Bad TPS??

[johnk]

I was rideing home and I glanced up at my o2 sensor and notice its off the edge going rich rich like crazy. So I flipped on my datalogger. I started watching it and nothing seemed out of place at first. But after a minute of driveing I noticed the o2 turned up to rich again(just cruising like 35 with the throttle barely cracked) I looked at the logger while it was doing this and noticed the TPS read 66.6% Then when I let off the gas the engine light came on and the reading stayed the same no matter how much or little I pushed the gas pedal. After a minute things returned back to normal.

I have been getting this CEL for a while now but it only occurs when I race the car. Like if I floor it around for a good 20 seconds or so like when I get on the highway. This is the first time I ran the logger when it happened cause I just got the thing.

My engine bay seemed to of had some oily disaster thanks go out to the previous owner. So I'm going to try and clean of the connection and reset the ECU. Has any one had similar conditions before their TPS went out on them??


Probably unrelated but I also get random knock counts. They only happen when I am cruising not under acceleration. I'll get them at random times only when the throttle is barely open enough to maintain speed and usually around 35. The knock count usually hits 43 and stays there as long as I don't move the throttle and motion up or down makes it go away. Returning to the same speed and throttle amount doesn't cause it to instantly return either. You guys think I should worry about this or a probable phantom knock??

Sorry about the long post but I appreciate any advice opinions thx.

 

[joeym4130]

you only get the CEL when its floored....? I'd say TPS, or needing adjustment... i think there is a procedure in the shop manual for checking a TPS with a voltmeter to see if it is working, i'd check that out. You can turn the key to on with the logger in and play with the throttle and see ur readings too, just to see more of whats going on.

 

[johnk]

I meant that it will happen after I race it. Then everytime I close the throttle like shifting or stopping the CEL comes on. Only when the idle switch is depressed I guess the computer can figure if idle switch is pressed and the TPS says open that the TPS is crazy. And the problem goes away if I let the car cool down.

 

[joeym4130]

If it only comes on when you're off the gas i'd bet it needs adjusting if it is infact not bad first. What are the readings on the logger when the throttle is closed? and open all the way?

 

[johnk]

normally I get between 8.9 and 9.96 at closed just depends what day of the week it is then at WOT I get 99.6 Then when things are going screwy I get 66.6 all over, closed to WOT.

 

[joeym4130]

haha, well if its all 66.6, i'd def bet its the TPS....check it with a voltmeter, or better, get a working one from a friend and make sure by throwing his in....mark his with a marker/white out so he doesnt get pissed when he has to adjust it again when u give it back i did that to my pal ahahah

 

[johnk]

My friend sold his talon the dumb bastard So I'll try the volt meter when it's light again just the problem is intermitent so I expect normal results. maybe needing to tweak the TPS a degree to get it up to 100% at WOT vs 99%. But tweaking imo wouldn't stop it from reading the 66% garbage I'm getting.

 

[johnk]

Well it finally got so bad it the read out ended up locking at 99.6% all the time now. So I looked at it after work set the logger up and put it where I could see it. When I wiggled the connector the readout went up and down with every jiggle. So I've cleaned the thing off with some alcohol and a q-tip and it seems to read fine. I'll see if it lasts this weekend.

 

[Black_Stalon]

Any updates? I have similar problem and am curious

 

[Kevin Doe]

I also have a very similar problem. Can you let us know how it turns out!

Thanks
Kevin

 

[johnk]

WHOA sorry to leave you guys hanging like that The problem is mostly fixed I just have to get my lazy arse under the hood again. I noticed while jiggleing the connection that the graph of my TPS output was jagging up and down as fast as I was moveing the connector. So I assumed the connection was dirty from all the oil thats been sprayed around my engine bay. I used a Q-Tip with most of the cotton torn off but it's not really small enough to do the job. The output still has some minor spike 5-10% but it's not enough to trash my performance like sticking at 99% actually spikeing to 99% was worse it made the car jerk around when I was trying to cruise.

Personally I don't like when people leave their threads with no solution sorry to be lazy

 

[Black_Stalon]

No worries man, good to hear you narrowed it down.. My problem only persists after the car warms up, the CEL comes on and is faulting the tps. When I pull over and spray the sensor with cold spray the CEL immediatly goes off. Perhaps it just needs adjusting not too sure. I just picked up another sensor anyway, gonna throw it in and see how it goes.

 

[steve]

My TPS gave up the ghost earlier this year @117k. It failed just like your describing, it would get hot and start causing intermitant signals, throw a CEL for a bit (which gets stored even if the TPS isn't acting up right now) and cause the car to buck. After 13 years it was worn out and needed replacement.

Steve

 

[Black_Stalon]

I changed mine too and now the cel/bucking/hesitating is all gone.. dam sensors..

 

[Kevin Doe]

I also replaced my sensor and it got rid of the CEL and bucking is gone also.

Kevin