Two weird problems
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,272
From: Da Bronx
Two weird problems
I have two weird problems with the car. The first one is code 0401. Air Intake Sensor.
After I re-oiled my stillen pop charger the engine light came on. I picked up a sensor from autozone and still the cel still came back on. So I ordered a new sensor and this time the engine light stays off for a little while but than comes back on.
I ran an independent test on both sensors. I'm getting exact resistance readings at different temperatures which tells me the sensors are in working order. I checked the connectors and I'm getting 4.85 volts and about 0.2 volts for ground.
I have no idea what's causing the engine light to stay on. I'm thinking of running by pass wires to both the ecm and AT control unit.
Would an intermediate problem with my temperature sensor cause the IAT to come on even though I'm not getting a cel for the temp sensor?
The other thing is I'm not sure of my modified ECU can be the problem.
The second problem is starting to make my car unsafe. While I'm driving, if I tap the brake the car will lose almost shut down. This is an intermediate problem. Its electrical because the radio turns off than back on. After a few times of tapping the brake and if I'm driving like 20 mph the car just dies. Its not a problem related to stalling though. There's like an electrical short that causes the electrical parts of the car to shut down. Its happening when I have the heater on.
I'm not sure if this is attributed to a quick fix I had to do on my MAF connector. I had to cut the plug on the maf sensor. I took female connectors from a spare ECU harness and spliced each wire (3 total) to make a new connection. If say one of the connections on the maf sensor is not fully secure would this cause an electrical short to make the car shut off?
After I re-oiled my stillen pop charger the engine light came on. I picked up a sensor from autozone and still the cel still came back on. So I ordered a new sensor and this time the engine light stays off for a little while but than comes back on.
I ran an independent test on both sensors. I'm getting exact resistance readings at different temperatures which tells me the sensors are in working order. I checked the connectors and I'm getting 4.85 volts and about 0.2 volts for ground.
I have no idea what's causing the engine light to stay on. I'm thinking of running by pass wires to both the ecm and AT control unit.
Would an intermediate problem with my temperature sensor cause the IAT to come on even though I'm not getting a cel for the temp sensor?
The other thing is I'm not sure of my modified ECU can be the problem.
The second problem is starting to make my car unsafe. While I'm driving, if I tap the brake the car will lose almost shut down. This is an intermediate problem. Its electrical because the radio turns off than back on. After a few times of tapping the brake and if I'm driving like 20 mph the car just dies. Its not a problem related to stalling though. There's like an electrical short that causes the electrical parts of the car to shut down. Its happening when I have the heater on.
I'm not sure if this is attributed to a quick fix I had to do on my MAF connector. I had to cut the plug on the maf sensor. I took female connectors from a spare ECU harness and spliced each wire (3 total) to make a new connection. If say one of the connections on the maf sensor is not fully secure would this cause an electrical short to make the car shut off?
I looked in the FSM and it lists another sensor that could be responsible. From page EC-117 of the 1997 (page EC- of the 1998) FSM:
P0110 (0401) Malfunction is detected when ...
A) An excessively low or high voltage from the sensor is entered to ECM.
B) Rationally incorrect voltage from the sensor is entered to ECM, compared with the voltage signal from engine coolant temperature sensor.
As for the engine dying, all I can do is take guesses. A true short (wire touches ground) will either blow a fuse or the wire goes up in smoke. Neither the wire fix on the MAF or the brake pedal is shorting IMO. I am wondering about your charging system. Is it bad? Is it good but overloaded? Get a voltmeter and check the voltage. When the car is running, is the voltage approx 14.5? What happens when you step on the brake pedal?
P0110 (0401) Malfunction is detected when ...
A) An excessively low or high voltage from the sensor is entered to ECM.
B) Rationally incorrect voltage from the sensor is entered to ECM, compared with the voltage signal from engine coolant temperature sensor.
As for the engine dying, all I can do is take guesses. A true short (wire touches ground) will either blow a fuse or the wire goes up in smoke. Neither the wire fix on the MAF or the brake pedal is shorting IMO. I am wondering about your charging system. Is it bad? Is it good but overloaded? Get a voltmeter and check the voltage. When the car is running, is the voltage approx 14.5? What happens when you step on the brake pedal?
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While I'm driving, if I tap the brake the car will lose almost shut down. This is an intermediate problem. Its electrical because the radio turns off than back on. After a few times of tapping the brake and if I'm driving like 20 mph the car just dies. Its not a problem related to stalling though. There's like an electrical short that causes the electrical parts of the car to shut down. Its happening when I have the heater on.
I'm not sure if this is attributed to a quick fix I had to do on my MAF connector. I had to cut the plug on the maf sensor.
I'm not sure if this is attributed to a quick fix I had to do on my MAF connector. I had to cut the plug on the maf sensor.
Check all grounds, go over the splice on the MAF plug.
Check the output of the alternator, connect a multi meter and monitor the voltage while you drive.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,272
From: Da Bronx
Thanks guys. Not on here often. I changed the alternator with a POS autozone one last summer. I'm wondering if that can be the problem.
Its pretty bad because today I'm driving 10 or 15 mph and hit the brake and I lose all power to the point that absolutely nothing turns on. No headlights, no radio, nothing. There's a complete disconnect between the battery and the car.
No fuses are being blown.
Right now I'm going to switch from my technosquare ecu to my old ECU. See what happens with changing that. I'm also thinking of getting a new main power cable that goes to the positive to the starter and fuse box.
Its pretty bad because today I'm driving 10 or 15 mph and hit the brake and I lose all power to the point that absolutely nothing turns on. No headlights, no radio, nothing. There's a complete disconnect between the battery and the car.
No fuses are being blown.
Right now I'm going to switch from my technosquare ecu to my old ECU. See what happens with changing that. I'm also thinking of getting a new main power cable that goes to the positive to the starter and fuse box.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,272
From: Da Bronx
The no power scenerio was only happening when I used to start the car. For the longest I thought it might be the ignition switch but I changed that a long time ago. Its more of a disconnect between the power supply and something on the car.
So it happens two ways.
One intermediate way is when I try to start the car. I may get everything working at the on switch but when I turn to start I get nothing at all. If the car shorts its like the car needs to reboot.
The second intermediate problem is while driving the car is now shutting off at low MPH.
So it happens two ways.
One intermediate way is when I try to start the car. I may get everything working at the on switch but when I turn to start I get nothing at all. If the car shorts its like the car needs to reboot.
The second intermediate problem is while driving the car is now shutting off at low MPH.
Last edited by speed racer; Apr 29, 2011 at 05:30 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 4,005
From: Worcester, MA
The no power scenerio was only happening when I used to start the car. For the longest I thought it might be the ignition switch but I changed that a long time ago. Its more of a disconnect between the power supply and something on the car.
So it happens two ways.
One intermediate way is when I try to start the car. I may get everything working at the on switch but when I turn to start I get nothing at all. If the car shorts its like the car needs to reboot.
The second intermediate problem is while driving the car is now shutting off at low MPH.
So it happens two ways.
One intermediate way is when I try to start the car. I may get everything working at the on switch but when I turn to start I get nothing at all. If the car shorts its like the car needs to reboot.
The second intermediate problem is while driving the car is now shutting off at low MPH.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,272
From: Da Bronx
update.
Car is acting normal. Cross fingers, knock on wood.
What I did was remove the ground wire to battery and engine block. I used a 50/50 mix of baking soda and water. Using a toothbrush I cleaned as much as possible the green stuff off the wires. Using steel wool I also tried to get as much contaminates off as possible to clean it.
The next thing I did was get rid of the quick release clamp on the negative terminal. I purchased a gold plated terminal to replace it. I also removed the grounding kit from the negative terminal.
Been driving for about 100 miles, but no cel and no loss of power when I hit the brakes.
Car is acting normal. Cross fingers, knock on wood.
What I did was remove the ground wire to battery and engine block. I used a 50/50 mix of baking soda and water. Using a toothbrush I cleaned as much as possible the green stuff off the wires. Using steel wool I also tried to get as much contaminates off as possible to clean it.
The next thing I did was get rid of the quick release clamp on the negative terminal. I purchased a gold plated terminal to replace it. I also removed the grounding kit from the negative terminal.
Been driving for about 100 miles, but no cel and no loss of power when I hit the brakes.
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