Won't rev past 4200 RPM

[Spudschmid]

I just purchased a 1998 tracker and it acts like it hits a rev limiter @ 4200 and will flash the cel as it bounces off 4200. Otherwise seems to run fine. Any ideas?

[fixkick]

hello and welcome
yes, the ECU does have limphome and does limit RPM in that mode, and retards spark and runs rich, with very low MPG.
The ECU does run fine in limphome , in fact that is the purpose. to run ok, until such time as it can be repaired.
The CEL glowing tells you that it is in limphome running, and if the CEL flashes (USA cars) that means the CAT is most likely to over heat from all that wasted fuel into same.
you should connect any scan tool and scan it,.. up in canada , these cars fail to glow the CEL on some failures , (see oBD2 in the FSM on this)
True market Canada ECUs are different from ours. in USA.
if you have a laptop,PC you can get a scan tool for $9 (USB) and scan it.
scan and look for DTCs (errors) stored.

[Spudschmid]

Thanks for the response, it only flashes the light as soon as it hits that rpm then goes out. I have scanned it and no codes are stored. The CEL is not on.

[fixkick]

usa car? canada car? each country uses a differ. ECU. and behave different.
but scans dont lie.
maybe the tachometer is fibbing in the dash it's very old , if looking at old stock tacho?

there is an rpm limit, above 6800?
this is a 1998 1.6L engine , right and not the 1.8L? Trackers never have 1.8 but some people swap car badges and such...

also the techo on this car uses spark feedback if, motor coil misfires. the tacho may read wrong. (its crude as is possible ) No DTCs driving fast>?
DTCs can happen at any speed, or load. any.

some cars have , hacks, that connect to the tacho wire, alarms, remote starts , aftermarket cruise ? the brown wire.

what car is this?
2wd?
4wd??
3sp, 4sp or 5speed tranny?
2doors or 4 doors?

may be the car has the wrong ECU, seen that trick many a time.
look up your ECU here
http://www.fixkick.com/ECU/EPC-ECU96-98/...N_ECU1.pdf


on my 5ps 4200rpm is 82.59 mph in 5th. or 59mph at 3000 rpm.
tell me what speed yours goes, in what gear,? max. this will prove or disprove stock tachometer,errors.
got stock size tires?

some FSM state the rev limiter is at 6800 RPm (cuts fuel) and bogs.
the sidekicks are 4wd and as such have a detuned, P0300 DTC monitor (for jerky offroad usage) and can misfire, (bad need of tuneup) and not set P0300s.
in canada. the ECU masks THE CEL on misfires. See P0300 page on the online 1996 FSM. it states that.

so at 4200 (if real) it misfires, that is bad spark. (best guess) got good spark plugs gapped at .028 and never at 0.045" as set wrong in factory most spark plugs made.? if it bogs, at 4200 , lost fuel pressure or clogged injectors, if it is RPM limit at over 6000 it will bog there and not misfire.


your not racing motor in neutral or park are you, that is bad idea.
race it under load only.
many cars made have 3 limits, parked, in Drive, and in limphome.
if never ever raced any engine into limits in neutral. i rebuild motors. do one and you will never want to waste a motor like that.
i do not know if there are 3 limits nor will i ever find out.

max HP is 5400 RPm
max torque is 4000 rpm.

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why not see what the ECU shows for 4200 rpm, against the silly analog tachometer. (obd2 scan tachometer is dead accurate)
that dash meter is dutycycle sensitive (ive repaired them), (it really does not count rpm nor is it digital, at all ,it's spark duty cycle)
but on the 98 the CKP sensors runs the Tacho for the ECU, and don't lie.

the rev cap is at 6800, i checked my books, and that be ECU CKP sensor capped, the dash tacho is a toy.

[Spudschmid]

Thank you for the info I'll go through and check that stuff this weekend.
1998 chev tracker 5sp 4x4 137k mi 4dr. It says canada on the door sticker.

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Is there a particular spark plug that you recommend? Thanks