Washed my engine bay the other day - done it many times b4 without issues - but this time it's decided to act up.
Starts fine and will not die. For a few days after washing it, it would chug and stutter while idling and driving - like I was abruptly getting on the gas, then lifting. Thought if I got it nice and warm on a long fast drive it would dry something out and problems would go away. Didn't work (tried several times now). At times it would bog - the gas pedal had NO effect whatsoever and car would decelerate on it's own.
Then the chugging and stuttering and bogging went away - only to be replaced by a high idle (2000 rpm!). So I thought disconnecting the battery would help reset the computer and whatever sensor was acting up. Didn't work - all that did was bring back the chugging and bogging and stuttering. Now, after another night of driving around, it's back to it's high-idle thing (which is actually preferential vs. the sudden bucking and bogging in city traffic) - but it's embarrassing and frustrating me to no end!
Any ideas? If I can't figure it out by Friday afternoon, it's going to the shop cause I'm just f'ing sick of it acting up on me.

 

The 89' has a VG engine (?) correct? If so you might want to check out your Dist for leakage. I had a similiar problem in my Probe GT, a watery disty = unhappy engine. The chugging / high idle problem could be attributed to the emu trying to compensate for such a problem.

 

TPS -pool has now toads growing bigger... take water out, and they'll dry.

Btw. GeneRally its better to keep the computer room dry!

 

Yes, the '89 has a VG. However, it also has a distributor cap cover, and because I was spraying mainly from the top, and only with low pressure, the water never got under this cover. I know cause I took that cover off and it was still dusty, dirty underneath it. So I'm fairly sure it's not distributor related. All plugs are firing and all wires are fine too.

I too suspected the TPS because of the revving and the time the throttle seemed to do NOTHING. But I can't see how any water would have penetrated the casing?? I've disconnected the wiring harness and the connections were dry.

Last night I drove home from the girlfriends, and it was idling at about 2200 rpm. I pulled into my spot and turned it off after about 5 seconds just sitting there. This morning I go out and ran fine at first, then it idled up a couple times on it's own, then returned to normal. So it seems to be slowly working it's self out - but I still wanna know what's causing it.

Does our car have a limp home mode? That would explain the high idle after the chugging and stuttering. Cars just compensating.

 

Yes, 2200rpm limit.

TPS is a open haystack.
see http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/748507/6

 

So are you saying I just need to take the cover off the TPS and dry it out and clean it, then seal the case? Or do I need to re-calibrate or replace the entire unit now? (electronics is NOT my forte...)

 

If your problem is water in TPS, thats it. Easier is to make a hole, and flood it with cleaner, as depicted on my web page. ...Or install a blower overnight blowing against the case. Sealing is done not to get the tingie wet again...

New one is about 90$. Adjustment is only rotating the assy with loosened screws, zero pos sw has juts close when throttle off. Its all there on the webpage, and/or service manual.

 

Ok thanks for the tips. Will give it a shot tomorrow. Hopefully that's the only issue.

 

Man, you keep me laughing.

 

Nice to hear! Some seem to be crying for my typos, but then, nothin seem to be well in their world. ...Facts (?) are most enjoyable: the squirrel -story here is still my favorite, how the described fault evolution grew during one week until the car did not start. It was decribed as fact: Bunch of squirrels went for daily food un his/her the hood...

 

if that dont work, check the oil, might be a water problem in the oil, ya never know, weird stuff always happens.

 

thats what i call a big signature pic

 

THIS ISN"T A BIG BLOCk where ya buy degreeser in the gallon and power was it. LOl... I did the same... I was driving the next day and the car shut off in traffic. The moisture snapped the engine control fuse.

 

Mine occasionally does this after I drive through the car wash. Still haven't figured it out yet but it always clears up eventually.

 

bad wires, cracked plugs???? happened to my sister in her 1988 Ford Thunderbird....