Hey guys,

I posted a while back about this issue but didn't get much response. After reading and thinking for a while, I'm still mostly at a loss about what is causing this problem.

When the engine is cold, it will start but only stay running if I keep my foot on the gas and keep the RPMs above 1k. Once the coolant temperature gauge rises to the second marking, and only when it reaches that same point each time, it will run on its own.

On its own, you'd think it would be the coolant temperature sensor or something like that. But the other problem that began at the same time as this one is a loss of high RPM power. Under normal circumstances, the engine pulls decently to 3500 RPM and then really surges in power above that, but since my problem began, there has been no higher rpm surge, and above 5000 RPM it simply runs out of power. It's to the point where it will rev higher, but as soon as you go into the next gear and the revs drop back down, there's actually a surge of power as if there's more horsepower lower down in the revs than in the upper power band.

So to sum up, these two problems began at the same time. The symptoms are that the engine will not idle on its own until warmed up and runs out of power between about 4 and 7k RPM (though this seems to vary slightly depending on the day, but it is never "normal").

I've also ordered a new high pressure hydraulic hose which will hopefully cure or at least help pinpoint my hydraulic issues. I currently have a lack of steering assist and the brake pedal is stiff on the first stop or two and loosens up suddenly.

 

Alright, I finally got around to checking the codes. I just bought a 12V LED from radioshack and used a scrap piece of wire for the ground, and it worked! I got five codes:

2232 - Air Mass Sensor
2212 - Throttle valve potentiometer
2342 - Oxygen Sensor
4343 - Carbon Canister Solenoid Valve, valve 1
4331 - Carbon Canister Solenoid Valve, valve 2

Those are the codes and their meaning according to 20V.org.

 

I took stuff apart today and cleaned the MAF sensor, throttle body, and electrical connectors. Everything but the throttle body looked fine before I even began, and even the throttle body wasn't bad. Just needed some minor cleaning. No difference in the way it ran though when I put it back together.

With the codes I've already listed, and with the cleaning not making any differences, do you guys have any suggestions? I kind of hate to just start throwing more parts at it until it runs right.

To review, the car does not idle on its own before it is warmed up. If it's a warm day like it has been, sometimes the idle will seem like it levels off but it's never for more than a couple seconds before it starts to stumble and stall unless I intervene and give it some gas. The car also runs out of power at higher rpm. I haven't actually taken the car on a drive since I cleaned everything, but I'd strongly suspect that's still the case.

Thoughts?

 

Well these definitely aren't the same. Is the new one actually supposed to be missing the connection next to the base of the wire? All the options on RockAuto show the same kind of thing, but it clearly doesn't exactly match the stock part.