ArchangelX

Okay, this is for my boss's FD3S. We've basically done a compression test, checked the spark plug wires, replaced the spark plugs, and checked the grounds. The car did not overheat although it did get pretty warm during the Super Lap event that we just ran...it basically lost power during the lap, and the problems came afer that. All the fluids had been changed, and normal race prep had been done. I don't think it's an O-ring either as we never lost any coolant...the car has problems when it's cold and when it's warm...same condition, same problems.

Basically, upon startup, the car fires up quick, but black smoke is pooring out the back (running rich), it cannot hold an idle and will die if you don't keep your foot tapping the accelerator. Vacum is good about 10-12...but upon acelleration when driving, it seems as if the car would lose power in the upper rev ranges. If he backed off, it would run alright, but still with a lumpy idle.

I checked the hose connected to the boost sensor, and looked around the engine bay for anything outta place, but really couldn't find anything.

Any suggestions?

BigIslandSevens

iTrader: (4)

compression sounds good, It also sounds like you might be on the correct path with the rich running. Maybe a injector stuck open.. A easy but not always cheap way to tell that is to get on a dyno or get a wideband and see what the AFR's are. That will atleast tell you if/and how rich you are running. And if no cahnges have been made to the engine management ( if it has) them injectors would be a good place to start.

Kinda hard to tell for sure, but i can tell you that my car is running WAY rich in teh high rpm's. As i am barely running any boost at all (less than 5 psi) and the turbo i bought was supposed to come with a .70 comp housing but came with a MUCH smaller one. Basically running out of air way to early. If i get on it hard in the high rpm's, I just puke black smoke out the tail. But if i back off and let the injectors relax a little( not dump soo much fuel) Than it runs much smoother. Kinda a similar symptom, other than mine has been doing this since i started running it harder after breakin and not all of a sudden.

Hope this may have helped you a little man.

How's your car coming along? Been a while since i talked to you.

Dave

iron4jones

I second that on the stuck injector. I dont know what kind of porting the car has but 10-12 for vaccum is really low. I have a streetport and I see 15". If you guys ever need any help im here at Pearl Harbor.

rosrex7

I had the same problem (symtoms) i was driving my FD on the highway and it lost power and died when i restarted it car would run then struggle a bit then die
Check your FC commander when the car in in the ON position (not running)
and look at your boost reading.. I called APEX'I and the tech told me that If its jumping up and down then either your map sensor is bad or loose. so i replaced that and still had the problem... but my problem was that my Power FC its self was busted.. Took my FD to KDR rotary and the "troubleshooted" it for a few days then 700 bucks later they put back a stock ECU and it started right up..
and no more problems.. So that is just my situation and what my problem was.. might not be yours but if you have the stock ECU Swap it out and see if theres a differance..
who's FD is it? I left Hawaii in January i hope its not Len or Chris.

ArchangelX

Thanks for the replies guys...we were going to use a stethoscope and check the injectors to see if they were all clicking correctly, and then I looked over and saw that the boost sensor hose had popped off. We didn't see it earlier because we were in the dark...and the upper half of the hose was still there. We moved the car out onto the alignment pad a little while later, and thats when I realized after hopping onto the forums and doing a bit more reading up on the problems.

Thanks alot for the help...and man...we were so relieved. It was amazing how something so simple it was...and how big of an effect it had on the car.

Sorry, our bad...I kinda feel dumb, but it's a learning experience.

Thanks Dave for the help, my car is alright, I ripped out the engine and sent it back to Pineapple Racing to use the warranty that I paid for, so I'm just waiting for it to come back, and then I'm going to go through my entire car piece by piece and ensure that everything is working properly. The engine has been there about a month, so I think it should be about ready right now.

Jones, thanks for the help, too....Ros, same goes to you. If you're wondering whose it is, it's an FD3S, Tom Bryant (an instructor at Hawaii International Race School) picked up from the Insurance Auto Auction place for about 3 grand...it was just missing rims, tires, a new ignition switch, an intercooler, AST, a new radiator to fix the old one, and some various plumbing. Once we got all that installed and hooked up, she started up promptly and it was incredible how powerful the car was. It's obvious whoever owned it previously must have had the engine rebuilt. The car is a monster on the track now, and it ran a 40-second short course lap with just coilover and some Advans and practically no prep or alignment and just a fluid change.

For comparison...the fastest time we have for a stock car is a 2002+ Chevy Corvette Z06 with a time of low 38's on HRP. Apparently, the boost sensor hose didn't have a clamp on it, and the runs on the track must have popped it off. Tom is a really damn good driver.

The car is coming together great, and now that we know the engine is tough as a rock, we can really move forward with the plans to prep her even further. Next is bushings, motor mounts, a new paint job and a nice bodykit.

I'll post some pics of her progress in a bit. Thanks guys!

rosrex7

what color is it?