What would cause my engine to act like this?
06-08-2005, 02:10 PM
#1
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What would cause my engine to act like this?
okay i had mixed up a spark plug wire and couldn't get to the ones good enough behind my blower. so i took the s-trim off fixed the wires and made sure they were all right and tight. bolted the blower all back up. pulled my valves covers off cause i was told i was suppose to adjust the valves with the motor running it would be more dead on. with the plugs mixed up of course i was getting backfire. i noticed the valves were out alittle bit also cause the car would take acouple seconds to turn over. but that could have been something else.. i just tried to start the car and it turns over but acts like its not getting enough spark now.. i had back in september a water pump hose come lose and blow antifreeze everywhere at 138mph 
now the opti worked fine after that.. so could it not starting be my opti, coil, icm. if so how can myself check this items? would any of these act up like that? fuel pressure with the key in the run position shows like 38-37 with the HAV hooked up. fuel pressure was never a problem before anyhow.
now the opti worked fine after that.. so could it not starting be my opti, coil, icm. if so how can myself check this items? would any of these act up like that? fuel pressure with the key in the run position shows like 38-37 with the HAV hooked up. fuel pressure was never a problem before anyhow.
06-08-2005, 02:20 PM
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Re: What would cause my engine to act like this?
Are you saying you were unable to start it immediately after you put the blower back on? If so, any chance you knocked a wire off the coil, ICM, etc?
Have you checked it for codes?
Have you checked it for codes?
06-08-2005, 02:28 PM
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Re: What would cause my engine to act like this?
no it was running but would backfire random after running for acouple seconds. so i pulled all the plugs off and the blower. i had mixed up two plug wires. then after double checking everything it ran really shi$$ty. so i took everything up and two plugs were lose on the opti- well not clicked on good enough. so i put everthing back together. take off the valves covers and loosen the locking alan bolts on the rocker arms so that i can adjust them better. battery is good. it just won't.. just cranks like no spark.. no way to check for codes.. it won't start- when it was running it had no codes. as soon as i put it in drive then it backfired like crazy and idle was shi$$ty
06-08-2005, 03:02 PM
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Re: What would cause my engine to act like this?
looked at and tested all my fuses and they are good. i used a test light and with the key in the run position i checked the wires going to the icm. they have power . so i dunno whether that means the icm is good or not? of course the wires for the coil will show nothing unless someone was cranking the motor over while i checked. HELP GUYS
06-09-2005, 05:35 AM
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Re: What would cause my engine to act like this?
So the short version is you had the plug wires wrong causing it to back fire and now that you corrected them, it doesn't start at all. Correct? First place to start is with the plug wires then. Triple check them to see they are in the right order.
I'm concerned in the response to Fred you said you have no way to check for codes and that when it was running, it had no codes. If you have no way to check them, how do you know there are none?????? You are aware that several codes (some of which have to do with the opti) do not set a SES light? So if you think you don't have codes cause the SES light is off, you are wrong.
A simple return to basics should get you back on track. First check a plug or 2 for spark. If there is none there check the coil for spark with a plug and wire. If there is none at the coil, check the white wire at the ICM for 1-4 volts AC while someone cranks it over. Be sure you are using the AC setting of the meter.
We can go from there once you get to that point.
Dave
I'm concerned in the response to Fred you said you have no way to check for codes and that when it was running, it had no codes. If you have no way to check them, how do you know there are none?????? You are aware that several codes (some of which have to do with the opti) do not set a SES light? So if you think you don't have codes cause the SES light is off, you are wrong.
A simple return to basics should get you back on track. First check a plug or 2 for spark. If there is none there check the coil for spark with a plug and wire. If there is none at the coil, check the white wire at the ICM for 1-4 volts AC while someone cranks it over. Be sure you are using the AC setting of the meter.
We can go from there once you get to that point.
Dave
06-09-2005, 06:22 AM
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Re: What would cause my engine to act like this?
Dave- wouldn't it still start and just backfire if i did still have a wire mixed up. i will check the wires on the passengerside again. i swear they are correct. i have a scanner i bought from Summit Racing. but i'm pretty sure it will only read a code if the engine light is on and will delete codes. plus i think the car has to be running for it to beable to read anything. i did use a test light to probe the wires. the white wire on the icm harness showed power and the wires up top on the passengerside where the opti connects showed power. whether that just means they are getting power to them i'm not sure. i tried to probe the wires of the harmess on the coil where it connects to my MSD box but nothing light up with he key in the run position. but i do need a meter to test volts.
06-09-2005, 07:47 PM
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Re: What would cause my engine to act like this?
Depends on how many wires are wrong. Too many means no start.
After the wires are checked to be sure they are correct. The spark should be checked. Make sure at least 4 are sparking, 2 on each side. If that's ok, try squirting fuel into the intake while cranking it over.
If the plugs aren't sparking, put a plug and wire on the coil and see if it's sparking. If so it's easy. If not you have to check the ICM for voltage and the white wire for AC signal.
Get us up to speed on the checks and we can all help you.
Dave
After the wires are checked to be sure they are correct. The spark should be checked. Make sure at least 4 are sparking, 2 on each side. If that's ok, try squirting fuel into the intake while cranking it over.
If the plugs aren't sparking, put a plug and wire on the coil and see if it's sparking. If so it's easy. If not you have to check the ICM for voltage and the white wire for AC signal.
Get us up to speed on the checks and we can all help you.
Dave
06-09-2005, 07:54 PM
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Re: What would cause my engine to act like this?
wires are all correct. i need to buy a volt tester tomorrow the store was closed earlier then i thought.. i don't think the coil or icm are the problem though. thinking its the opti crap... its funny how i loosened up the rocker arms and it sounded like it wanted to start more then just cranking.
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