misfire? boost leak? vacuum leak? arrgghh NOW WITH VIDS! Options

[brianforster]

well we cleaned off and regapped my spark plugs, after like 3 days they were already COVERED in black, i got my o2 sensor on, and the car still seemed to run like crap..

i boost leak tested boost leak tested boost leak tested till my friends were yelling at me for doing it too much, i had to leave my friends garage where the air compressor was but isprayed everything 100 times and found 2 leaks

1 the blow off valve screw
2 behind the distributor, like where it mounts to the block there seems to be a leak, not sure what to do about that...

BUT i have good news, i think it WAS my o2 sensor just causing my car to run rich as all hell, backfires, misfires, the whole 9 yards, once i replaced it the problem didnt go away but as art said it does need time to learn, so today after a frustrating and long day i was driving home and all of the sudden the problem went away, now it drives just like before!

[brianforster]

scratch that the car started ****ign up royally today as well.. i went ahead and ordered plug wires, 78 freaking bucks from toyota.. i hope htis fixes it.. im running out of damn money

[BBoYRuGGeD]

dont forget cap and rotor

bboy

[brianforster]

i changed the rotor since it was 6 bucks but the cap was perfect and 47 bucks so i didnt buy one.. 78 bucks for plug wires oem.. thats enough dent in my pocket for today.. im never gonna have enough money to finish this beast hah

[BBoYRuGGeD]

i changed the rotor since it was 6 bucks but the cap was perfect and 47 bucks so i didnt buy one.. 78 bucks for plug wires oem.. thats enough dent in my pocket for today.. im never gonna have enough money to finish this beast hah

no worries brian youre getting there...we all had swap issues to deal with in the beginning

bboy

[jgreening]

I agree with Bboy. Even when the engine is professionally installed, there are ALWAYS things to sort. Patience and persistence win out (and sometimes a good chunck of change). Hang in there and don't give up. You will be glad you did. My car has been running perfectly for the last year after getting the bugs out with NO material maintenace issues.

Jay.

[brianforster]

well i replaced the wires today and it still does it! ARGH (i also found out my old wires were oem and had less than 1000 miles on them)

82.75 down the drain

its idling at like 600 rpms.. and art suggested i try capping off the vac line that goes to BOV and it ran a little better, but still hesitated and backfired, just seemed to do the whole process faster if you understand.. i didnt wanna drive it too hard or long without a BOV so i parked it and came inside..

art suggested removin the bov completely and trying that, so i guess that is my next step..

[brianforster]

some vids:

Engine bay, idle

Engine Bay 2, with rev's

In Car, idle

a few things: where that straight pipe is, my BOV usually goes, but i took it out to see if that was my problem, it will be back in shortly..

i will be putting a stock manifold + heat shield on as soon as i get it in the mail..

the "pop pop pop pop" (art says sounds like a exhaust leak) usually happens along side of the problem, and if you watch the idle it bounces a little, also if i were to take the car out for a drive, i would get back and it would be idling at around 600 rpms..

This post has been edited by brianforster: Jun 6, 2006 - 7:03 PM

[Silver94CelicaOw...]

What sort of spark plugs are you using with your setup?

3SGTE is very sensitive to certain plugs from what I've read, if you aren't using them consider using NGK's copper core BKR7E plugs. I've read on MR2OC that guys with other brand plugs have had suprisingly negative results where the motor will run horribly due to plugs and upon switching to those NGK's the problem is solved.

TwosRUs- NGK BKR7E Copper plugs.

From the videos though it sounds like a flatulent ehaust leak, or a hole in the SSAutoCrap manifold or something, its hard to tell without being right there with the motor running though. If you haven't tried those plugs though, that would be the first thing I did if I were you.

[brianforster]

i switched to those plugs last week, the only other thing i did to my car last week was fill up the tank with gas, and change the spark plugs.. then the problem started (not immediately though)

i gapped them at .028 like art told me to,but i have read/found out recently that is what is recommended for high boost because boost can easily blow a spark out if there is too big of a gap, but right now i am only running like 7 psi of boost, so i am not sure if that gap is too small and is making my car run like crap

This post has been edited by brianforster: Jun 7, 2006 - 12:51 PM

[playr158]

if you didn't get 90% of the gas outta your tank before you started filling it with the new ethanol mix you might be getting issues from that i know of 2 motors that have blown due to this situation

[CheesyLobster]

sounds to me like you are running rich. get your injectors tested/replaced, one could be stuck open.

Also could be an exhaust leek. make sure that your manifold bolts are very tight (don't overtighten though) and that welding for the exhaust was done well.

This post has been edited by CheesyLobster: Jun 7, 2006 - 3:55 PM

[brianforster]

right now i am running open downpipe


also manny i see you are browsing the thread, i promise ill get pics up soon, im embarassed at my engine bay right now (as you can see by the vids) so as soon as i get that cleaned up + the stock manifold ill get you all the pics you want

[playr158]

FIX THE STUPID LEAK

[lagos]

right now i am running open downpipe


also manny i see you are browsing the thread, i promise ill get pics up soon, im embarassed at my engine bay right now (as you can see by the vids) so as soon as i get that cleaned up + the stock manifold ill get you all the pics you want

if he asked you for pics...i doubt he wanted to admire your engine bay. he probably wanted pics so that he can help your troubleshoot your issues.

[CheesyLobster]

get your exhaust done. i don't think the aftermarket exhaust would be causing that problem

This post has been edited by CheesyLobster: Jun 7, 2006 - 4:05 PM

[brianforster]

right now i am running open downpipe


also manny i see you are browsing the thread, i promise ill get pics up soon, im embarassed at my engine bay right now (as you can see by the vids) so as soon as i get that cleaned up + the stock manifold ill get you all the pics you want

if he asked you for pics...i doubt he wanted to admire your engine bay. he probably wanted pics so that he can help your troubleshoot your issues.

smartass, he posted a comment in my profile about wanting to see pics

[presure2]

i would definetly get the aftermarket manifold off ASAP, i wouldnt be suprized if its already cracking.
have you checked the base of the intake mani, where it meets the TVIS plate for leaks?

[brianforster]

no i havent, because it seems impossible to reach back there, i guess next time im at my friends house with the compressor i will boost leak test for that

[brianforster]

hey guys, this is a public service announcement DO NOT EVER PUT AN SSAUTOCHROME MANIFOLD ON A 3SGTE, OR I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND KILL YOU.

it is the most paint in the ass thing ever, one of the bolts is completely not reachable, one of the nuts wont come off because the stud unscrewed out and is now touching the manifold, and last but not least i think i might have to take the turbo off to get the manifold off and i am not happy about htat ;(