Cutlass Ciera 3300 TPS & Idle Problems
 

I just picked up a 1992 Cutlass Ciera from an old guy gp1 Dealer maintained, sat for two years before I got it. Didn't have much gas, but I filled it up and used some Seafoam.

So far, I've replaced the crankshaft possition sensor, spark plugs and wires, coolant temperature sensor, PCV valve, air filter, fuel filter, cleaned MAF sensor, IAC valve and throttle body (all with the appropriate cleaners), oxygen sensor, TPS.

The idle is up and down, almost like it's going to stall. And sometimes on acceleration, it will hesitate briefly, just for like quarter of a second, and then continue to rev. And on the highway--especially while decelerating--the car will buck and stumble, but then be perfectly fine for 30 minutes.

I do have a check engine light from doing the TPS. I used a voltmeter and set it to about 0.55 volts with the throttle plate closed. The car has great power now, and it hasn't stalled out on me yet. But I really want to figure out the idle and funny bucking issues. It's a great car otherwise.

Would unplugging the battery reset the ECU and fix the sensors? I have not once unplugged it since I got the car. The CEL only came on after messing with the oxygen sensor, CTS, and TPS at the same time, so it could be for any of those sensors I guess. The CEL goes off if I accelerate, but comes back when I let off the gas.

Disconnecting the battery, does not fix sensors, it resets their flags....

Have you checked spark output with a spark tester? Have you checked for vac leaks by spraying engine with carb cleaner while running?

do any codes come back?

it takes a while for idle to learn on those, if you disconnect the battery it resets the learning process. did you get new gas? seafoam is a good cleaner but it doesnt run good in the engine, no cleaner does. you might just have to drive it a while till you can get good gas and let it learn idle with good gas a while

I don't hear any vac leaks--no obvious ones anyway. It's very possible though, because when I took the hose for the heater controls off of the junction that mounts on the throttle cable bracket, it pretty much pealed off. Replaced it with a new line--slightly smaller, but it slid on the fittings just fine. Could that smaller hose be an issue? It only runs for about 10 inches. Are there any vac lines on these engines known to go bad?

Being a 92 and having sat for 2 years, any and every vacuum hose becomes suspect. Like Gus said, spray carb cleaner around the vacuum hoses and connections. A change in idle speed indicates you found a leak.

Okay, I checked the codes--didn't realize how easy it was. Got code 22, low TPS voltage.

I set the voltage to .55V when I installed it, but the engine was cold. Does that matter? I've read that the wiring is usually the cause of code 22, but I didn't have the issue until after I replaced the sensor, and I wasn't rough with the wiring or anything.

Should I set the voltage higher?

On a 3800, it's usually set for 0.46 volts.....as long as TPS % is at zero, should be ok......

How are you reading TPS data? With voltmeter at sensor or with a scan tool?

Did you clear the code and it came back?

Not sure how the Series 1 TPS sensors are installed, but if they are the same as the Series 2's, then did you install it like how the video shows?

The 3300 uses the same TPS style as the Pre-Series 1 and the Series 1.

http://www.rockauto.com/getimage/get...%20primary.jpg


It's very easy to install. I calibrated it with a digital multimeter. The best reading I could get was 0.4V low and 3.6V at WOT.

The check engine light is gone now, but the car surges at higher RPMs. And today it was hesitating very bad.

Just to remind everyone, I've got the 3.3, not the 3.8. The 3300 is very similar to the pre-series 1 3800, but smaller and batch-fire injection. Unfortunately, not the most common motor. They should have kept it over the 3100 though.