What should a tps read

Then press the throttle all the way down, it should go up to 4. The throttle cable should be adjusted so there is a slight ammount of slack. If it's taught it might not let the throttle close completely after the engine bay heats up and things expand.

I'll post again the most efficient and effective way of adjusting the throttle cable, in case I haven't posted it here yet. The idea is to get maximum slack when the throttle is closed while still allowing full opening. The reason for this is that the cable's jacket heats up when the motor warms up and expands, effectively shortening the cable.

If there is not enough slack, the throttle will open slightly. You'll be chasing your tail forever on idle problems if this is happening.

Loosen the two bolts holding the cable bracket to the manifold. Have a friend or brick hold the throttle pedal to the floor. Pull back on the cable jacket until the throttle is open against the throttle stop. Tighten the bolts. Once the throttle cable is adjusted properly, you can then adjust the TPS properly. The target is 0, but barely so! I adjust it to 1, then go slowly until it just changes to 0, then stop. This will give you the maximum full throttle percentage you can get. If you are too far below 0 at throttle closed, you may get short changed at WOT.

Anything over that and it does not recognize the throttle plate as being closed. The 1g uses that seperate switch on the backside of the TB to accomplish this same thing, so the actual TPS reading is much less critical on those cars. The ECU doesn't make any real fueling decisions based on absolute TPS position, only relative movements accel and decel pumps, decel fuel cut, etc.

If the ECU does not see the throttle closed signal from the TPS in the case of the 2g , it will not go into closed loop control of idle speed. Who knows what your idle will end up at. What should we do to fix it? But sometimes the car works properly. Answer: Check the connector and the TPS. The resistance or wiper arm inside may be failing.

Check that voltage changes smoothly. A jumpy reading will tell you the sensor is failing. Answer: Have the TPS circuit checked. Compare voltages to specs. Start with a visual inspection of the wires and connector. Look for wire damage and loose wires at the connector. Answer: On some models, it can lead to shifting problems. Test the TPS sensor. You may need your vehicle repair manual for this. I hope it helps. Also, download trouble codes, even if the engine light is not on.

There could be pending codes. Answer: You should get a voltage at the lower end. It could be less than 1 or around 1 volts, depending on your model. Question: In the 'connected to ground' test I have two that read about 12v.

Assuming black is ground, I also get 'reference' voltage readings close to 5 for the other two wires. Is one of the wires shorted out? Answer: You should get around 5 volts for the reference wire. The other is the signal wire. If you are getting 5v as well there could be a problem with the control circuit. Question: My Ford Freestyle began cutting off at stops and looses power when the security light comes on.

Answer: If your vehicle uses a smart key or smart key fob, check the battery; it may be dying or there could be a faulty chip. Another possibility is a a problem with the anti-theft module or the wiring to the module. Answer: I believe you have an idle or WOT switch. On some models, this is actually an idle switch manual transmission or wide-open throttle switch automatic transmission. Instead of a 5-volt reference, it works with a 12v reference. Answer: Check the user's manual.

This could be a communications error. Make sure it is appropriate for your application. If necessary, you may want to contact the manufacturer. Question: Toyota Tacoma. It starts normal but will not continue to run. If I pump the gas pedal, I can keep it running between rpm. Would the TPS sensor cause this? Answer: The problem could be in the fuel system. Check the fuel injectors and fuel pressure regulator foe leaks.

Question: I'm trying to test my throttle position sensor on my Dodge Dakota 3. The wire harness for my TPS has 6 wires. How do I test it? Answer: You need to identify the wires first signal, ground, and reference. You may need the vehicle repair manual for this. It'll help you id the wires and walk you through the test. Question: I have a Dodge Caliber. The lighting bolt and check engine light goes off for awhile, then will come back on.

I have changed the throttle body, gas pedal and sensor. What else could be wrong with it? Answer: Probably the computer needs to be reset after the repair you made. Check your vehicle repair manual. You'll probably find how to reset it yourself.

Also, check for other trouble codes stored in memory that can guide you here, if necessary. We replaced the blower and resistor. Is it possible the sensor was tripped by the removal for the gas pedal?

Or is this a whole new issue? If we have the code reset and the CE light doesn't come back on, does that indicate that is was tripped by doing the previous work? Also if it does come back on after resetting, does it mean it is bad? Answer: It is possible if the computer didn't receive an expected input from the sensor. Test the TPS using a digital multimeter.

Make sure that it's still working and, if necessary, visually inspect and test the wires and connector. If the sensor tests OK, erase the code. If it comes back or you notice a performance issue. Take a closer look at the circuit or sensor. Hope this helps. Question: The wire showing 5 volts is ground?

Shouldn't that be your hot? Meanwhile, a continuity test will show ground, not voltage? Answer: The 5 volts is your reference voltage. You also get close to 5 volts with the throttle full opened. Check the specs for your particular make and model, if necessary. Question: My Mercury Mariner jerks and feels like it wants to stall when I accelerate.

Still jerking. I'm out of ideas. Any ideas? Answer: This could be a faulty throttle position sensor, a fault in the ignition fuel system or a vacuum leak. Check for diagnostic trouble codes, even if you check engine light is not on. There could be a bad sensor. This other post may help:. Will this keep car from cranking? I want to be sure before I change anything. Answer: It is possible that you can have a hard time starting the engine or starting the engine at all. Often the symptoms are performance, driveability issues, hesitation, stumbling, and others.

Be aware that this type of failure can point to a problem with the controller area network aka CAN : a sort of communication mediator between modules. You may need a professional scanner to be more precise about the cause for the trouble code P There could be problems with the throttle actuator, its position switch, a circuit problem in one of the modules are some of the other reasons for this code.

You may want to have a shop scan the computer first before making any decision. If the reading suddenly drops while holding the gas pedal or throttle linkage steady, it may indicate a fault with the sensor.

If your scan tool cannot display a voltage value for the TPS, you can measure the sensor's output voltage by packprobing the sensor conenctor with a voltmeter. First, check for the presence of voltage at the TPS with the key on. The TPS cannot deliver the proper signal if it does not receive reference voltage from the computer.

Refer to a wiring diagram for the reference connection and look for 5 volts. The second check is the base voltage reading. Compare the voltage reading to the manual specifications. TPS voltage values are often specified to the nearest hundredth of a volt, so if the base TPS voltage reading is not within.

If it is not adjustable and the reading is out of specifications, replace the sensor. The third check is for the proper voltage change as the throttle opens and closes. Voltage should rise smoothly from about 1 volt to a maximum of 5 volts at wide open throttle.

No voltage rise or skips in the reading means the sensor needs to be replaced. Observing the sensor's output signal as a trace on an oscilloscope can be a real time-save here because it is easy to see any deviations in the voltage curve. Under normal circumstances, a TPS should not require adjustment.

But if your diagnosis reveals a problem with the TPS voltage setting, if the TPS is defective and must be replaced or if the carburetor or throttle body is replaced, then adjustment may be required. Note: This applies to older vehicles only.

On most late model vehicles, the TPS is self-calibrating. NOTE: The TPS on most remanufactured carburetors is preset at the factory to an "average" setting for the majority of applications the carb fits. Even so, the TPS should be reset to the specific application upon which it is installed. Clear the codes. Erase all the codes. All the good scan tools should have that function. Step 3.

Perform driving cycle. In case the Check Engine Light turns off, then it was an intermittent problem possibly caused by changes in temperature.

You have nothing to worry about. If the CEL comes on again, do a 5 to minute drive to see if it will turn off. The presence of any one of them should prompt you to move to the next step. Step 4. Check live data. Connect the scan tool again and switch the car to KOEO mode. On the scanner, navigate to live data and lock the TP sensor on the display screen. Use live data graphing if your scanner supports it. Step 6. Analyze graph. Slowly push the accelerator pedal as you observe the live data.

The graph should be a straight line with a positive slope. If it the line changes abruptly as you press the pedal, that means the TPS is faulty. The sudden change may either be a positive or negative slope. Either way, it indicates that your throttle position sensor is bad. Fixing a Bad Throttle Position Sensor.