Car left overnight, now doesn't want to idle, no power

[soldave]

Well this is something new to me, and very annoying. Got in the car this morning (1995 Evo III with a 4G63T in it) and was going to head down to the bodyshop to get a quote for some work. Started the car up and it didn't want to idle as normal. Sounded a bit like a diesel engine and vacuum was way down (around 300mmHg compared to the usual 500mmHg). When I moved it around my parking spot any load and it was wanting to die out and needed plenty of revs to keep it going. When the clutch was out the car was just kangarooing.

Changed out coil pack and checked plugs (looked pretty black and will be changed after I post this message). Also tried hardwiring the fuelpump to the battery (incase my ghetto fuel pump rewire had gone wrong somewhere) but nothing. And I've sprayed carb cleaner all around the engine bay trying to find signs of a leak, but the idle didn't stabilize.

I was thinking something electrical (igniter perhaps?) but am not sure where else I should be looking for answers. Any ideas?

EDIT: Changing the plugs didn't do anything. Pulling the MAF connector out lifted and stabilized the idle, but the engine still just sounded rough

Also tried pulling individual spark plug leads and they all made the idle worse, so whatever is happening it's engine-wide. Am wondering if the timing belt has slipped a tooth with the noise it's making. Gonna try playing with the CAS tomorrow and see if I can make the idle a little more stable.

[youtube]QczdxvGJoUQ[/youtube]

 

[turbo_rookie]

try looking for a vacuum leak? maybe something came loose or unplugged.

 

[soldave]

Could be, although spraying the engine bay with carb cleaner while idling didn't affect the idle at all. Might have to go over everything though tomorrow.

 

[turbo_rookie]

All your sensors are intact nothing came unplugged or anything? Maybe an animal chewed through a pigtail. I've had that happen and its a big hassle my wiring harness almost went up on my cobalt ss last year. I just noticed you were from japan.... i dunno about the animal part but its a possibility. From what I have seen of the video it seems like its either a fuel or a ignition problem. Kinda sounds like its starving for one or the other. Do you have an APFR on it with a guage? Maybe low fuel pressure. Coil could be faulty also. So just to understand better it ran perfect when you parked it and now it does this? Do you have any enemies that may have tampered with it? I've had that happen as well. While its running try unplugging sensors and see if it dies if it does that sensor should be good. If it runs better or doesn't change its bad. I'm not sure how to test a coil without getting yourself fried. I know some parts stores here can test a coil....

 

[soldave]

No squirrels around here but possible that a connector has come loose. Will give it another look tomorrow

 

[turbo_rookie]

im fairly positive your MAF is bad. anytime it stars running better after unplugging a sensor it is 9 times out of ten the sensor is bad.

 

[Blue Talon Boy]

I notice you have an SAFC. I'm not very familiar with the 5 knob style you have but my SAFC II has settings for MAF signal. Check that. Simple I know, but start with simple first.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[Blue Talon Boy]

im fairly positive your MAF is bad. anytime it stars running better after unplugging a sensor it is 9 times out of ten the sensor is bad.

Or that.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[soldave]

No SAFC now - almost all bone stock. Those specs are from my old Evo and I've got to update them ASAP.

Am thinking this issue is electrical. I played around with the cam angle sensor and it made little difference. Replaced the MAF and it made no difference. But when the car's running I am hearing this sharp clicking sound, like you'd get from an unplugged spark plug wire when the engine's idling. It's coming from the back of the engine somewhere either on or under the intake manifold. Can't track it down any better than that though.

I thought initially Idle Control Valve but it is affecting the car actually firing up (it's having a bit more trouble starting than normal) so that would probably cancel that one out. Am now wondering if I've blown an igniter or it's shorting out after some water's gone into the engine bay. Should be able to source another for testing this weekend and will be able to throw it in and see what happens. If it's not that then I'm pretty sure it's something electrical in that area.

Yeah... realised that as soon as I posted. I'll blame it on the heat and mild dehydration!

OK, so I have good news and bad news. The good news is I think I have found my problem. The bad is that I think I've found my problem. Even before I set the crank pulley to TDC I tried aligning the cams. This is as close as I got:

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

And when I got one cam into the correct position, this is how it looked:

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

So yeah, it's looking like I've jumped a good couple of teeth. Gonna pull the crank pulley and lower timing belt cover tomorrow to confirm but that's what it's looking like. Not sure how it's slipped that much but when the gears were like you see in the photos you could move the belt up and down 1/2-3/4" so it could be that. Just hoping nothing has touched inside the engine and that resetting the timing belt will give me a running car again.

 

[turbo_rookie]

thats never any fun. ouch.WTF

 

[soldave]

I don't know, but am hoping nothing's damaged and resetting the belt and tensioners will sort it out.

 

[soldave]

Well timing belt was reset and I hope I've done it right this time - it took a lot longer the confirm everything this time so maybe I did. Started the car and it fired up fine. As the engine warmed up though the idle started to lope a little and my vacuum was down from a normal 500mmHg to 400mmHg. Had a slight tapping noise too. I swear I confirmed all the markings lined up.

Got to get the timing checked ASAP and then do a compression test on the thing. Do you think I'm ok driving it to get the compression tested or should it be something that means I shouldn't drive the car at all as problems could be made a lot worse?

Now with Youtube goodness. Although I will warn you, my phone picks up the high notes a lot so the engine actually sounds a hell of a lot worse on the video than it is doing in real life.
[youtube]9RqXOiutx-k[/youtube]

 

[turbo_rookie]

and there is no CEL? if its a sensor there should be a CEL. i wanna say that you might wanna look into the CPS but again there would be a CEL. factory injectors FPR and pump? fuel problem?

 

[soldave]

NO CEL. I'm just thinking that it would be a hell of a coincidence for something like injector, fuel pump failure etc at the exact same time as the timing belt jumping a couple of teeth (which as far as I know would be completely unrelated problems and one couldn't really lead to the other.

 

[dsmrebel084]

check fuel pump and injectors

 

[ALLOUT CL55]

I think it's your MAF...try changing out.

 

[soldave]

Already swapped out the MAF.