New Guy Hello / 1992 Suzuki Sidekick Multiple Issues / What to Tackle First?

[ThomasKinzer]

Hey Gang!

First Time Suzuki owner. I just picked up a Sidekick and just driving it around in limp mode for a week including one day in a snow storm, I gotta say, I'm already hooked. What a fun little truck!

I got a great deal on it and it's in good cosmetic and rust shape, but there are some gremlins and I could use some help figuring out the order of operations I should proceed with addressing issues with it. I bought the truck as a daily driver for winter. I got tired of riding my motorcycles in the snow.

The Rig:

USA 1992 Suzuki Sidekick JX 16 valve, Federal, Automatic, 4WD
139K miles, been sitting for 5 years (yikes)

What Works:
All electrical markers, blinkers, rear window defrost/wiper, all that sort of thing works.
Starts quickly and easily.
Settles into a nice ~1400 rpm idle at 28degree F ambient temps and then kicks down to 800 rpm when it's warmed up.

What I'm trying to fix:
CEL on. Code: 23 Intake Air Temp
O/D flashing. Code: 33 Throttle Position Sensor
Brake Light on sometimes.
After sitting at startup, starts right up, runs clean for 3-4 seconds, then starts spitting bluish-white smoke from exhaust for about 5 minutes. The smoke smells sweet smelling to me, but I could be wrong about that.
Warms up very slowly. (15 minutes before the heater starts working, but once there, heater works well.) Once warmed up the temp gauge runs towards Cold but needle above the C (eventually). Again, idle kicks down at a normal time, around 5 minutes 28 ish degrees outside.

No coolant in oil on dipstick after multiple checks.
No oil in coolant. Coolant level may or may not be stable, I've only driven it for a week.
Has burnt almost 1/2 qt oil in one week (~200 miles).

It drives around, but seems to skip 2nd gear, never shifts to O/D/4th.

I have the following parts new and on-hand: air filter, spark plugs, IAT sensor, PCV valve. I don't want to start putting in parts in the wrong order and foul a brand new sensor for example.

I'm thinking start with the CEL problem first, then the deal with the transmission, then the brakes and the oil or blown head gasket last (for financial reasons) unless that's the root cause of the IAT code 23.

Please let me know the order you think is best to tackle this stuff!

Thanks in advance for all the expertise!

-TK

[fixkick]

Hey Gang!

First Time Suzuki owner. I just picked up a Sidekick and just driving it around in limp mode for a week including one day in a snow storm, I gotta say, I'm already hooked. What a fun little truck! the 2door 4wd is as super good snow car. 2000lbs light,

I got a great deal on it and it's in good cosmetic and rust shape, but there are some gremlins and I could use some help figuring out the order of operations I should proceed with addressing issues with it. I bought the truck as a daily driver for winter. I got tired of riding my motorcycles in the snow.
the first thing to do is the tuneup, fluids the make sure the CEL flashes 12's on demand )
for me , brakes are #1 (after fuel leaks) no fires, boom and can stop. safety first.

The Rig:

USA 1992 Suzuki Sidekick JX 16 valve, Federal, Automatic 4speed electronic shifted it is, 4WD (2 door>?)
139K miles, been sitting for 5 years (yikes) Omg runs that long sitting fuel goes bad, and clogs injectors.

What Works:
All electrical markers, blinkers, rear window defrost/wiper, all that sort of thing works.
Starts quickly and easily.
Settles into a nice ~1400 rpm idle at 28degree F ambient temps and then kicks down to 800 rpm when it's warmed up. GOOD !

What I'm trying to fix:
CEL on. Code: 23 Intake Air Temp ( this fails for 3 reasons, its bad, wires cut or unplugged key on, reset the PCM and see if it comes back)
O/D flashing. (means the 4speed trans TCM is not happy , it has its own diag jumper and its own 2 dig codes, not related to ECM at all. errors.
Code: 33 Throttle Position Sensor ) this is wrong.
33 is DEAD MAF. that is LIMPHOME FOR SURE and sucks fuel like mad and fouls plugs.

http://www.fixkick.com/ECU/DTC-errors/DTC-jtgh.html

Brake Light on sometimes. (means fluid low, or hand brake stuck (switch) or means front rear main brake balance is off, or one is dead. (F or R)
its easy to test this by bypassing each switch to see which one is tripped.

After sitting at startup, starts right up, runs clean for 3-4 seconds, then starts spitting bluish-white smoke from exhaust for about 5 minutes. The smoke smells sweet smelling to me, but I could be wrong about that. (it rich and should be black smoke, black smoke smells like unburned fuel, )
if the white smoke lingers that is oil smoke, and is valve stem seals old, ignore it. some folks call it blue, but is really no proof, smell is #1 and lingers. or not.

if it white smoke goes way just like tea pot smoke that is steam, water. and bad. but all cars do this in cold weather because all fuel burns to H20 and CO2.
is this your first car?
Warms up very slowly. (15 minutes before the heater starts working, but once there, heater works well.) Once warmed up the temp gauge runs towards Cold but needle above the C (eventually). Again, idle kicks down at a normal time, around 5 minutes 28 ish degrees outside.
the gauge has not numbers so only installing a new thermostat will you know for ever what yours reads, normal it is crude but consistent the meter.

No coolant in oil on dipstick after multiple checks.
No oil in coolant. Coolant level may or may not be stable, I've only driven it for a week.
Has burnt almost 1/2 qt oil in one week (~200 miles).

It drives around, but seems to skip 2nd gear, never shifts to O/D/4th. (the TCM tells you why , use the TCM jumper and see OD flash codes)
per this. my TCM< page
http://www.fixkick.com/tranny/slush/OD-f...0what.html



I have the following parts new and on-hand: air filter, spark plugs, IAT sensor, PCV valve. I don't want to start putting in parts in the wrong order and foul a brand new sensor for example.
so pull the doom fuse, for 5 minutes, this causes the ECU and TCM to forget all it ever knew. (DTC's) dome is memory power,
now all codes seen are real, work only those.

I'm thinking start with the CEL problem first, then the deal with the transmission, then the brakes and the oil or blown head gasket last (for financial reasons) unless that's the root cause of the IAT code 23.
never look at codes set by others (previous owners, yes write them down sure ) reset it and see what is real, same on your car and 2017 cars. same same.
the ecu and tcm both store errors, they can 1 second old or 5 years old, see? some as old as last battery swaP.


Please let me know the order you think is best to tackle this stuff!

Thanks in advance for all the expertise!

-TK

SOME Dtc do self clear, but its best to reset all and start over.
self clear on some takes too long, others clear in seconds, i think the IAT 23 clears in seconds, IIRC.
the long one for sure is code 51, EGR.



id clean the mAF next. using MAF cleaner at 6 to 12 inches afar.
then pull dome. fuse.
then put back
then idle engine, then gun it fast or drive.
maf still failing?
heck it could be home to a nest of spiders in 5 years. clean it and do it gently, do not put the nozzle hose, of spray directly up to those very fragile elements inside, back up, 6inches.
is use CRC maf cleaner. brand, sold in all stores and safe for plastics. and more.

[fixkick]

the TCM
if it tells your VSS is bad. it is. (dome pulled and it repeats)
(there are 2, the main and the backup)
the main is on transmission rear shaft.
the backup is the speedo cluster rear.

if the tail speed VSS fails, remove it and clean off all the magnetic mud. i bet it works now. all do that. clean it, and easy fix. if VSS trips.
vss - is one sensor, for TCM speed.
do not panic with TCM. it can be a simple fix.
TPS out of cal.
ECT reads wrong,
VSS dead, or flaky,
and more.

the trans goes to limphome too, just like engine,
the trans skips 2nd gear in LIMP
the OD flashes. in limp
all that means is, scan me now. or that jumper diag, inserted.

[ThomasKinzer]

Thanks, Fix.

I'm dealing with Snowpocalypse 2017 right now and haven't been able to work on the car but did pick up some CRC MAF cleaner. I have tools but no garage right now, so working in out in the sub-freezing weather is a challenge.

Here she is, doing her job:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/photo...?icm=false


BTW the code 33 I read is from the TCM, not the ECU. I looked that up as Throttle Position Sensor, let me know if that is wrong or changes the MAF as the primary suspect.

I plan to take apart the intake, check for crap, leaks, cracks, in there, replace the air filter and clean the MAF as soon as I can.

[fixkick]

REDUX
sorry, the DLC for ECU is not DLC for TCM.
sorry.
two different connectors. OD flashes 33, sure.
my page has suzuki verbatim lists there, real photos of the real page, its not translated.

http://www.fixkick.com/tranny/slush/OD-f...0what.html

the TPS can be bad,
or just not calibrated. The steps are on my TPS calibration page, for 16v early, using feeler gauges, the real Suzuki pages are there too. and my short cuts.


after doom fuse reset. get?
ecu 23, is IAT wires fell off. in most cases (CED FLASH CODES)
tCM 33 is TPS wires fell off, or not calibrated or bad TPS, and TPS is expensive and can be tested easy. (OD FLASH CODES)


if some BADGUY turned that DONT TOUCH throttle stop screw, (hard to do that )then the TPS is lost CALibration or worse useless to try.
how odd TCM sees TPS error but not ECU. odd.
might be a marginal error.

did you pull the dome fuse first, , for 5min.
put it back to see of all errors go away or some?

always do that. if not sure they a real errors. assume they are not.

[fixkick]

The ECU reports TPS errors over or near 4volt (too high errros)\
or below .2v.
unplugged or shorted to 5v errors.

the TCM (no spec here) does not tell you if it failing for , too high or low. (my guess would be too low) and from calibration wrong.


the IAT error means wire cut, or open. (high voltage)

[ThomasKinzer]

I took apart the intake. Everything looks surprisingly clean, no crud or oil past where it looks like the PCV valve enters, so that's good.

Air filter looks fairly clean but used.

MAF looks fine visually - which i know means nothing and I'll spray it, but here's the thing.

According to my Chilton book and other people's engines with my layout, looks like I have the 1.6L MFI engine. The airbox/cleaner is on the front driver's side with the MAF sensor just past the airbox.

I see other people's IAT in the airbox, but my box has no IAT at all.

Could I have a swapped in engine or an ECU that doesn't match my stock engine? There were two ECUs of unknown condition included with the car from the PP(previous previous) owner.

Where's my IAT sensor at? It's not where Chilton says it should be.

[fetcher]

He's gonna rag on the Chilton book. They do suck. I like the "working in out in the sub-freezing weather is a challenge" part of your story. I am glad to have an incandescent hanging under the car. LED's won't keep you warm.
http://www.harborfreight.com/Mechanics-G...OCJ9%0D%0A
do help. Right now $3.79 with coupon

[fixkick]

ok your maf is ok, i had the wrong DTC ,
the 1992 car, is the only 16v made with NO IAC
its not there.
so if the PCM tells you its missing that means some bad guy put in the wrong PCM.
93, to 95.
wrong.
that was easy ,see this many a time.
here is the list
is this uSA car?
USA 1992 Suzuki Sidekick JX 16 valve, Federal, Automatic, 4WD , yes.
federal is USA fed. hood sticker says complies with fed laws. bla bla.
FED.

here they all are. varies by 4wd /2wd 2doors and 4doors.

http://www.fixkick.com/ECU/EPC-ECU96-98/...9-95NA.pdf
E3 = fed, E33 = calif. on chart.

58B40 is fed ecu , no iAT
58B30 is calif with IAT
or someone put a 94/95 ECU in your car. all have IAT.
the side of ecu has these letters sticker above, and letters "US" for usa spec ECU.

the 16v engine really does not need a IAT its only for super fine tuning smog. i bet your IAT connector is missing too, as it should be.
the MAF is temperature compensated, is way.

the real problem on your car is 2nd gear. trans in limphome.
TPS is top billing failure, i bet it can be calibrated and is ok. just betting.

[ThomasKinzer]

Scooby dooby mystery solved.

That's a bummer. $400 part with core. I'll have 3 of the wrong ECU's after I buy the right one. Ideally, I need this thing to pass smog test here in Portland. CEL is automatic disqualification.

Any advice on buying an ECU? Used always a bad idea? I see remanufactured ones on rockauto.

Meantime, I'll see if I can set the throttle position next time I have some light in the driveway. Thanks for the lamp idea. It's 20's outside, I'm standing on 6" of packed snow so I'm not sure it will make much difference under the circumstances. I just work until I can't feel my toes and then come back in. brrrr.

Thanks for all the help.