Stupid question about the EGR System

[saturnspeed_12]

there are just too many things to say is wrong with why its rich. if your replacing the timing chain and guides, but no the gears dont remove the cam gears. if you want to get to the lifters without messing with the timing, one guy on TSN (turbosaturns) gave details to how its done.

but a bad lifter wont cause a rich condition. its going to be like the oxygen sensor, map sensor, tps sensor, coolant temp sensor w/pigtail, injectors, filters, throttle body, things like that. but ive got to ask, since you have the early head, when you replaced the ects are you sure you replaced the right one? there were 2 on that head, which i never mentioned, 1 was for the gauge and one was for the pcm. so which one did you replace, the one near the upper radiator hose, or the one at the bottom of the head just above the trans?

[deaz]

Sorry, didn't tell me there was a new post again.. sigh

Anyway, I replaced the one that went into the head (The bottom one, not the top.) My filters are all good... (Only pcv, air, and oil are required on the stick right...?)
I did a compression test yesterday, 1,3, and 4 came out at 210, and cyld 2 came out at around 145. Doing an mmo treatment right now. Was quite interesting. I went back not even a half-hour later, and it was empty... THe other 4 held the fluid fine, but 2 didn't... so I put in a bit more, and came out another half-hour later, and it was there, but just went out about 30 mins ago. (About 6 hours since I did it) and it was gone again, so I put a bit more in.

Here is SOME good news however... ever since I cleaned off the excess carbon off the o2 sensor(with a bit of heat and a nylon brush), and made sure the timing was correct, the spark plugs aren't covered with carbon any longer... engine still is running super rich tho... I did however pick up a nice little nifty multi-meter today though. So I figure tommorow after the sun comes on out, I'll probably start probing some of the sensor wires and see what the specs are. Including the new ects I put in, just to double check and make sure..

Oh, not sure if I mentioned this before, but when I pulled off the egr valve, it was completly covered with carbon again(This was a while ago). Just wanted to make sure I stated that...

So, heres my next question then. (I'm sure you're having as much fun trying to figure out all of this stuff as much as I am, lol)
Would a heavily carboned up intake, and by the looks of the o2 sensor, and REALLY carbonized exhaust cause a bit of a rich problem, due to the exhaust/intake not being able to flow in/out easilly enough?

Planning on going to a junk yard monday and picking up some parts for my car. O2 sensor and such, figured it wouldn't hurt to pull one out and see if it looks any better than mine.

Any other suggestions as to what I should pull?

Also, I SWEAR I hear a vacuum leak... but I can NOT tell where it's coming from. All I'm sure about is that its somewhere towards the back of the engine. (Intake side) But I see no leaks... and I can't really test the vacuum lines themselves. I have a feeling it might be due to the vapor can... Because theres a heavy fuel smell from that area. And also a lot of the tubing is dry rotted. (And unfortunately. I can't seem to find my vacuum pump anywhere.) So if you know of a cheap and good way to test the vacuum lines, without having to buy a new vacuum pump, that would be great...


Now, Trying to find a noid light somewhere, not much fun tho, any suggestions/prices to make sure that I am getting a current flowing to each of my injectors? Or will the multimeter be good enough to test out that stuff?

And also, provided that the injectors are getting the correct current, any good suggestive way to make sure they are spraying correctly, and are clean?

I've tried doing fuel system treatments in the past. (Including doubling up on a low as hell tank) which, as far as I would figure, would blow out/clean any problems I might have.

Oh, and yes, the fuel filter was replaced recently... not more than a month or two ago.

[saturnspeed_12]

145?????? damn that could be your problem there. hopefully the piston soak brings it up. the other cylinders are perfect. might have had a dead cylinder or weak spark in that one causing excessive carbon build up on the piston rings which has gummed up the rings.

but and egr will most likely always be black and internal engine. intake will be gummed up, but unless its like so bad the port has shrunk quite a bit, then its not going to be a problem. my egr is covered in carbon, yet my car ran perfect and only rich, not bad at all, at wot like cars are made to prevent engine damage.

[deaz]

yeah, but I had cleaned it(the egr) not too long before then...
But yeah, just finished the soak, let it run for a while to burn off everything, and I'll check it again tonight. But, even though the compression was really low, the engine always ran perfectly smooth. No loss in power(After the egr cleaning anyway), steady smooth idle, but other than that, everything seemed pretty decent.