Hello all
I have been slowly getting my truck running well. I changed the TPS and it ran better, but then it started to sputter and dog out while accelerating on the freeway. Soon after I got a check engine light. I got home and replaced the tps with my old one and the problem went away, but I could tell the truck was happier with the new one, with exception of the check enigine light and sputtering thing. I brought the new TPS back and then tried a new one, and the same thing happend. Do I need to use a OEM tps or is there something else I should be looking to do?

Also, what is the third sensor on the throttle body?
TPS, IMAP and ???

I want to change it and see if the performance gets better.

thanks

 

I think the 3rd one youre refering to is the Idle Air Controller/Motor/Valve. Ive heard it all 3 ways, but I just call it the IAC. And I recently replaced mine...I believe it helped my idle and acceleration a little but nothing too major. Either way, its a good idea to replace it, I think..but if ya havent before..or even if ya have..I'd take it out and give it a good cleaning and see if it makes a difference. Sorry I cant help with the TPS problem though.

 

Changing these sensors out sometimes does improve problems, as they are mechanical devices after all and are susceptible to all the gunk and crap that clogs up our engines. Sometimes the sensors are the first place I look when solving a problem, I just grab a bunch of sensors out of donor trucks at the junkyard, throw them into the bottom of my tool box, and swap them out as needed.

However, this more often than not is only the easiest place to start, not necessarily the best. If your sensor is operating correctly, it is alerting you to a problem. Recently my truck was throwing the MAP and TPS code, I couldn't figure it out. I threw in all kinds of new sensors and it helped a little, but I got similar problems to what you are reporting and the repair was never permanent. Turns out I was suffering from corrosion in my SMEC, which led to a weak spark. The gas was not combusting properly, which tripped the TPS sensor, I believe, because the weak explosions were not consistent with where the throttle position should have been. I should have been getting great explosions at open throttle, instead they were weak, and my TPS was doing its job by alerting me to that fact.

The sensors are there for a reason, not just to be a pain in the ***. You may need to ferret out the underlying source of your problem. Start by assessing the health of your spark, fuel pressure, make sure you air filter is clean and that your grounds and wires are in good shape. Take it from there.

Good luck!

 

I went down to Harbor Freight and picked up an engine diagnoser for 90 bucks, I plugged it in and voila. Engine code problem with number 1 O2 sensor.

So the TPS thing was what I thought but apparently the O2 sensor is giving me issues. It was strange because the error only showed up after putting the new TPS in.

so there you go.
P