sputtering at speed

**jalaltariq** · 01-15-2014

Hey guys, I told you I was slow. I got the flush done with no apparent problems. Check engine light actually went off for a whole two or three hours. My code reader finally came in the mail. So when the light finally came back on (I knew it wouldn't take long) it threw codes 0304 (misfire in 4 which I knew was there) What was new was a 1518. Additionally, when I first got everything done, I had black liquid come out of a joint between my muffler and tailpipe. I figure that was normal as I hasn't done it again since. So off to the 1518 I go. Supposedly a TAC issue.

**Scottydoggs** · 01-15-2014

that would explain a lot.

**jalaltariq** · 01-16-2014

LOL, that's cryptic. That's like going to the doctor for a lump on the side of your head and the doc says, "hmmmm, that's interesting. That explains a lot," and he walks out of the room. What explains what? LOL

**Scottydoggs** · 01-16-2014

the P1518 code. fix that up.

**jalaltariq** · 01-16-2014

You have a link to a fix? I saw some stuff on here that involves a bunch of testing with a multimeter that put me to sleep immediately.

**Scottydoggs** · 01-16-2014

http://engine-codes.com/p1518_chevrolet.html Throttle Actuator Control, or the gas pedal assembly can fail and cause this.

check the wires to it as well. just like the maf wires, they all dry rot and break someday.

**jalaltariq** · 01-22-2014

Hey people, car still running. Still running the same 1518 code. Been a little cold so I have had the chance to trace and inspect all the wiring to the TAC. I also need to top off my coolant, its been gurgling behind the dash (hope its not a heater issue). Anyway, I notice a high pitched whine when the car is revved at high rpms. Sound seems to be coming from around the alternator, water/power steering pump. I thinks its the ps pump as it did it before and putting fluid in it made the noise go away. Any other suggestions as to what it may be? I'm pretty sure I need a new pump or new lines as I think its leaking from somewhere.

**Scottydoggs** · 01-22-2014

clean your pump area, find the leak, replace whats leaking. if it quiets down with after topping it off, it still works. something is leaking. pumps do leak as well.

the gurgling sounds in the dash is your heater core. its got air in it. take the 2 heater hoses off the alt bracket and flush one hose with a garden hose till clear water comes out the other heater hose. then put them back on the alt bracket.

and your heat should be nice and hot after the flush too. better then it was if it even works now. most of the time its real weak if you hear it sloshing around.

**jalaltariq** · 01-22-2014

anything special I should clean that area with?

**jalaltariq** · 01-22-2014

That is most definitely true. I noticed that too. The car would eventually get warm inside but only a lukewarm flow.

**Scottydoggs** · 01-22-2014

i like crc de greaser, some like purple power. theres other brands like gunk foamy engine brite.

never hurts to clean the whole engine bay up. if you have the stock air box still you can literally hose the whole engine and every part under the hood with out worry.

buy 2 cans, 1 is never enough.

if you have car ramps, drive up on them, then degrease from the bottom first, then spray the top down. follow the directions wait time, then hose it down. if you reach in from the pass side wheel well you can get the tranny pretty good too. spray the back side of the tranny pan and above it too. and the rack and lines the best you can. wear old cloths too, de greaser stinks. a hat is a good idea as well as some eye protection.

if you have a open cone air filter, take it off, get a plastic bag and use a rubber band to seal off the TB. and try not to soak the living daylights out the alt. it can get wet but dont hose it more then it needs.

if you have a air compressor you can spray the water off the top of the engine, ( the lim bolts fill up with water) if not it will dissipate on its own.

**jalaltariq** · 01-28-2014

Just a casual aside, I just read a wiki how that said put an egg in the radiator. LOL Anyone ever tried that?

**jalaltariq** · 01-28-2014

okay, washed the engine like a new baby bottom. got all the gunk off. definitely have a leak either in the PS pump or one of the lines. That diagnosis will have to wait until I can get more than two days of 70 degree weather. Now I've developed a leak either on the hose I used to do the coolant flush or somewhere lower on the radiator. I can see the dripping, just not where from. What's your take on stop leak? I've used it before on a 77 grand prix many, many years ago with no problems. In fact, I drove from Richmond, Indiana to Gary, Indiana with a totally ruptured radiator. Stop leak held it together, but then again it was like 83 or so. But I digress, if anyone recommends it, what brand? I know its a stop gap solution but if you read the prior posts you know what I'm going thru.

**Scottydoggs** · 01-28-2014

find and fix the leak is the best way to go, check your hose you took off, make sure its on all the way and the clamp is on right.

**jalaltariq** · 01-28-2014

Its not the hose, it is totally dry all the way around both on the hose as well as at the junction. I can see the drip but not where its coming from. I can see moisture on the back side of the radiator so I'm thinking its somewhere in there. As you know, there's a boatload of fans and cowls covering the back side of the radiator so I can only see so far down into it without disassembling the whole thing.

**Scottydoggs** · 01-28-2014

if its leaking from the fins its rad time. sometimes they can be repaired, you can cut crimp and solder the ends of the cut tube. it needs to come out of the car to be worked on really if trying this out, or a radiator repair shop could fix it.

my side tank just split a week or so ago, JB weld is holding it pretty good for now, till i can get a new rad in there.

**jalaltariq** · 01-31-2014

Okay here's the latest. did the flush, developed a leak. don't have the funds nor the tech knowhow to weld-patch-replace my radiator. Started with a bit of steam from the upper rad hose. I attributed that to my removing it to do the coolant flush. I'll probably replace it any so no biggie. Then I had the slow leak issue from somewhere on the engine side (I assume) of the rad. Can't really see due to all the accoutrements between the rad and the engine. So dropped in some stop leak. Leak seemed to get worse. Today, however, cyl 4 misfire light went away, 1518 went away. Light went off and didn't come back on. Car ran smoother than its had since last summer. Almost no shimmy, barely perceptible misfire. Problem is my temp gauge went to the red. No steam from under the hood, coolant still in the overflow tank. Level went down but I marked that up to the slow leak. Any ideas what now? If all the coolant leaked out over time, which I doubt because I see maybe a cup at a time when I do see it on the ground. I guess I could be missing it while driving but I'm stumped. Defective t-stat? I replaced it when I did the flush.

**Scottydoggs** · 01-31-2014

fix the leak. asap. maybe the temp sensor is gunked up from the stop leak? maybe take it out and clean it. if the didnt feel like it was over heating?

**jalaltariq** · 01-31-2014

Dude, do you ever sleep? I swear I could post here at 2am and you'll hit me back in like five minutes. LOL Where's the temp sensor b4 I google it? I won't be able to get all my probs addressed until at least the middle of the month. (yay tax time) I'm just trying to babysit my girl until I can pay someone to fix it. Funny thing is, I've been babying it over the last two months or so. I think I've been over 60 in it once. I only use it to take my kid to school maybe three blocks away. Let me wife go pick him up today, asked how it ran, she said "oh it was cool, but when I parked it, it was hissing." Hissing??? Hissing??? what did the temp gauge say? "Oh, I didn't even think to look at that." smh My wife has the lead foot in the family. LOL