# 1994 Cadillac ETC problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** eldorado, cadillac\ **Created:** [December 9, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-cadillac-etc-problem/23145 "2008-12-09T03:16:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jxochihua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@jxochihua](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jxochihua)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-cadillac-etc-problem/23145/1 "2008-12-09T03:16:57Z")
I have a 1994 Cadillac ETC (Northstar) and just recently had one of the ignition modules replaced because it was missing terribly. It started missing again shortly after having the module replaced and I noticed it idled rough with high (1000-1100 rpm’s) at cold start. Sometimes when accelerating it would miss and hesitate as well. The other day, I pulled up to a stop light and it just quit. I restarted it and it was running extremely rough, then clouds of smoke poured out from the front, back and under the car. The darn thing leaks oil like a sieve so sometimes it will smoke from the engine compartment but this was much worse. I limped it home and it was obvious that there was an extreme power loss almost like the transmission was slipping. As I drove, the smoke became much less and it didn’t seem as though it was coming from the exhaust. When I got home, I checked the transmission fluid and it was okay. I shut the engine off and checked the oil and it was okay. Then I looked under the car and the catalytic converter was glowing red hot! I just got done swapping out each ignition module with a new one and starting it after each move and it’s still the same. Any suggestions? I thought it might be the timing chain had slipped but I thought I read that these are unable to slip… Thanks for any help, John ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-cadillac-etc-problem/23145/2 "2008-12-09T03:27:24Z")
When a cylinder misfires, the fuel charge that was in the cylinder gets pushed to the catalytic converter. A lot of cylinder misfiring means a lot of fuel going to the catalytic converter and burning. As you saw, this burning can heat the cat to red-hot. The high heat can ruin a catalytic converter. You need a pro to find out why the engine is misfiring. And, you may have to replace the catalytic converter. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 5:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-cadillac-etc-problem/23145/3 "2008-12-09T05:08:54Z")
Those symptoms on an 85 Cadillac would lead me to believe that the engine control computer was in bad shape. On your car, I would say to find out if there ar any useful codes to get you started. Go have it scanned. Lots of car parts places will do it for free. ---
**Author:** ![hellokit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hellokit](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hellokit)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 5:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/1994-cadillac-etc-problem/23145/4 "2008-12-09T05:56:34Z")
The auto parts houses WON’T do a scan on a 1994 model. There is a technique, using the ignition and observing the flashes of the check engine light, in your repair manual, to determine trouble codes. The erratic rpm may be caused by a vacuum leak. With the engine idling, pull each vacuum hose and plug each vacuum port , particularly the one for the brake booster. If you note a change in idle, the component the vacuum hose services may be losing vacuum.