4500 rpm cutout

[My90tsiawd]

This all started when i blew a timing belt on my 90 talon tsi awd. I rebuilt the cylinder head putted it back on and then started having problems. The car would run fine until i had driven it for about 20 minutes then it was terrible. At this time it was my only car so I had to run it like this for a while. Then i made a boost leak tester and have found a huge boost leak right after the compressor housing. Fixed it. Then found another one at the IC outlet. Fixed it. Now nothing seems to leak but the car won't have any power past 4500 rpm. I read a lot on it and ended up checking all the ignition system. The coil looked pretty bad and so did the wires so for a cheap fix I made a coil on plug system to make sure that it's the ignition. I know that the stock ignition is better but for a $40 fix i needed to try it. Idle got a lot better and i can now run the car for long period of time without having to unplug the maf to run right. But it still won't push past 4500 rpm. I'm starting to think about fuel issue or something like that. Could i have damaged anything by running it with the boost leak. Thanks for reading this and for trying to help me out.

It's been more than a year since I last felt it's real power. At least I got another car so I can leave the talon in the garage until it's fixed.
BTW the car is all stock but for the coil on plug system.

 

[GSXSixteenG]

How much boost are you running on the stock turbo?

 

[My90tsiawd]

Everything is stock I don't even have a MBC or even an aftermarket boost gauge yet. It souldn't be past the stock level.

 

[GSXSixteenG]

Do you know if you are building boost?

 

[My90tsiawd]

I vented my BOV just to make sure and it does blow boost away. I had already tried it with open wastegate and it had a lot less power than it does now.

 

[GSXSixteenG]

Ok. Sooo, what does it do at 4500rpms? (Sputter, buck, cutout,..?) Have you checked your timing since you blew the belt? This has me thinking that your timing may have slipped or could be off a tooth.

You shouldn't have any fuel problems if you are completely stock and running stock boost.

 

[My90tsiawd]

Well when it gets at 4500 rpm it wouldn't want to rev any higher but if I let off the gas it will slowly get a little bit higher. When I tried it with the open wastegate it reved up to 5500 before cuting out. Sorry about my english but I can't seem to find a difference between sputtering bucking and cutting out. I'll also check for timing tomorow. I did check ignition timing and it is perfect at 5 degree BTDC.

 

[GSXSixteenG]

I had the same problem when one of my intercooler pipes blew off. But you stated you did a BLT.

Sputtering would be like back firing/missing.
Bucking would be like a hesitant feeling.
Cutting out would be like your car hitting 4500 and completely cut out and not go past 4500...feels like your hitting a wall.

Check timing and chime back if you can.

 

[My90tsiawd]

Then i'd say it is sputtering because it really misses. If I try to hold it it almost acts like a 2 step rev limiter . Anaway I'll check cam timing tomorow and tell you what I get. Thanks already.

 

[My90tsiawd]

Ok, I did check timing today. After lining up the cams, at the crank, timing seemed to be off by one tooth. But when we give it a tooth in the other way we still seem to be out of timing by one tooth. In fact the lower timing mark seems to be halfway between 2 teeth on the crank pulley. Anyway it was off half a tooth on one side so i tried it on the other side and the problem is still there, better idle though.

So, what can cause this "between 2 teeth lower timing mark" and which one should I choose.
Thanks for the info I really though I had found the problem this time.

 

[GSXSixteenG]

Here are two tech articles regarding timing. I haven't done a timing job on my eclipse in atleast 3 years so my expertise has reached its limits. I could never get it to set right, so I have a buddy that does it for me.

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-timing-without-using-lower-timing-cover.html

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/art...-1g-2g-quick-timing-belt-alignment-check.html

Hopefully these help you, its seems to me that the answer relies in your timing for your problems.

 

[My90tsiawd]

I can't work on the car until saturday but I'll keep you updated then.

Ok, I just rechecked everything about cam timing and you were right. it was off. I hadn't checked the cams with a ruler to make sure they were lined up. They looked lined up but they weren't. It's now fixed and my base timing is 5 degrees BTDC. I will now have supper and then re-recheck for a boost leak as the aftermarket gauge (my friend's gauge that I hold in my hand while driving) reads vacuum but never gets to boost.

Today, with a friend, we checked lots of things on the car. Here are the results:
Compression: Cylinder No. 1 145psi, No.2 145, No.3 140, No.4 140
Leak down test: Cylinder No. 1 7.5%No.2 11%, No.3 10%, No.4 11%
Fuel pressure test: With vacuum hose 31psi w/o 39psi.
Cam timing: Ok
Base timing: 5degrees BTDC
Boost leak test: I put 15 psi in and within 30 seconds it dropped to 7psi. Same when testing from LICP or even form the throttle body elbow and/or pluging PCV valve. All the leak we could hear is from the valve cover breather. Same with leak down test.
All tests were performed on the cold engine but base timing.

The car has a problem for sure it won't go past 4500 rpm. What else could be the cause and what should I be checking next.

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

tell me if im wrong but i believe stock Fuel PSI is suppose to be 43.5 with the vacuum hose disconnect. i would start checking your fuel system...where did you check fuel PSI at??

 

[My90tsiawd]

We used what the fuel pressure tester manual said to do so we checked fuel pressure on top of the fuel filter. My hayne's service manual says it shloud be between 36 and 38psi so it's very close. I have to say that if I run the cars it feels like it's running rich, no logging but it sputters (even below 4500) smokes black and gets the sparks plugs black. They are gapped at .038 BTW

 

[2gGSXEclipse]

did you guys ever get the timing right?? all the info you have posted seems right, besides fuel pressure should be 37-38 with the hose on adn 43.5 with the vacuum line discoennected, but that doesnt make too much sense if your thinking it is running lean. spark gap should be .033 -.038. ignition components are the most important thing in a turbo car. for the hell of it i would try the .033 gap and see what it does

 

[My90tsiawd]

In fact I think it's running RICH, not lean and the fuel pressure specs (according to Haynes repair manual)for a 1g turbo manual transmission are: Vacuum hose detached 36 to 38 psi and vacuum hose attached 26 to 28 psi.

Anyways, I need to wait one more week to work on the car because I can only work on it on weekends. So I'd like to have as much things to check or test for next week as possible. I already got some nice help here that led me to a bad cam timing. Thanks and I can't wait to get it back running corectly.

 

[nytescion]

besides fuel pressure should be 37-38 with the hose on adn 43.5 with the vacuum line discoennected

1g manual 37 1g auto 43.5. If everything is true with not having any leaks or compression issues. I would see if you can borrows a friends mas and see if that helps. If so then you know you need a new one.

 

[My90tsiawd]

I actually have one but it has NO honeycomb so needless to say mine's better...

 

[nytescion]

I would try one that has honeycombs. but if thats all you have you can switch them and see what happens.

 

[My90tsiawd]

I did try it but the car would run terible with it. I knew that removing both honeycomb was bad but I didn't think it was that bad l. Well the guy gave it to me and it came with a free K&N filter so it was worth it.

 

[nytescion]

see if you can find a known good mas and swap them.

 

[rlacasse1]

i don't know if im on the wrong track here so if i am let me know. when you vented the BOV did you plug up the line where it goes back into the intake, right in front of the compressor.

sorry i have another question. what diagram did you use to do your COP setup. i had to try 2 differnet ones. one way makes it misfire like crazy and when my car was wired like that it wouldnt go past 4500 rpm. changed the wiring and now it runs good.

 

[My90tsiawd]

I had only unplugged the BOV to verify if I was building boost I did reconect it just after the test was done. And for the COP I used the diagram from this thread:

COP coil question - DSM Forums: Mitsubishi Eclipse, Plymouth Laser, and Eagle Talon Forum: DSMtalk.com

I'd like you to tell me if it's the diagram that worked for you and thanks for tryingto help me out.
What's makes me think the problem isn't in my ignition is that I had this problem with 2 different coil setups (stock and COP).

 

[Jason B]

i would check your fuel pressure regulator solenoid, its on the firewall above your brake booster, check the resistance of it, if its an open circuit its not working for sure

 

[My90tsiawd]

My fuel pressure is ok isn't it??