Jim_H

Sequence-

While doing clutch job I cut 02 sensor wires and installed connector so it would be easier to swap cats, X pipes etc.
Car runs great but after about 10 minutes the check engine light comes on.
I check the manual and it says this is an emission warning so I plan on getting underneath and making sure 02 connection didn't come unplugged,
In the mean time I drive it 4 or 5 times.
Drive it today for about 20 minutes, drove it kinda hard but no redlining, running great.
About 3 hours later I try to start it, it fires then dies, smells flooded.
About 4 hours later I disconnect cat wires by the fuse panel, turns over but doesn't even try to fire, no gas smell.
Hook cat wires back up, same thing, turns over but doesn't catch.
Remember I had to be at my house at 3 and so I am back home wondering what next??

What did I do?

TIA

John Struthers

Try this:
Disconnect battery for a couple minutes.
Reconnect the cat wires, make sure you don't have open wires at connections/new plug, also look for an odd strand of wire outside of connection that could touch something else or is close enough to pick up a stray signal off one of the other wires.
If you have a O2/odo reset at pass. side cover reset it.
Then hook the battery back up.
Turn the key but don't start and listen for pump. Then try to start.
I'm not sure what happens to a GT without a O2 sensor reading does it run full rich/cold start without a signal or will it just not start? Guru's?
In any case, if you don't have a leaking injector, a bad check valve on the fuel pump, bad fuel pump fuse or relay I'd say it was your recently installed O2 plug connection. Check that fuse and wiggle the relay. Make a jumper for the pump(see archives). If she gives off fuel smells again check exhaust first then under hood for strength of oder.

John Struthers

BTW You did keep the wires above the heat shield, right?
And you didn't just turn/tighten the O2 sensor with the wires connected, did you?

Jim_H

Thanks John, Yes I did keep wires above heat shield and when removing cats I just cut the wires of 02 because I knew I was installing a plug.
Your other post is right on to me. I was getting ready to reset the brains/ unhook battery but I had to leave. In reading some other post in archives it seems the Shark should start with 02 unhooked but I am probably wrong. Going to watch the list for awhile longer then head back out and do everything on your list.
THANKS!

Marc Schwager

Well, I don't know about the GT, but on my 1980, the O2 sensor really doesn't do anything until the car warms up a bit. Until it gets to temerature which takes around 3-5 minutes, the computer runs off some default settings. I have a meter hooked up and you can see it start to kick in. In my case I can unplug the sensor altogether and the car will run, albiet rich, and when starting cold, I wouldn't be able to tell whether or not it is plugged in. I suppose it would be different if it was shorted out. Throw an averaging voltmeter on it and it should read around 1/2 V.

It is possible that something else is amiss.

Jim_H

Hmmm, grabbing my manuals to check this out, still getting used to having them!

Jim_H

I don't think it is the 02 sensor. Bernard, I am not finding anything in the ECS portiion of the manuals on this. Is it in the manuals?
Thanks,
Jim

Thaddeus

Adding the plug may have changed the circuit's impedance such that your O2 sensor is feeding the computer bogus data.

Jim_H

It's a high impedance circuit so I don't think a connector should change it enough to mess it up. Problem is it ran great and strong for 3 days, the light wouldn't come on for 10 - 15 minutes and then all of a sudden it won't start. What the hell I was thinking of driving it when that light came on is beyond me except I thought it was totally minor.

Dumbass

Jim_H

OK-

Fuse 38 toast
No noise from fuel pump so I jumped the relay, got buzzing
Battery too tired

So I am charging the battery overnight.

Here is what has me puzzled. When it first didn't want to start it would actually fire, go to about 500rpm then die, and it smelled like it was flooded.
So fuel problems was the last thing on my mind. But it looks like it is going to be the relay?

Jim_H

Also, can anyone recommend any good areas in the manuals to read through on this topic. Still finding my way around them.

Jim_H

Heading over soon with supercharged battery. Any other ideas to look into?
TIA

Randy V

Jim, please continue discussions within the same original topic, rather than starting a new one.

Good luck on your repair.

Jim_H

Randy,

Is it ok to change the heading? I thought beached Shark was more fitting than stranded. Wasn't trying to freak anyone out.

Jim_H

Just went out and turned it over, now that it is home I can hear what is going on.
The pump relay is jumped yet I didn't hear the pump the first 3-4 times I turned the key on, then it turned on for about 3 sec and stopped with a clunking noise. Also in the engine bay I hear 2 clicks when I first turn the key to the on positiion.
Oh, and it didn't start.