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running rich
Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:53 pm
by Sugar
ok i have a few questions.
has anybody got an vacuum hose diagram to show where all the hoses go.
also.. my timing apears to be out.. can you change it ?
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 6:29 pm
by payaya
How do you know your timing is out? How do you know your car is running rich?
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 7:18 pm
by Bennoz
^^ agreed
If it smells like fuel, it could be any number of things from shot 02 sensor, to jammed injector, to shot fuel pressure regulator.
Checked for error codes yet?
http://www.ftowa.com/html/workshop/workshopart07.html
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:48 pm
by Sugar
well i have been told by 2 mechanics my timing is out as at low revs.. more so around 1.5-2 k there is sort of tapping noise.. not the lifters.
its sluggish sounds harsh
also.. i start the car and let it warm up.. it souns like crap..(really ruff).. drive hit mivec.. and it sounds awsome.. just like it used to... then when it goes around 5k .. it just drops back in a horible sounding thing..
ill try and check coeds tomorrow, i just thought the timing was out thats all.
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:55 pm
by Bennoz
Its just that its very difficult for the 'timing to be out' on modern cars such as an FTO.
If the timing is out, that means you've either stripped a notch or jumped a notch on the timing belt. Or your timing belt tensioner has packed up. Its not common, but feasible.
If that is the case, I wouldn't even be starting it. You run the risk of bashing a valve on a piston.
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:05 pm
by payaya
Yeah I highly doubt the timing is out as yeah the belt would have to move for that.
Take the timing over off line up the cam pulleys and see what the timing is at on the balancer.
Could be anything. Does it smell like eggs sometimes????
Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 11:18 am
by Sugar
ok got the code 31
31 Detonation sensor :S
how do you go about fixing this

Posted: Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:32 pm
by Sugar
cleared the codes....
its come back

Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:45 pm
by Sugar
well, ive checked my front spark plugs and leads...
seem ok..
ill have to check the rear on the weekend..
i know when a lead went in the prelude it had almost the exact same problem..
but would the detonation sensor.. be related to spark?
Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 8:44 am
by Bennoz
Yeah sounds like it. I'll have a scratch through the manuals & see if I can find where it is. You can too, if you go to the downloads section (link to the left) you can download the workshop manuals.
Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:24 am
by Sugar
ok still no luck...
it is making a tapping noise under the intake manifold.. so maybe its a loose plug

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 3:10 pm
by Sugar
still no luck
and body know any mechanics who could help with cell code 31

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 5:03 pm
by mr-charisma
dB wrote:still no luck
and body know any mechanics who could help with cell code 31

I did a lot of research on this when my Mivec wasn't working cause I thought that this was my problem at first ... This is all from what I gathered trawling the web, so I apologise if anything isn't accurate enough... If I remember correctly, Detonation sensor, also known as "knock Sensor" its apparently in the middle of the engine block (though from pictures I found it looks like it could be just under the Mivec coveror the engine cover...) Most mechanics will blab on about how hard its gonna be to get to etc.. but I think in reality its not that difficult..
If it was buggered it probably should be limiting your revs to 6000RPM & jarring when you try to go over that, basically the car will be in Limp mode & yes, it would most likely be running rich - if you're using 98 Ron Fuel it will be useless in Limp mode or when your detonation sensor is playing up, because it will just treat it as regular unleaded ..
If its letting you get into Mivec sometimes, but not others then it could be a wiring issue, pretty sure if the sensor is completely dead it shouldn't let you get into mivec at all.. so an auto electrician might be able to suss it out without even going near the actual sensor - but then again they're most likely to charge you for 50 hours of fault finding without actually finding a fault..
. Also the nasty tapping or "knocking" sounds you're hearing are most probably misfiring caused by detonation sensor, it would put the spark out of whack..
If you send a PM to 'SilverFTO' he had his fixed earlier this year I think, from memory it cost him $300-400 (bloody cheap) at Joe & Rick's but I have heard of it costing anywhere between of $500-800 - might be worth a drive up to J&R's at the Gold Coast even if your car is running rich
Either that, or give Unique Auto Sports or Ben's mechanic a call... or trawl through the NSW section for some decent FTO mechanics..
I think that covers everything, if you want to know anything else just ask

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:20 pm
by Storm
The knock sensors wiring comes out to one of the plugs near the coolant tower so you can check the resistance of it from there, also check that these plugs are on correct.
Check the sensor first at the connector, IIRC it only has two pins and there should be a continuous circuit.
Another way to check is to disconnect the sensor plug and if the symptoms stay the same then you have the culprit
The sensor itself is between the cylinder banks so its plenum off, intake off then replace sensor. Not really a difficult job but a bit time consuming.
HTH
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:45 pm
by Storm
While I remember I think you can get an uprated sensor (it is really only a small microphone) which may be worth fitting if you are going to all the trouble of getting the manifolds off anyway. Dependent on price obviously.
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 10:30 am
by Sugar
thats brilliant info guys.. ill have a look into it tomorrow.
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:03 am
by payaya
Is it a knock or a tap???????????????????????? You gotta post a video!!!
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:09 am
by Sugar
its not lifters...
it also revs out to 6k.. and sounds like its bouncing of limiter...
but somtimes it does rev all the way out..
odd.
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:12 am
by payaya
Take it to the mechanics and leave it there to get fixed. Obviously its a problem best left to the pros.
Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 5:59 pm
by Sugar
is that the knock sensor... smack bang in the middle of the block?
or can anybody see a knock sensor on the block at all.. its in my back yard and i can save myself a bob.. hopfully