Engine not firing on all cylinders
01-06-2003, 08:42 AM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Engine not firing on all cylinders
Hi everybody and happy new Year.
Last week my 84 Carrera was not driven for about 6 days whilst i away skiing. when i returned and fired it up yesterday it ran really rough, not firing on all cylinders, low on power etc. I drove it around for a while and when i gave it full revs all of a sudden it seemed to clear and ran as before. This morning it ran perfectly from start up . Any ideas what it was? maybe some condensation somewhere.Car is kept in a warm garage and the weather here before it was put away was cold. Thanks in advance
Last week my 84 Carrera was not driven for about 6 days whilst i away skiing. when i returned and fired it up yesterday it ran really rough, not firing on all cylinders, low on power etc. I drove it around for a while and when i gave it full revs all of a sudden it seemed to clear and ran as before. This morning it ran perfectly from start up . Any ideas what it was? maybe some condensation somewhere.Car is kept in a warm garage and the weather here before it was put away was cold. Thanks in advance
01-06-2003, 09:07 AM
#2
Your problem could be any number of items; at least it cleared it's self up. My initial reaction is bad gas (i.e. water in the gas) or ignition problems.
For a more in depth diagnosis, I would start by checking the condition of your plugs and the condition of you ignition wire harness. Check for moisture inside your distributor cap after the car has sat overnight (i.e. cracked dist. cap) Additionally, you could just have some partially clogged injectors. When was the last time you ran Techron, Swepco 503 or Redline through your fuel system?
You condition doesn't sound "terminal" and should be fairly easy to find.
Regards, Bruce
'84 Carrera Targa
'77 911 (Euro spec)
For a more in depth diagnosis, I would start by checking the condition of your plugs and the condition of you ignition wire harness. Check for moisture inside your distributor cap after the car has sat overnight (i.e. cracked dist. cap) Additionally, you could just have some partially clogged injectors. When was the last time you ran Techron, Swepco 503 or Redline through your fuel system?
You condition doesn't sound "terminal" and should be fairly easy to find.
Regards, Bruce
'84 Carrera Targa
'77 911 (Euro spec)
01-06-2003, 09:25 AM
#3
Instructor
Thread Starter
Thanks bruce, my biggest concern is that by running the engine on less than 6 cylinders i may be causing damage to pistons with all that fuel going unburnt through the cylinders not firing? Hopefuly it wil not occur again, fingers crossed!!!!
01-06-2003, 09:34 AM
#4
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This happens to me on my '84 Carrera this time of year - mainly because some moisture accumulates in the distrbutor cap due to condensation from the change in temperature. I had my distributer cap changed and sprayed it with a silicone protectant designed for this very purpose and things cleared up.
I have not seen any real problems from the unfired cylinders - and I don't think there will be - because they evacuate the unburned fuel in the exhaust just as if it was burned.
And because of the dry sump, there is not as much concern for gas in the oil IMHO.
I have not seen any real problems from the unfired cylinders - and I don't think there will be - because they evacuate the unburned fuel in the exhaust just as if it was burned.
And because of the dry sump, there is not as much concern for gas in the oil IMHO.
