Newb 88GT and EGR issue? (Page 1/1)
RSJR JUL 19, 03:11 PM
88GT (60k miles) purchased last year has been generally problem free.

It was fairly hot on my last trip up to Wisconsin and when I was tooling around on the twisty roads, I noticed my rev matching downshifts weren't revving up. I would blip the throttle and the engine would just sputter for a second and then rev. After troubleshooting, I determined that if RPMs were between idle (~900) and ~1500 and I hit the throttle, it would sputter/bog down for a second before revving up normally. This would happen with or without a load. If I were in any gear at 1400 RPM and hit the throttle, it would sputter and shake the car. As soon as it got above ~1500, it would operate normally.

This would only occur if the car's temp was at or near fan the fan turning on. Normally, my fan rarely comes on and the car stays very cool. However, on very hot days with some stop and go driving, the temp climbs a bit and that is when this stuttering problem starts. The issue goes away once I get up to speed and the engine cools down to its normal temp ranges. While on this trip, I did get 3 error 32s, but haven't had once since over the last 200 miles or so.

Now, tons of searches seem to point to EGR system issues but then I don't have many of the symptoms. Idle is solid, when cold, it starts out around 1500 and slowly lowers as it warms up, ending just a hair above 900. The EGR valve holds a vacuum when I remove the hose, push up the diaphragm, and cover the hole. With the hose connected, the diaphragm resets back but slower than without the hose (I think I read this is normal).

Essentially, being a newb with Fieros (and cars in general) and read too many posts and have a mishmash of things to test and try but I don't want to make a bigger problem by screwing up something that wasn't broken. I think it might be the solenoid but I am not exactly sure when it is activated and why, and what is supposed to happen and how to test which part of the system is failing. Or maybe it isn't the EGR...

Any suggestions?
dremu JUL 19, 08:40 PM
Code 32 can also be the EGR *solenoid* (black plastic gizmo wired up on the passenger side of vehicle, sort of in the V of the motor), not the EGR *valve*, silver UFO shape on the *driver* side aft of the engine plumbed into the exhaust.

Search your heart away. There's been discussion recently about using one from an S-10 (requires rewiring). There's a guy here in CA who rebuilds them (I got one from him; not cheap, but got me sorted for our draconian smog.) You may try to rebuild yourself or get one from a member here, lots of options.

-- A
RSJR APR 11, 03:32 PM
It looks like I was just getting to the point where the car needed its first full tune-up. Towards the end of summer, the car started to run really rough and had trouble starting when cold. Weather turned and the roads got their yearly layer of salt so I just put off the repair until it warmed up this spring. When the weather got better, I couldn't start the car at all. It wouldn't even sputter. I had to crank on and off for 10+ minutes to get it to finally start. It would sputter for a few seconds and then generally run fine as long as it stayed hot. So, time to check it out.

Most of ignition components were original and covered in aluminum oxide. Replaced the cap and rotor, plugs, wires, and coil and the car is back purring like a kitten on the first or second crank, every time. Then I took it in for a few other repairs that I couldn't do; fixed an AC leak, fixed a leak in the clutch slave cylinder, new rear tires ruined from a terrible alignment, an alignment.

And now, everything on my 34 yr old fiero was settled and working like new......except the cruise control. I went through every cruise control forum post and assembled a Google doc with every bit of info about the stalk switches, the stalk, the cables, the controller, the clutch and brake switches, the connector under the dash, the coffee can, the vacuum hoses, etc. I had many pages of excerpted information to go through. I started with the simple stuff. I checked the brake and clutch switches to make sure they were aligned and adjusted properly. Everything seemed ok. Then I checked the connector under the dash and it seemed good. I went to the back and checked the hoses and they seemed fine. I started the car and checked the vacuum and the coffee can, all good. I turned off the car and left the acc on, turned on the cruise switch and hit the brake, and I heard the click from the back. Everything seemed physically in order and the previous owner had said they used the CC the last time they drove it. So, just before I started testing the electrical parts of the system, i decided to give it all another once over and see if I was missing anything.

In the engine compartment, I looked at the CC equipment and thought to myself, "Hmm, that looks like a connector for something, but it is dirty and doesn't look like it had been used in a long time." So I pulled up a picture of those components from the forum and saw a red connector in that spot but I didn't see anything on my car like that anywhere. I looked at the photo again to see where the wire for the connector was routed and I did see a cable like it tucked between the CC components and the back of the engine compartment. I gave the cable a few tugs and a red connector eventually popped out.

I rolled my eyes, face palmed a bit, and plugged it in.

And now it works. Nearly 2 years later, everything works! I say that knowing fully that I just jinxed it but whatever! I just wish I had seen that 2 years ago. There were several 500+ mile trips in that thing where cruise would have come in handy.
Skybax APR 11, 04:21 PM
Funny, mine works and I disconnected the red connector on purpose because I hate that annoying "click" that solenoid makes from the brake switch dump and I never use the cruise control (that's probably why a previous owner did that on your car).
RSJR APR 11, 05:01 PM
Doesn't the switch on the stalk prevent that click when the cruise is turned off? I drove it around yesterday and didn't really notice it. I will probably notice it now though so thanks!
Skybax APR 11, 10:55 PM
Yes the solenoid clicks when the CC lever switch is switched from the OFF position to the ON position and it clicks when brake pedal is applied regardless if the CC stalk is ON or OFF, you might only notice it in a quiet garage/area with ignition on and engine not running. I went through my CC system and everything checked out... https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum2/HTML/145164.html

If I had a time machine I would order a brand new Fiero GT as follows...

No Cruise Control
No Air Cond
No Rear Defrost
No Rear Spoiler
Yes Pwr Windows
Yes Pwr Locks
Yes Pwr Mirrors
Yes Performance Sound

[This message has been edited by Skybax (edited 04-11-2022).]