Fuel system acting up

silver87ta · #1 07-10-2005, 08:44 PM

Lately, my bird's been acting up during certain driving conditions:

1. When downshifting, or even when taking off slowly from a stop, she'll stutter and hesitate, like she's starved for fuel.

2. Every now and then, on a cold start, she'll turn and turn but not start. Ill try to crank it 5 or 6 time to no avail, but eventually it will fire up like nothing ever was wrong.

3. Lately, I've been getting lotsa white smoke from the exhaust, but only on start up, and especially thick after problem #2.

Now, last night I check the charcoal canister that's supposed to suck fumes out of the intake manifolds and whatnot after the engine has stopped, and found that quite a few of the vacuum lines I had replaced werent even trying to hold a vacuum (my bad for that, used too big replacement hose, i suppose). Anyhow, I fixed all of those, and now the white smoke problem has stopped. But the stuttering and starting problem is still in effect.

So, after all that, my question is this: Could the canister not doing its job somehow have junked up or fouled my fuel injectors? Or is this a classic case of the fuel pump going bye-bye? Or is it something I havent even considered? I'll be changing the plugs and fuel filter this weekend, and shocking the system with a double dose of fuel injector cleaner tommorrow (anyone who wants to chime in with a prefered brand of F.I. cleaners, please speak up).

FormulaLT1 · #2 07-10-2005, 09:04 PM

I would buy a can of carb cleaner. Open up the butteryflys and empty the can in there. Start up the car and run it at 3k rpm's for like 30 seconds. Shut it down. Let it sit for like 15 minutes. Start it up and see if it helped. It should

silver87ta · #3 07-11-2005, 06:01 PM

Did it.

As soon as I started spraying, liquid black funk began pouring out of the butterflies. Shot the whole can in there, then started her up. Well, it took a few tries, but she finally fired up. Ran it, shut her down, then took her out for gas and FI cleaner. Flew down the highway for a about half an hour, running pretty hard, and now I can't get her to stutter any more when downshifting or taking off. Only time tell about the starting problem, I suppose. Thanks again for yet another bit of sound advice there, Formula

P.S. That burning smell the 1st few miles is normal, right?

P.S.S. My gorilla car still scares you!

FormulaLT1 · #4 07-11-2005, 06:09 PM

Yes the burning smell and hard to start condition is all normal in the begining. Your burning off all that built up sludge that was sitting in your intake and throttle body. Your engine won't like it at first but once it passes that sucker will be running clean.

Also yes she looks meaner than ever. I nearly just pissed myself

silver87ta · #5 07-12-2005, 04:10 PM

OK.

She still has the starting problem...and its getting worse. Took me 15 mins this am to get her going, and when she did, it was again like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. Not sure now if its a fuel problem, 'cause after I was done cranking, you could see exhaust drifting from the pipes. Same problem leaving work, except it only took 3 cranks to get her goin.

I'm being told either the ignition switch on my steering column may be bad, or possibly the flywheel is missing teeth. I dont think its the starter, she'll turn and turn all day long. Still going to change the fuel filter and plugs, just because I already paid for them

The complete randomness of it is driving me to drink...more

Hypsi87 · #6 07-12-2005, 04:48 PM

what is the color of your spark?

silver87ta · #7 07-12-2005, 04:56 PM

(wow...gonna feel like a retard for saying this...)

Huh? Spark has a color?

silver87ta · #8 07-12-2005, 05:31 PM

Just checked my Haynes manual...guess I'm looking for bright blue spark? How do I check for it without a tester?

Hypsi87 · #9 07-13-2005, 12:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silver87ta

Just checked my Haynes manual...guess I'm looking for bright blue spark? How do I check for it without a tester?

disable your fuel system and turn the car over untill it won't fire.

pull one of your plugs wires off the plug. get another spark plug and stick it in the wire. ground the spark plug agenst the engine or something. hold the wire with a pair of pliers and insulated gloves on (If you can't get the plug to sit on the grounded surface.

have someone turn the engine over and observe the spark.

silver87ta · #10 07-15-2005, 10:46 AM

ok.

Did what you suggested, and you know what? I think I found a problem. While the engine is turning, there is no spark. Well, it sparked once or twice in 30 seconds, but that was it, and those 2 looked white, not bright blue. Think the coil may be bad? I took the cap and rotor off and they look fine.

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