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Thread: In need of some help. B13 has unstable/rough idle, hesitation, etc

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Posts: 11-20 of 45
2015-08-26 22:38:46
#11
The only issue I have ever came across on my car was a bad distributor. It bucked so bad lol.. New to me (used one) fixed all that right up
2015-08-26 23:29:46
#12
Originally Posted by Haulin200sx
The only issue I have ever came across on my car was a bad distributor. It bucked so bad lol.. New to me (used one) fixed all that right up



entire distributor or just the cap and rotor
2015-08-26 23:47:51
#13
Originally Posted by BenFenner
Originally Posted by specd_out
test injectors (I assume you mean resistance)

And/or have someone crank the engine with the rail/injectors out of the intake manifold, spraying onto rags to see if one is not firing or weak.
Refrain from smoking during this test.

Originally Posted by specd_out
What is CAS?
Cam Angle Sensor. It is inside the distributor housing, but is basically unrelated to the function of the distributor. It just happens to share the same shaft. It gives the ECU crank and cam angle data using an optical beam and a wheel with tiny holes in it. Sometimes oil leaks into them and causes issues.

Originally Posted by specd_out
unplugging o2 sensor while the car was running didnt affect anything. Could that be sign of a bad o2
Yes, but is probably not a definitive test.


Originally Posted by specd_out
Is there a way to test to see if the igniter or the coil maybe bad
Do a similar test as I describe for the injectors... Remove all plugs from the engine, but keep them hooked up and ground them to something. Pull the fuel pump fuse, and have someone crank the engine preferably while it is dark out and watch for strong blue sparks in the correct order. Video record it and watch it back if you want to make sure.
Do not perform this test at the same time as the injector test.


why not do both tests at the same time :shocked2:

I found some wiring issues that I need to fix when the safc was installed. wasnt pretty but it looked to be making a decent connection

I'll try the injector and plug tests tomorrow, im gonna install another distributor and fix the wires today.
2015-08-27 00:15:32
#14
Do you have a SAFC installed?
2015-08-27 01:01:57
#15
nope it was removed before I got the car
2015-08-27 16:41:21
#16
"better ground for o2"

I believe @BenFenner already addressed this but I was wondering what, exactly you did regarding the O2 sensor...in my experience, O2 sensors don't like their wires extended/spliced/or soldered.

+2 for distributor or O2 sensor.
2015-08-27 20:26:54
#17
Originally Posted by 1fastser
"better ground for o2"

I believe @BenFenner already addressed this but I was wondering what, exactly you did regarding the O2 sensor...in my experience, O2 sensors don't like their wires extended/spliced/or soldered.

+2 for distributor or O2 sensor.



I read up on that long thread with how to reground it. He tried different methods and found that midpipe to chassis by the cat was best. So I have braided steel grounding straps, very similar to the oem ones. I ran one from where the cat bolts up to the body and one from the header to midpipe bolts and connected that to the lower radiator support near where the crossmember bolts up. all grounds were sanded down to remove paint and primer. I know its not a perfect test but I checked continuity between o2 sensor case and body and o2 sensor case and main body ground . I had continuity on both. My sensor could very well be bad too
2015-08-27 21:08:07
#18
Originally Posted by BenFenner
You could have a dying fuel pump as well.


Going to second this. Last November I was racing a Toyota at the track, everything seemed fine in the garage, but I got it on the track and once I got on the gas it was bucking harder than a mechanical bull. We puzzled over a number of things trying to resolve it, part throttle was OK, problem only began once we got up past 50mph or so, then it just went to hell. Replaced the fuel pump, and we were back in business.

Looking back, we were pumping just enough to keep things going, but once we were using fuel faster, the pump couldn't keep up and the pressure that had built up from being at part throttle was finally exhausted, and the engine starved.

Any blockage in the fuel system could cause similar problems. A fuel pressure gauge between the filter and the fuel rails would tell the story if that's the case.
2015-08-28 01:40:15
#19
Originally Posted by jimbo_se-r
Originally Posted by BenFenner
You could have a dying fuel pump as well.


Going to second this. Last November I was racing a Toyota at the track, everything seemed fine in the garage, but I got it on the track and once I got on the gas it was bucking harder than a mechanical bull. We puzzled over a number of things trying to resolve it, part throttle was OK, problem only began once we got up past 50mph or so, then it just went to hell. Replaced the fuel pump, and we were back in business.

Looking back, we were pumping just enough to keep things going, but once we were using fuel faster, the pump couldn't keep up and the pressure that had built up from being at part throttle was finally exhausted, and the engine starved.

Any blockage in the fuel system could cause similar problems. A fuel pressure gauge between the filter and the fuel rails would tell the story if that's the case.


I have a gauge on order should be here on saturday. So that should answer some questions


On a side note. I took the distributor of today and when I removed the cap I found the rotor retainer screw laying in the cap a piece of the rotor broken off and the rotor free spinning on the shaft. Pretty sure that explains the small pop I thought was a backfire and my no start. Might also explain hesitation as well if the rotor didnt have a solid connection. Tomorrow I will try to start it, see what happens
2015-08-28 02:49:22
#20
Good news.
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