Lacking Serious Power - Page 2

**Halon** · 05-13-2004

I don't have a datalogger first off. Second off, Even when i ground that stupid plug in the engine bay and the one pin inside the car (i got this info off vfaq), idle surge is still there. It will not go away. Except every now and then when it feels like it or if I turn on the A/C. So I can't adjust the idle to 750 because its sitting there surging between like 1000-1300ish. Later today when i bring the car into our hobby shop on base, i am gunna hook up the lil boost leak tester i made and do that check. Also when i go pic up the recirc hose here in a bit, ill try to get some of that seafoam shit and try that out too.

CVD · 05-13-2004

When it is idling put your hand over the BOV and see if the idle surge goes away.

**Halon** · 05-13-2004

OK they didn't have seafoam, but instead they gave me this GUNK engine cleaner stuff that is supposed to do the same thing so imma give that a shot. Just add it into your oil, run it for like 5 minutes, then drain it out. Mitsubishi is no longer here, it changed to suzuki and honda. I'm guessing because of that whole Diamler Chrystler givin em the boot thing, so it looks like they are going outta business from what i can tell. So I couldn't pick up a mitsu filter, just have to use a fram or sumthin i guess. I gotta fuel filter. So I'll be changing the oil and using that engine cleaner stuff, changing the fuel filter, I'm going to double check the ISC and make sure it gets good readings, imma clean out the injectors a lil, and use this hose i bought from pepboys as a recirc hose. I'll see what happens from there.

ahh i didn't see that last post there by you. I'll try that too before i put the recirc hose on.

**Halon** · 05-14-2004

OK well I did a bunch today. I put that engine flush shit in, idled her for about 5 minutes. changed out the oil and filter. changed out the fuel filter. cleaned the injectors, put a recirc hose on, changed out the rear diff fluid to redline, and cleaned the crap outta the engine area and underneath. Now she's running fabulous, except idle surge is still intermitent. But I can deal with that, im happy that she's running how she is right now. Thanx for all the help!

**Halon** · 05-14-2004

well i ohm checked the ISC again just to see if it had a bad reading on any of the coils because the idle surge is still intermitent. But that checked good. Kinda confused on this problem. But otherwise I have been driving her around quit a bit just to see if any of the other problems resurface. But she's besides that idle surge, she runs like a charm and has a compression of 145,145,140,150 from left to right.!!!

Snafubmx234 · 05-17-2004

Well, make sure all your vaccum hoses are connect, and also, check the timing. My buddy's Probe GT did the exact same thing, and it turned out that it was the combination of both.

**Halon** · 05-17-2004

well the problem is back sorta. Before I had no power all the time, now its mainly just in 1st gear. It ran great the last few days, but now if i floor it in first, the engine sounds like its pumpin out power, but I just don't move very fast. But if I let off a little, and then repunch it, it'll go like its supposed to. Kinda wierd, its like something is making my car pull timing. I'm gunna just redo the whole timing belt here one of these days just to make sure last tim i did it i didn't put it a tooth off or sumthin. But if i put it a tooth off, then wouldn't it always be slow, not just off and on. It's like if i punch it when im at a low rpm, that's when it won't go so fast, but if im at like 4500 and i punch it, most the time it'll take off just fine. But I dunno, I'm gunna try to just redo the timing belt just cuz why not. Also, I read on this site how to use a timing light on our cars, and that you can adjust the timing with the CAS. So if my CAS is a lil off, could that be causing this and i just need to readjust it? Also that site wasn't perfectly clear where im looking if i use a timing light. It says to look through the top of the engine bay down to im guessing the crank pulley. and then from there you should see the timing mark meeting this lil meter thing at like 5 or sumthin. Well when i look through the top of my engine bay, and can't barely even see the crank pulley, or this lil meter measure thingy where its supposed to be at 5. anyone else done this that could enlighten me?..

ps, the name of the site i got the timing light info off is www.plymouthlaser.com

A//// Guy · 05-17-2004

Why dont you pull the cam cover off and use a extension to turn the engine over manualy and see if the marks are aligned on the cams?

The extension will go into the crank pully.. theres a whole on the plastic fender wall on the driverside front wheel well.

**Halon** · 05-17-2004

my cam cover and that plastic fender piece are both off already so i can do that easy. That's what i planned on doing. Checking all the marks to make sure they are good, and if they aren't, then take off the belt and redo it. BUT, if it is good, I'd like to use a timing light to see if the mark is set at the 5 degree mark with the engine running, but i really don't fully understand this timing light thing. I don't see what exactly he's shining the light on in his lil vfaq thing.

05-17-2004

have you checked the MAS? the symptoms sound exactly like the problem i had with my car and it was the MAS.

**Halon** · 05-17-2004

i don't know how exactly i can check it. My buddy who has the laser here just got outta the marines so i can't swap in a known good one cuz i don't have one. Is there a way i can check it though?

05-17-2004

I dont reall know for sure.. i know i went to auto zone for the free diagnostic. The little thing said that it my O2 sensor was rreading bad. Other than that i just had to take it into a shop and have change it to see if that was the problem. If i had had trhe parts or gave enough of a shit i would have done it myself. it was just easier to take it into a shop.
So your best bet for checkin it would be to switch it for a good one i guess..

**Halon** · 05-17-2004

i might be able to find one locally to borrow. If so, I'll give that a shot

**Halon** · 05-27-2004

well just thought I'd chime in and say the problem has been fixed. Checked the ignition timing with a timing light. I was set to 0 degrees. I reset it for 5 and now she's runnin like a champ. Hopefully she stays runnin for the whole trip home!