Confused and frustrated

kevin96rt

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Alright this is gonna be kind long but any help is appreciated.
I have a 96 rt and here is my problem...
It randomly runs terrible when cruising.. it starts to cut out bad like it is missing or starving for fuel.I mean its so bad the entire car is bucking at 80mph... does it any speed but when I stop at a light in idles just fine.Sometimes it runs like a champ & no problems at all.
It never throws a code but today it did...24
accoring to the book...tps signal does not correlate to map
sensor....or tps sensor input below the minimum acceptable voltage
I have done alot to the car
fuel pump & filter
efi cleaned and flushed
replaced tps & iac
new battery,plugs and wires
k&n's/smooth tubes
Had the car at Valaya racing for a month they burned an entire tank of gas and it ran fine...drove the car with computer hooked up and saw no problems..Then I get it home and it starts again.
Problem is I can never take the car in when it is acting up it just always seem to happen on a Sunday or when there is no way I can get it into the shop and then the next day it runs fine.
So this is what I have been dealing with for 3 months a car that is unpredictable and its gets to be an expensive guessing game.
Any Ideas before I drive this thing off a cliff.Anyone that figures this out gets a case of beer on me.
Thanks for any help
 

V10SpeedLuvr

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My 96' RT/10 will do the same thing. It'll go months without acting up and then buck with me for no reason at all. Mine usually does one semi-hard buck and thats it. It did it twice this weekend (both around 50mph). Also no codes for me. I think its definitely TPS related. My idle also acted up some this weekend where it idles around 1k RPM once. I turned the car off, restarted it and it was fine. A couple ideas you can try:

1. Unplug the PCM and let it reset or disconnect the positive terminal off the battery and ground it to the frame to dump the "cookies" from the car and let the PCM relearn

2. Be sure the connector is tight on your TPS.

3. Reground your TPS-- THANK YOU Tom Sessions! (erratic idle solved!)

4. Resynch your throttle bodies

I'm gonna do this stuff myself and if the car acts up again this coming weekend, I'm going to plug my spare PCM in and see if that helps any.
 
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kevin96rt

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Hey Chad
thanks for the quick response I have already done steps 1,3,4 that you reccomended.I could try to ground the tps,
mine bucked for 20 miles on the freeway I thought the engine was gonna go flying through the hood it was so bad.
I've been on here searching and trying everything with no luck
 

V10SpeedLuvr

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20 miles? Ouch. Mine has never done it more than a couple times in a weekend (hope I'm not jinxing myself). If I remember correctly, Chuck told me one time that the connectors inside the female part of the TPS connector will get spread out over time and even though its connected to the TPS, that its not making a good connection. You may want to check on that as well.

Does your car ever get "idle hang", where it idles high (1,000-1,500RPM)? That was the reason Tom suggested I try to reground the TPS, which has reduced my idle hang problem by at least 95%. It'll still flare with me after some WOT bursts, but I think it may also help the bucking problem you're describing.
 

Tom F&L GoR

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It might help if you knew what came out the exhaust - smoke? smell like gas? nothing at all different?

That would narrow down what wasn't working, maybe.
 
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kevin96rt

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After reading all the post here this is what I just tried started the car wiggled map sensor nothing...went over to the tps which is new and wiggled the wire clip that plugs into tps and bam engine was bucking and running like crap...so i taped it up nice and tight..but still has some play in it....will drive it later and see if this did the trick
can one of you guys see if you have any play in the connection bewtween the clip that plugs in and the tps


Chad I used to have some serious Idle isues but a new iac took care of that.
Thanks for the input
 

dave6666

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Those multi-pin connectors are usually pretty tuff. Does your look like it has seen some extra heat and has maybe been distorted? Therefore being a candidate for replacement?
 

ruckdr

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After reading all the post here this is what I just tried started the car wiggled map sensor nothing...went over to the tps which is new and wiggled the wire clip that plugs into tps and bam engine was bucking and running like crap...so i taped it up nice and tight..but still has some play in it....will drive it later and see if this did the trick
can one of you guys see if you have any play in the connection bewtween the clip that plugs in and the tps


Chad I used to have some serious Idle isues but a new iac took care of that.
Thanks for the input

Kevin,
I just checked my TPS, and it is solid/tight - NO slop whatsoever!
Later,
 
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kevin96rt

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Hey Guys
Thanks for all the response...they all helped point me in the right direction problem is solved after 3 months..
The connection between the wire and tps sensor was loose..everything looked normal and it is a new tps but the connector that plugs into it must just be old
Thanks again:2tu::2tu:
 

ruckdr

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So who get's the case of beer? I think I should since I'm closer to ya :D. Glad to hear you fixed the prob :2tu:

0209 CLK,
Actually, I sent Kevin on the trip to check connections, albeit not the TPS; however, you are indeed closer -- enjoy the beer.
:2tu::2tu:

Kevin, glad you fixed the problem, and glad you posted the solution. So many times problems are solved, but the fixes are not posted.
 

V10SpeedLuvr

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0209 CLK,
Actually, I sent Kevin on the trip to check connections, albeit not the TPS; however, you are indeed closer -- enjoy the beer.
:2tu::2tu:

Hang on now...

2. Be sure the connector is tight on your TPS.

Posted a mere 22 mins after Kevin originally posted. I'll take Budlight (I'm a cheap date). Please also send the ******* girl to serve it :cool:
 
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kevin96rt

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Alright I'll settle this Chad(mention of tps connector)and Don(mention of wiggling his map while car was running)
I put the two together and problem solved...So I technically owe both of you guys... pm me and I'll hook you boys up as I am a man of my work
CLK I can also respect the fact you just enjoy beer so when I do see you out first one is one me
Kevin:headbang:
 

V10SpeedLuvr

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So I technically owe both of you guys... pm me and I'll hook you boys up as I am a man of my work

No need for any hookups. I'm just here to help, you being a fellow 96 RT/10er makes it even more enjoyable to help :) Now ofcourse, if you really were going to send a ******* girl, I take back what I said and will PM you my mailing address :D
 

ruckdr

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Alright I'll settle this Chad(mention of tps connector)and Don(mention of wiggling his map while car was running)
I put the two together and problem solved...So I technically owe both of you guys... pm me and I'll hook you boys up as I am a man of my work
CLK I can also respect the fact you just enjoy beer so when I do see you out first one is one me
Kevin:headbang:

Kevin,
You owe me nothing; that is what this site is all about - helping through experience.
Now you need the Redline Shift Beeper (Modifry Products Home Page) for you ride. Great addition and NOT costly.

Later,
 

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