I will either paypal or mail $20 to the person who gives me advice solving the below problem. I have spent two days trying to diagnose it, and I'm out of ideas.

The car is running EXCESSIVELY rich. It's popping a LOT (pop,pop,pop,pop,pop) as I drive along. Some are BIG blasts; when standing still, they shake the car. I got 150mi to my last 20-gallon tank of gas. The PFC is tuned conservatively, not rich.

The vacuum sits at 10-12 at idle (900-1000 rpm) In first gear (or any gear for that matter) under 2200rpm, there is NO power. At full throttle, it would be faster to push the car along. Once the turbos come online, the mixture is leaned out, and has a normal pattern (albeit still excessively rich, causing a noticeable decrease in performance). When above 2200rpm, and off the throttle, the vacuum goes back to its normal 20-21.

There is now blue/white smoke coming from the tailpipe (which has NEVER happened). It reeks of gas. Badly.

The engine throws no codes, and the map sensor is fine. (I know what happens when it's disconnected)

A bit of smoke is coming up from the turbo area. There has never been any sort of an exhaust leak before. I assume the new pressure coming out of the engine

The engine is 15k old, and has been meticulously maintained. It ran GREAT before this started.

Mods: SP, DP, MP, CB, IT, IC, pulley, PFC, 1300's, Fuel Pump

I replaced the plugs & wires last weekend

We pulled the plugs, turned it over, and heard crisp compression all the way around.

I've visually inspected the vacuum lines, and they are all in place, with no audible leaks.

I found another post saying that the turbos may be shot. There IS more oil than usual in the intake pipes. They shouldn’t be that old, though. Side unpaid question: how do I know when they've blown?

Is there an area I should be looking, or something I should consider doing? Any ideas?--you're getting paid for them.

-BN

Rules: should two or more people give the same answer, the first person get's paid

 

sounds like a blown motor, try a true compression test...listening alone isn't always good enough

if it was a vaccum hose problem, it would only hit fuel cut under boost

i'm afraid your problems are far worse

have you considered a new fuel filter?

 

fuel filter got replaced 5k or so ago--it's good.

-BN

 

dont just listen to it get a real compression check done. Its likely fuel will load up when an apex seal is gone and cause smoke and an overly rich condition because that rotor face isnt bunring the fuel. Also have you been messing with anything on the APEX Commander? You might have changed the option from Option1 to Option2. I cant remember which screen it is but check on the settings menu.

 

PFC is good. I don't really know enough about it to change important settings. I just got the thing a month ago.

I'll be dropping the $125 for the compression test tomorrow. Other ideas/alternatives are still more than valid.

-BN

 

Cyberben:

Check your fuel pressure regulator. This just happened to me a few weeks ago. The car was running so rich at low speed that it was popping and backfiring. THe car would barely start. It turns out my fuel pressure regulator failed and fuel was flowing down the vacuum hose to the intake manifold.

Excessive fuel will wash away the oil lubricating the seals and you will get lower compression results. My compression jumped back up 2-3 inches after fixing the regulator.

Other things could be a bad primary injector.

 

Was there an exact time that you realized the car was running weird? Did you just get in it and drive it and notice this? Is there a fluctuation in the idle of 300 rpms or more and was this there before? The obvious way to check to see if this could be your turbos is to boost and see if the pattern is the same. If you are sequential then it has to be the primary blown out since you have no power down low but then you feel a pull at a higher rpm. It really doesn't sound like the turbos though. Be ware that if you did chip a seal in the motor that if you do another full throttle run with the same setup it is almost 100% likely to happen again because something caused you to run lean and that something probably hasn't changed since last time. You didn't blow out an apex seal or you would definetaly know because the motor would have no power at all.

One more question when you are cruising at about 40mph steady in 3d can you hear a misfire in the motor or feel a slight bucking motion?

A compression test is very simple to do if you know anyone that has a tester. That would be the first thing I would try before messing around any more. Hopefully you'll find out that the motor is okay and then you can move on. Also I don't think the money is neccesary people are going to help you so don't worry.

GOOD LUCK
-Snook

 

rynberg--I HOPE TO GOD you're right. that makes a great deal of sense (not to say that you other guys don't) I really hope you get the $20 as opposed to the blown apex seal guys.

If it makes any difference, I replaced the fuel pump 4 days earlier (aditionally, the gas gauge doesn't work anymore).

Snook--over the course of a day (8 or so start-ups) it took longer and longer to actually start (cranking and cranking more and more) then this under 2200rpm thing started.

I have noticed a *SLIGHT* jostle in each gear at lower rpm's, but i attribute it to being so rich.

The money isn't necessary, but it caught your attention, didn't it? Good advice from people who have dealt with this is worth it.

 

Oh--where is the fuel pressure regulator, and how could I test it?

-BN

 

pressure regulator/dampner are attached to the fuel rails, take off the UIM and rats nest to test this

i'd say just replace them without question

 

couldnt he test it by just taking off the line to it and see if there is vacuum with a finger?

btw it is located at the top left hand side of the uim...look stright down from that spot and you'll see it below.

Well I take back my blown motor statement...this has to be wrong since it just started happening and slowly got worse and worse and didn't happen right after you were running the car hard.....Unless your omp failed or something and your engine is getting lower and lower compression but no that doesn't sound right.

With the compression check you would be able to see if your 3 readings on each rotor are even or very similar even if they are on the low side because of the fpr.

which fuel pump did you install? It was a direct replacement right? Doesn't the flapper deal that floats send the singal for the gas gauge?

Looks like rynberg won!!

 

I listened to the motor with the plugs out. Both rotors had 3 strong compressions. When an apex seal breaks the vacuum gauge will always bounce like mad but bens stayed at a steady 10. The power FC is still on option normal.

Ben, the fuel pressure regulator is on the back underside of your secondary fuel rail. Yours has a blue vacuum hose going to it.Ron did mention this today, remember?

Good luck and let me know what you find.

 

what A/F ratio are you running? also, where is the fuel regulator on our cars?

 

My minimum hourly fee is $100. $20 will get you a partial diagnosis.

 

ha ha ^funniest thing i have read in a long time (although its just about the going rate for mechanics for stupid people )

 

go into your PFC and go to the settings menu... then to the PIM volt menu... now LOOK what is highlighted? make sure that it is on the NORMAL option!!!

Also the 1300's are they RC eng. injectors?
My personal experience w/ those injectors cost me 3 yes 3 MOTORS!!!! I say get them flow tested to see if they are leaking because mine did... before they started to stick shut... causing detonation... then POP goes your motor. The secondaries are easy to pull if you can pull your uim.... (2) 12mm bolts hold them down and 4 phillips head #2's hold them in. remove them using a pair of channel locks and grip them horizontally, then twist. Please be careful... unless you have an aftermarket warranty

Let me know!
Ryker

 

Just clamp off the vacuum hose running from the regulator to the intake manifold. When my mechanic did that, the car instantly smoothed out and idle vacuum jumped up a few inches.

I sincerely hope I win the money, not because of the cash, but because it's a simple and not too costly ($150 for an OEM regulator) fix. Better than a new engine...

 

Skunks--I'm not sure of the A/F ratio--it hasn't been professionally tuned. I'm scheduled to have it done at the revolution, but it's rich enough (normally) to smell gas in the exhaust, but no this much.

Ron--You're normally so helpful with everyone else...

wonder1and: The injectors are from RC with about 3k mi on them. They were tested at 1301 and 1302cc, respectively. They're not leaking--there's no fuel smell in the engine bay.

rynberg: I"ll try clamping the hose and see what it does. I'm going to order the FPR tomorrow from Jason--hopefully it will be here by this weekend, unless someone suggests getting the stock one.

Thanks for everyone's replies thus far--keep them coming if you have any more ideas, or care to reaffirm anyone else's.

Eric--thank you again for all of your help today--I'd probably be a lot more upset right now if it weren't for your assistance.

-BN

 

..... Dont everyone forget now; the monitary transaction owes the RX7FORUM its taxes.

.05 % is for the forum whole tax (Main forum website)

.025 % is for the sub-section forum tax (Generation Specific)

.01 % is for the sub-section forum tax (3rd Generation Section)

.005 % is for the actual post tax (this main thread)

.001 % is for the sub actual post tax (each of the additional posts to this thread).

As of now, the tax rate is 10.8%. Therefore you owe $2.16.

Have a good day!

 

Ben
If you can't fix it by July sell car to me. My house will be finished by then so I have more room for toys. I want another FD for a three rotor. I'm getting a car lift installed in my garage. I'm tired of using 4 floor jacks. I'm going to try to swing by after Eric give some instructions to my son.

 

Alex--this car gives me occasional trouble, all of which, in some way or another, is a result of me messing with it. surprisingly, I'd probably have a lot more stress if I weren't able to tap into the soothing stress-relief of crusing around in it. In short, I'm not selling, but I'll certainly be on the lookout.

-BN

 

im saying injectors....check them..sounds like a possible leak at low duty cycle........and pressure sensor....

 

Fritz Flynn PM'd me about an hour ago and said it was the injector O-rings or jackets. I did replace them (injectors) last week, but it did run fine for 3 days before this started.

-BN

 

you may have more than one problem.

do you still have your O2 pump? if you don't and the hard pipes snaking around from the back of the UIM are not plugged, the exhaust near the turbo area may be the little check valve in the ACV.

 

Are the pressure sensor and the fuel pressure regulator the same thing? If not, where's the pressure sensor, and how do it test it?

That's 3 for the FPR, and 2 for Injectors.

I think I'll order the O-rings tomorrow. If that doesnt' work, then I'll try the FPR.

Please feel free to agree, disagree, or add your personal experiences.

ALSO: IMPORTANT POINT

the injectors were just installed last week as well.

-BN