jej3

Hey Everyone -

Well, got everything buttoned up from my intake refresh and car started, no fuel leaks, nothing bad - maybe a rough idle but I thought computers were calibrating.

Then, it got warmed up. Well, idle fluctuated some... almost to the point of cutting off, throttle (in my driveway not on road) had a bit of a flutter/stumble to it. Just generally not sounding good.

Left idling long enough, it would eventually die. SUCKS! This is exactly the problem I was trying to solve. The only thing I didn't get to replace was the Fuel Pressure Regulator as I had the wrong part on the shelf.

Thoughts on what I can do....

- Test Fuel Pressure at Rail?
- Is there an easy way to test for a vacuum leak? My neighbor, former mechanic now architect and VIPER driver, wants me to do the propane trick, whatever that is, I don't want to do that.
- Park it, get a good nights sleep and drive something else to SITM?

Quick answers are appreciated

jej3

I should add I replaced all of the following:

knock sensors
hall sensor
throttle position sensor
crank position sensor
flappy pod
fuel dampers front/rear (not FPR due to parts issue)
all vacuum lines

The Forgotten On

The propane trick is just using a small propane source like an unlit torch to introduce propane to vacuum leaks that would then increase the idle.

You can also use soapy water, which will make bubbles instead.

Another option is to use a smoke machine to put smoke into the intake which will flow out of any vacuum leaks.

jetson8859

Check the easy stuff. Are the TPS, CPS, MAF plugs all firmly connected? Are both ends of all vacuum lines connected? I had inadvertently disconnected the vacuum line to trans (at trans end, if auto) when I did mine.

Good luck!

jej3

Thanks, Guys. I am going to just come enjoy SITM in another car. I do have several questions that I'll get to ask folks while I am there. So close yet not quite there. See you soon!

Mrmerlin

did you drive the car?
are you running the engine without the aircleaner installed and the tubes installed?
if so then this kind of operation is normal as hot air being sucked into the MAF can cause an erratic idle and a stall.

NOTE did you replace the MAF?

starting a car after a battery disconnect and then replacing lots of parts will require a drive with a few to the floor cycles to get the computers to play nice with all the other equipment,
NOTE let the RPMS go to about 5K so the flappy will have a chance to open,

run it till the fans come on then put the aircleaner on and drive it for 5 miles,
park it let is cool then top off the coolant,
NOTE open the heater so the core fills up before you run the engine

jej3

Awesome advice, Stan. Thank you! I will do all those things but likely not until after SITM.

Answers to your questions....

Q. did you drive the car?
A. No, I did not. Was suitably panicked about mixing unstable idle with rush hour (started the car for the first time at 4PM).

Q. are you running the engine without the aircleaner installed and the tubes installed?
A. Yes, I had not installed the Aircleaner or tubes whilst running it in the driveway.

Q. did you replace the MAF?
A. I did about 5-6 years ago. It is a John Speake unit from Louis Ott.

Also worth noting, I don't run the heater due to having a petcock installed and typically closed.

I know I did improve the vacuum as there is now a persistent fluttering from behind the dash, which I understand is a diaphragm issue.

Bertrand Daoust

+1 on the air filter and tubes.

I experienced the same problem (rough idle) when I started the car for the first time after the intake refresh.
I started the car, took it outside the garage and let idle.
The idle was not good at all. Fluctuating.
Put back the air filter box, the air filter and tubes and bang! Everything was back to normal.

And if it's windy, it's worst.

Good luck Trey.

jej3

Thanks, Bertrand! Just did a 10 mile drive after putting on air filter/tubes. The miss/stumble when accelerating is still there. Idle (besides the miss) is solid. Out of time for now to troubleshoot. Off to SITM!

Mrmerlin

check the coil wires make sure they are not touching any metal if they were the wire could be compromised and a new wire should be installed

Captain_Slow

Curt also noted in his intake refresh thread that missing air cleaner and tubes caused rough running.

jej3

DR sent me home with a couple of handy tools to use. One for testing spark and one for testing the injector.

Looks like I have a dead injector. At my refresh, I replaced the injectors with Ford Injectors and wired in new harness ends. I put a multi-meter on the harness ends and am seeing positive voltage on both wires. At first I thought that might be incorrect BUT, I pulled the next harness and it showed the same thing.

I am pretty sure the injector is dead. Do I need to test any further or just get the original vendor to send me a replacement?

Thanks!

skpyle

Mrmerlin

more than likely the injector is fine but its stuck.

So you will have to remove it and do the following.
NOTE when fitting new injectors test them with a 9 volt battery,
Spray the inlets with PB blaster.
if they dont click tap the inlet end square on a piece of wood a few times , be gentle.
Then retest them they should click, once tested install the injectors and start the engine.

NOTE if you test the injectors and then dont run them for a week or more its possible they can become stuck again.
The PB blaster will assist in keeping the injectors free till the gas is flowing

jej3

Success! I took apart the passenger fuel rail, removed the suspect injector and followed Seth and Stan's guidance. This happened to be the same advice from the vendor.

Nothing happened initially... it ohm'd out correctly at 14.7 (same as other injectors and within the suppliers specs). I called the supplier, who was very friendly and happy to send a replacement. He said they wouldn't be able to ship until today but if I wanted to be MORE aggressive in trying to unstick the injector, I could.

So, I hooked up my spare injector pigtail, alligator clips on both wire ends and a power source. Holding the injector in one hand and a hammer in the other, I tapped the inlet (per the supplier) with just a little more force (think increments harder than a tap, not a smash). Did this multiple times with PB blaster and cycled power off/on.

It finally clicked (The injector that is). So, I put it all together late last night and will be going on a run during lunch today.

Thanks to everyone for their help and I hope my shakedown run of the refreshed intake is a good one!