SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

Right, just installed my new engine from api. did all the correct procedures re the oil (dry cranking etc..etc..)

i then tried to fire it up. after about 30-40 seconds it started coughing then rythmically coughing (without starter motor) for about 15 seconds (the engine was litteraly rocking) then it all kicked into life and idles perfectly.

when trying to depress the accelerator it tries to stall and goes to rocking then idles fine again!

turned engine off, waited 5 mins and its starts all over again

im thinking its not firing on all cylinders to begin with.

could this be injectors/sparkplugs/timing/maf???

would appreciate any advise,

Cheers

Si

911

Go back to basics.
Eventually it runs ok, though I'm not sure if you have driiven it on the road?

Thus basic engine all ok.

There are a lot of 'hidden'/'hard to get to' pipes around the back of the inlet manifold especially, and I suggest you retrace you step when you re-fitted the engine.

The ecu will work hard to get the engine running to try to compensate for some things. Do you have any engine lights on?(CEL = check engine light) as decoded this will give you a good direction to go in.

Try every wire etc and you may get there quickly.

It's an API engine so solid, just a stupid pipe somewhere!

Let us all know where you end up. Lots will catch the thread and respond!

Graham.

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

no CEL codes when black connectors together. you can slowly depress the accelerator to get it to rev about 50% of the time but if you press normally it tries to stall, ive only driven in up and down my drive.
i installed a VTA breather kit, it was actualy your design (http://tinypic.com/1fbz38) because the pipe off the big inlet pipe to the crank breather was broken. so ive bunged up and replaced the the other side of the tpiece with a longer pipe and VTA. ive done the same with the rockers, and bunged up the inlet. only differecnce ive not got em linked em together andgoing into a container like you design.

could this cause it?

Simon

Fuzz

As long as the intake pipe joins are sealed or "bunged up" as you say, then venting to atmos on all / any of the breathers wont affect the running of the engine.

You say it runs at idle!
does it run smoothly and on all four cylinders as you'd expect, is there any hissing around the inlet manifold? (looking for air leaks, pipes missed off etc)

Andy

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

its sounds like its only running on 1 or 2 cylinders when its rocking then it eventually kick into life on all 4 and then idles perfectly. but if you depress the accelerator it sounds as if 2 or 3 cylinders stop, causes it to almost stall, then rocks the engine, and then all start up again when acceletrator is released.

im going outside in a min to check for hissing etc. in a min

Simon

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

right been playing all day on this. i connected the rocker covers back to the inlet, but it made no difference.
i have a forge dump valve, dawes, and a backbox.


the car eventually started after much turning and rocking and coughing. it then would idle ok and keep cutting out after a min or two randomly.
i checked for leaks etc but couldnt find anything....

i then took it round the block and up and down the road, making sure not to go over 3k.
the car would try to stall if it went under 1.5k so i have to drop the clutch rev and engage lower gear. when driving its almost normal until you try to put a tiny amout of load onto it when accelerating (to put this into perspective i had a scooter etching to overtake when leaving a roundabout) it seemed to miss and try to stall. took it home and let it idle for another min. i noticed the temp gage fluctuating iraticallyby about -+5 degrees. my neighbour came over to have a nosey at it and it seemed to be hunting idle and missing everyso often. when reving it, its alot better than yesterday and only chokes/misses about 10% of the time

HELP!

Simon

ps. just to reiterate api built me a new engine, i put the inlet manifold on.

Tim W

iTrader: (1)

Have you checked that your injectors are all working? With the engine running try disconnecting and then reconnecting each one in turn to see if it makes the engine run worse or better.

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

havent done the injectors yet but it seems to run on all 4 when it working. just showed my father in law.
it kinda started straight away from cold with a couple of coughs, but cut out twice randomly when idling.

when you blip the throttle it tries to stall and the temp gage moves up and down with it, which is odd.


he said the cutting out could be the coil pack, cos its stopping all 4 sparks?? does this sound plausable for the problems encoutered?

seems when hot the problems kinda' get a little better but its not drivable the way it is.

any other ideas?


Si

911

That still sunds like a tube or two off/leaking/in wrong place.
As you try to accellerate, the vac in the inlet changes and things have to work together.

As you are in Cheshire, why not get it to Scoobyclinic?

These probs drive you nuts I know too well.
The injector idea is a good one, and do the same with the plug leads too.

Keep telling us the results!
Graham.

Mark A

iTrader: (1)

Check the engine earth and the small ecu earth on the inlet manifold is tight. Mine did a similar thing because this wire was lose.

Pavlo

I would say you have connected the ignition the wrong way round on one side of the engine.

try swapping the coilpacks/leads on ONE side. if it suddenly works then presto, otherwise, put them back and try the other side.

Also be aware that if you do have the ignition the wrong way round, you could be sending out lots of unburnt fuel and air through the exhaust. It can mean flames, or if you still have a cat then fireworks, and an exhaust system that glow red from top to tip.

Paul

RON

I waas gonna suggest leads... but then read that it does kind of run ok....

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

ignition leads are in the correct order, its kinda hard to get it wrong, my mate did his wrong once and that really didnt work well.

ive checked all wiring, all piping, theres no hissing, no oil leaks, no water leaks and checked ground wiring. and the injectors all work.

im now thinking wiring loom, or a sensor not working properly, or timing

whats the implications of a failing MAF? would it produce these problems? and lambda?
exhaust has a cat, fumes smell sweet, could be over fueling?

is there anymore diagnosticas i can do myself other that flatbedding it to a garage to be charged a fortune?

Si

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

Have you checked the Idle control valve, and its air intake feed? I have / had a similar problem where idle would jump to about 1700 rpm and run very rich on the AFR. It was so rich any throttle would make it splutter.

Gave it a clean today and the problem hasn't come back after 30 miles of driving.

Pavlo

what year of car is it? you say it's had to get it wrong, but that's not the case if they are coil packs. You should double check the leads nonetheless.

There are some things you can do.

Get it running badly, then stop it dead, take out the plugs, look for badly sooted or wet plugs.

It you find a wet plug this means either no spark, or way too much fuel. Check the spart with clean plugs, and make sure there is a plug on every lead (check all sparks). If it actually sparks then it could be being massively overfuelled.

If only one plug was wet/sooted and they all spark when clean, then I would check the injectors are not leaking in the rails. If you have removed them, at any point, then check for o-rings not seated correctly (only really a big problem on the phase 1-1.5 injectors).

If all the plugs are badly sooted or wet, and you are getting sparks, then check the coolant temp sensor is plugged in properly.

Also (as a seperate test) unplug the lambda sensor before starting the car, this will force it to go open loop, if there are some funnies with the fuelling then it may run a little better like this. If this makes it sudden work much better, then it could be the sensor itself, or, if it's better but not great, then it's likely to be a misfire (which will fool the sensor). So possibly looking at a lean condition for some reason, possibly MAF sensor.

If it looks like it could be a MAF sensor problem (all plugs same, starts okay but then dies) try unplugging it start it again. When starting it will use a fixed injector pulse length (based on water temp not MAF readings) but once started, it will move to the MAF sensor, hence things can get better or worse after start up.

Personally I think it sounds like fuelling on startup and idle, so I would check out the coolan temp sensor, its a brown sensor mounted on water cross pipe that goes over engine, it will either be at the front to the left of the alternator (as you look at the engine bay standing in front of car), or on the back (of the water cross pipe) but still to the left of centre.

Paul

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

thanks for the input ill check tomorrow night.

the car is a UK MY97 Turbo

just to make sure the grounding is correct, the thick ground cable is connected to the starter motor onto the gearbox then obviously the block. as the engine has been painted and laquered could cause grounding problems?


Simon

Tim W

iTrader: (1)

Yes, but only if the earthing straps aren't bolted directly to bare metal

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

http://syhightower.no-ip.com/small/DSCF0019.JPG

is the the sensor the one 'above' the crank sensor, the other brown plug?

Si

easyrider

Great stuff-It gives you faith in the forum when you get help like this.

Tim W

iTrader: (1)

Yes, that's the coolant temp sensor Paul was refering too

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

thanks. just out of interest what are the other sensors next to them which just have a single wire on?

Si

Pavlo

that's the temp sensor used by the dash temp gauge

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

ahh, cheers

right im off to bed. will look at it after work tomorrow

Si

Floyd

iTrader: (9)

When I experimented with dumping my recirc DV to atmos it ran how you described although it started OK. Check your Forge just in case!

F

scobymad

got a maf for sale purple lable on it if you need it

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

havent really had chance to look tonight but ive just disconnected the maf and started the engine and it ran horrible and cut out. i plugged back and its seems to idle ok, so i guess its not the maf then.
too busy working at home tonight to look at my car
will deffo try tomorrow

Si

Pavlo

sounds about right, no MAF will generally run richer.

plugs out will tell you most of what you need to know, it will certainly tell you where to look next.

Paul

APIDavid

iTrader: (4)

Simon, Sounds like some crossed wires somewhere, especially with the temp gauge going up and down etc., etc.

You need to be careful, because of the unburnt fuel going into the engine washing the bores. Next thing, you'll drag a piston skirt due to lack of lubtrication and have piston slap.

If at all possible try to get another simila car and check your wiring connections correspond with theirs. Usually the wiring when laid on the engine sort of lines up naturally. Anything stretched or at a funny angle generally indicates a crossed connection.

Good luck Kind regards

David APi Engines / APi lmpreza
www.apiengines.com

SyHightower

iTrader: (1)

omg!!!

just found the problem. The bolt holding grounding wire on the manifold was loose
after i had checked every pipe, wire, spark, it was just the one i over looked. ***** sake. well its the only good thing that happened today. I was told today at 5:25pm i was being made redundant - over the phone. Saw him today as well. chicken ****. or is it because im 6'10"

Simon

Mark A

iTrader: (1)

I take a bow, thank you

Sorry to hear about the job