39 replies to this topic

[Skylar]

So basically my title explains what my car did last night lol I was on my way home from the grocery store and I pulled out on to the street, shifted into 2nd at like 5k and right when I go to shift it went POP! And then just kinda bogged out, didn't die but my acceleration was choppy it would barely move under it's own power, I coasted into the gas station (barely) a cop came by and actually pushed me into a Parking stall with his bumper

Now I just put in an FI junkyard ea82 long block in it a couple days prior, it had been leaking
A decent amount of oil but still running fine, no TOD but absolutely no oil pressure on the gauge. It would come on when Id turn the key over but once I started it the pressure would sit way below 0

I left it there last night went back this morning, found my disty cap a little loose, tightened it down an that's about it. It starts up and runs, idles a little low and the acceleration is still choppy, I have to feather the gas pedal to get up towards 3k or so but once it hits 3k I can rev it all the way up to 6 no problem. Gives a little backfire when rpms are comin down but I think that's just because of my loud exhaust .

I was having some trouble getting the timing right after i put the motor in, but I did get it timed. And it starts up like normal.

So could my timing be off ? Subruise suggested I possibly dropped a valve ?

[NorthWet]

It would be a little helpful to know what year and whether it is carb'd or SPFI.

 

 

If the disty cap was loose, i would take a quick look underneath it and make sure that the rotor is ok and the inside contacts are not mangled.  (not too likely if you heard a sound while driving.)

 

Check the ignition timing.  it being off might be due to t-belt slipping a tooth (see below).

 

No nasty mechanical bangings since the POP?  Probably not a valve; I would think that this would make a racket unless the head snapped off and stuck somewhere safe and soft.  But if this happened, you should be hearing some major backfiring.  Lack of mechanical noises should also rule out a siezed/broken rod (since you mentioned oil pressure concerns).

 

I guess that it might be possible for a cam follower to have slipped off.

 

Check out the timing belts and tensioners to see if the non-distributor-side belt broke (unlikely, per description), or if a belt has loosened up and jumped a tooth or two.

 

The low oil pressure may be phantom.  What do you mean by "it would come on when Id turn the key over"? Sender wire may be off, you may have hooked a pressure guage up to an "idiot light" sender, or the sender could have been damaged in the whole wrecking yard/install experience.  (I had a damaged sender that would rotate enough for me to get negative readings...)

[Skylar]

It's a FI motor out of a 92 loyale in my 88 gl D/R

No nasty mechanical noises so I don't think it's a valve either. Ill check the ignition timing again but I don't think the T belts slipped a tooth.

And the oil pressure gauge would go up if I turned the key over but when Id fire up the motor it would stay below 0 and not go back up.

[NorthWet]

I suspect that your oil sender wire is hooked up to a dash-light ("idiot-Light") sender:  This would give you a high-pressure indication with the engine off, but as soon as pressure came up to 5-ish PSI the gauge would drop to 0 (-ish).  If you are unsure, the pressure sender is a relatively big can, perhaps 2" in diameter and about that long.  The light sender is not much a dinky-ish nub:  IIRC, it is short and less than an inch in diameter.  The outside of its body has the flats for wrench or socket.

[NorthWet]

Oh... perhaps a silly thing to look for, but...

 

Are all of the sparkplugs (and wires) still where they should be?  I have seen a loose spark plug vibrate all of the way out before.

[Skylar]

I have the wire hooked up to the light sender, I had it wired to the pressure sender but it still didn't do anything.

And yes, yesterday morning before I left my house I snugged up my intake bolts because my idle was bouncing around and I tightened up the spark plugs and checked everything out. So spark plugs and wires are all intact.

[NorthWet]

Since you mentioned a vacuum leak... How about a vacuum leak?  Possible issues with PCV tubing, IAC tube, brake booster (though you made no comment about brake effort increasing).  Couldn't see any more obvious sources other than intake gaskets.

[NorthWet]

The oil pressure sender might be toast on your engine.  If it came with the engine, good chance of it being damaged.  If you ground the sender wire and your gauge gives you a full-scale reading, and remove the wire and get a minimum reading, wiring and gauge are ok.  Right now, it looks like you are geting at least minimal pressure, something that should register on the gauge.

[Skylar]

Uhm didn't hear any vac leaks I did hear an exhaust leak by my muffler, no issues with pcv hoses they're all fairly new from the dealer, I've replaced just about ever vacuum line and intake/rad hose on the car lol intake gaskets are new but not oem. IAC and throttle body have all been cleaned out and iac has been replaced, I have a couple junkyard ones .

It was leaking a decent amount of oil on to the Cat and passenger side axle, on crossmembers etc. I could've possibly messed up my installation on my rear main and it went POP ! I don't know at this point ...

[mikaleda]

Just a thought but maybe your centrifical advance (under your rotor) messed up. Try pulling your cap off check and make sure that is working properly

[Skylar]

I'm not at home right now I'm gonna look into it tomorrow. I towed it home and then left for the day ..

[MilesFox]

I'll bet the cap came loose and caused the car to backfire out the throttle and stall. you probably need a new cap if it is still running rough. good luck

Edited by MilesFox, 15 February 2013 - 06:40 PM.

[Skylar]

Ok thanks for the tip, ill pull em off when I get home and replace em, see what that does. Ill check the timing as well.

[NorthWet]

Just a thought but maybe your centrifical advance (under your rotor) messed up. Try pulling your cap off check and make sure that is working properly

No centrifugal advance on this distributor.

[Subruise]

i had a ea82 that had a pencil eraser sized hole in a valve that acted like this and didnt make a racket. however, dropping a valve and burning one are two diff things. 

 

 

 

we'll get it figured out. maybe i can get a sitter for sunday and come give ya a hand..

[Skylar]

Well, I got a new cap n rotor. Went home and found a nice little chunk missin from the rotor, replaced the cap n rotor and still getting the same results. Crappy idle and acceleration, I didn't try to drive it though ... My alternator seems to be crappy, lights get dim at low rpm and brighten up when I step on the gas

[Subruise]

well, thats one down at least

[Skylar]

Lol yep. Didn't check the ignition timing but could be a possibility .

[Skylar]

And if ya can't get a sitter it's no biggie man .

[Subruise]

ive got FSMs and a how to keep your subaru alive you can borrow if you treat em nice

[mikaleda]

No centrifugal advance on this distributor.

Ahh I didn't know that, learn something new everyday on this forum it seems like

[scoobiedubie]

If the dipstick is not fully inserted, or the breather tubes that come off of the camtower covers, are either cracked or disconnected, expect idling problems.  The vaccuum lines plug into a number of gadgets with fragile plastic male connectors.  Those connectors can break off from just from leaning on the engine or vaccuum line.  Then you no longer have a vaccuum and will run rough.  The plug wires metal ends get green, corroded and break inside of the disty cap.  The points in the disty cap get corroded and require regular scraping every 2500 miles.  Check the two lines that go to the alternator to make sure that they are no loose.  I am not familiar with your distributor but check the electrical lines to make sure they are snapped in properly.  Timing belts get loose and should be looked at by removing the front covers.  You should consider replacing the plugs, plug wires and alternator, next.  When you pull the plugs, you should inspect them for any unusual color.  A dark color may mean a oil leak that may represent an impending cylinder head gasket failure.  Check the compression while you have the plugs out.  Look for anything out of the ordinary.

Edited by scoobiedubie, 16 February 2013 - 12:02 PM.

[Skylar]

Like I said before, all pcv hoses are new from dealer and not disconnected. Including the breather hoses off of the valve covers
Same with other vac lines, most of em have been replaced . Plugs are not even 6 months old, wires could be changed out but not corroded. All wires going to the alternator are clamped down and connected.

[Skylar]

I have no way to test the alternator but I know it is kind of weak, i have a maxima alternator sitting in my garage and a
Double belt pulley that I could throw in to see if it helps anything. But I don't think my alternator was the thing that went POP !

[scoobiedubie]

On 86 gl10's, the hot wire that goes to the alternator, incredibly melts every 15,000 miles, at a point within 10 inches of the alternator.  It gets brittle, hot and then either snaps or melts.  You will get symptoms of a weak alternator, exactly as you have described, just before that wire completely breaks.  I recommend inspecting that wire by pulling away the black flexible tubing that protects it.