Hello Scotty. Desperate for your help. I stay in my van and use it for work. So the car started to rough idle while at the traffic light, first time it happened almost turned off. Next day normal until it warmed up and same issue while I break or park. Had a funny smell tithe gas but no check engine or white smoke. Then next day on a long 15 mile drive eng
Could be an evap system problem. (You failed to mention year, mileage, or any vehicle details at all beyond the model.)
Scanning for codes and live data is a good place to start. There is a troubleshooting section in the site FAQ that may help.
- I was editing post as it cut me off before i put all data. and it ran out of time after typing for an hour. Geez will try to repost or just comment below
Edit ra out of time will repost. Hello Scotty. Desperate for your help. I stay in my van and use it for work. Chevy : make Astro : model Year : 2000 2 wheel drive passenger standard no special edition as far as i know. 4.3 lotter vortex engine V6 So the car started to rough idle while at the traffic light, first time it happened almost turned off. Next day normal until it warmed up and same issue while I break or park. Had a funny smell tithe gas but no check engine or white smoke. Then next day on a long 15 mile drive engine light came on. Thought it also had acceleration issue but that could have been my imagination. On the way back car started normal and drove normal. Seems to get better but check engine light on. I need to drive for work all weekend so I'm concerned I'll get stalled but have no choice as I need money. Went to get error code and got these in pictures not sure how to upload so ill type them. OxYGen 2 sensor ( not sure need confirmation) . Code P1153 HO2S insufficient switching, bank 2 censor 1, DTC severity 2 of 3 may pose damage to components and should be repaored as soon as possible etc Additional obd2 readings below: Eng rpm 1993 Maf 4.00 l/b min Tps 21.3 percent Map 16 (InHg) Lift B1 4.7 percent Stft B1 2.3 percent Stft B2 50.0 percent Lift B2 6.3 percent Veh speed (24 mph) Fuel sys 1 cl Fuel sys 2 cl Calc load 17.6 percent ECT 151 (F) Did obd2 test done with key turned forward as recommended by auto parts guy, not while car turned on. I checked for similar issues and videos. Asked around. Guy from discount auto parts says he disconnected oxygen 2 censor after turning off car and then the negative battery cable and then plugged both back in, after few minutes and turned on car and it fixed the issue. But could also mean oxygen 2 censor is bad, not sure of there is a way to test or check that besides the error code saying it's bad. Another mobile mechanic suggested Fuel pump is bad. But Is there a way to test the fuel pump to know for sure before doing pricey job ? I saw a video that showed fuel filter test where they empty it out and blow air through a straw in one hole and out the other hole and if air comes out its good but If its bad then air doesn't come out as easy or at all. I want to try that before testing Fuel pump if there's any way to do that. One of your videos suggest I can use some additive in gas to clean injectors? Not sure please confirm. Also havent checked distributor cap and cables for corrosion in 5 years so that may be it, trying to get mechanic to help me do it. Forgot to mention when It's rough idling and I hit gas pedal it goes away for a moment or so. Any suggestions or advice or recommendations or links or places to go and things to do would be greatly appreciated Scotty and anyone else reading this. Please write back as soon as you can. Thank You. Ps I have a bad tire wearing out on the outside fir both front tire problem forecast 6 months going through tires so fast, one month for used tires. I need to do alignment and was suggested ball joints (lower), inner and outer tie rods, ans drag link. Please let me know which of these if any affect alignment and why or how. Also, how does a 3 part alignment work or alignment to in general and what do I adjust to make tires straight because one is a bit outside and the other Inside ( drover more outside passenger more inside ) thanks again.
( Reposting due to time limit cut off on edit.)
Hello Scotty. Desperate for your help. I stay in my van and use it for work.
Chevy : make
Astro : model
Year : 2000
2 wheel drive passenger standard no special edition as far as i know.
- 4.3 li
tter vortex engine V6
So the car started to rough idle while at the traffic light, first time it happened almost turned off. Next day normal until it warmed up and same issue while I break or park. Had a funny smell tithe gas but no check engine or white smoke. Then next day on a long 15 mile drive engine light came on. Thought it also had acceleration issue but that could have been my imagination. On the way back car started normal and drove normal. Seems to get better but check engine light on. I need to drive for work all weekend so I'm concerned I'll get stalled but have no choice as I need money. Went to get error code and got these in pictures not sure how to upload so ill type them. OxYGen 2 sensor ( not sure need confirmation) . Code P1153 HO2S insufficient switching, bank 2 censor 1, DTC severity 2 of 3 may pose damage to components and should be repaored as soon as possible etc
Additional obd2 readings below:
Eng rpm 1993
Maf 4.00 l/b min
Tps 21.3 percent
Map 16 (InHg)
Lift B1 4.7 percent
Stft B1 2.3 percent
Stft B2 50.0 percent
Lift B2 6.3 percent
Veh speed (24 mph)
Fuel sys 1 cl
Fuel sys 2 cl
Calc load 17.6 percent
ECT 151 (F)
Did obd2 test done with key turned forward as recommended by auto parts guy, not while car turned on.
I checked for similar issues and videos. Asked around. Guy from discount auto parts says he disconnected oxygen 2 censor after turning off car and then the negative battery cable and then plugged both back in, after few minutes and turned on car and it fixed the issue. But could also mean oxygen 2 censor is bad, not sure of there is a way to test or check that besides the error code saying it's bad.
Another mobile mechanic suggested Fuel pump is bad. But Is there a way to test the fuel pump to know for sure before doing pricey job
?
I saw a video that showed fuel filter test where they empty it out and blow air through a straw in one hole and out the other hole and if air comes out its good but If its bad then air doesn't come out as easy or at all. I want to try that before testing Fuel pump if there's any way to do that. One of your videos suggest I can use some additive in gas to clean injectors? Not sure please confirm.
Also havent checked distributor cap and cables for corrosion in 5 years so that may be it, trying to get mechanic to help me do it.
Forgot to mention when It's rough idling and I hit gas pedal it goes away for a moment or so.
- I was just suggested ECV valve clean or something similar.
Any suggestions or advice or recommendations or links or places to go and things to do would be greatly appreciated Scotty and anyone else reading this. Please write back as soon as you can. Thank You.
Ps
I have a bad tire wearing out on the outside fir both front tire problem forecast 6 months going through tires so fast, one month for used tires.
I need to do alignment and was suggested ball joints (lower), inner and outer tie rods, and drag link. Please let me know which of these if any affect alignment and why or how. Also, how does a 3 part alignment work or alignment to in general and what do I adjust to make tires straight because one is a bit outside and the other Inside ( driver more outside, passenger more inside ) thanks again.
Hi Scotty I have a similar issue with my Astro 2000, I just reposted about it with lots of details and questions. Please check out headline Astro 2000 rough idling and fuel smells.
The first post got cut off and had to repost it. THanks Scotty
@darkcode, Please do not hijack other people's topics. Also, Scotty generally does not revisit posts that he has already answered. He is not able to answer every question personally here but picks several each day. Others are answered by other members. (Comment moved to @darkcode's own topic thread.)
@darkcode, Bear in mind that you'll get much better responses with a clear, concise description of the vehicle, the problem, and diagnostic steps taken so far. If you need to add information please do it as a response to your original post, not a separate and new topic. (Topics merged.)
Please familiarize yourself with the forum rules near the top of the page, in particular not posting posting multiple topics about the same problem and asking about one problem per topic posted. Thank you.


Is there a way to test the fuel pump to know for sure before doing pricey job
yes, you measure the fuel pressure and perform a leakdown test.