Inlet Air Solenoid - Code 81

[JRA2000TL]

I start DDing the 89 a week and more crap pops up, big surprise there.

So I have an inlet air solenoid, code 81. I checked it--yep it's there, yep, the electrical connector is plugged in, and yep, the vacuum lines are connected. I know what it is---it's the little thing next to the round canister on the back of the intake. It clips on there, has 2 vacuum lines that run from it to the intake, and has 1 electrical connector.

Bad PCM possibly? It's an 89 CA emissions car, so a PCM might be hard to find. The car runs and drives fine, although the other day when I got on the gas hard, the car bucked violently, tach went to 0, and it just shut off. I pulled over, made sure the DIS was plugged in (one end is cracked and the connector sometimes is loose). I checked the battery connections and re-started the car. I drove probably another 60 miles around town with it fine. It hasn't done it since.

I unplugged the connector, cleaned it with electrical cleaner; cleaned my TPS also. I disconnected the battery for 10 min, re-connected, and drove the car. After about 2 miles, the CEL comes back on.

I also had some other random codes: 13, 33, 41, 91.

13 could be a bad IAC. I think I have a spare I can swap to check.

33 is EGR crap (CA emissions car; it's all connected properly)

41 is a fuel lean code (it does run rich, might replace O2 sensors anyway)

91 is also a fuel lean code

Any ideas on this 81 code? I did a search and it has been explained well what it does but not really how to fix it. I read that it could be a PCM issue.

 

[ShadetreeSHOguy]

you need a couple things.

Either a B9B or X2J ecu.

Non EGR intake manifold

Non-egr rear exhaust manifold

Get rid of the friggin EGR. problem solved on a couple of those codes

 

[TimboSHO]

you need a couple things.

Either a B9B or X2J ecu.

Non EGR intake manifold

Non-egr rear exhaust manifold

Get rid of the friggin EGR. problem solved on a couple of those codes

That's what I did on my CA emissions white 89 (one of only 80 made). I wasn't having any problems, but didn't want any in the future either....

 

[SHOtime2511]

I'm sure you could fab up a block off plate for the EGR and manifold without too much cussing.

 

[JRA2000TL]

FWIW, I just Seafoamed the car; that might have caused some thrown codes. I thought Seafoam didn't ruin O2 sensors, but I'm getting lean codes. I probably ought to replace those anyway. I'm getting an idle surge at cold start-up, and I have a spare IAC I can swap to see if it fixes that. The EGR may just need to be cleaned, and the 81 code was stored in the ECM when I got the car but did not cause a CEL (pulled codes when I got the car even though I had no CEL just to see what was stored--only 81). I'm thinking that one is no big deal because the secondaries still open up fine.

Seafoaming the intake on these cars does no good IMO because our intakes get so much carbon and blow-by, they stay filthy. Seafoam in the gas tank seems to work. Removing the intake and manually cleaning all the crap out with Berryman's or carb/brake cleaner is probably better to do every so often. I guess I forgot SHOs don't like Seafoam treatments. I always do it on all the other cars without issue. Now I probably screwed my O2 sensors; I think that's mostly the reason the CEL light is on. Gas mileage has not suffered yet. Last fill-up I got 21.6 mpg combined city/hwy, and that's with romping on it a couple of times and idling it awhile when I was checking out things under the hood.