Carbon buildup in the WGA?

[crimsonGST]

I had some very strange problems when I first got my car, and it still seems to be troubling my GSt. It is not anywheres near as bad, but after quite a few hours of driving my car home from TN, it was shooting little flames out of the exhaust. And when I stopped it had little embers. I was told it was the cat, but um....I have no cat. A guy who has numerous turbo HON-DUHS (I know, I know), threw out the idea of maybe carbon buildup in the WGA since it sat for quite a while, as well as some bad gas maybe? Does that sound plausible?

 

[eeeewidner]

Check to see if your car is running rich. Yes bad gas will cause a similar symptom, but more than likely you would also have a run problem also i.e. low power or a misfire under heavy loads. How does your car run?

 

[crimsonGST]

Like a damn go cart at the moment. It smells very rich. It threw a CEL code for misfire, changed plugs and wires, fixed that but still runs like dog crap. Maybe fuel filter?

 

[eeeewidner]

It is very possible you have bad gas then. Have you added sta-bil to your tank or even sea foam, sometimes that helps. If you are running rich with a P0300 code unplug the vacuum line on your fuel pressure regulator and see if the car runs better or leans out any... If any other code correct that problem first.

 

[crimsonGST]

No I have not tried unplugging the FPR, but that still does not really explain why my car is farting fireworks (not literally, but letting out little embers).

 

[eeeewidner]

So misfire is gone. I could go on and on with things to check. I do know that the old vw air-cooled engines done the same thing. Except very close to the exhaust valves carbon would build up and catch the exhaust on fire if it was running rich. Have you ruled out the possibility of maybe a sticking exhaust valve.... Thats why unplug the fpr...

 

[crimsonGST]

I'm not misfiring anymore. I solved that already. Now its just what seems to be fuel related. As well as the above mentioned embers.

 

[91tizzy]

Little embers? Hopefully not molten pieces of an exhaust valve or turbine wheel. Odds are your just running super rich. what exactly do you mean by "running like dog crap"?

 

[crimsonGST]

The car feels like it has no power. If you put it in gear and just let the clutch out slow it feels fine, but once you put your foot even a little into it, it falls on its face.....Not to mention the funky idling, with the white plumes....

 

[eeeewidner]

Little embers? Hopefully not molten pieces of an exhaust valve or turbine wheel. Odds are your just running super rich. what exactly do you mean by "running like dog crap"?

Thats what I was thinking...

 

[eeeewidner]

Exhaust valves.... do a compression/ leak down test. with a burned up turbine wheel you should still accelerate ok n/a.

 

[91tizzy]

dude you got me worried now. The missfiring might have burned a valve causing it to run rich and have low compression in one of the cylinders thus making it run how you have stated. white plumes? head gasket? dude just cut the shit and do a leakdown that could cut out alot of possibilties.

 

[crimsonGST]

Okay I'm going to do a leak down asap. Thanks for the help. It might be a week or two seeing as this isnt my daily and I have school and work, but as soon as I figure something out, I'll let you know.