This should (hopefully) be a simple question:
My wife's car (1997 Pontiac Grand AM GT) recently had the Check Engine light come on. After getting the computer code from the car, it was determined that it needed a throttle position sensor. This part determines how far down the gas pedal is, and having a flaky one causes the engine to rev too high.
I have the new part, but have no clue where it goes. I'm thinking under the dash, but it's hard to tell without taking the kicker panel off of the driver's side.
Any suggestions?
Are you close to a library? You should be able to find the part placement in the Haynes of Chilton's manual for that car, and the libraries up here at least have a good selection of those.
Those Haynes manuals are indispensible when it comes to do-it-yourself auto repair. If you can't find one at your local library, most Wal-Mart stores carry them, and they can usually be found for less than $20. It's a great investment if you plan on keeping the car for any amount of time.
Cheers,
The Czar
I have one for my 1993 Chevy Corsica. As long as the repair is something I can handle, I'll do it with the help of that book. It didn't help at all when I had to replace the heater core in that car.
The sensor (a piece of plastic with couple of connectors) was $36 after taxes, which is quite a bit more than the book would be.
I'll check the library before buying another book.
Oddly enough, I just replaced the TPS on my 93 Chevy Corsica. On that car, the TPS is on the throttle assembly under the hood.
I definitely recommend checking a repair manual, but if you have someone press the gas pedal while you're looking under the hood, you should see the throttle moving. The throttle position sensor might be in that area. I'm not a mechanic, but that's how it works on my car.
The Chilton manual was helpful for showing what the TPS looks like, but all those books ever seem to show are pictures extreme close-ups of the part. An extreme close-up doesn't always help with finding the part. It's like a game of "Where's Waldo?"
Good luck!
I've looked under the hood of her car. Good grief it's crowded!
The only time I'll have to go to the library is Saturday - my wife has to be at work at 8AM this week and gets home about 7:30-8:00PM.
I hope the TPS is one of the few things that you have replaced on the Corisca. I've replaced the following on mine:
5 alternators in two years (1 caught on fire! :o)
2 starters
1 master cylinder
1 heater core
The ususal maintenance items - brakes, struts, hoses, thermostat.
Currently the only thing that leaks under the Corsica is oil. Inside the car, water will go inside the car on the driver's floorboard whnen it rains, but not all of the time. I keep a couple of towels handy to take care of the water.
Just think - six more payments, and it's mine!
The car is fixed. After removing the kicker panel from under the dash, I saw that there was no sensors under the dash related to the gas pedal. After that I traced the cable from the gas pedal to the sensor.
Replacing it has resulted in much better fuel mileage. Where traveling 150 miles would burn 5/8ths of a tank of gas before, it only burned a little over 1/4 of a tank yesterday. Not bad for a $36 part.