So I finally ran a compression test. It was blowing 85 PSI max...

 

I'll leave it to any of the real guru's, but in your first post you described it running great. You then shut it off and when you tried to re-start it suddenly ran poorly. A stuck seal maybe? If you can get it started I wonder if a water ingestion treatment would help.

 

Any love? I read that I should have gotten about 100 PSI. Does this mean my seals are toast?

 

85 is low, but the engine can still run. However, the peak number is not important. What's needed is the individual readings of each face. You should have 3 values for each rotor if you did the test correctly. The numbers should be fairly equal like 85-83-85 or something like that. If you had 85-40-40 then you'd have a blown/damaged engine. This is why seeing the individual pulse is more valuable than the peak.

 

pressure is also relative to cranking speed and the engine should be warmed up as well with the throttle wide open.

but you said 85psi max, what does the max mean? a compression test for example will be F: 100/101/98 R: 95/98/97

you need 6 figures, not a max figure. if all faces are registering 85 then the engine should start and run, but that is a weak figure and not indicative of a healthy engine.

oops, mahjik beat me to it.

 

OK thank you for the reply's. I need to go rerun the test I think. I'm not under standing how I get three numbers though. I test both of the leading ports correct? Also how should I go about warming up the engine if it wont stay running?

 

Landon,
Remember you have three faces on each rotor...three combustion chambers. Each time one of those faces rotates into compression you should get a pulse/reading. If each of the three pulses isn't roughly equal it means your loosing compression for some reason from that particular rotor face. A broken (or stuck) hard seal.

 

Thanks Jim. That makes sence.

 

Just ran the compression test again. It looks ok to me. Both rotors are consistant. I drained all of the gas and put in new gas. I ran a bit of seafoam through and ran it for a while with my foot on the gas. Smoke billows out the tail. It still wouldn't stay running. So my plan is to pull off the UIM and check the injectors to make sure they are gravy. One thing I did notice that I did not before was that there was a small amount of smoke coming from the engine bay. When I got out of the car and checked I couldn't see exactly where it was coming from, but it looked like it was comming from the y-pipe /turbos/downpipe area. I smelled it and it slightly smelled of something burning. I didn't smell any fluids in it. Hard to explain. I hope this all makes sence, but like I said I am going to check the injectors now and see what I find. If anyone has any other bright ideas they are welcome.

 

Check the crank angle sensors and coils. ?

 

noobie question. Could you briefly explain how I would go about checking the CAS and coils Jim?

 

I actually don't think the CAS themselves go bad, but I have heard of the shielded wiring or connectors occasionally having issues. You could also check continuity back to the main harness with a mulitmeter and just visually check it closely....including the trigger wheel. Look over the FSM for any other ideas.

I've never messed with coils but pretty sure there's a way to check them on the car. Search or maybe someone will chime in.

I'm just tossing things out Landon. Something about your description of it running well, then suddenly having these issues...

 

I appreciate it Jim. Thanks. Getting tired of troubleshooting this issue.

 

I'm pretty much having the same problem, by making adjustments to the tps, and fast idle I was able to set my idle to where it would hold a steady idle by doing what Peruvianrz7 said to do. As I was going around my neighborhood the car died when I let of the gas to stop at a stop sign and I haven't been able to start it since. Where you able to figure out what your problem was?