Aging Man with an Aging Car -- I need help

[wm_e_smith]

Disregarding what has already been said -- My car starts but not too easily. I have to baby the excellerator then it'll start. I then have to keep it running by pushing the excellerator. Then it it runs but very slugglish -- like one of the cylinders is misfiring and the engine (car, in general) is imbalanced. I am driving it very little because of the fear that the problem might cause serious damage. Any ideas?

Previous suggestions by S. Blakeney seem to right on about the water temp sensor connector, although a new connector is yet to be installed.

[sideshowbob]

Ignition and fuel system are the first place to check (after cleaning all the connections, of course).

Have you done your basic tune-up?

[wm_e_smith]

Ignition and fuel system are the first place to check (after cleaning all the connections, of course).

Have you done your basic tune-up?

Extemes were taken to tune -- new ignition coil, new distrubutor w/ cap and rotor, new wires, new spark plugs, and timed to exactness. It then ran great -- smooth, lots of power and zip, then ...

I have received the 10 Bosch connectors, and thanks to you, I now have better understand what the guy at atlantcz.ca was talking about.

I am one to analyze before things happen -- so please, help me.

The sudden sluggishness was farther thought about yesterday when I drove above 4 miles, stopped, smelled RAW gas, looked under the hood and saw gasoline around the area of the cold start valve. This has happened in the past but I just assumed it was from an untight hose to the cold start valve.

Now -- my theory, correct me if yours if different.

Could it be that an electrical pulse is being sent to a fuel injector but the connector is bad, resulting in high gas pressure and the 'fuel pressure' regulator is also at fault?

Steve, I misread everything about the oem-surplus discount. I assumed a 25% discount but just found out the price is 25% of MSRP and less. What a bargain. I am ordering the Air Flow Meter because I have little faith in my solution to have mine 'rebuilt'.

[sideshowbob]

Raw fuel in the cylinders and odd fuel problems have been the bane of my Z. Let's go through the list!

The hoses connecting the various components crack and leak with age. They can be replaced with inexpensive FUEL INJECTION HOSE from your local autozone (Yes, yes, enough autozone hate already, they're cheap and carry GOODYEAR hose, damn you). Take care the hose you purchase has FUEL INJECTION printed in white on its side and get the closest you can the size in your car. I've completelty forgotten the size I purchased, though I remember it runs about 3.50 per foot.

If the electrical connection to an injector is bad, that cylinder will recieve LESS fuel than it should, causing a rough engine. The injectors themselves may be clogged/bad. To test: With the engine running, place the blade of a long screwdriver (I prefer a stethoscope) against the body of each injector with the handle against your ear and verify that they all do, indeed, work. You will hear a sharp, repetitive CLICK if all is well. USUAL SAFETY DISCLAIMER GOES HERE.

Remove all 'clips' from the injector connectors (Skip this if you've already installed the bosch connectors the clips are spring loaded for easy unplugging on those), leaving the connectors connected. While the engine is running: Pull a clip and note the change/lack of change in the motors performance. Replace the clip and repeat for the remaining 5. If an injector causes no change in engine sound it is either clogged or leaking(carbon on the spark plug can help to verify this). This is very much like the power balance test done by pulling spark plug wires.

Low vacuum (the usual culprits) can cause high fuel pressure, in addition to a faulty regulator. In a vintage car, such as your own, the vacuum hoses must be checked (prefferably replaced, they are fairly inexpensive) as they are prone to the same difficulties the fuel hoses are.

Your cold start valve may be leaking INTO the intake, as well. Verify this by unplugging it's connector(to prevent it's normal operation), removing the two screws holding it down, putting it in a jar (with it's hose still attached) and cranking the motor a few times. You may want to prevent it from starting by leaving the injectors disconnected or disabling your ignition. Doing this will create pressure in the lines and any leakage will be visible in the jar (In my opinion ANY leakage is too much).

What condition are the spark plugs in? Do you have a Haynes manual (There are color pictures on the back cover depicting various engine conditions and their effects on the plugs).

My apologies if I've duplicated anything in the thread. Didn't bother to go back through the pages.

[wm_e_smith]

As a result of not thinking too clearly, I think I might have screwed up.

What is the easiest way to determine if the two wires to the Thermotime switch connector are reversed?

Also, once the metal contacting terminals are inserted into the plastic connector (Bosch), is it possible to remove them without damage? If so, how?

[wm_e_smith]

Question revised: Didn't mean 'easiest' -- really meant 'how would I?'

[wm_e_smith]

I'm disappointed that someone didn't suggest something to maybe give me an idea as to how to check the criss-crossing out. I suppose I can pull the wire from ignition coil to the center of distributor cap, remove the cold start valve, stick it in a glass, have someone try to start the engine, and see if gas is dumped. Then, if that doesn't happen, reverse the wires -- (I suppose this wouldn't work necessarily either) -- complicated by thoughts of a bad thermotime switch, a bad coldstart valve, etc.

Am I wasting your time by asking such things that probably seem so trivial to you?

So far I have replaced all the connectors, the fuel filter, the air flow meter and cleaned up the connector to the air flow meter. Because of recent work, vaccuum tubes seem ok, gas lines seem ok.

Car is now running as should be except I have the new connectors on thermotime switch and the cold start valve 'not plugged in' because of those two wires to the thermotime switch that I may have mistakenly switched.

I'm trying!

[sblake01]

If you view the thermotime switch connector from the front with the open part of the clip facing downwards, the wire on the left goes to the female plug and the one on the right goes to the male plug. As far as removing the contacts once they're inserted, I wouldn't know the answer to that because mine already had wires in them so I cut the old connectors off and soldered and heat shrinked the new ones on. I don't consider your question trivial at all. It took a while to come up with a definitive answer. I tried to check the wires on both my cars but since they were wrapped, there wasn't a way to see which wire ended up where. The scan is taken from the 'EFI Bible'.

EDIT: After thinking about this, would it really matter where the wires go on the connector since all they seem to do is complete a ground when the switch is closed?

[wm_e_smith]

After thinking about this, would it really matter where the wires go on the connector since all they seem to do is complete a ground when the switch is closed?

It's beyond me. I haven't 'touched it' yet. I was, and I still am, confused because of what I read about power being supplied only when trying to start, then if it didn't start power would be dropped and cold start valve wouldn't dump the gas because of some simple heater within the thermotime switch which disables the cold start valve from operating.

At this point, I'll say you are right -- that is, all is a function of the thermotime switch itself and all it needs is what you said. Now, I feel less worried about the situation. Thanks!

I'll spend some time checking it out.

[sideshowbob]

Ummm, look. Calm down. Just connect one wire at a time. If something wierd happens (engine gets worse than before, after warm up), unplug the cold start valve. If this fixes it, you have the wires backwards. Don't be afraid, it won't explode! (unless you're me and prone to doing shady modifications in a parking lot with cheap or scrounged parts, in that case I take no responsibility for my errrr.... I mean: your actions). Though blake is probably correct, the injectors also don't really care which wire is where.

[sblake01]

Well it's really simple. The power comes to the thermotime switch from the ign switch, through the ign relay. The thermotime switch is basically another temperature sensor with a heating coil in it and it will only be closed for 8 seconds and that's if the temperature is low enough. I the temp is low enough, the thermotime swich completes the ground. From there, the signal goes to the cold start valve, completing the ground, and injecting the extra fuel needed for a cold start. I tested this theory morning at 6:30am by temporarily switching the leads on my 810 and it started right up.

[wm_e_smith]

I still have a few things to do before I can describe any farther problems that might still exist. But, I would like to ask some simple things that apply to my situation, unrelated to obvious problems --

1) I have the air duct which extends from above the radiator to the air filter OFF the car.

Is that bad?

2) The wire which runs from the pickup coil over to the ignition coil area is rather lengthly.

How does one route that wire so that it doesn't interfere with anything?

3) What effect does NOT having the shroud for the fan installed?