Major Trouble Codes

Ok, so occasionally i get a check engine light while i'm driving. usually once the car has warmed up.
the other day, i decide to check the codes on the ECM and heres what i find:
13
14
15
23
24
25
26
32
35
43
44
45
52
54
...
i didnt go any farther, but from what i can tell, nearly all my sensors are failing, namely the EGR, O2, and BARO, my engine is running both rich, lean, hot and cold.

WTF???

Ok, so occasionally i get a check engine light while i'm driving. usually once the car has warmed up.
the other day, i decide to check the codes on the ECM and heres what i find:
13
14
15
23
24
25
26
32
35
43
44
45
52
54
...
i didnt go any farther, but from what i can tell, nearly all my sensors are failing, namely the EGR, O2, and BARO, my engine is running both rich, lean, hot and cold.

WTF???


Clear codes and see what comes back.
And post back no.
Usually with that many codes you have a internal pcm/computer problem.
MT

Agreed. Clear it if you can, and scan again. Reseat the PROM if you can. Verify ECM and engine wiring harness grounds.

Is this on the '84?

thing is, i cleared it about two months ago when i got this many codes.
the "normal" codes i get are rich condition (45) and O2 sensor failure (i believe 13)...
the car runs fine, with the exception of a bit of hesitation, and backfiring when you stab the gas.

thing is, i cleared it about two months ago when i got this many codes.
the "normal" codes i get are rich condition (45) and O2 sensor failure (i believe 13)...
the car runs fine, with the exception of a bit of hesitation, and backfiring when you stab the gas.

Clear codes again and see wha one or ones come back first.
But.
With that many codes I would go for a rebuilt or used PCM.
MT

I second MT2500 and Blue Bowtie about it being ECM related - however before springing for a new ECM, do check your grounds throughout the ECM wiring harness and ensure they're all good. When I got my car in '02, one of the ECM grounds to the intake manifold were broken, and I was getting codes much like yours (including 55, the "dead ECM" code). After finding and fixing the ground, I can honestly say that more than 4 years later, that "dead ECM" is trucking along nicely. I will get the occasional Code 45 telling me that it's been more than three months since I changed the air filter (I live in a DUSTY area) or that the $#$&@&*# choke heater wire fell off again, but that's about it. Blue Bowtie touched on the grounding issue.

My caprice runs very rich ever since I rebuilt the carb, would it running rich trigger a Serive engine soon light? or will it just tell me that its rich when I scan it.

cause I got no service engine light, idk if it works. I m sure it does, its on when I turn the key and goes off after the car is running.

My caprice runs very rich ever since I rebuilt the carb, would it running rich trigger a Serive engine soon light? or will it just tell me that its rich when I scan it.

cause I got no service engine light, idk if it works. I m sure it does, its on when I turn the key and goes off after the car is running.

For the heck of it, check for trouble codes. If you get a 12, then your system is working. If it is working, and it's not tripping the SES light, then your carb is not running rich - unless the EGO sensor is marginal. If it really is running rich, the ECM and EGO sensor both working, it should set a Code 45 and light up the SES light.

yeah, if its rich it will pull a code 45, and maybe 13 if it is really bad.

i forgot to mention that i do get a code 12 at the start and finish of the codes.

i'll clear them now, i have a long drive (about an hour) ahead of me today, so if any come back, ill know they are the real problem.

side note,
there is a green plug in my engine bay that is not connected to anything, it is the female end and there is nothing to connect it to...
i've showed it to my uncle (electrical engineer, he knows more than most people that he brings his car to to have it worked on) and he dosent know what it is. it looks kinda like a hack job, where someone put it in themselves...
if anyone has any insights i would appreciate it

yeah, if its rich it will pull a code 45, and maybe 13 if it is really bad.

i forgot to mention that i do get a code 12 at the start and finish of the codes.

i'll clear them now, i have a long drive (about an hour) ahead of me today, so if any come back, ill know they are the real problem.

side note,
there is a green plug in my engine bay that is not connected to anything, it is the female end and there is nothing to connect it to...
i've showed it to my uncle (electrical engineer, he knows more than most people that he brings his car to to have it worked on) and he dosent know what it is. it looks kinda like a hack job, where someone put it in themselves...
if anyone has any insights i would appreciate it

That's a diagnostic port for the carburetor - hook a dwellmeter to it, and you can adjust/check the M/C solenoid.

Clean the terminals at the battery.

Make sure you have the brass-colored stud near the underhood fuse/relay box (near the firewall, pass side on a 94-96 car).

Low battery voltage makes the PCM do some wierd stuff an set bogus codes.

Clean the terminals at the battery.

Make sure you have the brass-colored stud near the underhood fuse/relay box (near the firewall, pass side on a 94-96 car).

Low battery voltage makes the PCM do some wierd stuff an set bogus codes.

1984, not 1994.

1984, not 1994.

Oops. My bad. Sorry.

update...

i pulled the codes after the first part of the trip. the only code that came up was 45 (aside from code 12 at start and finish)
interesting to note that on the way back, the check engine light did not come on as usual on the highway. i'll check the codes tomorrow, but i'm too tired now.

is it possible that there is something catastrophic about to happen to my engine, and the computer isn't crazy? the rason i ask is that after driving for an hour, and letting the car cool down for 3-4 hrs, when i started it back up, it made a wierd tapping noise when put into drive. not in neutral, park or "1".
it was there in drive and there was a hint of a noise in "2".
to me, it sounds like a collapsed lifter, or something knocking around in my cam/head region.

HELP!!!

update...

i pulled the codes after the first part of the trip. the only code that came up was 45 (aside from code 12 at start and finish)
interesting to note that on the way back, the check engine light did not come on as usual on the highway. i'll check the codes tomorrow, but i'm too tired now.

is it possible that there is something catastrophic about to happen to my engine, and the computer isn't crazy? the rason i ask is that after driving for an hour, and letting the car cool down for 3-4 hrs, when i started it back up, it made a wierd tapping noise when put into drive. not in neutral, park or "1".
it was there in drive and there was a hint of a noise in "2".
to me, it sounds like a collapsed lifter, or something knocking around in my cam/head region.

HELP!!!

A quart of ATF in the engine in place of a quart of motor oil will help to loosen up stuck/collapsed lifters. It will also de-sludge the engine, so you will want to change your oil and filter in one full gas tank of running - expect to see tar-black oil come out.

I don't think your engine is about to bite it - but if the tapping noise only happens in certain transmission ranges, then you might want to look into the transmission itself.

A Code 45 can be caused by a failure in the carburetor, or simply a plugged air filter. Remember that green connector that you were asking about? Now's the time to use it. Get a dwell meter, set it to the 6-cylinder range, and start the engine up - hooking the dwell meter positive to that green connector and the negative to ground. Look at the reading - normal range is 25-35 degrees. If it's less than 25, you're running too lean at the M/C solenoid and if it's higher than 35, you're running too rich. If it reads normal, and you have a new/clean air filter, then suspect a bad EGO sensor.

Running the car excessively rich for extended periods will destroy both the EGO sensor and the catalytic converter.

i dont think it is rich tho, as it knocks and pings nearly all the time at a certain throttle position, and on hard acceleration before it warms up.
is it possible that the "pinging" i'm hearing is really something in the lifters/pushrod/valve area? the car sat for 5 years of so before i got it.

if i add ATF next oil change, and i have to change it again after one tank of gas, should i even bother changing the filter the first time?

i dont think it is rich tho, as it knocks and pings nearly all the time at a certain throttle position, and on hard acceleration before it warms up.
is it possible that the "pinging" i'm hearing is really something in the lifters/pushrod/valve area? the car sat for 5 years of so before i got it.

if i add ATF next oil change, and i have to change it again after one tank of gas, should i even bother changing the filter the first time?

If you go about it that way, yes. Otherwise the filter will plug from the gunk and guess what? Once it's plugged, it is bypassed and you're now feeding your engine unfiltered oil - with all that junk in it.

This mia a little off subject, but my car makes a ticking sound similar to that but only does it in park and it sound like a baseball card on some kids bike. does it sound transmission related or something else

This mia a little off subject, but my car makes a ticking sound similar to that but only does it in park and it sound like a baseball card on some kids bike. does it sound transmission related or something else

Have you diagnosed where the noise is coming from? Obviously, if it's coming from the engine, it cannot be the transmission - things like that. Having said that, a loose torque converter bolt can cause that type of noise.

In the future, please start a new thread.

so, i change the oil and add the atf, with a new filter, drive for a tank and pray that i dont overheat, or warp pistons or anything, then after a tank, i change the oil w/ straight oil and change the filter again?
ok...

im pretty sure it is coming from the back of the engine, one of the back cylinders. the only reason i can think that it dosent do it in some gears is that there is a different load on the engine.

what do yall think, is it worth rebuilding the engine w/ new lifters, or sohould i get a rebuilt engine and plop it in. the car sat for a while, i'm guessing between 5 and 10 years. it is knocking and pinging, has a bad lifter, gets bad mileage, and is bound to develop even more problems in the next few years. what is your advice, should i keep fixing my ailing engine (its a v-6) or spring for a rebuilt 350 to put in it.

so, i change the oil and add the atf, with a new filter, drive for a tank and pray that i dont overheat, or warp pistons or anything, then after a tank, i change the oil w/ straight oil and change the filter again?
ok...

im pretty sure it is coming from the back of the engine, one of the back cylinders. the only reason i can think that it dosent do it in some gears is that there is a different load on the engine.

what do yall think, is it worth rebuilding the engine w/ new lifters, or sohould i get a rebuilt engine and plop it in. the car sat for a while, i'm guessing between 5 and 10 years. it is knocking and pinging, has a bad lifter, gets bad mileage, and is bound to develop even more problems in the next few years. what is your advice, should i keep fixing my ailing engine (its a v-6) or spring for a rebuilt 350 to put in it.

If it's a V6, it's a TH200C or a TH350 tranny, right?

A good, sound 350 never hurt anything, but if you go that route (I would), I'd suggest either a good 4L60 tranny (TH700R4 1987 - 1992) or a built '86-up TH2004R. Don't get a 1982-1986 TH700R4 or a <=1985 TH2004R.

A persistent ping could indicate the need for a new EGR valve, also.

heres a dumb question,
what does the egr even do. so many people take it off. is it even needed?

yes i have the th350 trans. will a 350 V-8 bolt right up or do i need anything extra.

An EGR system isn't necessary. Neither are a PCV system, an EVAP system, hydraulic lifters, an oil filter, a catalytic converter, electronic ignition, fuel injection, automatic transmisison, hydraulic brakes, etcetera. EVERY car and truck ran for decades without any of those.

what a functioning EGR system can do for you is lower peak combustion chamber temperatures. That was done initially to lower the production of oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust gasses. It also allows greater ignition advance due to the fact that the lower chamber temperatures reduces the instance of preignition and helps reduce carbon deposit formation.

In the long run, you'll be better off having a functioning EGR system, especially if you get into reprogramming the ECM or altering the ignition advance. You don't see them on race engines since the conditions for their use are never met on the track, and carbon accumulation is less of a problem in an engine which gets taken down routinely for inspection and work.

ok.

whats your opinion on using ATF. ive heard it can warp your pistons

ok.

whats your opinion on using ATF. ive heard it can warp your pistons

I've never heard of ATF warping any pistons ever. ATF is basically 5w20 motor oil with higher detergents and friction modifiers added. That's not all, but it is compatible with oil in small amounts.

A safer method of cleaning would be to switch to fully synthetic (PAO) lubricant for a couple of changes. It will soften carbon and sludge deposits, dissolve varnish and gum, and restore elasticity to seals and synthetic (not cork) gaskets. You might want to change filters halfway through the first change if the oil begins to show signs of heavy dissolved solids.

A safer method of cleaning would be to switch to fully synthetic (PAO) lubricant for a couple of changes. ...

I agree. It's a whole lot safer to gradually wash the crud out by using a mix of synthetic with non-synth oil over the period of several oil changes (and multiple filter replacements to be safe) than to use anything else.

heres a dumb question,
what does the egr even do. so many people take it off. is it even needed?

yes i have the th350 trans. will a 350 V-8 bolt right up or do i need anything extra.

The TH350 will bolt up to a 350 (or any other Chevrolet V8 engine) but it won't last long. The V6 version of the TH350 has less clutch plate frictions and steels, so it won't handle the torque of the V8. If you rebuild the transmission, get the thinner clutchpack pistons so that you can stack more plates. I still think you're better off with the 4L60/TH700R4 - better economy and with that low 1st gear, quicker launches for the heavy car.

but the consensus is that i get a new engine then?