Bad Alt. Codes 61 & 63.

[RICHARD TILL]

I`d surely be interested in that pump. How much shipped to 38852 Mississippi?

[RICHARD TILL]

Today i pulled the plenum again. I`m getting good at it since its my 4th time since i`ve owned the car. Twice in 1999 for a starter problem and twice recently. I installed the vacuum pump that i got from Dominic. It works well. I hot wired the vacuum pump with an on/off switch and ran about 5 ft of hose from it to do troubleshooting on the secondaries. All is well except the secondary port throttle selenoid. Anyone have one or know where i could get something similar that would work in its place? Evidently it was bad when i bought the car in 98. I still don`t have much of a clue as to why i had a dead miss. I started the engine and removed the plug wires one at a time. No. 1 is the problem. No. 6 on the same coil fired strong. I stuck a plug in the boot and it would just barely spark when grounded. The plug wire is good. I measured the resistance on the primary sides of every coil and all were about the same with .5-.7 ohms. Thats the only measurement i could get. No reading from any terminal to ground, between the towers or from the primary to the towers. I have another coil that i`ll put in its place when i reinstall. The only hint i got was when i pulled the plate assembly with the coils the plug with four pins came off by itself. Maybe i didn`t have it locked on but i thought i checked and rechecked. Hopefully thats what happened. I pray that it was. I didn`t get a ses light when it was running poorly. Service engine soon light only. Codes 61 and 63. My service manual is begining to look used. As for my code 63, i pulled the right side O2 sesnor and it measured the same as the left. It took me forever to get to the plug. Whoever designed the spot for the cdm box must have been the same knucklehead who placed the plug in such a tight spot. I removed the right side motor mount frame brace, both motor mount nuts and jacked the motor up a little. I traded sides with the sensors to see if the code followed. I guess time will tell. I don`t have the $$$ to just throw parts at this thing but don`t mind buying whats proved to be wrong. Again, thanks to all who have replied with advise and if anyone has a seleniod, i`m at your mercy. Richard

[tomtom72]

I may be wrong but I think Jerry has them???? Or maybe it Kurt White??? I also seem to remember that one of the Kodiac's (?) use the same solenoid for a vacuum boost system...maybe Marc H knows?

Sorry that's all I got Richard.


Tom

[scottfab]

Wow, lots going on here in one thread. It gets messy but lets see....

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

Today i pulled the plenum again. I`m getting good at it since its my 4th time since i`ve owned the car. Twice in 1999 for a starter problem and twice recently.

So you're half way to the "10" club then. I've pulled mine 10 times in 16yrs. Eight of those in the first year and then 2 in 03.

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

I installed the vacuum pump that i got from Dominic. It works well. I hot wired the vacuum pump with an on/off switch and ran about 5 ft of hose from it to do troubleshooting on the secondaries. All is well except the secondary port throttle selenoid. Anyone have one or know where i could get something similar that would work in its place? Evidently it was bad when i bought the car in 98.

More than one of us has been able to take it apart, clean it, re-seat the needle and rework the spring (I lengthened mine by pulling it apart a bit). This helps keep it from leaking. Then put it back together with model plan glue.

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

I still don`t have much of a clue as to why i had a dead miss. I started the engine and removed the plug wires one at a time. No. 1 is the problem. No. 6 on the same coil fired strong. I stuck a plug in the boot and it would just barely spark when grounded.

you could have had that wire firing through the insulation to a ground.
The manual calls this "spark plug wire leakage"

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

The plug wire is good.

What did you measure? Should be about 30k ohms

[QUOTE=RICHARD TILL;181118] I measured the resistance on the primary sides of every coil and all were about the same with .5-.7 ohms. Thats the only measurement i could get. No reading from any terminal to ground, between the towers or from the primary to the towers. I have another coil that i`ll put in its place when i reinstall. The only hint i got was when i pulled the plate assembly with the coils the plug with four pins came off by itself. Maybe i didn`t have it locked on but i thought i checked and rechecked. Hopefully thats what happened. I pray that it was.

Did you measure from 1 to 6. Since this is a waste spark design that gives you the coil's secondary winding resistance. That can be compared to the other three coils.

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

I didn`t get a ses light when it was running poorly. Service engine soon light only. Codes 61 and 63. My service manual is begining to look used.

you should see mine.

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

As for my code 63, i pulled the right side O2 sesnor and it measured the same as the left.

It's not often that O2 sensors fail in a way that measuring the resistance will tell you anything. Most common failure is contamination that coats the sensor element. Then they are slow to respond or don't at all.

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

It took me forever to get to the plug. Whoever designed the spot for the cdm box must have been the same knucklehead who placed the plug in such a tight spot. I removed the right side motor mount frame brace, both motor mount nuts and jacked the motor up a little. I traded sides with the sensors to see if the code followed. I guess time will tell. I don`t have the $$$ to just throw parts at this thing but don`t mind buying whats proved to be wrong. Again, thanks to all who have replied with advise and if anyone has a seleniod, i`m at your mercy. Richard

Same thing I've done but the lead length on one is much shorter unless a long lead was used on both (not stock)

[XfireZ51]

Rich,

I'm pretty sure I have a solenoid for the secondaries. Too bad, I could have sent it along w the pump.
BTW, just went thru the O2 sensor swap. Left side went Code 44. So I swapped sides and got a Code 64. This would happen at idle
only. Cruise was ok altho I will be checking to see if the new O2 makes a diff in the tune.

[RICHARD TILL]

Today i remounted the coil assembly. I used a known good used coil for no. 1&6 cylinders. If it works i`ll get new MSD`s. Already priced them from Summit. Tom, I`ll check on those sources. This is sorta like looking for a needle in a haystack. Thanks. Scott, I tried two different plug wires when testing for spark. A full time mechanic told me today that it was possible for the coil to go bad on one side only. We`ll see. I didn`t get a measurement at all between the towers on 7 different coils. 4 weak coils? Gotta find a coil schematic somewhere. The leads on both my sensors are the same exact length. Made a mark on 1 of them not to get them mixed up. Both mine had 2 whites and 1 black lead. Thats not how my service manual described them. Its a 1 owner car from Birmingham. Bought it in 98 from a salvage dealer who had bought it at a sale. Had 88k miles and salvage title. Owner no. 1 was going down I-65, hydroplaned and left rear hit concrete retaining wall between the lanes. Broke the left rear quarter, shattered the rear glass, ruined the bumper cover and pushed the left rear wheel forward about 2 inches. My brother repaired it and did an excellent job. Until now the only $$$ i`ve spent is for a starter, gas, oil, tires and radio repair. Guess i`ve been lucky. You gentlemen keep the advise coming. I really value the voices of experience. And i nearly forgot. Keep your eyes open for a solenoid. I think i spelled it right this time. Thanks much, Richard

[scottfab]

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

....snip....
Scott, I tried two different plug wires when testing for spark. A full time mechanic told me today that it was possible for the coil to go bad on one side only. We`ll see. I didn`t get a measurement at all between the towers on 7 different coils. 4 weak coils?
....snip....

Yes, I have also seen a coil fail on one side. I suspect they are arcing internally on just the one side.
As far as measuring them on the secondary side you should see 5k to 6.5k from post to post and 0.32 - 0.42 ohms on the primary. (stock coil)
I find it hard to believe all your coils are bad. Not impossible just saying..

[tf95ZR1]

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

All is well except the secondary port throttle selenoid. Anyone have one or know where i could get something similar that would work in its place?

I have no idea of the application or quality, but....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NOS-Corvette...6487d2&vxp=mtr

or

http://jerrysgaskets.com/store2/root...roducts_id=409

Originally Posted by RICHARD TILL

I started the engine and removed the plug wires one at a time. No. 1 is the problem.

Maybe dumb and simple, but have you tried a different spark plug? Check the gap, boot clip, or put dielectric grease on it?