Recommendations (KR issue or something else) - 1996 Riv?

Hey everyone,

I have a 1996 Riviera, and am still puzzled about why it doesn't perform as well as it theoretically should considering the mods (3.6" pulley, ZZP downpipe, CAI, 180* tstat, and colder plugs). I would've thought this would be safe from KR, but based on how it performs Im not so sure. Otherwise I think it may be a trans issue although the transmission seems to shift fine.

I thought it might have been the bad wheel speed sensor (front right hub assembly needs to be replaced) but that doesnt seem to affect how these cars perform. Next I thought maybe the front brakes hang up, but the wheels turn freely. Which led me to maybe a trans issue since the car barely rolls forward if at all when in drive with the brake released. So I plan to replace the fluid and filter anyways since it looks a little brownish.

All that said I do want to make sure it isn't a KR issue which some have suggested here and so I am looking for a cheap scanner I can get, I was told those bluetooth obd2 scan tools work for this but Ive never used them so I dont know where to look.

Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated since I want to keep this car around for a while, as well as making sure its performing how it should.

What is KR? )

KR is knock retard. If the computer detects knock it retards the timing and the motor makes less power.

96 has a vacuum controlled trans so it is somewhat "normal" for the car to not really move forward much when letting off the gas. If you are used to how a "peppy" small 4cyl car acts while driving this might seem alarming.
Mine would roll backwards on an incline if i let it. Just how it was made and im not aware of a fix.

What other symptoms are you seeing that makes you think its not running right? KR wouldnt be present with those mods at low rpm and speed anyways.

What wires and plugs does the car have?

96RivZzZ wrote:

Hey everyone,

I have a 1996 Riviera, and am still puzzled about why it doesn't perform as well as it theoretically should considering the mods (3.6" pulley, ZZP downpipe, CAI, 180* tstat, and colder plugs).  I would've thought this would be safe from KR, but based on how it performs Im not so sure.  Otherwise I think it may be a trans issue although the transmission seems to shift fine.

I thought it might have been the bad wheel speed sensor (front right hub assembly needs to be replaced) but that doesnt seem to affect how these cars perform.  Next I thought maybe the front brakes hang up, but the wheels turn freely.  Which led me to maybe a trans issue since the car barely rolls forward if at all when in drive with the brake released.  So I plan to replace the fluid and filter anyways since it looks a little brownish.

All that said I do want to make sure it isn't a KR issue which some have suggested here and so I am looking for a cheap scanner I can get, I was told those bluetooth obd2 scan tools work for this but Ive never used them so I dont know where to look.

Any suggestions/recommendations would be greatly appreciated since I want to keep this car around for a while, as well as making sure its performing how it should.  

Your mods are not going to boost performance much/any without retuning the PCM to take advantage of them. A cheap scan tool (or even some of the fairly expensive ones) won't help with that. You **do** need a scan tool anyway. and your problem is the 96 Riv is OBD I on an OBD II pinout in the DLC connector (the little plug under the drivers side dash). THAT SAID, you should find all the info you need under the Series I Engine & Transmission and the Series I Scans & Tuning sections of this site.

As ZZP says, factory mufflers are not restrictive and if you are thinking about changing them it's for looks/weight/sound before all else.

You might be able to get away with a 3.5" pulley if you are buring 93 octane gas.

If you are not burning premium gas, what is happening is the PCM is retarding timing so you don't get knock. and your car won't improve acceleration. SO if you are not burning premium you have to switch and it will be 1-3 tankfuls before your butt dyno feels a difference.

Is there an affordable OBD-I tuner? I was recently in a conversation with a Bonneville owner who was sure there wasn't.

I forgot 96 was the weird year with a obd2 plug but was really obd1. Ignore my response in your other thread.

In your other thread you mentioned your 0 - 60 time was around 8 seconds. Are you running premium in the car and do you have the traction control turned off? What were the temperature at the time? 8 seconds is still slower than stock so either you are getting a lot kr during your run or something else is going on. A scan tool would be my next step on determining what's going on.

https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t12139-new-riv-owner-questions

I thought 1995 was the year some cars had OBD1 with an OBD2 plug? 1996 should be OBD2.

Jack the R wrote:

Is there an affordable OBD-I tuner?  I was recently in a conversation with a Bonneville owner who was sure there wasn't.

There were some listed in the Engine section posts IIRC.

One could always wait for a GM Tech I to come up on eBay.  They do from time to  time.  The (genuine) Tech IIs also work as they "know" about the funky signals.

Larry's correct. 95 was the odd year.

pbrktrt wrote:

Larry's correct. 95 was the odd year.

Thank you fellows.

The tech I and tech II will work. II is better than the I, more verbose.