Very neglected 98 Chevy Prizm

[junkyardjeff]

It was towed  to the house with a inop starter so after I got it to start it was running on one or two cylinders,two plug holes were soaked with oil and one wire end was on the plug. New valve cover gasket along with plugs and wires and it was running much better but this thing will not run past 3500 RPMs,CEL is on but I do not have the hardware for my Snap On brick scanner to do imports after 93 and it kind of smells lean so anyone know what the fuel pressure should be and just where is the fuel filter.

[papastoyss]

From a mechanical standpoint this car is similar to a Toyota Corolla of the same vintage.If the car will run enough to get there , a place like Autozone, O'reillys, or Advance Auto will be glad to scan your system for codes.

[wayne petty]

hook up a vacuum gauge to a manifold vacuum port..  slowly increase the engine speed.. if the manifold vacuum drops the faster runs the cat and or exhaust are clogged..  i have had failed cats clog mufflers so use a shop vacuum or leaf blower to blow backwards thru the tail pipe with the back end of the cat disconnected.

got a smart phone...  you can use a bluetooth version with android phones and PC laptops..   if you are apple Iphone or Ipad.. you have to use a more expensive wifi version

https://www.amazon.com/Generic-Bluetooth-Multi-Language-12Kinds-Android/dp/B00N2K6M2A  this one looks like a V1.5.. but the info is missing 2.1's were in white cases..  but its the chip inside that counts..  both work..  and they are cheap..

if you want a full scan tool.. HF 62120 is what that buzy body wayne is telling you to buy as an investment  as it does graphing.. and data recording..  just to make your life with newer cars simpler.  its still a generic scan tool and does not DO ABS  or SRS.. and transmission stuff is very limited in some cars older than 2005..

don't try to update it.. so many people have bricked theirs doing so..

[junkyardjeff]

I was wondering about the cat,the temp going in is lower then going out so I think its still working but this car has been driven a few months running bad.

[wayne petty]

I was wondering about the cat,the temp going in is lower then going out so I think its still working but this car has been driven a few months running bad.

the injectors come out really easily. you can set up stepped vacuum hose sections zip tied to a spray straw.. an injector connector with a 9 volt battery pigital and a push button on one side.. so you can use my favorite Autozone brake cleaner thru the injector as you pulse it to get it clean..  you will be amazed at the amount of junk that comes out..

you can see the cobbled together fittings i had to set up to clean ford injectors.. https://i.imgur.com/lHRZXSo.jpg


i use the california spec autozone brake cleaner AZP-10ULV but that is probably not available outside of california..  you can get Barryman chem tool  Spray .. that is about the strongest i have found ..  please use New orings on the fuel rail side of the injectors..

[papastoyss]

Acetone also does a good job of cleaning injectors, I remove all rubber seals & soak the injectors for a day or two in a sealed container w/ the acetone so the fluid doesn't evaporate. This stuff is flamable, don't smoke around it. After soaking, rig up some wiring as Wayne posted & if they will click they're ok

[wayne petty]

Acetone also does a good job of cleaning injectors, I remove all rubber seals & soak the injectors for a day or two in a sealed container w/ the acetone so the fluid doesn't evaporate. This stuff is flamable, don't smoke around it. After soaking, rig up some wiring as Wayne posted & if they will click they're ok

Its about 2 minutes to clean each injector the way I have it set up.. and you can see the change in injector spray patternas you pulse them clean..

I really need to scrounge some aluminum fuel rail to chop into sections and rig up the rail section into a dedicated device I can plug the straw into.  I also if one looks close at the picture use tiny female quick connects that I can push onto many injector pins.

[junkyardjeff]

Had the codes checked and a misfire on all four and too lean,I am thinking low fuel pressure and the filter in made into the pump so time for a good used pump.