the vise-grip on your wallet and get the darned thing fixed before you do anything. Fix the cylinder problem, pronto! Do not drive that far if the motor or tranny mount and/or the exhaust is in trouble...idiot.

Thanks.

(P.S., If you picked 'C', stop calling me an idiot).

[This message has been edited by Diameg (edited 10-30-2001).]

 

[sdpatt]

The wires are much more easily changed with a lower risk of damage to them if the intake is removed. I have done it with the intake on, but I won't repeat the act due to the force necessary to string the wires in place.

Scott

 

[tsho2]

You can't tuna fish?

 

[Diameg]

Well, further to the other problems, something else has popped up related to that.

I know, I know, just get it checked out. Well, I will. I'm waiting for my plugs and wires to come in so I thought I'd get as much advice in the meantime as I can.
I let the car run for a bit so I could put it in the garage (just because it doesn't work, doesn't mean I want it to get rained on and dirty). Well, it seemed to me there was an excessive amount of white smoke coming from the exhaust.
I drove to the end of my long driveway, then backed up, and it felt like I was backing up through a cigar smoke filled bingo hall (not that I've actually done that before).
Does this little tidbit of information swing anyone to what it may be?

 

[Rob94]

Yeah......blown head gasket

 

[Diameg]

Oh boy,

That doesn't sound too good at all.
Well, the thing is, the car was not fully warmed up, just in the operating range. I have noticed in the past the same white exhaust but not as much as yesterday. And, it was very cold out yesterday here so that may account for some noticable exhaust.
The other thing is that as soon as I started it, I went to the back and the smoke was not as noticable but there was a very prominent smell of gas. Strong to the point of me almost thinking raw gas would start spraying out the back.
Guess I'm going to have to change these plugs and wires and go from there.
What do I look out for to tell a mechanic? I'm going to have a shop put the wires and plugs on, and if it's still not running right, do a compression test. What will that tell me? If the compression test is fine then am I looking at with fuel injector next or something else? If the compression test shows that cylinder failing, is my likely suspect the head gasket?
That sounds expensive...
How do head gaskets go, anyway? Just pure dumb luck?

 

[sdpatt]

I have seen several different SHO engines produce a white cloud of smoke on start-up, but then not be able to reproduce the condition. Mine has done it a few times over its lifetime and Jeremy Hohn's just puffed a cloud when he was getting the 60k at my house, but after none of these occasions did the smoke happen again.

Smoke at start-up is usually a sign of valve guide seal leakage, but it would normally be more consistent rather than once in a blue moon. Unless you are losing noticeable amounts of coolant that aren't showing up on the floor, I wouldn't worry about the head gaskets. That is, unless you have overheated the engine. You haven't, have you?

If you have a misfiring cylinder or cylinders, you will certainly have some unburned gas in the exhaust. Old plugs, old wires and oil in the plug wells can cause a misfire. If you have oil in the plug wells, you neeed to replace the plug well seals. These come as part of the Fel-Pro VS50378R set ($72 from Auto Zone) that also contains the valve cover seals. You have to remove the intake and valve covers for this replacement. You should be planning on removing the intake for the plug wires replacement, otherwise it is very ******* the wires (tight bends) if trying to install them with the intake on.

Scott

 

[Diameg]

Scott,

Thanks once again.
I would say that maybe I was a bit hasty on my description yesterday about the smoke.
It was not real, real bad, and it was a very cold day (my breath was 'smoking' too).
So, I'll give it another shot today and see how it's doing. I may go ahead and do the plug well gaskets anyway since the intake will be taken off etc.
About the overheating, I posted somewhere in here a month or so ago that I was wondering if my car was running a little hot. Seems the temp guage is always in the O to R range of Normal. That being said, several mechanics, plus people here and people I've emailed have said that's okay considering the summer heat and city driving with no air conditioning running.
With air or highway, it is in the mid to low range.
I have not overheated it though as the fan comes on at around the O mark.
Also of note, I have not lost any noticable engine coolant or oil, and there are no spots under my car at all.
I'll solve this thing if it kills me (or you **** me, one or the other

)

 

[Diameg]

Yup, smoking exhaust.
When I start the car, there is no noticable vapour coming from the exhaust. As it starts to warm up and the rpms start to drop to normal idle, white puffs of smoke come out. Nothing major, it's not like you would see this car going down the street and think 'oh my god, look at that'. Probably would not be noticable to anyone except those very knowledgeable about cars.
Very noticable gas smell. It smelled like I was putting gas in the car, it was that strong. Then, as the white (or light gray) smoke started to appear, the gas smell subsided a bit but was still somewhat noticable.
Under idle, the smoke was only really noticable from one tail pipe (passenger side, oddly enough) and it was going straight back about a foot, foot and a half from the car.
I have run into the odd puff coming from the pipe on start up in the past, but this was unlike that in that it only started after the car warmed a bit, it smelled a lot like gas, and it did not subside.
I'm sorry to keep asking these questions, but I'm very concerned. I live in the boonies so I need to get about 5 miles to a shop to do the plugs and wires, and check it over.
Does this sound risky, given the smell?
Still no codes for KOEO, or KOER, and no check engine light, no low coolant light, oil light. Nothing. Oil looks clean for it's 2000 miles and coolant is where it should be.