3.1l not running right

[ajsberetta]

hey guys, i have a 92 beretta base with a 3.1l with auto tranny. When I come to a stop my car seems to idle to low and missfire. i dont know if it just the idle being to low or not. it has a newer battery and alternator. she has 12.5volts and just over 14v when running. i put in new spark plugs, ignition wires, air filter, fuel filter, pcv valve, and an oil change and a couple bottles of fuel cleaner over the last couple months. About 8 months ago i did a complete injector cleaning(where i disabled the fuel system and ran the car on the cleaner through the service port). i used a smoke machine to try and find any vaccume leaks, or any leaks at all. I do have a nice size hole in my exhaust right where the pipe to the cat meats the manifold colecters the leak is the pipe breaking away from the flange...i dont know if it would affect the o2 sensor because its downstrem of it, but not sure caz it is close to it. the coil pack is about 3 years old. heres the thing she runs and idle great with the a/c running. the car has stalled about 4 times this week only in reverse, but not everytime when i reverse. the throtle body has had a high temp steam cleaning and is spot less. when i first hit the gas the car hessitates really bad it get really quite like it died but only for like a second. it weird i have a Extreamly loud exhaust on it and when it gets scilent i start to worrire. a few years back the tranny got its hmmm 3rd torque converter lock up solinoid, I cant think of any other info to give you guys...I have instaled alot more new parts nothing revelent to the problem. please ask me questions i reallly need her fixed. thanks for any help

[Money pit Beretta]

Man you got to get that leak fixed first. Then you can go from there(I think there is something else wrong also). How old is the fuel filter?

[ajsberetta]

fuel filter has less than 1k miles on it

[Money pit Beretta]

Cool, had to ask.
If the O2 is getting air from the leak it will really screw things up. You must get that fixed ASAP.

[ajsberetta]

yeah its been in the works to get it fixed. alot of work is waiting for tomarrow(pay day) i found that a part store can order me a prebent exhaust pipe i just need to cut it to fit at the cat and fire up the ole welder

[Money pit Beretta]

Sounds good. I'll be here, so tell me how it runs after you get it done. It may take a little time for the computer to adjust. Don't pull your hair out if it doesn't run right when you first start it. You could unplug the battery and start over, but if you don't want to you don't have to. After it's running good at idle take it out on the highway and drive normal so the computer can reset everything. It's best to do that after you have put any mods that may affect the A/F also(WAI,CAI, intake or even coils with more power). Keep in mind with any change in front of the O2 the computer needs to relearn(new sensors too). That will keep the engine running as good as it can with what it has on it.

[wicked-irocz]

yeah, a leak there in 99% of cases does not affect O2 sensor readings. I think you have another issue.

[Money pit Beretta]

Oh crap, sorry AJ I was thinking the hole was in front of the O2. I read manifold and thought the hole was after that. I scan posts sometimes, sorry I'll read it again.
What does the engine idle at? When you turn on the AC does the idle go up? Did you buy a cheap or non GM converter lock up solenoid?

[ajsberetta]

I have no idea what the new lock up solinoid is, it about 2-3 years old by now. UPDATE iv noticed that the idle is going up and down. now today the idle was going up and down with the a/c running. the a/c normialy brings the idle up higher. I dont have a tach on my car so i couldnt tell you what the rpm is at. I might be able to use my friends snap-on scaner to get actual rpm readings.at night i notice my lights also dim. thanks guy for the help

[Money pit Beretta]

I hate to beat a dead horse, but if the idle is going up and down and it stalls from time to time the purge valve could be bad. It is on the vapor canistor(you have to buy the hole unit). You have done a good job of checking everything, so that may be it. I have one that I bought for my 90GT(new in the box) that I can't use on my 95.
How old is your O2?

[wicked-irocz]

Hows the EGR passage and the IAC passage? What do the plugs look like?

[ajsberetta]

I hate to beat a dead horse, but if the idle is going up and down and it stalls from time to time the purge valve could be bad. It is on the vapor canistor(you have to buy the hole unit). You have done a good job of checking everything, so that may be it. I have one that I bought for my 90GT(new in the box) that I can't use on my 95.
How old is your O2?

my O2 is orignal most parts on my car are orignal when it comes to engine managment and electrical. i thought about the o2. i had it on a scaner for a day and the O2 is switching for the most part but says im running rich alot.

[ajsberetta]

Hows the EGR passage and the IAC passage? What do the plugs look like?

plugs are less have less then 1k miles on then also new wires. the throtle body has been removed and stem cleaned so its shiny and clean....egr never been touched. when i get bored ill remove it and clean the ports on the egr to see it it helps.

[Money pit Beretta]

How many wires does your O2 have on it(sorry I can't remember)? If it's the early non heated kind it would be about 20 bucks. It would be nice to have, but may not be needed as of now(just trying to think ahead).

[ajsberetta]

yes i have a single wire 02. at that price i might as well it might be getting old and maybe biased rich.

i dont know if i said this but my lights dim with the engine surging. could i have a bad ground??? im about to replace all the sensors at this point