vettedoctor

i go to start my car today to take it to the shop to have the transmission rebuilt and it cranks but it is hunting for a idle bad from 500 rpm to 2500 rpm. and it is pouring white smoke. back the car out on the road and drive it to the shop the only odd think i notice is the ect gauge is sweeping from like 142 to 260 back and fourth in no certian rythem. i get to the shop and find the wires to my ect one is damaged and grounding out and the car is idleing much better but at a 1000 rpms. my guess is once it went in to closed loop not sure how it could with a ect sensor problem it ran fine but in open loop it was freaking out due to fueling? does this sound possible. also the car got up to about 260 degrees two weeks ago. this may be what killed the transmission. but it does not smoke when it is being driven and as far as i can tell it is not using coolant or putting coolant in the oil. could this just be a bad vacum leak maybe?

Injuneer

Where was the white smoke pouring out of.... the tailpipe? What did it smell like.... possibly burned coolant?

You indicate the wire to the coolant temp gauge was damaged. Do you mean the wire to the sensor in the driver's side head? That's the one that feeds the gauge. Its not the one that feeds the PCM, and would have no affect on how the engine runs, nor would it affect when the PCM goes into closed loop. Or do you mean the ECT sensor in the water pump had damaged wires? That would cause engine running problems, but would not show up on the dash gauge. Typically, at 140*F, the PCM is able to go into closed loop.

When an engine overheats badly, as you indicate yours did two weeks ago, it increases the chances of a blown head gasket.

vettedoctor

i am sorry this is a in a vette there is a gauge on my car for the coolant temp on the water pump

caldercay

You should set up your signature to contain the complete specs
of your car (year/engine/tranny/etc), to include any mods. that
way people know how to answer your question(s). One year
model car will have a different setup than another year model.

And actually, you might be better served in a Vette forum.

Injuneer

You really need to give people the info up front, so they dont waste time giving you answers for the wrong car.

Using the "signature" feature is critical if you don't even have an F-Body.

vettedoctor

sorry guys did not mean to make any feel like i was waisting there time. i like this forum a lot and thanks to this forum i am getting a awsome deal on 4l60e rebuild from cpt. i also like this forum more than the vette forum because you guys are not afraid to hammer on a lt1 vette guys for the most part are about show