Engine/TC problem

vectra_Mike

Right straight in with a problem I need help with...

Yesterday I decided to give the trottle body a clean out as I noticed the car burning some oil (bit of blue smoke) took the air pipe off and could see black gunk all round the throttle body... So got it off, cleaned it up and put it all back together...

Took the car out for a run thinking I had better give it a run to burn off any crap I had disturbed in the intake, it reved up to start with and then came down a bit, drove off and got 20 yards when the TC light came on and the engine went into limp home mode... turned around and got back home, the car sat there barely able to idle, the TC light still on... (I dont have a switch for TC)

If I turn the car off and start it with some gas it revs up and lots of smoke comes out the exhaust (Still burning crap off in the intake I guess) but if I let the revs drop the TC light will come on again and stay on... Now I know there is something up but what could I have done to make this happen... I wa thinking maybe I zapped the trottle position sensor when cleaning the throttle body but surely that would make the EML come on not the TC? Im a bit confused at the moment...

Is there a way of doing a paper clip test on the Z22SE to get the fault codes?

si_c1978

is it whistleing? does your revs seem high at idle?

vectra_Mike

When I first started it after cleaning the throttle body it reved high, then it dropped off and i went to drive off and the TC light came on and stayed on, now everytime i start it, the TC light comes on and it idles like crap or it just stalls...

I haven't noticed a whistling...

MikeS

i would reset the ecu [unplug battery for 30 mins] then come back to us

if everyting is plugged in the same way u unplugged it then there shouldnt be a problem ?

vectra_Mike

You dont think i might have buggered up the throttle sensor when i cleaned the throttle body?

How do I unplug the battery without the alarm going off?

MikeS

if it is the standard alarm on the vectra then it wont go off

you shouldnt of buggered the TB but it is worth reset ecu to clear it down before working on sensor's and vacuum leaks

cpwfos

i would reset the ecu [unplug battery for 30 mins] then come back to us

does it need 30 mins to reset ive only ever given it 2 or 3 mins and its always been sound also an auto electrician told me if you take off both battery leads and touch them together that will take all the power from the curcuit notsure.gif

vectra_Mike

Right unplugged the battery... waited 30mins...

connected it back up... started it and it reved right up to 3K rpm stayed there for 20secs then went down to 1K rpm then stalled... now the TC light is on and the car wont start at all...

I have no idea... I can't understand what the Traction control has to do with the running of the car apart from if its to do with the throttle sensor...

Martyn

check all the sensors are all connected tight

MikeS

sounds like either u have an air leak or your TB is buggered

i would get a code reader on it though m8

vectra_Mike

I think the TB is FUBAR... I can't see where i would have an air leak...

All connections are tight... :/

MikeS

look on the right hand side of the inlet manifold

are all the vacuum hoses connected ?

BURT150

Could you pull fuse 35 from the fuse box to eliminate the t/c fault if it starts and runs fine without the t/c that would prove its that at fault? dunno..

vectra_Mike

I did pull the fuse and the fault stayed...

RIGHT... It would appear that the butterfly is sticking... i think where ive cleaned the gunk out its freed it up and now it gets wedged in and doesnt move freely... might explain the bad running and idle... Although im still not convinced this is the main problem, but at least the car is starting again...

Matt

Did you actually remove the TB from the car when you cleaned it?

BURT150

did you take the butterfly out when you cleaned it up?

vectra_Mike

yes, but it was put back as it came out...

MikeS

it aint a TC fault

it is an engine fault

oki get someone to help you

take off the intake pipe so u can see the tb butterfly

put the ignition on [not the engine] and get someone to press down on the accelerator

the tb butterfly should move accordingly

it might not work the first time u put ignition on so try it a few times

also can u physically move the butterfly on the tb using your finger [whilst the engine is off]

vectra_Mike

The TB butterfly does move when the accelerator is pressed and I can move it with my finger, however when you start the car the same problem is happening and when i take the intake pipe off the butterfly has gone and got stuck again... I have a new throttle body coming hopefully tomorrow so I'll replace it and hopefully that will solve this...

Unless its something completley unrelated and its a conincidence its happened at the same time...

If I have no joy tomorrow i think its going to have to go to the garage for a look at 🙁

vectra_Mike

RIGHT today is a new day... lets see if I get some luck...