Gremo87
Proven Member
- 128
- 2
- Mar 14, 2013
-
Decatur,
Illinois
Been working on this issue for a couple weeks now. Car ran great when I bought it, aside from an unstable idle which I was told was a tuning issue. (has Link, and hadn't been tuned well)
*Speed density car*
Couple weeks after buying it, started to notice power loss, slower spooling (22 psi at 4500 rpm), less BOV noise. During a 2nd gear pull, experienced a 'floating' feeling where the RPM's stopped climbing and it felt sort of like losing traction, but like I said the RPM's didn't rise, nor fall - they just stopped and hovered where they were at while I was at WOT. This happened again in 2nd and then again when I shifted into 3rd, and I parked it in the driveway then until I can get it figured out.
Symptoms/Info:
- It has low vacuum at idle, and it's probably been like this since I bought it but the gauge was hooked up somewhere that didn't get vacuum at idle. Move it and gauge now reads about 15 in. HG and MAP sensor reads about 11-12.
I've done several boost leak tests and fixed every tiny leak I've found - none have made a difference. Can get to 30 psi no problem. During a BLT from the TB elbow, the drop from 25 psi to 18 psi takes just under 13 seconds, and from 18 to 11 takes an additional 24 seconds. I've blown cigar smoke into the vacuum system to the point of it coming out of the intake filter, but nowhere else. (aside from into the crank case)
- If I ground the timing pin to check timing, it has idle surge which gets progressively worse the longer the pin is grounded. If I then ground the diagnostic pin too, the car will die unless I first back the BISS screw way out - in which case it will stay running but with a horrendous idle surge. So the car can't stay running without the ECU constantly adjusting timing and air via the ISC, resulting in an idle that should be 850 but instead constantly fluctuates between 740ish and 1050ish.
- Cylinder 2 spark plug is always lighter (whitish) than the others indicating that cylinder 2 is getting more air than the others. (valve issue??) I've checked for vacuum leaks around cylinder 2 and found nothing. This has happened with 2 sets of spark plugs - one with at least a few hundred miles on them and another with less than 30.
- Hard cold starts (takes a while of cranking before it reluctantly comes to life) This has been the case since I bought it.
- Good compression (177, 165, 172.5, 172.5)
- No leakdown test yet (planning to make one very soon)
- I've checked mechanical timing at the cam gears and they're spot on. I didn't tear into everything to check the oil pump sprocket mark though.
- Base timing is at 5* but jumps just past the 1 T mark a lot (with the timing pin grounded)
- Seems to run pretty hot. Gets up to 210 (on gauge, 210-215 in Link) pretty easily after a decent amount of driving, and that's with a Mishimoto radiator, 2 aftermarket fans, ducting between FMIC and radiator, an air dam forcing air up in front of radiator...
- ISC and coolant temp sensor have been tested. ISC is a newer black model and all coils tested at 42.7-43 ohms.
- Turbo has noticeable shaft play in/out, up/down, side/side.
I think that's everything. Just wanted to get everything reframed and put together here. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this troubleshooting process. Any ideas, I would love to hear them.
Sean
Edit to add: Here's a thread with pictures of spark plugs I pulled out with less than 40 miles on them - probably less than 30, and maybe even 20. http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/is...gs-pictures-shiny-brown-on-insulators.495647/
*Speed density car*
Couple weeks after buying it, started to notice power loss, slower spooling (22 psi at 4500 rpm), less BOV noise. During a 2nd gear pull, experienced a 'floating' feeling where the RPM's stopped climbing and it felt sort of like losing traction, but like I said the RPM's didn't rise, nor fall - they just stopped and hovered where they were at while I was at WOT. This happened again in 2nd and then again when I shifted into 3rd, and I parked it in the driveway then until I can get it figured out.
Symptoms/Info:
- It has low vacuum at idle, and it's probably been like this since I bought it but the gauge was hooked up somewhere that didn't get vacuum at idle. Move it and gauge now reads about 15 in. HG and MAP sensor reads about 11-12.
I've done several boost leak tests and fixed every tiny leak I've found - none have made a difference. Can get to 30 psi no problem. During a BLT from the TB elbow, the drop from 25 psi to 18 psi takes just under 13 seconds, and from 18 to 11 takes an additional 24 seconds. I've blown cigar smoke into the vacuum system to the point of it coming out of the intake filter, but nowhere else. (aside from into the crank case)
- If I ground the timing pin to check timing, it has idle surge which gets progressively worse the longer the pin is grounded. If I then ground the diagnostic pin too, the car will die unless I first back the BISS screw way out - in which case it will stay running but with a horrendous idle surge. So the car can't stay running without the ECU constantly adjusting timing and air via the ISC, resulting in an idle that should be 850 but instead constantly fluctuates between 740ish and 1050ish.
- Cylinder 2 spark plug is always lighter (whitish) than the others indicating that cylinder 2 is getting more air than the others. (valve issue??) I've checked for vacuum leaks around cylinder 2 and found nothing. This has happened with 2 sets of spark plugs - one with at least a few hundred miles on them and another with less than 30.
- Hard cold starts (takes a while of cranking before it reluctantly comes to life) This has been the case since I bought it.
- Good compression (177, 165, 172.5, 172.5)
- No leakdown test yet (planning to make one very soon)
- I've checked mechanical timing at the cam gears and they're spot on. I didn't tear into everything to check the oil pump sprocket mark though.
- Base timing is at 5* but jumps just past the 1 T mark a lot (with the timing pin grounded)
- Seems to run pretty hot. Gets up to 210 (on gauge, 210-215 in Link) pretty easily after a decent amount of driving, and that's with a Mishimoto radiator, 2 aftermarket fans, ducting between FMIC and radiator, an air dam forcing air up in front of radiator...
- ISC and coolant temp sensor have been tested. ISC is a newer black model and all coils tested at 42.7-43 ohms.
- Turbo has noticeable shaft play in/out, up/down, side/side.
I think that's everything. Just wanted to get everything reframed and put together here. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this troubleshooting process. Any ideas, I would love to hear them.
Sean
Edit to add: Here's a thread with pictures of spark plugs I pulled out with less than 40 miles on them - probably less than 30, and maybe even 20. http://www.dsmtuners.com/threads/is...gs-pictures-shiny-brown-on-insulators.495647/
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