bebbetufs

There is also the return hose from the fuel vapour return line, It goes down along side the air conditioning tubes/ turbo water pump cable and through a j-pipe into the j-boot from below.

Ky944TurboNewbie

If I put the car up on jack stands and got underneath, do you think I can use the soapy water to check these connections? Everything I can see up on top seems good.

bebbetufs

If you hear hissing you might as well remove the j-boot and check it. There is a leak somewhere in the area anyway.

Ky944TurboNewbie

Bad j-boot to be replaced and then we will see where I go from there.

Ky944TurboNewbie

While I am waiting for the J-Boot, I am looking at my ignition system since it seems like it is not running on all cylinders. I got the compression gauge from Harbor Freight this afternoon. Compression was close across all cylinders. 110-105-110-110 on a cold engine and dry with a weak battery. But look at the spark plugs I put in just a few miles ago. Ordered from left to right as cylinder 1-2-3-4.





I started checking this because the engine had no noticeable difference when I pulled the plug to 1 and 4. I must have been running on 2 cylinders. 2 and 3 show how rich the engine has been running. I assume this is likely due to the massive vacuum/boost leak in the J Boot etc... I believe my next step is to check fuel is coming out of all of the injectors with a decent spray pattern, and to make sure there is good spark to all cylinders. If you have other suggestions, I am all ears.

Ky944TurboNewbie

I have had some time to work on a few things. I think I am starting to resolve some stuff. I have some theories and would like opinions. First, I have checked spark at the plugs and all cylinders have spark. After doing my timing belt change, I didn't put the belt covers on until it got retensioned and I also neglected to bolt on the part that holds the distributor so it was very loose. Not sure if this would have caused problems with cylinder 1 and 4, but after putting the belt covers on and tightening this up, I tested to see if all cylinders were firing by using water and spraying the exhaust to make sure all were heating up evenly, and they seem to be heating up even now. They weren't before. I still haven't taken out the injectors to make sure they are all spraying as they should, but that will have to be another day.

As for the overboost situation. In August of 2008, I was having issues with a rough idle and backfires which I now know means it is running rich. Wasn't so educated back then. I had just changed my vacuum lines so I didn't think it was a leak. I broke down and took it to a mechanic. They determined there was a problem and adjusted the AFM. I thought they said the spring, but I assumed they were referring to the tension on the wiper arm. I should have gotten a better explanation but I didn't.

Lart sent me a replacement AFM, which I swapped out, and in the process of swapping I noticed the barn door on the one he sent me had a lot more resistence. Unfortunately, my car ran worse with his AFM. Not totally sure it is a dud, but I decided that it would be better to go back to mine. I popped open the top and looked at the area by the wiper arm and saw the spring that can be adjusted for the tension on the barn door.

My theory is this. When it was having problems in 2008, it was really a leak in the intake system. Instead of fixing the leak, they adjusted the tension on the barn door and thereby allowed more air in to compensate for the air that was being lost through the intake leak. I don't drive it much and when I do, I am not really challenging the boost very often. However, over time the J Boot continued to deteriorate and the leak became bigger. Finally, I started having more problems from the leak that caused me to discover the overboost problem.

I adjusted the spring tension to be closer to what the AFM barn door on Lart's felt like and took it for a test drive. It is now much improved. I can hold boost much better. I used to get overboost triggered in 1st and 2nd gear. Now I need to have the boost on for a prolonged period in 3rd gear before it triggers. I think I am close to where it needs to be adjusted and with a few more test drives, I might overcome all cut outs. However, I wanted to get the opinion of some of the turbo expertise on this site before I tried to fiddle with it much further. Does my logic seem reasonable? Could a loose spring on the AFM barn door combined with a vacuum leak be why the car has been running really rich and triggering the overboost?

Rogue_Ant

Your logic is reasonable.

Get a new J-Boot on, and I use the AFM that lart sent you. Then see if you are still having issues...

bebbetufs

Sounds like you are on the right track. Personally I would not adjust the spring tension myself. You really don't want to risk having too much tension. This could lead to it measure less air than is actually going through which would cause you to run lean. Too lean and detonation could become a problem.

Ky944TurboNewbie

I messaged Lart and he said the AFM is definitely good, so I am putting his back in instead of trying to modify my unknown spring tension. With Larts AFM, it backfires and basically runs bad. I had him send me a TPS also. Swapped that out and it runs much better. However, I am still getting backfires. I tried to pressurize the intake system again, and I have a significant leak where the TPS meets the Throttle Body. How to I fix this leak? Do I need to rebuild the throttle body? Is there supposed to be an o ring on the back side of the TPS?

bebbetufs

Rebuild it with one of Bruce's kits.
http://www.arnnworx.com/catalog/inde...67169768065099

Ky944TurboNewbie

I rebuilt the throttle body. After checking for boost leaks to make sure I got the intake sealed, I took it for a drive. The throttle was very slow to return to idle at first, but after a few minutes of driving, it got better.

I am still having a problem at WOT. It will backfire out the tailpipe and has no power. At this point I suspect the ignition system needs work.

I have a known good TPS and AFM. I am getting the click at the first throttle movement. I haven't adjusted the idle screw per Clark's garage yet. The idle is high at about 1200. But it runs well at partial load.

Not sure when the distributor cap and plugs were last changed. The spark plugs were changes and gapped recently Is there any visible sign of a distribution cap that needs to be changed?

bebbetufs

did you set the idle?
http://www.clarks-garage.com/pdf-manual/fuel-08.pdf

Ky944TurboNewbie

I have set the idle per clarks garage. Ultimately, I decided my problem with overboost was due to an adjustment to the spring tension on the barn door in the AFM that should have never been adjusted. I have swapped out the AFM and now I have a new problem with a rich condition so I am starting a new thread on that. Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions. Especially thank you to Lart951 for being so kind to work with me on parts and having great customer service.

Ky944TurboNewbie

To update this thread further. I believe my rich condition is due to bad injectors. Cylinder 1 and 4 don't appear to be firing and 2 and 3 appear to be really rich. After putting in new Distributor Cap, Rotor, Wires, I am still having no change in rpm's when I unplug the injectors for 1 and 4. Looks like it is time to get the injectors cleaned.

74goldtarga

Seems like you are almost there - keep at it (just got back from little league game, can you tell)