P1179 keeps on coming back! I keep on checking the 02 voltage, but they seem normal. What might be the cause of it? The only other thing I noticed since it started coming up was my temp would spike up a little higher then normal (about to 215 degrees) when reaching operating temp then would back down to the mid 190's and not spike up again.

 

Have you checked air filter, vac leaks, cleaned throttle body, cleaned MAF with CRC, etc.? Thermostat seems pretty normal, considering you are watching it with digital precision and it is a wax pellet melting inside a spring loaded gizmo. Some overhoot will be there on the warm up phase.

 

Air filter - New
Throttle body - Cleaned
MAF - Cleaned with CRC

I don't seem to know of any vac leaks. How would I check for them?

 

Cracked vac hose somewhere, oil separator in passenger side valve cover restricted (remove and clean the item in photo), spray starting fluid lightly around intake mainifold gasket, etc.

 

I have a 180 and it seems to get up to 205 before it falls quickly back to 180.

 

So to clean the oil separator do I need to remove the passenger side valve cover to access it?

 

Nope, it will pull out with needle nose pliers or you can squirt carb cleaner down thru it. There is a similar pipe without a separator on the other side, it takes clean air from the air cleaner / MAF path, allows it to pass thru engine (under valley pan) and out through the separtaor to be burned in the cylinders. In the old days this was called a breather or a PCV unit.

 

Ok, I see what to do now. Thanks.

 

I do the vacuum leak testing a tad differernt than Buzz... I use a propane torch (unlit of course) to find the source of the vacuum leak... The propane gas won't hurt anything on the engine... It is also easier to narrow done the leak source as you can wave it over an area much like you would use a metal detector...

 

Well, the hose that leads into the valve cover was ripped badly due to age. It is getting replaced asap. Is the oil separator in that section of hose? There seems to be a firm part of it and I was wondering if it was in there?