Bergamaso, do you play Bass?

 

I really appreciate all the pointers, guys. This is an amazing forum!!
Glenn

P.S. Andrew - I play drums not bass - sorry

 

What are the codes, & what have you done to try & fix it?

 

Worked for me for 850 miles until I goofed and left it idle for a moment. All the system is looking for AFAIK is O2 readings telling the system that there is more air running by the them. I start and go, even in reverse. There is a 5 second period after start up before the SAI system kicks on......thats all you have for idle time, just enough for the oil to move from a resting state Pressure should be immediate on start up......rock on. If the idle stabilizer that comes on with the AC works well, that can help keep the revs up too, but start and go worked much better for me. And when the codes re appear I just clear them and go to the track for a weekend of fun and the ready codes reset.

 

Glenn, here is a thread I started after fixing my SAI problems 2 years ago at about 65k Miles

SAI Flush

 

993inNC,
I agree with your idle solution. I have SAI issues that I was able to "get around" for CA Smog issues and have learned through experience that my CEL comes on if car is allowed to idle for any length of time. I use the Durametric software and have been able to clear all codes and set enough of the readiness flags to get through smog. Car has 104K miles and runs GREAT!
Phil

 

I had the SAI issue on my 98 C2S about a year ago. It's been my DD since I bought it seven years ago and I've put 55,000 mostly trouble free miles on the car. In PA, the car won't pass the annual emissions testing if there is a CEL showing. My indep shop flushed the ports, which worked great except on the port that's hardest to reach. The carbon in that one couldn't be fully removed but the CEL was gone and the issue shouldn't reappear for quite a while.

The engine now has 80K. There is enough oil seepage from deteriorated gaskets and warped plastic covers that, recently, I have started noticing a slight burned oil smell when I shut off the engine. I assume oil collects in the under-engine tray and the heat of the exhaust system burns it. I also assume the presence of the tray speeds plastic cover warping and gasket deterioration due to heat retention.

This is a problem I cannot ignore. I still like the car and plan to have it fixed. The most likely solution involves pulling the engine. While I don't need to do certain additional work right now, odds are that two other issues will need attention within the next 20K (i.e., by 100K miles). It doesn't seem wise to pay for the labor to pull the engine again in a couple of years. So, I'm now looking at also doing the clutch (original, no problems) and the valve guides (this requires head removal and machine work). If the head is off, then any residual carbon in the SAI ports can be removed too. All this is likely to run $5-6K.

Expensive? Yes. Unexpected? No, it was only a question of when, not if. It's just a maintenance cost for a P-car. There are sporty Japanese cars that cost less to buy and maintain. Only you can decide whether the cost/benefit trade-offs are meaningful.

 

Jim: Thank you for your careful, detailed write-up of your experiences. I do appreciate your thoughts as with those of all the other owners. This is a great community. My car has no problems with oil leakage and I am only driving it about 2500 miles per year so I am hoping that there won't be any really major expenses for a couple of years. It is a very unique and wonderful car to drive and a very special vehicle wherever I go so I would like to keep it.

 

Berg, your lack of miles driven is probably adding to the problem. These motors need to be run regularly and believe it or not.......... HARD! If you are only going to drive it sparingly, drive it aggressively when you do. Get it hot all the way around, really flog it. The more and harder you drive it, the less issues you'll have. The PO of my car drove the hell out of my car. When I bought it, it need some real maintenance, but what I came to realize is that although it had seen a hard life of north east US winters and many track days, it seemed to have loved the track time (and I haven't let up much on its track duties ). It runs long and hard, starts every time and yet is still a capable street car. It doesn't seem to burn oil, has great oil pressure even at idle (even at 114k miles) and is generally a great car. They don't like to sit.............drive it.

 

Guys: This has all been very insightful. Thanks again.