Hey I just got my CAI kit today when i woke up this morning. Put it on and loved the new sound of the air rushing in when i revved up the engine. Took it out to drive, ran fine. I started working on my audio set up ( custom box with 2 12") and I needed a part, so i hoped in and left. I couldn't get the car to go above 3000 RPM or above 30 MPH. So i had to turn around and come back.

So I thought about it, disconnected my CAI, turned the car on. Same result, couldn't go about 3000 RPM, couldn't even get it to go pass 1000 RPM while in gear with brakes applied ( wouldnt break the tires loose).

Thought about it more, disconnected the battery, left it alone for like a good 2 hours while I continued working on my sounds system. Reconnected it, car ran fine. So I put the CAI back on, still ran fine. Let it idle for awhile. Same thing happened, 3000 RPM limit, no power to break the wheels loose.

So tonight i have the car battery disconnected, and ill let the computer reset it self again.

Am I on the right track, letting the computer reset and leaving the CAI on so the senors (MAF, and i assume the air temp sensor) are connected to the computer can recalibrate itself to the new values its reading?
Also after I start it up in the morning, should I drive it steady for 10 mins to the computer "re-learn" the new values?

Thanks, Ill continue searching on google and this site if I can find more info if anyone can't get back to me.

 

Also, just to ask. Would anyone know why after I run the car for a long period of time (1 hr +) and when I park it, i get smoke coming from my Cat on my exhaust? I tracked it down to that area, smoke comes up from shifter, from under the hood, and out the side of the car. And today I actually saw where it was coming from.

Smells like oil, i looked under the car and so did my dad. Couldn't find any visible oil leaks.

Just wondering if the problem ran often in the camaros or not and seeing if anyone might have an idea where the oil is coming from.

Thanks

 

Tap on the cat with a rubber hammer and listen for noise. Chances are good it's got "chunks" of honeycomb dancing around inside and when it gets in the right position, it clogs the exhaust stream causing you the problems you listed.

 

I 2nd this

 

def sounds like a clogged cat. does the exhaust seem muffled some?

 

Yes the exhaust seems very muffled, i can reeve up the engine and it sounds pretty much the same. Ill get a hammer and check.

Could the clogged exhaust be cause my engine to lose power and not want to go above 3000 RPM?

 

yes

 

Tapped on it a few times with a big cresent wrench, definitely a rattling sound.

So I guess my option is to get a new Cat uh?

Any temporary fixes? I move in my dorm this monday, and i need a car...

 

Since you are going to replace it any way, gut it.

 

Update, got a new direct fit magnaflow cat and y pipe. Got them on today, it made a big difference!! I could actually tell that my muffler wasnt a POS after all. ( I just bought this car 2 weeks ago) I could hear it just rubble with that low tone which got me all kinds of excited but i wont go there...today ....

Anyways, got the car started. Same Problem, throttle it up and the RPM gauge bounces everywhere and the engine sounds like its stuttering. Let off the gas, let it idle back down...was fine then it started acting up again and died. Couldnt get it back started. Dad checked a plug, no spark. Went and traced it back to the coil, Replaced the Coil with a $40 BWN Premium coil pack. Started right up, took out to road, same problem.

Im down to think its either something with the Opti or my ICM?

Any opinions on this?

 

Speedy,

Thanks for the advice, the guy at the part store told me the same thing.
At least i know i can gut the damn thing if it happens to me in the future. But i needed a new one anyways, car is way pass due on the inspection

 

Update, Replaced the ICM. Car Started up and ran fine, until it warmed up.
Went out and bought a code scanner.

Throwin out the code DTC 36, which from one thread i read means the opti senor. and another was a bad fuel pressure regulator.

Symptoms of car:

1. starts great cold
2. throttle it up and it stutters with the RPM gauge going crazy back and forth
3. Well run fine idleing for a while, then it will start doing the the same as above. stutters and stutters until it finally the PCM "clean shuts" the engine off.
4. Scanner threw out the DTC code 36 "opti sensor"

What ive done so far:
1. replaced the coil and ICM
2. replaced the bad cat with a new magnaflow cat w/ y pipes
3. already did a tune up a week ago, new AC Delco plugs, and BWD Premium wires. oil change and K&N oil filter.

At one time we did find a vacuum hose disconnected off the intake manifold, it leads to some sort of senor im guess that is directly above your coil/ICM and you have move it out of your way to get to the coil/ICM. Has 2 vacuum hoses and a wire connection going to it. After connecting it, i had one good run with the car around the block, engine cooled back down during the run, and i was able to throttle it all the way up and it ran great. We wanted to make sure it was THAT vacuum hose, so we disconnected it and ran it again. Ran badly like mentioned before, reconnected it and ran again. Same result, ran badly. So I dont think that was the main issue.

Ill continue to due my research and hopefully one of you know or have an idea what the culprit could be.

Thanks

 

The vacuum line you found loose appears to be running to the AIR system vacuum solenoid, that was installed as part of the AIR pump recall. Does your setup look like this (shown in middle diagram on bottom row):

(courtesy of Shoebox)

http://shbox.com/1/air_pump_recall.jpg

DTC 36 is for loss of high resolution pulse signal from the optical cam position sensor in the Opti. The engine will run without that signal, since the PCM can still rely on the low resolution pulse to determine cam position. Ignition timing accuracy is reduced slightly when that happens. It sounds like the Opti optical sensor module may be heat soaking.

What was the exact second code you found. There is no code in OBD-I for the fuel pressure regulator, so what you posted can't be right.

 

oh sorry, what i meant by that was i search the forum for dtc code 36 and i found a thread talking about how this guy's 94 z28 was chunkin the 36 code at him and he actually fixed his problem by replacing the FPR. And he originally thought it was his opti

But in my case i highly doubt that is whats causing my issues.


Talked it over with my dad, decided we're gonna wake up early tomorrow morning, and pull the opti out.


What exactly would i need to replace beside the Opti Cap & rotor w/ new WP gaskets and such? I tried looking up the part for the optical sensor, but couldn't find anything. Is it with the Cap and Rotor set? Or does it lay deeper into the cam area?




That doesn't come with the Cap & Rotor kit uh?

 

I haven't seen a source for the optical sensor module. You have to buy a complete, GM Opti. The back 1/2 has the optical module, and a bearing that rusts. Replacing the cap and rotor will only solve high voltage problems.