1=2

I'm desperate for help, simply said.

I've got some weird symptoms going on that I am just clueless about.

First off, I have a 93' ES 300 with about 200K miles, stick shift (yeah!). But, that was end of my excitement right there. It would hesitate below 2000 rpms if the gas was pushed, but over that, it didn't matter how much gas you gave it, it was strong. No misfires, nothing.

So, I thought it'd be an easy fix. The exhaust smelled pretty clean, no burning anything, so I figured it may pass as is. Boy was I wrong. It was 6 times over the legal limit with HC and CO. So, I thought, maybe I should have tuned it up. So I gave it a tune up, new plugs/wires, PCV valve (previous valve was definitely bad), air filter, and MAF. After that, my car didn't hesitate anymore. But it still occasionally sputters like it's misfiring. Anyway, I thought, tune up was the answer, BUT, today I retested and it failed again. Not only did it fail, it got worse!! Way worse!! HC doubled, and the CO tripled and my NO quadrupled. I failed on HC and CO.

Anyway, I just want to know what the heck is going on. Why did my car get so much worse?

It wasn't cold
It wasn't sputtering
It didn't hesitate

What's going on?

I should add that when I was driving it today, I started getting kind of dizzy. The exhaust smells clean, but it's really strong, so I don't doubt the emissions test.

I am leaning towards replacing the O2 sensors, and the catalytic converter now, but I don't want to. It's expensive. I want to use universal ones, and I heard that Ford 4 plug O2 sensors can work for these cars, and they only cost like $32. I don't want to pay $100 because I don't have the $100 each to blow on sensors that I am not sure are bad.

Also, I still have to figure out why the crap my emissions skyrocketed after my tune up. I don't get it.

Rippaflow

iTrader: (4)

If you got dizzy driving I suspect an exhaust leak.

mechanChic

I would say an exhaust leak also. My car had the same problem, 93 es300 automatic, and come to find out I did have a small exhaust leak on the flange connection that comes off the manifold. Changed the gasket and it was good to go. Muffler shop wont charge much for that, just buy the gasket yourself.

1=2

I know there is an exhaust leak, what I want to know is what the heck is wrong with the engine? An exhaust leak wont fail emissions. Triple your HC and CO does, and that doesn't come from an exhaust leak.

I just can't understand why emissions would triple and quadruple over night....

97'ES

It doesn't make much sense. I'd replace the cat first and go from there, at 200k i'm sure it's trash. Could be related to the hesitation too.

garvos

check your egr valve,and vsv(vacuum switching valve)its the brown thing right next to your egr valve,some time it get carbon buildup and it wont let the egr valve open.also when was the last time you change your coolant temp sensor?? that might need to be change.

llcoolpass

every post seems to be a throw parts at the symptoms rather than address the symptoms. that is foolish!

please post the exact reading from the first and second readings

1=2

Problem solved, but thanks.

O2 sensors were bad. Only $65 to fix, but the second O2 sensor was a b**** to get to and change.

I also have an off topic question.

Does the power steering fluid feed into the radiator? Because I have a pretty severe power steering fluid leak, and the only place that power steering fluid is dripping from is the back of the radiator. Are those two sets of lines that feed into what looks like the fan motor, power steering lines?

GEORGE_JET

On fan on a 93 is driven by the power steering pump. I would suggest getting a can a brake cleaner to clean up all the oil, then running the engine to see where the leak is coming from.