i have this problem where every once and a while my 86 floods out so badly that i cant even get it to start holding the gas petal to the floor... i actually have to pop the hatch and unplug the connector for the fuel pump to get it to fire... also i have a problem with the radio... it works fine untill i turn the parking lights on... i think i have a short in the parking lights but i dont know where to start is there any "normal" problem spots in the parking light wiring? any help will be greatly appreciated

 

Somebody connected the radio ground to the "illum" wire that powers with the light switch. Fix that, before you start blowing fuses...Or something related to that wire...

Check your compression- low compression engines tend to flood easier...

 

All FC's have the tendency to flood. Especially when you drive short trips. Because the ECU raises the rpms to heat up the cats the car can flood easily after short drives. Anyways, when it floods reach up under the dash. There is a yellow and black 6 prong connector. Unplug it. This will disconnect the fuel pump relay. Start your car. It should fire up after a few cranks. If you get good enough at this technique you will learn to unplug the connector start the car and plug the connector back in before the car dies. IF you cannot get the connector back in by the time the car dies. Plug the connector back in start your car. There you go no more popping the hatch.

Brad

94 r2
89 vert

 

On S4's, holding the gas down while it's flooded is a bad thing. If you check your compression and it's low, just make a fuel cut switch and work from there.

 

low compression? i just had my engine rebuilt about 8k miles ago. I let my car sit for 2 weeks to get it painted and body work and when I tried to start it, it was flooded badly. i had to push it off TWICE! could there be another problem?

 

When was the last time you had your injectors cleaned?

Oh yeah, check compression . Just because it's a new engine doesn't mean the compression is high.

 

Wrong. Holding the throttles fully open is the quickest way to unflood any engine, and this technique is as old as internal combustion. The open throttle allows maximum airflow through the engine, clearing out the excess fuel. Disabling the flow of more fuel into the engine while doing this obviously makes the process quicker and easier, but it is not essential. Not holding the throttles open simply makes the whole task more difficult.

Some basic flooding and unflooding info:

The two most likely causes of flooding are low compression and/or dirty (leaky) injectors. Cranking mixtures are very rich, and if compression is already low or leaking injectors have allowed more fuel into the chambers, this fuel washes the oil off the chamber walls, reducing chamber sealing and hence compression. A "flooded" engine thus has extremely low compression, which is why a sure sign that an engine is flooded (apart from not starting) is faster-than-normal cranking. Hot-starting an engine increases the likelyhood of flooding simply due to the hot oil being thinner and more easily washed away.

To unflood the engine:

1. Pull out the 30A EGI COMP fuse under the hood (this diasbles the injectors), OR if you have one, turn your fuel pump kill switch off.
   
2. Hold the throttle wide open and crank it over for at least 5 seconds but no more than 10 (or you could overheat and damage the starter motor).
   
3. Replace the fuse (or turn pump switch on) and without touching the gas pedal try to start the engine.
   
4. If unsuccessful, repeat steps 1-3 allowing 15-20 seconds between cranking attempts to allow the starter motor to cool.
   
5. If still unsuccessful, remove the leading (lower) spark plugs and repeat steps 1 and 2.
   
6. Using a small oil can (by far the easiest method), squirt a small amount of engine oil or ATF into each plug hole.
   
7. Replace the spark plugs and repeat step 3.

Note that all S5's (not S4's) have programming in the ECU that disables the injectors any time the throttle is fully open and the key is in the START position. This makes unflooding easier. It is totally unnecessary to pull any fuses, plugs or relays, or fit a fuel pump switch.

 

And to add to NZ's very informative post, my S4 has flooded "only" 3 times in the 5 years or so I've owned her, but every time, the only way she started again was holding the pedal to the floor AFTER the plugs were pulled and dried, and some oil was injected into the housings through the leading plug holes...Unfortunately, I've got it down to a science, lol...

My last flood taught me another valuable lesson- never drive the car through cold standing water (4 to 5" deep or more) and then shut her down soon thereafter; no matter how "hot" you think the engine is, the ECU thinks she's cold because the rad temp switch is now cold (it would be nice if just the water thermo switch on the water pump housing was used for this by the ECU)

 

Be sure to change your oil after severe flooding. The excess gas dilutes the motor oil and reduces it's effectiveness to cool and lubricate.

 

had this prob in summer , got injectors cleaned (unbelievable how gummed up they were) and not a flood anymore such a relief.

 

im gonna try the injectors first seing as i dont have the money for a full rebuild... so i dont even want to look at compression yet!! oh yeah, brad, by the way ive gotten good enough that i can start the car and get out to plug the fuel pump back in before it shuts off... and thats getting out of the car if i just have to reach under the dash man thats easy

 

oh and by the way.. is gas tank injector cleaner safe to run in these rotary thingies

 

gas tank cleaner is safe, however I truly believe it doesnt do much good unless it is used as a preventitive treatment AFTER everything is cleaned properly. I dont think it can reverse the problem itself much.

 

I was referring to holding the throttle down before the unflood procedures. As in, you think it's flooded but aren't sure so you give it gas to try to get it to start. Am I mistaken that this is bad in a S4?

Cliff notes: Giving gas while starting the car = bad

 

Oh dear god.

 

^lol.

how long does it take to send your injectors off to be cleaned? im thinking that i might want to do this so i get better mileage. but its my only car so i would need to do it when i have time.

 

I'd say about 2 weeks.

 

If you're silly enough to sent them to the other side of the continent, then you deserve to wait two weeks. If you're smart you'll find a local diesel mechanic who can perform the same service for half the price and turn them around in two days.

 

Some of us HAVE to send them off because we live in the middle of nowhere...