I Seriously Need Some Help Please.

[AndyG]

okay i have been at work trying to get this 1990 240 running good. When i got it it had 2 dead cylinders and bad motor mounts. i replaced the motor mounts and i got one new injector. I then had a very bad power problem. it was running on all four cylinders but only to about 50 power. i had to transport the car so i drove it with its low power. during fdriving i would have random spurts of where the car ran great.

i then thought it was the pump so i opened the tank to find that it was rusted out. i got a salvange tank that is not rusted and my power problem is still here and now the car wont start! it cranks then dies in like a second. I really need help Please!!!

It has spark and i can hear the pump prime. I really need to get my 240 running!

Here is all the stuff i have to done:

One new Injector
Cleaned the MAF (with maf cleaner)
All new spark plugs
New tank
Oil Change
Fuel filter

[Walperstyle]

didn't you already have a thread on this? why another?

do a compression test next time you are in the garage. Doesn't hurt. Redo timing, and check to make sure you have the right plug going to the right cylinder

[AndyG]

because now my car wont even start and im freaking out!

[artsy]

check if you are flooded..... and if you are you might have a leak in a injector.... do the leak test by taking fuel rail off and prime it while its off to see if you have to replace any o rings....

[Walperstyle]

You know, I had a similar problem when i had a bunch of bad gas. I had to take apart the carb and clean it all out. Perhaps you still have some junk mixed with your fuel.

Can you hear your fuel pump prime before you start the engine?

[AndyG]

Ya I can hear it. It ran fine for about 30 minuites. I changed the radiator cap because my old one was messed up. As soon as I did that it wouldn't crank. I don't know if it a coincidence... If it is flooded how do I fix that? Pull the plugs and wipe them off?

[artsy]

take off the spark plugs and leave them off for like half a day or depends how flooded you are so the fuel can evaporate.... Just curious what color is your coolant?

[AndyG]

okay i got it to run and i filled up the new tank. I still have the sluggish issues. i have noticed that when i was driving i randomly had a spurt where it pulled hard... i checked all of the vacuum lines and everything so it is not that.. i hear a loud hissing noise coming from inside the throtle body... anyone know what that might be?? but overall everything is working good now...except the power issues,

[hOngsterr]

use brake cleaner with your car still on, spray it on hoses etc, if the motor acts weird at that spot you sprayed it, you might have a possible vac leak, also did you buy a new pump or a used one?

[r32skylinetn]

Buy 2 bottles of seafoam and put 1 in the tank.The other bottle use 1/4 of it in the intake,1/4 through the injectors,and the rest in the tank also. Read the directions on the back of the bottle if unsure. Sounds like you have a dirty fuel system and carbon build up in the engine.Put premium in the car also.

[AndyG]

also did you buy a new pump or a used one?

I got the pump out of another that i had and scrapped. i know the pump works plus this is the second pump ive had and i still have the same problems. also i already checked for vac lines...i cant find any leaks.

[EvoVIII808]

check vac lines. If the leak is big enough it will cause the problems you are having.

[riptor]

any luck with finding the problem bro?

[rcdad123]

i seen your tank on your previous post and if the tank was that rusty, i would not be surprised if your hard lines are rusty too. i would replace all of the fuel lines and fuel filter again. also have all of your injectors cleaned and flow tested.

[AndyG]

any luck with finding the problem bro?

Okay today i put in some seafoam after letting it idle for a while... that crap is magic. it clean everything out really good. i still have some weird crap happening though.. in first and second my rps dont climb very fast at WOT( although faster than before) but as soon as i shift into third it has awesome torque and the rps climb fast. i dont know if im shifting too early or what.... I still have that weird hissing coming from INSIDE the throttle body.Is that normal??

but overall i am so fricken happy to get this car running good. i guess it was just a mixture of a bunch of small problems and some bad gas that killed the power. thank you all!

[riptor]

glad u got it all worked out!!! i checked my tank..i got the varnish gas and i need to drain and lust flush the lines but my tank is good..thanx for the informative write up
!

[zerodameaon]

Okay today i put in some seafoam after letting it idle for a while... that crap is magic. it clean everything out really good. i still have some weird crap happening though.. in first and second my rps dont climb very fast at WOT( although faster than before) but as soon as i shift into third it has awesome torque and the rps climb fast. i dont know if im shifting too early or what.... I still have that weird hissing coming from INSIDE the throttle body.Is that normal??

but overall i am so fricken happy to get this car running good. i guess it was just a mixture of a bunch of small problems and some bad gas that killed the power. thank you all!
Now that its running change your rotor and dizzy cap. Or atleast take it off and clean the contacts. It will run even better. Also the hissing may just be the air flowing inside. Is it at idle or on throttle?

[AndyG]

Is it at idle or on throttle?
Its at both. it gets louder as revs climb.


ALSO, i am having really slow revs in first and second.... when i woke up this morning i cranked the car and drove it and it pulled hard all the way through after a few minuites it was sluggish again.. i dont know why it keeps getting sluggish.... any ideas???

[Walperstyle]

what does your car idle at?
have you opened up the intake to look at what the throttle body looks like on the inside (while turned off)

The hissing could easily be a hole or leak around your intake. This isn't good as you want air to pass through the MAF. Honestly, with the situation you are describing, it sounds like that is what is hapeneing. The MAF doesn't know your intake is taking more air in, because it happens afterward. Either that or you have a vacuum leak.

[AndyG]

When I turn the car on it jumps up to about 1200 then it comes down to between 700 and 900 back and forth. Shakes a little too.

I looked inside the throttle body and it is a brownish gold color on the inside..

[Walperstyle]

oh man I wish I could remember my SOHC. I had a similar issue. I've been troubleshooting too many other cars over the years I can't remember my own fixes.

I have to also say, I hate SOHC's. Never really had that much success with them. Just wait till you have a ticking noise from the head, haha.

[s13turbohatch]

i had a similar problem with mine loosing power after i put in my walbro 255lph pump. I was stumped but I found a small slice in one of the wires going to the fuel pump, after that was fixed ran great like nothing ever happened. Not sure if this will help or not but it's something to check.

[AndyG]

Just wait till you have a ticking noise from the head, hah

haha already fixed that! If you remember your fixes let me know..

I found a small slice in one of the wires

nope wirings all good!

[AndyG]

any one have suggestions?

i cant find a vacuum leak and the fuel pump is okay.
if i put it in neutral during 3rd or 4th the rev climbs fast. but if i do it during 1st or 2nd it is a sluggish rise.

[bussitcustoms]

Check maf wires?

Did you change the fuel filter after changing the tank?

[AndyG]

yes i changed the filter the wires are okay and i cleaned the maf.

i dont understand why it is slugish at low speed but not at high speed...

[bussitcustoms]

Also, a bad or stuck open iacv would give you symptoms of a massive vacuum leak. But if the car revs ok sometimes but not always, I'd kinda doubt it being a vacuum leak. I'm thinking more along the lines of a faulty sensor somewhere.

[bussitcustoms]

Is the sluggishness SPEED related or RPM related?

[AndyG]

Is the sluggishness SPEED related or RPM related?
I really cant tell. i think both. if im going 50 in 3rd gear it pulls hard. going 35 in 2nd doesnt pull very much.

Also, a bad or stuck open iacv would give you symptoms of a massive vacuum leak. But if the car revs ok sometimes but not always, I'd kinda doubt it being a vacuum leak. I'm thinking more along the lines of a faulty sensor somewhere.
I do have a wandering idle... from 700 to 1000 usually. its sometimes solid 900 though.

[AndyG]

also... to get it to pull in second sometimes i have to keep off the clutchand the gas and slow down untill it feels like the car is catching up to the motor and then it is SUPER responsive and it pulls pretty hard.

[Walperstyle]

swap out IACV, but also check your intake like I said.

[demonspeed]

Have you checked your timing? It sounds like a timing issue OR have you disconnected your battery to reset your ecu?

[AndyG]

swap out IACV, but also check your intake like I said.
aight.

Have you checked your timing? It sounds like a timing issue OR have you disconnected your battery to reset your ecu?
When i got the car it had no battery so i guess the ecu is reset?

with the timing i have no idea.. how do you check? when i look at the dizzy the first cylinder cable is in like the 4oclock position.. searching i have found that advancing makes the top end horsepower increase so maybe it is way advanced???

[r33nota240]

just another idea i have seen cars with bad grounds do what ur talking about and cars with bad FPRs

[bussitcustoms]

Is your IAT sensor hooked up?

[AndyG]

WTF. The guy i bought this from was stupid. the markings on my main pully are undr the car next to the oil pan.... also i think the dizzy is upside down..the first cylinder cable is in the 4oclock position. is it safe to drive like this???sooo help please???


http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/9462/photo11bw.jpg


http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/5793/photo19ta.jpg

edit: ahha opps i think you have to rotate the pully... im new to timing systems...oops

[JasianBlazin]

When I turn the car on it jumps up to about 1200 then it comes down to between 700 and 900 back and forth. Shakes a little too.

I looked inside the throttle body and it is a brownish gold color on the inside..

Try cleaning the throttle body with some tb cleaner, see if that helps any.

[Walperstyle]

lol unfortunatly for you I have KA24DE timing explained on youtube. not E.

[AndyG]

ol unfortunatly for you I have KA24DE timing explained on youtube. not E.
haha already watched that.

[AndyG]

so... after an hour of searching the interwebs....i dont think it is the timing.


If it was the timing then why would it pull hard in first and second every once in a while. I would think it would never shift power because the timing doesnt change llike that... idk... need suggestions...

just another idea i have seen cars with bad grounds do what ur talking about and cars with bad FPRs

ill look at themm..

Is your IAT sensor hooked up?
yes. is there a way to test it??

[AndyG]

i tried to get some numbers on power today...0 to 60 is almost 20 SECONDS! that is horrible. most of the power is from 35mph and up.
60 to 100 is like 6 seconds.

im really getting sick of this and i am starting to second guess myself... how can you check timing without a light?

[JasianBlazin]

i tried to get some numbers on power today...0 to 60 is almost 20 SECONDS! that is horrible. most of the power is from 35mph and up.
60 to 100 is like 6 seconds.

im really getting sick of this and i am starting to second guess myself... how can you check timing without a light?

i don't think you can check the timing without one, just go out and rent one ...or buy one for like 10-20 bucks.

[AndyG]

update: so i filled up for the second time today... i calculated my gas mileage and it is 13!!! wow... so it is running really rich.. any help??

[AndyG]

UPDATE: So i made big progress today. i checked my ignition timing and it was as advanced as it can go. so i fixed that and it still ran a little slow so i unplugged the TPS and redid the ignition timing to where idle is around 900. That almost completely got all my power back. BUT i cant plug my tps back in because it runs slow. so i guess ill get a new TPS. but i am so happy to finally get this crap fixed. now i can focus on suspension and performance. =]

[c-los13]

You should get the wire plugs, its hard to tell when they good or not, my old dohc ran horrible till i swapped those out. Just to be sure ya know?

[mrmittens]

Don't know if this will help at all, but my car has the wandering idle as well, just a lot more extreme sometimes (between 400 - 1200), and the last time was because of the idle air control valve (IACV) and the throttle body being too dirty. The way it was explained to me was that when I disconnected my battery for a while, one of the computers "forgot" the information about where the IACV was supposed to go on idle, and I therefore stalled a few times because it was trying to bring it to factory settings until I had it cleaned. After, I had to disconnect the battery again to reset it again and then run it. Stalled a few times on the way home, but by the time I got back, it was running smooth(er). As you did clean before, one thing you can do is to check it again and see if it is built up already. If it is, then you probably have something contaminating your engine (as in a hole in your intake or something that is causing stuff to get into your engine without being filtered).

I was told this by a mechanic that has done good work on my car, so I am willing to trust what he says, but it could just be my situation and not yours. Hopefully cleaning helps.

[AndyG]

I have cleaned it lately and it helped with the idle wandering... but i still have a low power problem and a cut in power around 3000 rpm. also it is a solid idle around 1200 so i guess i will replace the tps soon.

[Walperstyle]

instead of cleaning the maf, try swapping it with a friend for troubleshooting purposes.

[Nicelyphe]

Did you adjust the idle screw on the IACV?

[AndyG]

UPDATE:
Okay so i was able to replace some stuff today. and it is stil running rich and has the same power problems.

I got a new coolant temp sensor and new belts.
http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/9251/photo5lj.jpg

Also i got a test pipe.
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/828/photo4mg.jpg

i also put a guage on my fuel line and i reads 34 at idle and alound 40-42 with revs..also after about an hour with the car off the pressure goes to 0.. is that normal? i guess i will look into a fpr.
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/7449/photo3kj.jpg


My power steering pump is creaking bad when i turn left. do you think that can screw up my power issues??

also the selenoid on the aicv buzzes.i think it is the aac. i guess it is stuck? help please!
Thank you!

[AndyG]

2 more things.... sometimes after it has been sitting awile it is hard to start and when it does it misfires bad and idles at like 300 rpm. then i give it some gas and it idles normal but the distributor squeaks for like ten seconds..

and when im driving it kinda cuts out at 3000 and comes back at 3500... TPS volts are fine... please help me this car is driving me crazy.