Adjusting TPS.

[boostjunkie]

Okay, I looked over Legacy777's instructions on recalibrating the TPS, however, I can't seem to get a feeler gauge to reach around underneath the throttle body properly

Do you guys just adjust the TPS until the idle becomes normal?

I've been able to get the car started but it idles/revs like crap!! Smokes like a champ, too. I'm thinking the TPS is really outta whack, but I looked at the markings on the TPS and the throttle body and they all line up.

Any ideas? I missed a day of work just tryin to figure out how to start the car and now that I can start the car I wanna try and figure out this problem before the sun goes down.

Thanks.

[ciper]

Cant get the feeler gauge in? Thats the easy part!

Are you trying to use a spark plug gapper?

If you dont adjust it correctly you will either get a cel or the car will act very strange at low throttle. The TPS wont effect how the vehicle idles the way you describe. Id look somewhere else. You can completly remove the TPS from the throttle body and have the car idle.

[boostjunkie]

I was trying to use a spark gapper. I was adjusting the TPS and checking resistance across the TPS until I was able to eek out the .0028 and .0035 readings. Still the same engine "operation."

When I disconnect the harness from the TPS the idle skyrockets and runs "normal," albeit at a higher rpm. Do you think the sensor's fried?

I still have that knock sensor CE light as well. Haven't gotten to check that circuit but would that affect the idle/engine operation? I'm pulling at straws here.

[ciper]

Hmm, when I said disconect I meant removing the sensor but leaving the wire connected.

A spark plug gapper is probably the most innacurate gauge, just get a cheap set of feelers. Even if they dont have the right size you can combine two and get it (.012 + .016 to get .028).

Maybe the TPS is messed, but if the idle switch is connected the ECU should ignore the throttle position.

Try removing the sensor (while the wires are connected) and while the car idles turn it.

[boostjunkie]

Okay, rechecked the codes again, and now I have six codes!!!

11. crank angle sensor - no signal entered - WTF!!
22. knock sensor - abnormal output
23. airflow sensor - abnormal voltage (I accidentally left the harness off of the sensor when I started the car)
31. throttle sensor - abnormal voltage (I changed the settings on the TPS - whoops, gonna get a feeler gauge and get this mess straightened out - I hope)
42. idle switch - abnormal voltage
49. air flow sensor - use of improper air flow sensor (I suspect this is caused by number 23).

There was a wire from one of the three-wire harnesses under the throttle body that was frayed and disconnected. I reconnected the two separated halves together. That's the only change I made to the electrical system other than regapping the plugs.

I'm digging myself a pretty deep hole here

[Legacy777]

First things first....set the damn idle switch with a set of feeler gauges.

Reset the ECU and then check codes later. One code can very possibly screw other sensors....or give fake readings.

[boostjunkie]

Okay, I bought a set of feeler gauges last night and am going to try to set the tps this afternoon/evening as I ran out of useable light last night. What I noticed, however, is that after recharging the battery and starting the car, that the engine ran noticeably better than it did during the afternoon. Not lopey, but you could smell that the engine was running really rich. Could it also just be that the temps had dropped that it was idling more normal?

One question, though. Should I reset the ecu while I'm working on the tps or fix the tps and start the engine, and then reset the ecu?