oh wow thank you so much for the detailed response!
I have a friend who has small hands and we're going to try to change the #18 bulb for the CEL as you have shown me and if not then we're going to pull the instrument panel and speedo to get to it as you said. Thank you so much! Getting that fixed is going to show me my next steps AFTER what I've figured out and know that I need to fix.
Misfire: I may have exaggerated slightly when I said it's noticeable lack of power. It's not terrible but I can just tell it needs some love. I have noticed that it DOES seem to run more sluggish when cold and also at low speeds (it seems to really get its groove once its shifted into 3rd). Also, when I let off the gas it is REALLY throaty and i smell exhaust (hole in the floorboard, I suspect causing that). I put fuel system cleaner in it and it's running noticeably better uphill but I am still losing RPM's and I can just tell that it is struggling uphill way, way more than it should.
Also, when I looked at the gas cap that you mentioned I noticed that the.. shoot, the metal part.. i dont know how to describe it but the metal part from the gas cap screw to the opening looks like there is a gap there like they replaced the tank previously and it doesn't connect all of the way? I may be mistaken. Also when I go to fill up my tank.. it will be on E like all the way empty and I can just NEVER get more than 8.7 to 9 gallons of fuel into it. Maybe it's the gauge and it's being measured wrong and I still have a gallon or 2 when it is showing empty (great!) BUT I also almost wonder if someone didn't put a 10 gallon tank back onto it. (or even 9 gallon)Would that work? That would also make sense of my mpg calculations as instead of getting roughly 230 miles on 11 gallons (right at 21mpg) it would be 23mpg on a 10 gallon tank or right at the 26mpg you're saying if it were a 9 gallon tank. I also could just be not running it all of the way empty and the gauge is wrong- since again, I cannot fit more than about 8.7 gallons into it when it is showing all of the way on E.
Anyways..
Per your advice and upon further research: I am positive that my upstream O2 sensor that you mentioned is shot and I am going to replace it but take extreme care not to mess up the exhaust manifold when I do so. I am also replacing the fuel filter ASAP and taking care not to lose those washers on the banjo connector there. I'm also going to replace those vacuum hoses to the MAP and identify some other hoses because I checked a few of them and they are OLD and not necessarily cracked but they feel noticeably gritty and may be without me noticing may be cracked. It makes sense for me to check more of the air intake and fuel system since i took care of the ignition in regards to the misfire. the misfire is happening FAR less since I replaced those terrible wires but it still needs what I have mentioned above. I would guess that after I change the fuel filter and O2 sensor that it's going to run WAY better.
I'm also going to check my catalytic converter to make sure it's ok as well because I am a bit concerned. I've never smelled rotten eggs but I have smelled exhaust (but have floorboard hole) and may have missed it .
If you know why it's making that very loud throaty sound and exhaust smell (but note I have that small hole in floorboard) when I let off of the throttle then let me know. It may be a symptom of one of the above, or something else, that is obvious but I am not a trained ear and have missed. I will make the above repairs while waiting on the lamp and then replace the CEL light. Once I have that then I'll know for sure what I need to do, if anything else.
I have a friend who has small hands and we're going to try to change the #18 bulb for the CEL as you have shown me and if not then we're going to pull the instrument panel and speedo to get to it as you said. Thank you so much! Getting that fixed is going to show me my next steps AFTER what I've figured out and know that I need to fix.
Misfire: I may have exaggerated slightly when I said it's noticeable lack of power. It's not terrible but I can just tell it needs some love. I have noticed that it DOES seem to run more sluggish when cold and also at low speeds (it seems to really get its groove once its shifted into 3rd). Also, when I let off the gas it is REALLY throaty and i smell exhaust (hole in the floorboard, I suspect causing that). I put fuel system cleaner in it and it's running noticeably better uphill but I am still losing RPM's and I can just tell that it is struggling uphill way, way more than it should.
Also, when I looked at the gas cap that you mentioned I noticed that the.. shoot, the metal part.. i dont know how to describe it but the metal part from the gas cap screw to the opening looks like there is a gap there like they replaced the tank previously and it doesn't connect all of the way? I may be mistaken. Also when I go to fill up my tank.. it will be on E like all the way empty and I can just NEVER get more than 8.7 to 9 gallons of fuel into it. Maybe it's the gauge and it's being measured wrong and I still have a gallon or 2 when it is showing empty (great!) BUT I also almost wonder if someone didn't put a 10 gallon tank back onto it. (or even 9 gallon)Would that work? That would also make sense of my mpg calculations as instead of getting roughly 230 miles on 11 gallons (right at 21mpg) it would be 23mpg on a 10 gallon tank or right at the 26mpg you're saying if it were a 9 gallon tank. I also could just be not running it all of the way empty and the gauge is wrong- since again, I cannot fit more than about 8.7 gallons into it when it is showing all of the way on E.
Anyways..
Per your advice and upon further research: I am positive that my upstream O2 sensor that you mentioned is shot and I am going to replace it but take extreme care not to mess up the exhaust manifold when I do so. I am also replacing the fuel filter ASAP and taking care not to lose those washers on the banjo connector there. I'm also going to replace those vacuum hoses to the MAP and identify some other hoses because I checked a few of them and they are OLD and not necessarily cracked but they feel noticeably gritty and may be without me noticing may be cracked. It makes sense for me to check more of the air intake and fuel system since i took care of the ignition in regards to the misfire. the misfire is happening FAR less since I replaced those terrible wires but it still needs what I have mentioned above. I would guess that after I change the fuel filter and O2 sensor that it's going to run WAY better.
I'm also going to check my catalytic converter to make sure it's ok as well because I am a bit concerned. I've never smelled rotten eggs but I have smelled exhaust (but have floorboard hole) and may have missed it .
If you know why it's making that very loud throaty sound and exhaust smell (but note I have that small hole in floorboard) when I let off of the throttle then let me know. It may be a symptom of one of the above, or something else, that is obvious but I am not a trained ear and have missed. I will make the above repairs while waiting on the lamp and then replace the CEL light. Once I have that then I'll know for sure what I need to do, if anything else.