1987 3.2 Carrera Backdate project - Sladeys hotrod

sladey · Post by **sladey** » Sat May 04, 2024 12:37 pm

Im wondering though if the continued pressurising the injectors with fuel while we cranked and cranked but no pulsing/opening might have lead to blocking of one or more - but only because they are probably pretty dirty already

Just a theory

Nige · Post by **Nige** » Sat May 04, 2024 1:53 pm

Only if your fuel was dirty or varnished up. Probably just coincidence.

Did you give it an Italian tune up or just on the lift/garage.

sladey · Post by **sladey** » Sat May 04, 2024 4:48 pm

I went down the road and back

sladey · Post by **sladey** » Sun May 05, 2024 11:30 am

Nige wrote:Only if your fuel was dirty or varnished up. Probably just coincidence.

Did you give it an Italian tune up or just on the lift/garage.

Yep probably coincidence. By the state of the suspect injector though I think they are all probably pretty filthy.

After installing the new ones I’ll probably send these off for proper cleaning so I’ve got a spare set in reserve

sladey · Post by **sladey** » Mon May 06, 2024 5:20 pm

Ok this is getting f*ckin weird now.

Got back from snowden.

Put the new injector in, put the injector rail back in and tightened everything up.

Went to plot the immobiliser and got nothing. No beep, nothing, nada.

Tested the battery and was getting 1.7v - it is completely dead.

Went to get my jump starter.

Connected it up and switched it on in start mode. The indicators flashed once. Clicked the immobiliser and it double-beeped which it is meant to.

Went to start it and just got a click and then the sound of the fuel pump clicking a faire bit (the fuel rails were empty) - then this stopped.

Tried again and nothing, not even a click. Plipping the immobiliser similarly gives nothing at all.

With the jump starter on, connected up and in “start” mode I measured the volts across the terminals and it was 0.2 or something like that. Immobiliser plipper won’t plip.

WTF.

DustyM · Post by **DustyM** » Mon May 06, 2024 5:29 pm

Bad connection somewhere, check your battery terminals and earth straps are nice and tight.

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DustyM · Post by **DustyM** » Mon May 06, 2024 5:30 pm

Also check the new live from the alternator that you installed.

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sladey · Post by **sladey** » Mon May 06, 2024 5:39 pm

Ok so I had been charging an odyssey battery up over the weekend and connected that up

Not the neatest but it is connected.

This time the immobiliser plipped fine and it started up fine.

It ran a lot better than last time and doesn’t seem to be on 5 cylinders. However it’s still running rough so I’m looking for air leaks now.

No idea on that battery dying though

sladey · Post by **sladey** » Mon May 06, 2024 9:02 pm

Well.

OK so first, barring a miracle I’m resigned to taking the white car on holiday.

On the battery side of things I think it’s been probably failing for a while - I’ve been reconditioning it a lot using the reconditioner - which now I think about it has shown it to be in bad condition when just left for a while. Still odd that it’s gone dead in less than a week but I’m not convinced it was coming from a good place.

With regard to the alternator power connection I checked the connection to the starter and that is fine. I am sure that the connection on the alternator is secure but I was too knackered tonight to move the fan to check. If I put it in the wrong terminal on the alternator then I think I’d have more problems than just rough running.

The bigger issue is still the rough running.

Last week when I thought it was missing on one cylinder I wonder if it was missing on more than one - I was feeling a vibration as it was turning over. The new injector has got rid of that

I took it for a drive again. Under acceleration it lacks guts and when idling it won’t - and stalls.

Here’s a video of me revving it a bit and then letting it stall

https://youtube.com/shorts/altkNZRmFsw? ... Q1YyUDZthP

I’ve thought back to the CH temp sensor - that was the only thing that gave me problems when I was putting stuff back together. However I’ve had issues with that years and years ago. The symptoms were more to do with when it was running. From cold it would default to a rich mixture and run fine - with a high idle. The CHT problems would then manifest themselves once it was running. So I’m dubious that it’s that.

Looking for vacuum leaks I’ve checked and re-checked the hoses.
I removed the top of the intake and looked for splits

- None there. I then put it all back carefully. The crimped connections for the idle control valve pipe were a bit loose so I nipped them up (they weren’t that loose though). The only unused hose I could find was this vacuum line

I didn’t think that would cause the problem but hunted around the back of the intake and found what it might connect into and plugged it in there - still no change.

Because it won’t idle it’s not easy to start it up and then run round the back to keep it idling - but I managed it. I then sprayed carb cleaner towards the foot of each of the intakes to see if that produced any sort of change - no change at all. Before doing this I dug out the fire stick extinguisher from the glove box and carefully read the instructions….

Just to recap, although I had the engine out I didn’t touch the flywheel sensors at all.

I’ve got the new injectors on the way - they should arrive on Wednesday - they won’t take long to fit. The other thing is that the fuel in it is probably what I bought on the way back from CLM. The fuel tank is nearly empty as the light came on during the last session. I keep thinking I drove it last summer but in reality when I got back from CLM I started the handbrake replacement/rear wheel bearings which took a few months overall and then we got near Christmas and I started on the Aircon. So the fuel in there is probably about 10 months old.

I’m struggling to see what the issue could be. I’ll probably pick up 5 litres of fuel and chuck that in, and also pop the new injectors in when they arrive and see what happens.

If it does miraculously run properly then I’ve got to make up a more substantial mount for the odyssey battery (I suspect cable ties would be involved)

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rhd racer · Post by **rhd racer** » Mon May 06, 2024 9:34 pm

Sorry to hear that Mark

What fuel is it? E5 or E10? E10 is known to degrade as quickly as 1 month - it is worth adding some fresh as stake fuel won’t help, but it should still play a tune….

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sladey · Post by **sladey** » Mon May 06, 2024 9:48 pm

Pretty sure it will have been E5 but can’t be 100% I’ll pick up some fresh fuel tomorrow

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sladey · Post by **sladey** » Wed May 08, 2024 9:13 pm

OK I’m beaten.

I popped 20 litres of fresh E5 fuel in the other night. Today the other 5 new injectors arrived and this evening I put them in. All went smoothly - bit fiddly at times but no real problems (put a bit of oil on the O rings to let them slide in)

Started up quite easily. Definitely better than before but still seems to be trying to idle at 400 revs and eventually conks out.

I started wondering if it was the idle control valve (common bugbear on 3.2s) but it was more than an idling problem - I took it for a blast around the block and it wasn’t accelerating smoothly - a bit jerky. Seemed to smooth out at 4K revs. Again when you came to a stop it wouldn’t idle and just cut out.

I’m taking the GT4 on holiday - I can hear the sound of the world’s smallest violin playing in sympathy - but I want to be driving the car I built not the one I bought. Anyhoo I’ll still have a great time and the GT4 is a brilliant car to drive.

When I get back I think I’ll put the car in to someone else to look at - a fresh pair of eyes and no assumptions would be a good idea. Just have no idea who I would want to give it to.

I’m thinking the battery thing was a non-issue - the previous battery seems to be duff - it will take charge and come up until the light on the charger is green, but it won’t then hold the charge. I’ve currently got an odyssey in there which is much lighter. Not sure which way to go on that - I love the lightness of the odyssey but I need it to just work.

Still haven’t been able to test the Aircon.

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Gary71 · Post by **Gary71** » Wed May 08, 2024 9:22 pm

This sucks Mark. As you say taking the GT4 is first world problems and all, but that 911 is part of your soul so I completely get the disappointment.

A few mountains will clear the head

rhd racer · Post by **rhd racer** » Wed May 08, 2024 9:30 pm

Bad luck Mark - at least you went down fighting. Once the niggle is found, at least you will have a more reliable car as a result of everything you have done. Small consolation now I guess

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anglophone1 · Post by **anglophone1** » Wed May 08, 2024 11:47 pm

Bummer- I believe it’s effectively the same setup as I have in Jaffa 911- 1984 3.2 into 78
Have run an odyssey happily for over 5=years….
The biggest leap on Jaffa was remapping/ chipping the motronic system - Angus at Greatworth classics sorted that
Good guys IMO- maybe take it there?
Fresh look etc……
Have fun in Spain - I should be there in September!!
C

DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker