Expert: Rob Painter - 11/10/2008

Question
I have a 1981 Biarritz with that engine with only 107,000 miles. I believe it only runs in the 8 cylinder mode. Could you tell me where to locate the "wire" that disconnects the 6&4 cylinder modes?

This all started when I had to have the car smoged. It repeatedly failed. I ended up replacing the catalytic convertor, put  in a new EGR, O-2 sensors, PCV valve, etc.

I have an accleration problem. In the morning when I first start it, if I acclerate too quickly it "pops" like a mini-backfire that sounds like it comes from the throttle body. It has been tuned-up recently with new plugs and wires and I think distributor rotor &condenser (but I'm not sure)were replaced. Is the timing automatically set by the computer? Can it be checked the old way and adjusted? I believe they did checked the timing at the shop, but they are telling me it has to do with the transmission as well.

My transmission, for at least two years has not functioned correctly, but prior to recently, the engine had adequate pick-up, did not hesitate and ran pretty smoothly.
It ran well despite the fact that it shifts from 1st to 3rd gear completely bypassing 2nd. I have tolerated it because of expense, and because it is drivable under normal circumstances. It shifts from 1st to third at 20mph under typical accleration. It will not back down to 2nd while in third ((no kickdown unless I am in the 35 to 40mph range where it will go to first) There is no engine "breaking" effect when I am acclerating to 20mph and back off the pedal as there would be if it were in 1st manually.

Last, when I start it in the morning,( where you hear the fuel pump working just prior to cranking) the idle screw will often "pulsate" (where you can hear the little motor turning) and make the acclerator pedal move back and forth. Also when I coast to a stop, occasionally the pedal will go down, which is pretty scary. I was wondering if there was ever a recall for that on this model or any other recall you may know about.

Thanks,

Christopher,  

Answer
Hi Christopher,

My expertise does not deal in your questions except for one. I am going off my old feable memory because I owned one of these cars.
If I remember right, on the driver's side of the engine, there was a single wire near the valve cover that was either brown or green with a black connector. This wire was not harnessed and disconnecting let the engine run on all 8 cylinder.
There were so many problems associated with the 4-6-8, but it was a great engine running on 8.
Sorry about being so vague, but I am speaking from 18 years ago.

Hope it helps and if you get it unplugged it may fix a number of your problems hopefully.


Rob