I have fully rebuilt the motor and I am running into a problem now

[eclipsers-t]

I have fully rebuilt the motor and I am running into a problem now. Wondering if there are any things to check to get it running correctly. It has a couple of symptoms

1. Vacuum at idle is about 10, but during driving it can get up to 20

2. Really rough idle

3. popping in the exhaust during driving

4. running extremely rich, dumping fuel at idle

5. once it goes into boost and starts leaning it out it seems to be running pretty good, just not as peppy as it should be running

Also, is anyone running these cams? Just trying to eliminate them as a problem.
Crower Cams
Stage 2 (Int238/Exh236) -Turbo grind #227636

Thanks

 

[VelocitàPaola]

I bet your timing is off. Actually re-check it and get back to us.

 

[eclipsers-t]

We had the timing almost lined up perfect...at least as close as we could get the timing marks lined up as close as we could on the Fidanza cam gears. And it was set TDC.

 

[VelocitàPaola]

Uh huh... did you turn the engine over twice by hand to confirm everything still lined up?

 

[eclipsers-t]

Yea we did

 

[VelocitàPaola]

And the cam gears are perfectly zeroed out?

I still say go back and check the timing... your symptoms are consistent with off-timing.

 

[BigRand]

better break out the dowell stick method to check your timing. recheck your sensor connections while your at it and make sure everything is tightly connected. No loose harness.

 

[Locke]

You're fuel system isn't mentioned in your profile. What is your idle fuel pressure looking like?

I agree with the others, in that it does seem symptomatic of unaligned cams.

 

[eclipsers-t]

I am unsure about the fuel pressure because I do not have a gauge on it. I have the setup from Hahn with a FMU and inline fuel pump.

 

[XMasta19]

So you're running an fmu with inline fuel pump...and you've got crower 2's? What are your other supporting mods? If the car is running so bad, why would you even boost it? Please do us a favor and fix it before you get really upset and hate 420a's forever because of it all went down.

 

[eclipsers-t]

It has been boosted since '03. I just rebuilt the motor and just having the difficulties of trying to get it running correctly. Trust me, I am frustrated, but I do not hate my car!

 

[XMasta19]

So give us some more details then...what does "rebuilt" mean? I'm assuming the cams were a new part? We just need more info bro...

 

[eclipsers-t]

Wiseco 8.8:1, Eagle Rods, Clevite 77 Main and Rod bearings, Stainless steel valves, bronze vavle guides, Crower titanium springs and retainers, Fidanza adjustable cam gears, Crower Turbo grind cams, oil pump, water pump, timing belt, tensioner and pulley, fuel stayed the same (Hahn turbo setup of FMU and inline fuel pump)

 

[link16]

How much boost are you running?

 

[SurrealDSM]

dont the stage 2 crowers give a rough idle reguardless? i was looking into those and thats what slowboyracing says in their describtion

 

[VelocitàPaola]

dont the stage 2 crowers give a rough idle reguardless? i was looking into those and thats what slowboyracing says in their describtion

No, those cams shouldn't produce the symptoms he's experiencing. I still think it's the timing...

 

[eclipsers-t]

I am currently running around 6 (waiting to get the Portfueler).

I am going to remove the valve cover to see if the cams are in the correct spot i.e. exhaust and intake

 

[xceler8]

I agree with paola, good indication of your timing being off. Somtimes when you run too richa t idle, it causes your vacuum at idle to be a little low, but not at 10. Maybe coupled with the cams, but I still think 10 is pretty far fetched. Check your cam gears themselves and be sure the adjustment screws didn't slip and they adjusted themselves on you. Check vacuum leaks in your system. I assume you replaced your plugs when you did the motor, maybe one of them is failing. I agree with rand, check all electrical connections, it's really easy to miss something.

Peace-

 

[xceler8]

oh, and by all means, stop boosting until fixed! It doesn't matter how long the car has been boosted, if your motor isn't ning well right now, you could just screw something up. You ever seen what happens to your head and even piston rings when you start boosting and it's running really rich?

 

[eclipsers-t]

The sparks plugs are brand new NGK's. We ruled out the vacuum lines last night and have gone over the connections too many times.

I do not guess there is any simple or easy way to adjust or correct the timing on our cars either? We are thinking about putting the stock cam gears back on to see if we can get it running correctly.

What happens under boost while running extremely rich? Just curious, I am not driving the car until it is running correctly.

 

[XMasta19]

You've been boosted since 03, and don't knwo what happens when you're running rich? You should go right now and buy the book Maximum Boost, it will help you

 

[xceler8]

Yes, please go read the book, google it, or something. If you value your piston rings for example, fix your A/F. I hope you have a wideband.

Timing isn't the easiest thing to fix when the motor is installed. You basically have to unfasten everything pertaining to your timing belt and try re-aligning the cam timing marks and tdc mark ont eh block to the crank sprocket.

A nice little tip, tap a hole in your lower timing belt cover right where the timing mark is and be sure your udp is placed so there is a gap on the spokes at tdc so you don't have to remove your udp.

It's just a matter of re-aligning the cams so tehy line up to tdc with the crank. Tighten her down and let it rip. Be sure that your cams are 180 deg from each other, you can tell by making sure that both holes are facing up on the cams when you have the valve cover off at tdc. Tehre are two holes near the cam gears (front of motor). If these are facing up on both cams at tdc, then your cams are 180 off, this is good.

Peace-

 

[eclipsers-t]

Alright guys. The timing is dead on. We are still unsure of the problem or what to check.

The vacuum is reading around 10 or so and we were thinking that the ECU was reading that as if we were giving it gas (running a little rich). So, we installed a SAFC 2 just to see if we could get it running a little better. I am not familiar with the SAFC, but I know a lot of you guys do not like to put them on the car. I prefer not too as well, but if it gets the car to run better then I will.

I want to purchase the Portfueler sometime, but need to get the car running correctly.

The car should be throwing a code for the EGR because we removed it, but it does not constantly throw it. Also, the ECU is buzzing a little bit, so we think that it might be bad.

Has anyone had trouble with the ECU going out?

Let me know what you think, or think I should check. Any suggestions right now are worth it, because I am getting frustrated with not knowing what is going on. Not plan on selling or getting rid of it!!

Thanks,
Andrew

 

[Locke]

ECU's have been known to fail on 95's.

Does the vacuum jump or fluctuate at idle, or is it steady?
Have you checked the compression since you rebuilt it?
If so, what are the numbers, and (what I care about) in what manner did it build pressure?
Did you use file-fit rings?
If so, what did you file the gap to, and how did you place the gaps?

As you can see, I am thinking mostly that a valve may not be seating properly. Also, maybe your ring gaps are too large, or they're not spaced adequately apart, but that wouldn't cause popping in the exhaust. I ask anyways.

 

[eclipsers-t]

The vacuum is steady at idle.

I am not sure too sure the rings. The ones that came with Wiseco pistons. I had a shop do the build and assembly. We turned the crank manually and my mechanic said everything sounded like it was right on. I am not sure if you can tell by ear if things are seating correctly.

We haven't checked compression. We talked about doing it and just havent yet.

Any things I can check to see if the ECU is bad?