Adamant1971

I'm getting spark on all eight cylinders.

It seems the loss of power in the top end is intermittent. At first today it was fine, but after about 20mins it started acting up again.

But I'm now smelling gas, but not sure from where. I have checked all fuel lines, tank is ok, gas cap ok.

Car is parked till I figure out what's going on.

Tonight I will make a list and start checking things one by one.

Mrmerlin

dont forget to disconnect the battery after swapping in a new MAF,
as the injection system needs to relearn the operating parameters.

Swapping in a new MAF then not disconnecting the battery might make things worse.

SO lets start here, what was the last thing you fixed??

Adamant1971

I did not disconnect the battery, but it's a super MAF that I borrowed and Sean had mentioned that it may make the car run worse. Never the less I can try it again and will disconnect the battery.

The last thing I fixed is a long list, TB, WP, intake re-fresh, MM, OPG, h-pipe, plugs, wires, fluids, all rubber hoses, fuel lines, etc.

The car ran fine for about 1500km's, then on the way back from SITM the issue materialized.

Last night I put the old coil wires back on and cleaned up the corrosion. And put a new crush washer on the temp sensor (on bridge) as it was leaking at SITM.

I think I'm just going to start fresh tomorrow, first with checking for spark again. Then on to fuel if the ignition checks out. I think I will test the coils as we'll just so ican rule them out.

dr bob

One of the fun features of coil wire 'failure' is that it has the option to spawn other intermittent (at first) failures. High-voltage will seek the shortest available discharge path, and in a tired coil that path may be internal to the coil itself. "Smelling Fuel" is a possible sign that you have one coil or one ignition system faulting intermittently. That diagnosis is reinforced with the coincidental loss of power.

Do you have an option to borrow a pair of known-good coils locally? Even just one, and try it on one side first to see if the intermittent power loss goes away. If it does, you found the problem. If not, move it to the other side and see if the power losses disappear.

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Ignition problems are sometimes most easily diagnosed by looking for wet plugs. Pull one plug from each ignition system when you experience the power loss. Non-firing plugs might be wet with unburned fuel if you get to them fast enough.

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Other components are worth a look too. You had the caps and rotors off for the Timing belt. Carefully inspect those for cracks or possible carbon tracking on the plastic. I went back after I did the timing belt recently, and found a couple screws on one cap that I hadn't tightened completely. It made a funny extra ticking sound that was probably a little arcing between the rotor and the slightly-misaligned cap. Sometimes it's stupid-easy stuff like this.

Adamant1971

Well I just got started, got the car up and noticed fuel evidence on the fuel pump cover.

I jumped the relay and the pump is leaking from the banjo fitting at the pump. 1 drop per second at idle. I may try taking it out and re-installing with new crush washers. Funny when I did the fuel filter I never touched the fitting on the pump. Unless it's leaking from another spot and dripping down over the fitting.

Perhaps this has been the cause of my loss of top end power?

I'm going to double check the ignition next.

WallyP

That small leakage will have no effect at all on running.

Having spark on all eight at idle does not ensure that the ignition system is OK. The amount of voltage required to fire the plugs varies with combustion system pressure. The air/fuel mix is an insulator, and the more mix in the plug gap, the higher the voltage required for the spark to jump. The required voltage might go from as low as 4kV at idle to as high as 30kV at torque peak.

It is very common for a secondary ignition fault to cause poor performance under load, but still allow reasonably good cranking and idle.

Adamant1971

I pulled the plugs, all were light brown in colour, not wet, all normal.

Distributors are fine, both coils tested within factory spec. All wires have a good resistance as we'll.

My fuel pump is out, I think I loosened the banjo fitting when I replaced the filter. It seemed to be only leaking from the fitting. I'm going to get new crush washers and re-install it.

So it looks like combustion is fine.

Sean had mentioned the super MAF I borrowed from Livio won't work. Does it have to be shark tuned to work? I noticed a sticker on it for "shark tuning". If not I will likely just send my MAFF in for a rebuilt unit. Since it looks like my issue is fuel related.

Adamant1971

Double checked the flappy, it's connected properly. But I put the mighty vac on the line going to the actuator, It's completely dead and I can hear the air being pulled in. So the intake will have to come off to replace it. I did not replace when I did the intake re-fresh.
But I was trying to save money on bits that we're working fine. Doh!

I'm getting the fuel pump back on tonight, I'm also going to clean the engine grounds.

We will see how she runs and go from there.

atb

Have you tested the temp II sensor?

Adamant1971

Car is back together and running like a champ.

It looks like I had 3 issues, 2 of which were causing my power loss.

1: The flappy actuator was failing/failed.
2: The battery was cooked.
3: Wrong coil wires caused excessive corrosion at the coil.

I believe 1 and 2 were the culprits. My battery was new, but is so fried it won't even take a charge from my charger.

Is it possible the increased current draw at the coils (arching) could have killed the battery?

Anyway I'm happy its fixed. Since I had the intake off again I did some new vacuum lines and replaced a couple more old hoses.

Thanks to Roger for a speedy part shipment.

ROG100

If the electric Gurus agree the wrong coil wires fried your battery I will compensate you for it as we supplied the wrong wires.

WallyP

I'm certainly not a guru, but I can't imagine any way that the coil wires could damage the battery.

outbackgeorgia

No way the coils fried the battery, but I would look very closely at the alternator/voltage regulator.
Don't have specs in front of me, but over voltage will cook a battery. Should not exceed 13.6 volts at the battery, if I recall.
Could just have been a failed battery.
Dave

outbackgeorgia

BTW, be very careful handling a failed battery, an internal arc can easily explode a failed battery. Voice of experience with a GM car, fortunately the hood was closed, but battery parts and acid everywhere! Only the bottom plate left of the battery.
I wear all sorts of protective gear when handling a bad battery.
Dave

Adamant1971

I will check the charging system to be sure everything is ok. Without dissecting the battery it will be hard to know. And the battery was exchanged so it's gone.

Just finished our cruise and she ran great.