95 SSEi Bogged down in low gears NEW UPDATE 3/17
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95 SSEi Bogged down in low gears NEW UPDATE 3/17
Hiya folks. I had a problem that started this morning and I'm thinking right now its either the fuel pump or the fuel filter, but before I go rip my gas tank out of my car, I want to see what you guys think.
Firstly, I was nearly out of gas this morning and being stupid lazy about just going and getting a fill up.
I head to work and I immmediately noticed when I got on the highway that acceleration was absolute **** from a start. Once I got into the higher gears, accelleration piced up, the engine sounded normal, et cetera. I figured it was just because I let the tank run too dry. BTW no codes. I was wondering if maybe there was some transmission problems but the Scantool showed everytning working right. The car hit all gears and the TCC is behaving as it should.
When I accelerate, the engine feels seriously bogged down, you can even hear the engine kinda slow a moment before it picks up and the car accelerates like an L27 that hasn't had a tuneup in 300,000 miles.
So anyway, I was noticing my spark plugs looked out of wack (cables reversed, you can see it in my sig pic). So... I tried figuring out proper firing order and enlisted a bit of help from Boost and Pat. That lined up without a problem so I enlisted the wife to watch the scantool. What we found was a spark plug advance of about 25 degrees while idle, but as soon as I hit the gas, it drops to 11 and slowly climbed to about 14 or 15. Thats the most advance I got while moving.
I went to the local Ricerzone and picked up a Fuel Pressure tester. Of course I grabbed a TBI model and it didn't fit. Swear a couple times, then return it for the MFI model. Of course the godamn thing has 3 feet of line so I can't test it while driving, but it was showing me 31 PSI. When I tweak the throttle body, it drops down to 29 PSI and then climbs up to 30. Never more then 31 PSI.
While I was there, I picked up a vacuum line kit because I knew at least one line was bad and I had replaced another recently. So with my wife in the car wanting to eat dinner, I replaced the soft vacuum lines and used ties to tie them down.
Right now, the car has so little low end power, I can't even chirp the tires so beyond a new fuel filter, and then fuel pump I'm out of ideas.
Edit:
Firstly, I was nearly out of gas this morning and being stupid lazy about just going and getting a fill up.
I head to work and I immmediately noticed when I got on the highway that acceleration was absolute **** from a start. Once I got into the higher gears, accelleration piced up, the engine sounded normal, et cetera. I figured it was just because I let the tank run too dry. BTW no codes. I was wondering if maybe there was some transmission problems but the Scantool showed everytning working right. The car hit all gears and the TCC is behaving as it should.
When I accelerate, the engine feels seriously bogged down, you can even hear the engine kinda slow a moment before it picks up and the car accelerates like an L27 that hasn't had a tuneup in 300,000 miles.
So anyway, I was noticing my spark plugs looked out of wack (cables reversed, you can see it in my sig pic). So... I tried figuring out proper firing order and enlisted a bit of help from Boost and Pat. That lined up without a problem so I enlisted the wife to watch the scantool. What we found was a spark plug advance of about 25 degrees while idle, but as soon as I hit the gas, it drops to 11 and slowly climbed to about 14 or 15. Thats the most advance I got while moving.
I went to the local Ricerzone and picked up a Fuel Pressure tester. Of course I grabbed a TBI model and it didn't fit. Swear a couple times, then return it for the MFI model. Of course the godamn thing has 3 feet of line so I can't test it while driving, but it was showing me 31 PSI. When I tweak the throttle body, it drops down to 29 PSI and then climbs up to 30. Never more then 31 PSI.
While I was there, I picked up a vacuum line kit because I knew at least one line was bad and I had replaced another recently. So with my wife in the car wanting to eat dinner, I replaced the soft vacuum lines and used ties to tie them down.
Right now, the car has so little low end power, I can't even chirp the tires so beyond a new fuel filter, and then fuel pump I'm out of ideas.
Edit:
#3
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Originally Posted by 1993 SLE
as i told ya the FP is low.......WAY low....
has the fuel filter been changed...ever?
has the fuel filter been changed...ever?
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Originally Posted by Mortehl
Originally Posted by 1993 SLE
as i told ya the FP is low.......WAY low....
has the fuel filter been changed...ever?
has the fuel filter been changed...ever?
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Okay, I have a fuel filter on hand. Going to change it before I go to work tomorrow morning. I'm still wondering though, are there any other suggestions besides fuel filter/pump? I was planning on changing the pump at some point, just don't want to throw money at parts until I get it right.
#6
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Glad to hear you discarded the conspiracy theory about the transmission guy swapping your wires, and that the car ran fine for a week like that before it acted up. I also see you found the wiring diagram in book 2 of the FSM'*. I told you so
Wish I had logged on last night and seen this..got home really late.
How did the fuel pressure test out?
With the FSM'* my 97 procedure does not require the car to be driven at all, which explains the short hose on the FP gauge.
Wish I had logged on last night and seen this..got home really late.
How did the fuel pressure test out?
With the FSM'* my 97 procedure does not require the car to be driven at all, which explains the short hose on the FP gauge.
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Sounds like what I'm having right now. It'* sucky at accelerating from stops. Let me know what works so I know what to do.
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Don't get me started on the fuel filter.
a) It was clogged as hell.
b) the godamned fuel line was rusted. Yes I held the fuel line side with the wrench and turned the filter. It was so rusted, a 1/4 turn broke the tip. Having a new fuel line put on as we speak ;( I'm hoping the clogged filter solves the problem.
a) It was clogged as hell.
b) the godamned fuel line was rusted. Yes I held the fuel line side with the wrench and turned the filter. It was so rusted, a 1/4 turn broke the tip. Having a new fuel line put on as we speak ;( I'm hoping the clogged filter solves the problem.
#10
DINOSAURUS BOOSTUS
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Did you give the PB Blaster a chance to soak? Usually it works super fast.
Odd...I thought back a little while when you got the O2 sensor and were talking about changing plugs etc you did or would have done the fuel filter.
Odd...I thought back a little while when you got the O2 sensor and were talking about changing plugs etc you did or would have done the fuel filter.