engine playing up HELP PLEASE

ZFL45H1 · Post by **ZFL45H1** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 3:08 pm

hey guys i have a 1995 gpx fto Manual i did an engine swap and the new engine has around 100,00km on it and everything was working fine for a fair while but now i need help its only running on 4 cylinders or less and only idles when the engine is cold but when it is warmed up wont idle at all, i change gears and it shuts down my dad and i are thinking something like electrical with the spark plugs and leads as we checked the crank angle sensor and its fine anyone have an idea or had this happen to them before
oh and when it actually happened i only just hit mivec in second gear and that was it.
thanks zfl45h1

Post by **Bennoz** » Fri Nov 11, 2011 9:07 pm

If you think it's electrical, have you checked the error codes?

Only other thing that springs to mind is a vacuum hose not connected...

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:48 pm

How ya know it's running on 4 cylinders only?

Storm · Post by **Storm** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 10:16 pm

Because of the wasted spark set up of the FTO cylinders are paired for electrics. It sounds to me like one of your coil packs is on it's was out and as it heats up it fails.

First thing to do is to find out what four cylinders it is running on. Then swap out the leads and coil packs from a pair of them to the cylinders which aren't running to see if it makes a difference.

If it does, you know where the problem lies.

Astron_Boy · Post by **Astron_Boy** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 9:44 am

Storm wrote:Because of the wasted spark set up of the FTO cylinders are paired for electrics. It sounds to me like one of your coil packs is on it's was out and as it heats up it fails.

First thing to do is to find out what four cylinders it is running on. Then swap out the leads and coil packs from a pair of them to the cylinders which aren't running to see if it makes a difference.

If it does, you know where the problem lies.

Agreed

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 6:33 pm

Storm wrote:Because of the wasted spark set up of the FTO cylinders are paired for electrics. It sounds to me like one of your coil packs is on it's was out and as it heats up it fails.

First thing to do is to find out what four cylinders it is running on. Then swap out the leads and coil packs from a pair of them to the cylinders which aren't running to see if it makes a difference.

If it does, you know where the problem lies.

4 cylinders or less he said.

Storm · Post by **Storm** » Thu Nov 24, 2011 8:04 pm

payaya wrote:
Storm wrote:Because of the wasted spark set up of the FTO cylinders are paired for electrics. It sounds to me like one of your coil packs is on it's was out and as it heats up it fails.

First thing to do is to find out what four cylinders it is running on. Then swap out the leads and coil packs from a pair of them to the cylinders which aren't running to see if it makes a difference.

If it does, you know where the problem lies.
4 cylinders or less he said.

Which can still be 4 cylinders

ZFL45H1 · Post by **ZFL45H1** » Sat Jul 21, 2012 11:29 pm

Ok guys I now pulled this engine apart the other day and this was the problem
1: there was a 40 mm grommet stuck in the middle front cylinder intake chamber where it meets to the head
2: well I'll just show a pic lol is crazy

All this happened in the front middle cylinder omg what a joke hahahahaha

PHIL069 · Post by **PHIL069** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 10:01 am

Now that will do it

Did you not take the engine to a mechanic for diagnosis?
It would have been misfiring worse than when you leave an injector disconnected

Didn't the mechanic do a blow-by test with compressed air to each spark plug hole, as you would have heard the air escaping through the broken valve.

ZFL45H1 · Post by **ZFL45H1** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 11:38 am

All it had done was a compression test and all were sweet but that one which had 0 compression was dads thought something like this but yeah everything happens for a reason lol couldnt believe the rubber grommet though lol

PHIL069 · Post by **PHIL069** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 11:43 am

Are you going to get that broken/bent valve chrome plated and keep as a trophy/necklace/rearview mirror orniment?

What are you doing with that engine now?
Could I borrow some off these hydraulic tappets in case we need to replace some of Vectose's on Friday?

ZFL45H1 · Post by **ZFL45H1** » Sun Jul 22, 2012 1:04 pm

PHIL069 wrote:Are you going to get that broken/bent valve chrome plated and keep as a trophy/necklace/rearview mirror orniment?

What are you doing with that engine now?
Could I borrow some off these hydraulic tappets in case we need to replace some of Vectose's on Friday?

I reckon I might now that's a great idea and I don't see y not I have plans for the block and stuff but tappets should be ok I'll message u later for a final answer
Cheers

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:28 am

PHIL069 wrote:Now that will do it
Did you not take the engine to a mechanic for diagnosis?
It would have been misfiring worse than when you leave an injector disconnected
Didn't the mechanic do a blow-by test with compressed air to each spark plug hole, as you would have heard the air escaping through the broken valve.

Compressed air? You mean crank the starter with compression tester? Air compressors cannot even get to 200PSI.

PHIL069 · Post by **PHIL069** » Sat Jul 28, 2012 1:40 am

Yes you do a compression test first, but he had that done, and knew he had a loss of compression.
When I had a burnt/cracked valve in my old Fairlane V8, the mech used compressed air through the spark plug hole and we could hear the air escaping out through the exhaust.
At TAFE I learnt that you can do a blow-by test to determine the reason for no compression. You put an air blow gun into the spark plug hole with a cork to seal. You can hear the compressed air leaking through the exhaust or intake. You can also add a threaded fitting and gauge to the test and watch the comressed air pressure drop over time.
It allows you to determine if you have unseated/broken valves or broken/warn piston/rings/bore.

Post by **Supplanter** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 2:08 pm

payaya wrote:
PHIL069 wrote:Now that will do it
Did you not take the engine to a mechanic for diagnosis?
It would have been misfiring worse than when you leave an injector disconnected
Didn't the mechanic do a blow-by test with compressed air to each spark plug hole, as you would have heard the air escaping through the broken valve.
Compressed air? You mean crank the starter with compression tester? Air compressors cannot even get to 200PSI.

Mr. payaya, answer your PMs

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:46 pm

Supplanter wrote:
payaya wrote:
PHIL069 wrote:Now that will do it
Did you not take the engine to a mechanic for diagnosis?
It would have been misfiring worse than when you leave an injector disconnected
Didn't the mechanic do a blow-by test with compressed air to each spark plug hole, as you would have heard the air escaping through the broken valve.
Compressed air? You mean crank the starter with compression tester? Air compressors cannot even get to 200PSI.
Mr. payaya, answer your PMs

Just did sorry!

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:52 pm

PHIL069 wrote:Yes you do a compression test first, but he had that done, and knew he had a loss of compression.
When I had a burnt/cracked valve in my old Fairlane V8, the mech used compressed air through the spark plug hole and we could hear the air escaping out through the exhaust.
At TAFE I learnt that you can do a blow-by test to determine the reason for no compression. You put an air blow gun into the spark plug hole with a cork to seal. You can hear the compressed air leaking through the exhaust or intake. You can also add a threaded fitting and gauge to the test and watch the comressed air pressure drop over time.
It allows you to determine if you have unseated/broken valves or broken/warn piston/rings/bore.

So how do you know if if the compression loss is through the bores and pistons with your air test?

ZFL45H1 · Post by **ZFL45H1** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:10 pm

PHIL069 · Post by **PHIL069** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:42 pm

payaya wrote: So how do you know if if the compression loss is through the bores and pistons with your air test?

By eleminating the valves. So how do you know if if the compression loss is through the bores and pistons or valves with a compression test? The test is only a tool to help you determine what could be wrong. It would have worked here and it worked with my Fairlane.
In ZFL45H1's case, if you ran this test it would have told you which cylinder was failing + you would have heard the air escaping through the valve, problem determined (as long as you had the cylinder on TDCC).
So you would have known what you were going to find before stripping the engine down.

Try it payaya, try it with a good engine, on intake stroke and on exhaust stroke and on TDCC.

PHIL069 · Post by **PHIL069** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 5:05 pm

ZFL45H1 wrote:
PHIL069 wrote:Are you going to get that broken/bent valve chrome plated and keep as a trophy/necklace/rearview mirror orniment?

What are you doing with that engine now?
Could I borrow some off these hydraulic tappets in case we need to replace some of Vectose's on Friday?
I reckon I might now that's a great idea and I don't see y not I have plans for the block and stuff but tappets should be ok I'll message you later for a final answer
Cheers

Bump

FTO AUSTRALIA