car wont rev past 2k

[vr2jetta]

Have you checked out your cats to see if they get plugged up when it gets hot. I have heard that it could be the cats causing the issue. I have yet to check mines.

I'm pretty sure that is not the problem, considering the car drives fine one day and gives me problems the next. Also, it totally drops off at exactly 1900 rpms every time, not bogging or anything, just dies, and wont rev back up till the rpms drop below 1100. I am having issues at start up, not hard start issues, just likes to pop and bog so the cat might be the source of that problem. "Cleaning" the cats is usually on my list of things to do when I get a new car anyway, I just wanted to wait to get it running correctly before I did that. Since I will be waiting on a new DME I can jack the car up and take care of that in the meantime.

[vr2jetta]

Got the cat removed, cut off and "cleaned". Now time to weld back together and re-install. It looked OK when I cut it apart, but at least it wont clog later on down the road.

[vr2jetta]

Well, everything is back together and the car is still doing the same thing. The only difference is I now have that hollow, echoy throaty sound when I hit the gas. The DME is not throwing any more codes but still wont rev past 2k. It consistantly drops off at 1900-2000 rpms. I have all ready ordered a used DME so if that dont fix it I guess I will be spending 2-3 hours reading and printing the ETM, then another 2-3 hours troubleshooting.

[whiltebeitel]

Check for an intake leak past the AFM. I had similar problems with my car at one point in time, it was just the bottom of the AFM-to-TB elbow had caught under the inside edge of the AFM, thus creating a massive air leak and crappy running when cold. Double and triple check that.

Oh, and that cat material is worth about $125 as scrap, so I hope you didn't chunk it!

[vr2jetta]

[quote=whiltebeitel;

Oh, and that cat material is worth about $125 as scrap, so I hope you didn't chunk it![/quote]

Yea.....its trashed. I think they have some questions if I came up to the scrap yard with a bunch of cat material. I guess I could say it was removed from my race car.......which it was, officer!

[vr2jetta]

Check for an intake leak past the AFM. I had similar problems with my car at one point in time, it was just the bottom of the AFM-to-TB elbow had caught under the inside edge of the AFM, thus creating a massive air leak and crappy running when cold. Double and triple check that.
!

I replaced it with a new one so I know it is good, and have had it off at least 6-7 times trying this, trying that, cleaning this, checking that, so I know thats not the problem. Good looking out, the one I removed was TRASH!! Swiss cheese would be an understatement.

[vr2jetta]

One more thing, the car started running better today, then started bucking and all that, CEL flashed, so when I got it home I checked it. Threw a full throttle switch code, and I checked that yesterday and it was good! I am hoping that the DME is just going nuts, but I wont be able to find out unless the guy who I paid for a used one ever gets back to me.........

[bejbis]

when its bucking, the CEL light will flash and will the tach drop to 0? or will the tach keep the revs that it had when you were driving without it bucking?

lifeiskaos is a good guy, and you should really hollar my way when you need parts, i know where a few 173 ECU's are in mobile if you really needed one.

[whiltebeitel]

There are some vacuum hoses that attach to the top of the TB as well, see if they are loose/leaking, and recheck that TPS. If you have a Bently, you can pull the plug to the ECU and cozy uo with a multimeter and run through all the inputs to the ECU, so you know if it's a wiring issue or an ECU issue (If all the inputs read good, try another ECU)

[vr2jetta]

when its bucking, the CEL light will flash and will the tach drop to 0? or will the tach keep the revs that it had when you were driving without it bucking?

lifeiskaos is a good guy, and you should really hollar my way when you need parts, i know where a few 173 ECU's are in mobile if you really needed one.

When its bucking the tach doesnt drop, it keeps the reading. I still ned to come out to see you and get those seats. My wife is throwing a baby shower this Sunday so maybe I can try to come out then. The only reason I didnt contact you for an ECU is because you said the seats were all you had, but I didnt even think to ask if you knew anybody with one. I have pm'ed lifeiskaos every day since I sent him money and still have heard nothing from him. I sent money to him Monday night and still no response as to if he found it, sent it, nothing. I did check to TPS and it is kinda screwey. It reads the idle position fine. When I go to read the full throttle side, the meter beeps close to full throttle, goes quiet then beeps again as I reach full throttle. Sometimes not beeping at all when I get to full throttle, I have to slam the butterfly open for it to read. I pulled it off with hopes I could open it up and clean it, but then realized it was full of water. Probably from the PO leaving it uncovered during dis-assembly, the throttle body was pretty nasty and the butterfly was stuck shut, so thats no big surprise. I am in the process of ordering a used one from here considering a new one is $60+. After "cleaning" the TPS and re-installing it the car runs so much better when cold. It used to pop and backfire, now smooth, and idles smoother too.

[vr2jetta]

i know where a few 173 ECU's are in mobile if you really needed one.

How much are they going for?

EDIT: do you know where the is a TPS for around $10-$20 too?

[whiltebeitel]

Sounds like the TPS is your culprit, I hope that's all it takes!

[vr2jetta]

Sounds like the TPS is your culprit, I hope that's all it takes!

Could the TPS cause all that?

[vr2jetta]

Just to clarify, the car will run and drive fine......as long as I dont go over 1900 rpm's.

[nando]

it sounds like a crank sensor to me... a TPS isn't going to give you an RPM limit, but a bad crank sensor can.