[Fealy48]

Alright experts...

I drive a 1999. It was recently stolen and recovered. The thieves cut the CAT out and I’ve been chasing problems ever since I got it back.

When I picked it up from impound, it wouldn’t hardly move in Drive. I had to start in 1st and get up to speed before putting it in drive. Almost as though it was stuck in 4th.

Sooo... I’ve replaced all 3 solenoids on the transmission. I’ve replaced the CAT. I’ve replaced the distributor (and now I have timing issues). And I’ve replaced the big computer on the passenger side floor.

Any help or leads or links would be helpful. Thanks gang.

 

[Lochinvar]

The twc (cat) will not affect the transmission. Neither will the distributor, for that matter.

I would check all fluids before driving. If the thieves messed with your car, they might have drained some tranny fluid, and you could have internal damage there (which you would not be able to fix yourself).

If they damaged a wiring harness, the computer might be unable to reach sensors or actuators because of the damaged wires too.

Is the malfunction indicator (engine check light) on? If there's an error code, that can make it much easier to find problems.

Beyond that, you need to describe your problems in greater detail before anyone can help you.

Sorry I can't do more rn. :-(

 

[Fealy48]

Sorry. I should have included more detail.

Tranny fluid is full and fresh.

I’m aware the cat shouldn’t affect the transmission, although that’s the only damage I can find to the car, so I thought I’d add that bit of info in case the O2 wires were somehow connected to a greater picture of issues.

I replaced the distributor cause it was throwing a cam sensor code at me. P1381 I believe.

Here’s a list of the codes I’ve been getting.


P1381
Camshaft position sensor circuit

P1298
Electrical load detector circuit high input

P0135
02 sensor heater circuit bank 1 sensor 1

P0141
02 sensor heater circuit bank 1 sensor 2

P1768
Transaxle control module A/T controller circuit

P1753
Transaxle control module A/T lockup solenoid valve ‘A’ circuit

 

[Wildcat]

I wonder if all that is being caused by a damaged wiring harness.

Error codes do not specifically mean a sensor is bad--replacing sensors and solenoids without checking everything between the ECU and the sensor (meaning the wiring harness and all connectors) is just throwing money at a problem until it goes away. The error codes only mean something in, say, the front O2 sensor circuit could be bad. In other words, the ECU expects a sensor to return a certain value (or range of values) and if the ECU is not seeing it, the cause could be anywhere from the wiring to the ECU to the sensor itself.

In an impound yard, you could even have an issue where a rodent (mouse, squirrel, rat, etc.) got under the hood somewhere and chewed through a few wires. I had one chew up a fuel injector harness in one of my cars. Thankfully it was just the one wire! Thieves will often cut off wires if they want to steal a component (especially if it's a radio), but I can't see them wanting to damage a car unless it was also vandalized (meaning it wasn't a professional).

It wasn't driven into water when it was stolen, was it? (You would probably have seen some sort of water line if that had happened.) And it does seem odd they would steal an old CR-V just to steal the cat. Around here, they can remove a cat from under any vehicle in about 30 seconds, right where it sits in a parking lot.