Lately id say within the past week my 97 cavi 2.2L has been acttin quite weird...
its had a very rough idle that actually shakes the car(mounts seem to be just fine)
and its "puting' kind of weird too causing it to hesitate to accelerate. If you floor the gas though there is no hesitation...the car just flys. It only really seems to happen at lower rpm's

Its about due for an oil change which I will be doing tomorrow. I already replaced the spark plugs today and the wires seem just fine.

About 2 months ago though I replaced the cat. because the interior "collapsed" due to running richly too long (I had put off maintenance of an intake leak). I finally fixed it after the new cat.

Ever since the cat. being replaced its run just fine. I keep getting codes of running rich or running lean...it keeps switching back and forth.


Any ideas? I highly doubt it could be the cat. AGAIN so quickly...I even went for the Magnaflow instead of OE.

O2 sensor possibly?

forgot to include that I changed that as well

both of them? and erase the codes

only the top one was coming up with a code

this is driving me nuts...i cannot find any vacuum leaks as suggested by someone and i HIGHLY doubt the new cat that was installed only 2 months ago could be clogged due to any running rich codes that weren't even up for that long.

oddly enough i started disconnecting things on the intake to see if it took away any problems and when i unplugged the MAF sensor it seems to run better....but the MAF never gave a code

sorry MAP sensor not MAF

Shelled out $50 for the map sensor and it made no difference and this is driving me insane right now...please someone give some input please...im broke putting every last dime into this thing because i cannot afford to replace it

Rather than a new map sensor, I would have bought the obd live data scanner.

It almost sounds like the recent TPS wire issue, but I thinking it wouldn't just fly through when you floor it, it may still need an instant to sense the need, and then to max out the fuel injection.

Your electrical system passed the free tests from the auto parts place?
My car also didn't act right when it had a bad diode, until I bought a new battery and a rebuilt alternator.
All your fuses and links are good? It could be so many things, trying to cover basics first.

Running High or Lean still shows up in the codes after replacing the MAP sensor

My TPS is brand new only about a month or so old. Alternator is only about 6 months and Just bought a new red top duralast battery about a month ago as well.

Fuses and links are just fine as far as I can see....What really puzzles me is that when I disconnect the MAP sensor things seem to run better(not perfect but better) This is the reason I went out and bought the new MAP sensor.

So to neaten up this thread...

Battery - Brand New
TPS - Brand New
MAP Sensor - Brand New
Spark Plugs - Brand New
Wires - Maybe 4-5 months old and checked for arc-ing
Alternator - 6 months old
IAC - 1 month old
Throtle body - cleaned about a month ago and still looks ok.
Cat. - Only 1-2 months old..brand new Magnaflow

New pcv and hose?
Your summary post does help, thanks/
Also I would wonder about the coils except I don't know if the problem should persist at higher rpms to be the coils, or maybe one coil. I think they're double coils.
Need input from others too.

By now I would have (actually I did) put about a fourth of a can of regular Sea Foam in the tank, got new filter, and the past few days I also
got a spray kind of Sea Foam for the throttle body, but I hope to see what others think too.

One new pvc hose because the end was cracking but the other hoses are good and were checked for leaks.

I'm really hoping its not the coils because I cant afford this right now...I thought i had the problem pinned down when I first disconnected the MAP sensor and it started running better. still makes no sense why it goes back to running the same with a brand new one since all the problems that are and have been happening are normally caused by a bad MAP sensor

I've now lost all spark on all cylinders when before cylinders 1&4 were a little iffy.

Looks like im gonna have a hell of a time tomorrow pushing the car to a good surface to jack it up on...

Could anyone recommend a new coilpack or should I just get them from the boneyard?

Steve B wrote:I've now lost all spark on all cylinders when before cylinders 1&4 were a little iffy.

Looks like im gonna have a hell of a time tomorrow pushing the car to a good surface to jack it up on...

Could anyone recommend a new coilpack or should I just get them from the boneyard?

lifetime warranty ones from oreilly auto. if it ever ohms out bad, you get a new one for free.

have you checked the fuel system? fuel filter, fuel pressure, regulating valve, and injectors?

Well after all i've gone thru already and now not being able to get any spark...I can only really assume the spark was intermittently going out causing the running rich code to come up

Also thanks for that site...Master Pro Ignition - Ignition Coil's are only $26.99 a pop thats not bad

It does make sense about the coils, 1 & 4 are run by one double coil, and 2 & 3 by the other?

The thing about the coils is that it has an ignition control module running the coils, tho,
but if there is no spark, then maybe it is electrical as opposed to something like a gasket.

Well today I am going to be checking the crankshaft position sensor which is on the rear of the engine near the coils as well as HOPEFULLY being able to take off the coils and have autozone test them for me to confirm they need to be replaced.

At least the upper coil (1&4) and see if it runs better,
but what controls the coils on the 2.2liter. Is it the PCM? Or is there a separate ignition module right there with the coils?
I hope you got it fixed today.

Well...took off both coils and tested at autozone and they said they looks just fine to them...

They mount right onto the ICM

Tommorow I guess even tho Its throwing no codes I will be attempting to find the Crankshaft sensor back there and try removing it to get IT tested next....im running out of ideas

Hopefully it's not the ICM then, but I don't know. What do you think about cleaning the fuel system?