Daymon66

Andrew, it starts right up idles down a little then gets rough. i'll double check to make certain but i do remember it getting worse after a few. i started it and by the time i got around to the passenger side to check led's it sounded like it wanted to die but leveled out rough again on its own.

i noticed some fuel/water exhaust stain under the tailpipes on the ground this morning from last night and also noticed a little stain of fuel forward of the tailpipes on the ground. I am trying to get ahold of Sias to see what he changed before i bought it but he mentioned fuel pumps and a stainless fuel lines.

i'll go ahead and pull the plugs as well just to make sure they are not fouled up. probably go ahead and put in a fresh set while i'm there.

thanks so much for all yoru time and advice guys.. i greatly appreciate it.

Mike Frye

Fuel under the tailpipes? Are you sure it wasn't water dripping out of the tailpipes? I think the fuel lines are all on the passenger side (US) and the exhaust runs down the middle and then back across to the driver's side.

I'm not sure about the '89, but I thought it was like that in all of them intentionally to keep them on opposite sides.

Daymon66

may have been water but smelled like fuel/exhaust.

AO

I hate to say it, but my head failed like this too... It wasnt water... it was antifreeze.

When you get all the plugs out, crank the engine and see if anything come out the spark plug holes.

I'll think happy thoughts.

Daymon66

*** Andrew don't make it worse than it is.... POSITIVE THOUGHTS.

as much motor work as i have done thru the years (granted all american iron) i've never heard of a "head failing" in this manner.
it ran perfect saturday. no coolant, temp, pressure issues. idled fine. ran fine.

parked it, washed it let it sit for a day and rough idle and in limp mode.
started fine this morning, ran okay for about 5 seconds then limp mode.

i'm thinking happy thoughts too....

AO

Sorry soryy... I take it back. It's a coil wire... just a coil wire.

morganabowen

Bob,
I don't think that will cover her "Green Fees"

Bill Ball

Based on all the above, I would pull off the air filter housing and unplug the MAF. Start the car. If it runs the same, it is the MAF limp home mode. Limp home mode was discussed, but I don't think anyone asked you to test for it this way. Anyway, if it is limp home mode, you might get lucky. It might go away when you reseat the MAF plug, actually even regardless of the test result. I had this happen on a buddy's car that was running like crap. Reseated the MAF plug after testing 100 other things and VROOM. Never has done it since. There is hope!

Do make sure you battery is fully charged. I assume the power save warning is a fluke from the poor idle condition, but a low battery can cause all kinds of idle problems even if there is enough power to start the car. My 89 was misbehaving - running poorly and dieing, although it would clear up after a minute and several restarts. Replacing the battery after I finally found it to be in poor shape, resolved this.

AO

Good one Bill.

Daymon66

thank you Bill. that advice is much appreciated...

SIMPLE good positive thoughts...

i'd love to check the battery also but since i can't get the DAMN hatch open that will get checked after i figure out the best way to open a hatch with a fully operational motor and switches. Sias said it happened to him from time to time regarding the hatch and all he did was press down on the hatch near the lock and it would open. no such luck for me.

i'm a fighter so i'll follow thru with all this advice and promise to post what Y'ALL did to fix it.

Jim bailey - 928 International

As a test unplug that funny looking ignition monitoring relay and make a 3 way jumper wire for the plug connect pins 2, 4 and 5 on the plug leave unplugged ...it bypasses all the safety features and will fire all 8 injectors ......so if it STILL runs like 4 cylinders be careful...

Daymon66

thanks Jim.. i saw a picture of that "jumper" you are talking about here on the forum but now i can't find it....

Bill Ball

Is it 1,3,5????? SOMEWHERE I got the same impression and gave that advice to Andrew. ZAP!! SMOKE!!

I think it's actually 2,4,5.

AO

DO NOT CONNECT 1,3,5!

2,4,5 is correct.

Jim bailey - 928 International

OK thanks for clearing that up ...that bit of misinformation has been floating around for a long time. John Speake noted.."You can buy a relay type device which bypsses the relay with the LEDs or just link pins 87 to A1 and A2 on the relay socket. Don't confuse pin A1 with the similar looking pin AL...."