[ugabuga]

hi
I think i've been having a similar problem. When I start the car cold and sometimes warm but always soon after starting, and I take off all of a sudden the car would loose all power.

If I put it in neutral idle is around 400-500 rpm and sounds bumpy. If I floor the gas pedal at this moment nothing happens. This goes on for 2-3 seconds then I get the response back and car runs fine. A few feet further I get the same thing ... and so on until it more or less warms up completely.

I dont get a CEL but I used to a few months ago, and I think it was the same 2 codes.

So you fixed it by making a better connection? Where was it loose? I checked mine when I replaced the cat shields and it seemed fine ....

[jj_diamond]

yes. the wiring on the secondary O2(before cat) was loose. i had to make the wiring longer because of the placement for it on the new header.

if you need to make your O2 sensor wiring longer you can also grab one of these, which i just found. hate when that happends.

http://passwordjdm.com/PasswordJDM-O...P1767C364.aspx

[ugabuga]

Thanks. I will ccheck it out. I just started getting this problem every day (had gone away for a few months).

[ugabuga]

update: I replaced both sensors with new Denso ones ($65 for both from rockauto), and this morning I didnt experience the annoying problem. I hope that cured it.

oh and when I checked the codes I had a primary and secondary sensor error and cat efficiency below threshold. Dont remember the exact codes though. P0420 and some other ones

[jj_diamond]

just a FYI on this... since changing the OEM manifold/cat to header, the annoying rumble sound i was experiencing in heavy rain went away too.

[jj_diamond]

DAMN!!!

CEL came back this morning with the same "safe mode" puttering. WTF?

it was working fine since i changed the manifold/cat.

[jj_diamond]

happened again. only during the day with the a/c running or after the a/c has been running for a bit.

[rahenry00]

Those O2 spacers go on the secondary O2 sensor...not the primary. If you had a cat the secondary sensor sees less oxugen b/c of the cat....so those spacers simulate that by putting the sensor further away from the air flow. Move you spacers to the secondary o2 sensor and reset your ecu. Also you might want to consider replacing your secoindary o2 sensor if the wiring is not 100% intact. My care did the same thing a few months ago, the sputtering and what not.

[jj_diamond]

the spacers are on the bottom O2 sensor. the top O2 sensor has an extension added. wires are intact. there's no space on the top O2 sensor to add spacers since the alternator bracket is right there. i get confused as to which is primary and secondary. on the stock O2's, one has a light blue wire shield oand the other a black wire shield with clips.

[rahenry00]

I an earlier post you said you had to solder your secondary sensor wire...that could easily affect your sensor's operational ability. The secondary sensor is the one furthest away.

[jj_diamond]

which one is the primary and which one is the secondary?
like i said it confuses me. i tried to splice the top sensor, the stock one with the blue wire shield. but that kept giving me CEL. so i bought an extension. there are no spliced wires on either O2 sensor now.

how EXTREMELY frustrating.

[rahenry00]

The secondary sensor is the one that would normally be AFTER the catalytic converter. That's the one the spacers should be on. Did you get your CEL code read? Your problem sounds very similar to mines a few months ago so I will do my best to help you.

[jj_diamond]

well then the spacers are on the secondary sensor. haven't had the code read yet. and none of the wires are spliced.

it was fine for a week and now i get the CEL again and as soon as it comes on the car goes into that awful "protect mode" or shuts off.

[rahenry00]

My car did the same thing...it would sputter then take off full speed and you could smell all the unburnt fuel.

[jj_diamond]

mine doesn't take off. it sputters and boggs. no power when i accelerate.