87 Gt. Tlc List, What Next?

NoTreadDyl

Member
Oct 11, 2016
49
3
18
Hey guys,

Some of you may have noticed some posts I have made in the past couple months since getting my 87 gt. It was not running and not it is being used daily but still a ways to go to get her running optimal. I have fixed a number of things but still have unresolved symptoms. Here is a list of the symptoms, followed by a list of what I have already done. I have referred to most of Jrichker's list and made a lot of progress from those lists and other threads on this site! Please read what I have done before suggesting what to do next!

Symptoms:
1) Poor idle.
I have gone through Jrichker's "surging idle checklist". After cleaning the EGR valve and than cleaning and resetting the TPS the cars idle was pretty much good to go for a couple weeks. Now it is back to revving upwards of 2000 rpm when the clutch is engaged or it is in neutral. Before, the cars idle would reset to normal if I turned it off indicating the TPS being dirty or faulty. As mentioned, I cleaned and re-set TPS and it was running fine. Now when I turn it off and back on, the high revs are not fixed, it will sometimes go right back up to 2000 rpm. Half the time it will idle between 750-1000 rpm now, and sometimes it will even go as low as 500rpm. I checked the IAC and it has 12 volts, .4 when I jump the red wire with the white/light blue. Is this good? Should I just clean it next

2) Smells rich but backfires/pops as if it is lean!!
I discovered my purge canister valve solenoid is missing and right now the charcoal can has the line from the fuel line going into it, than the line that goes from the solenoid to the intake is not there. Is it possible it smells rich because of fuel vapors escaping the canister into the engine bay and than the surround area? But that the car is actually running lean? It pops on deceleration most all of the time and the plugs are light grey? I have got the solenoid and new vacuum lines but having a hell of a time sourcing the solenoid harness. What should I do next? Is this likely the cause of the smell? And does the popping and plugs indicate lean?

3) Still smokes sometimes! Cylinder balance test was good, car runs good and feels strong. It is intermittent and does not smoke on start up so I really don't wanna think rings or sticky valves. It smokes about half the time I come to a red light and sometimes when I accelerate after it smokes at a red. Smoke is blue I am pretty sure, hard to tell in this weather but she goes through a litre of oil every 2-3 weeks so probably confirms its oil burning. So if it is not valves or rings, than what the hell is causing this!

So far I have done the following:
-Dumped codes which are as follows:
-KOEO, 31, 85, 23, 63 (Set TPS since this)
-KOER, 94, 44, 31, 23, 94, 95
-Clean tps and replace gasket, re-set to around .8 volts.
-Replaced cracked crankcase ventilation tube.
-Checked ECT sensors resistance, it is all good.
-Checked IAC but have not yet cleaned it.
-Confirmed firing order is correct.
-Checked plugs, they are light grey.

So I am still trying to get the harness I need to to finish setting the purge valve solenoid and canister back up, if I can't locate it, I did find a one sided harness, should I buy that and hard wire it?
Just hoping to get some advice on what tests to perform next, etc.

Thanks guys!
 
  • Sponsors (?)


If you can wire up the one sided harness you have do it unless you have to hack the main harness, I personally don't hack up harnesses and get a little testy when others do, but thats me.
I thought I saw a harness pictured on the other post. Maybe better to keep your posts all together so people know of previous stuff done and what your specs are, motor trans and the like, similar to a build thread, just my opinion thought.
 
If you can wire up the one sided harness you have do it unless you have to hack the main harness, I personally don't hack up harnesses and get a little testy when others do, but thats me.
I thought I saw a harness pictured on the other post. Maybe better to keep your posts all together so people know of previous stuff done and what your specs are, motor trans and the like, similar to a build thread, just my opinion thought.

The harness pictured I can not find anywhere locally, just one that is like the photo but has just wires on one end.
I agree, this is why I made this post, to have it all in one one place as opposed to just adding random things to a thread I made about one specific thing! Maybe I should change the title?
 
Let me look in a pile of harnesses I have, I may have what you need. Another thing maybe to look for the connector end that is missing and make the 'pins' fit, I think you can buy replacement connectors for the sensors, I've seen some someplace just have to remember where, I think rockauto,
 
Let me look in a pile of harnesses I have, I may have what you need. Another thing maybe to look for the connector end that is missing and make the 'pins' fit, I think you can buy replacement connectors for the sensors, I've seen some someplace just have to remember where, I think rockauto,

I am located in Canada, are you from here as well? I found the harness on LMR but after conversion rate and such it was going to be like $140 for a freaking harness and some clips for the rear window trim, I just can't afford that kind of duckets for so little right now. Would I make the car run to rich if I was to run a vacuum line temporarily from the canister directly to the intake bypassing the solenoid? I just want to stop reeking of gas. Also seams like maybe its running lean anyways so maybe that would help ?
 
Duckets? wtf? Yea, well no I'm in Florida, and yes you can run the vac line to the canister without the valve, I don't know what the consequences would be. I think it would cause problems just don't know what they would be. Let me look around to see if I can find one for ya, maybe someone here is in north country that can help, maybe @jrichker knows of someone on here from that area or can offer an alternative.
Would shipping/postal rate be bad from here to there?