Car is not any better. 1 step forward/backward. Advice.

[K-CAR_WAGON]

Here is another link on the AIS

http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/idleproblems.html

[89ARIES]

That would make sense. I may have solved the electrical issue by discovering
those damaged wires. Lets hope the light stays free of codes as it now no longer
flashes. That would indicate at least half the battle was won right there. No, I don't know what the mechanic did with the AIS. Its possible that has been bad all along?

[89ARIES]

By the way, what is the power brake booster hose to the throttle body for? How does that affect anything?

[89ARIES]

Oh, I forgot to mention. The air filter tends to get gasoline in it. Weird??? Hhm.

[89ARIES]

You know, everything seems to point to an idle thats to low, with the fluctuations up and down constantly of course, and then it can cut out. At acceleration, it is actual bucking,
or near cutting out with foot just barely resting on gas petal.

[K-CAR_WAGON]

By the way, what is the power brake booster hose to the throttle body for? How does that affect anything?

The hose is the source of vacuum from the engine for the power brake booster.

See link for a simplified article on describing the power brake booster. (See Items 2&3 in particular.)

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-part ... -brake.htm

A vacuum leak (such as through a defective vacuum booster) can affect mixture and idle, but in general it makes the car run leaner than it should.

[89ARIES]

I guess I am just a little confused. Our you saying a bad brake booster causes running issues?

[K-CAR_WAGON]

A vauum leak including a vacuum leak due to a bad brake booster can cause running issues - as well as being a safety issue. But I don't know if your vacuum booster is really bad. And your described symptoms of running too rich (black smoke, too much fuel) doesn't seem to match up with what I would expect. Maybe someone with more experience with TBI can comment.

[MyDodgeDip]

Our you saying a bad brake booster causes running issues?

Yes, that's what I have been saying. A Vacuum leak is extra air getting into the intake. Generally it will make the car lean out like K_CAR_WAGON said, but if the computer is trying to compensate for it or if it's a bad enough leak that the map reading is off, it could throw off all sorts of things. Fix the booster. You can try plugging the line and seeing if it idles better or smoother but the booster is a vacuum leak that needs to be fixed correctly. It may not solve all the problems but it needs to be done to correctly troubleshoot the rest.

And again, unless the cat is clogged it's not the problem here. The O2 sensor is up stream of it. The cat is purely for emissions and only effects the exhaust coming out of the tailpipe.

Your air filter should not be soaked with gas. Do you mean soaked like dripping or soaked like smells like? If its soaked dripping you should look at the throttle body with the car running and see if the spray is even and fine or if it's dribbling/pouring out. It could be a bad injector or injector O-Ring. Could also be a problem with the fuel regulator.

[Butch]

Car has 20 inch of vac at idle, vac isn't a problem. Fuel related problem makes more sense since the dead O2 was black. Next step, check plug condition, tap in fuel pres gauge, check injectors spray pattern. AIS motor works, verified with scanner. All selinoids work alot.