What's Going On Here..

[Millertime80]

It's nothing too major, but I've had my car ('93 240 hatch) for about a month now and some issues have just sorta come up in the last week or two outta nowhere. It may be nothing to worry about, but I honestly have no idea. I am horrible at diagnosing car problems, as I am 17 and this is my first sports car haha

My brother has been guiding me through it and thinks I may need a new cat or maybe get the computer checked, but I just wanted to get a second opinion.

Here's whats been going on:1. My car revs itself at stop lights and whatnot.2. As I start moving in first my RPMs move at a very inconsistent speed. It may be really slow at one point, and then they next second shoot up really high. This causes me to jerk in 1st. Doesn't get smooth until 3rd really.3. My exhaust makes a popping noise every so often.4. My car turned itself off this morning while I was moving in a parking lot. Started up fine after that. I drove home from school and to work no problem. Kinda random.5. My engine makes a knocking sound VERY subtly when I'm stopped. I noticed this when I was listening to my car rev itself at lights. The hood has also started to shake a little more violently than it used to a week or two ago.6. My engine is starting to smell a little after I get where I am going.7. I now have to get on and off the throttle when I start my car.. something I didn't have to do until a new fuel injector was installed on my 3rd cylinder last week.

It could be nothing, but I thought I'd ask. Any ideas?

[94_240sx]

Find s13 in good running condition and swap MAF sensor and see if it still does the same.

[the converted]

My first look would be at the tps and make sure it sweeps smoothly from idle to wide open.

[Millertime80]

Ok, the problem has turned into something major. All of the above didn't seem too bad at first but within the next day my car started dying everytime I put the clutch in (just like when I pulled into my parking spot like I describe in my first post). It doesn't die instantly.. the RPMs just drop until it hits zero and then it turns off. Sometimes it actually saves itself. As long as I keep the revs up its alright but that gets annoying and difficult.

We tested the tps and it was in fact not reading correctly. I bought a new one, we put it on, and the problem is no better. My brother still thinks the cat is clogged. What else could it be? The MAF is reading fine.

[nissanman04]

vacuum leak?

[Taylor008]

I'm with nissanman. Check for vacuum leaks, also check your IACV.

[sebazztard]

also check your IACV.

[Millertime80]

Can you explain what that does? Sorry I'm still learning the basics. lol

What bothers me about it is that it gradually got worse (over the course of a day) until it just died everytime. It started out and I was able to deal with it if i just put my emergency lights on and started it again haha, but now it's way too frequent.

I'm also a little bother by the fact that my tps was reading garbage and when we put the new one in it did absolutely nothing.

[Snappshoota]

IACV tut.zerothread?id=251133

[Millertime80]

Ok. Now the shop is telling me that its because of the injen intake kit that is on there? because the crank case ventilation is after the Maf? Is that possible? Ive never read that they had a design flaw or you had to do something to them?

the skip was the injector, we bought one, it was defective, so had to get another one. so now its just sluggish, and the idle still jumps around.

[safin]

IACV tut.zerothread?id=251133

[Millertime80]

not trying to be a pain, looking for understanding, but how would the IACV affect the cars power and surging ( just a tiny bit) during normal driving conditions other than a vaccum leak in the line?

[94_240sx]

Ok. Now the shop is telling me that its because of the injen intake kit that is on there? because the crank case ventilation is after the Maf? Is that possible? Ive never read that they had a design flaw or you had to do something to them?

I have Injen also and no problem. Disconnect the battery and reconnect if you haven't done it yet.

[sebazztard]

clean out your iacv, mine had the same problem. you need unplug a vaccum line from your intake and spray carb cleaner or intake cleaner into it WHILE the car is running. theres a write up here or zilvia on it. do a lil research, and that mechanic is an idoit, go elsewhere.

[bamracing]

Have you checked/replaced the fuel filter?

[zenkistic]

Off-topic, but I am glad to see a 17 year old who can punctuate and post something that makes sense. Hope you get your problem solved.

[Millertime80]

Off-topic, but I am glad to see a 17 year old who can punctuate and post something that makes sense. Hope you get your problem solved.

Thank you, I appreciate that.

My brother decided that mechanic is an idiot as well, because it just doesn't seem to make sense mechanically. They are going to replace the fuel injector (again, because the first one they put in was deffective) and then we are going to get it back and try to figrue it out ourselves. I'll keep you guys posted. Thank you for the help so far!