sick esprit-need help
Discussion
Hi, my name is Rick and I'm looking for some guidance.I have recently purchased a 1988 turbo esprit, I am not by any means mechanically comfortable with this car. This car ran decent when I first purchased it, but it is slowly deteriorating. The car is running extremly rich, very low vacuum, shuts off when slowing down or coming to a stop. Also I no longer hear the air discharge from the turbo. On the up side I have good compression,although I have not done a leak down as of yet. I've looked at a few of the obvious, Vacuum leaks etc. but no luck. Any suggestions,where should I start?
The 88' is not to be feared mechanically... I started off knowing very little (my car is federal and Bosch K-Jetronic) and picked up knowledge along the way.
As for the described problem... is you car a Carb or K-jet fuel system?
Most things that can cut out in the K-jet system would tend to make the car run in a lean condition...
However, the lambda sensor could be sending the incorrect signal to the frequency valve (or sometimes called the kricket valve in local circles due to the sound it creates). It is possible that this would hold the valve open...?
The turbo, if stock, is T3 with the "lower" waste gate not actually on the turbo. They have been known to stick, but this should in no way cause a rich fuel mixture.
A crappy CAT could come apart and clog the exhaust system... causing a drop in performance... but I should think this would also create a lean condition as the Lambda sensor would read a lot more exhaust build up?
There are 2 solinoids in the rear quarter of the car mounted high on the inside right of the hatch when looking at the open hatch... If either of these goes bad your vacuum pull could be compromised - but no leak detected.
Your brakes would def. be weak if you have a significant vacuum leak... and your pump will be ticking. However, on the K-jet cars there is very little vacuum supplied by the vacuum pump to the fuel system... this is a pretty good diagram...
http://rb-k.bosch.de/resources/litera
www.auto-solve.com/mech_inj.htm
I'll pull out the technical manual tonight and see what I can find for better ideas and post tomorrow...
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
As for the described problem... is you car a Carb or K-jet fuel system?
Most things that can cut out in the K-jet system would tend to make the car run in a lean condition...
However, the lambda sensor could be sending the incorrect signal to the frequency valve (or sometimes called the kricket valve in local circles due to the sound it creates). It is possible that this would hold the valve open...?
The turbo, if stock, is T3 with the "lower" waste gate not actually on the turbo. They have been known to stick, but this should in no way cause a rich fuel mixture.
A crappy CAT could come apart and clog the exhaust system... causing a drop in performance... but I should think this would also create a lean condition as the Lambda sensor would read a lot more exhaust build up?
There are 2 solinoids in the rear quarter of the car mounted high on the inside right of the hatch when looking at the open hatch... If either of these goes bad your vacuum pull could be compromised - but no leak detected.
Your brakes would def. be weak if you have a significant vacuum leak... and your pump will be ticking. However, on the K-jet cars there is very little vacuum supplied by the vacuum pump to the fuel system... this is a pretty good diagram...
http://rb-k.bosch.de/resources/litera
www.auto-solve.com/mech_inj.htm
I'll pull out the technical manual tonight and see what I can find for better ideas and post tomorrow...
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
Edited by Autocross7 on Tuesday 9th January 00:04
Edited by Autocross7 on Tuesday 9th January 00:07
since you are not comfortable with the car ... how can you know it is running rich? and how can you tell it is low on vacuum??? have you taken measurements?
I think that you need to be much more specific if you want help from a message board.
I dont even know how a brake problem was inferred from your post. did I miss something?
We can help here but we need some information.
I think that you need to be much more specific if you want help from a message board.
I dont even know how a brake problem was inferred from your post. did I miss something?
We can help here but we need some information.
The reason I believe the car is running rich is because the spark plugs are loaded with carbon, The exhaust pipe has heavy residual as well. The car has been sitting for three months at a repair shop, but little has been done.The only information I have at this point from the mechanic is that I have good compression. When I had the car home I checked vacuum at the intake manifold and a few other areas and I believe it was only 8 inches Hg. I checked vacuum at the pump itself and had good vacuum(20 Hg). I am not sure how much the vacuum pump influences the fuel delivery or combustion. I have no vacuum at the EBPV, although it is wired open-but not fully open. I disconected the cat, no change in performance.The other issue is I have lost the turbo boost, power is down considerably. It seems as though I may have multiple problems.thanks Bo and auto
Rick, I would start trouble shooting with the lambda (O2) sensor. Especially if your sensor is the original. When these things start to go out, they go one side or the other... so if your O2 is incorrectly reading a lean condition, you motor would start running rich. Either way, you will prob. want to replace the O2 sensor just the same as it has been living in a rich exhaust and could be no longer up to par from this condition. JAE for around $120 I think... The Bosch # on the part is Lotus specific and even the Bosch rep will scratch his head over the last few digits.
I am curious to know if you simply disconect the O2 sensor if your rich condition will improve? The 88' is not totally computerized, so the car should fall back on a simple fuel curve map... (not that the car will run well like this, just better than flooded out)
As for vacuum. This should not be your issue. You have tested the vacuum as noted above, and as I stated above, if you had a significant leak your pump would be 'ticking' and your brakes would feel weak (just pulling the throttle jacking line can create these conditions until the motor is warm - so actually it does not take a large leak at all).
The fuel dist unti on the K-jet system is not a common failure, so I'd stay away from it until there were no other fault diagnosing bits to go through.
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
I am curious to know if you simply disconect the O2 sensor if your rich condition will improve? The 88' is not totally computerized, so the car should fall back on a simple fuel curve map... (not that the car will run well like this, just better than flooded out)
As for vacuum. This should not be your issue. You have tested the vacuum as noted above, and as I stated above, if you had a significant leak your pump would be 'ticking' and your brakes would feel weak (just pulling the throttle jacking line can create these conditions until the motor is warm - so actually it does not take a large leak at all).
The fuel dist unti on the K-jet system is not a common failure, so I'd stay away from it until there were no other fault diagnosing bits to go through.
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
my question, Are these compression readings normal and or acceptable, and is a leak down neccessary based on this info? cylinder 1[184] cylinder2 [182] cylinder3[185] cylinder4[181]. probably a stupid question but I am still strugling with this rich condition. So far cold start injector checked out,fuel injector good, good spark present, ignition timing good, turbo charger checked no leaks in hoses no false air intake. New O2 sensor ordered and on the way although this has been replaced by previous owner. based on trouble shooting guide in shop manual Im wondering if I should be loking at trottle position switch, and also basic mixture-seems as though i would need all the neccessary lotus test gadgets.-running so rich moisture spitting from tail pipe.
I have made improvements on my rich fuel condition, although I dont have any of the proper instruments[ shop manual] needed for this job ,I made a move on the mixture adjustment screw while the car was at idle now the car has significantly more power and the turbo is kicking in, so things are looking up. I was wondering the best way to set the fuel mixture with out having access to these particular instruments. I'm concerned I could possibly be too lean, not sure and i dont want a melt down. Lastly how do I know if I am getting proper boost. Should I have x amount of boost at x amount of RPM?
I have never had to mess with the mixture screw (located on the fuel dist unit)- but it is certainly a place that can create an issue. I wonder, without tampering, how it moved to begin with? could be a bad thread seat? Anyway... Glad you are making head way.
As for boost, I start indicating boost around 2700rpm and I indicate full boost at 3000 rpm. As far as anything I have read or heard, this is normal. My boost comes on real smooth unlike some of the other cars I have driven - so I have not tampered with boost at all. If it is not broke, I do not try to fix it!
Compression numbers look good to me. Every car is a little different, but your numbers are acceptable accross the cylinders. A problem is usually indicated when one number is way off, or none of the numbers are close to each other. If you are having to make a guess at the mixture - you are correct to guess on the high side. Better rich than lean. Some guys here like color tune spark plugs, but I have no idea how good they really are - and I have never used one. At face value, the concept seems good enough...
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
As for boost, I start indicating boost around 2700rpm and I indicate full boost at 3000 rpm. As far as anything I have read or heard, this is normal. My boost comes on real smooth unlike some of the other cars I have driven - so I have not tampered with boost at all. If it is not broke, I do not try to fix it!
Compression numbers look good to me. Every car is a little different, but your numbers are acceptable accross the cylinders. A problem is usually indicated when one number is way off, or none of the numbers are close to each other. If you are having to make a guess at the mixture - you are correct to guess on the high side. Better rich than lean. Some guys here like color tune spark plugs, but I have no idea how good they really are - and I have never used one. At face value, the concept seems good enough...
Drive topless!!!
Cameron
Edited by Autocross7 on Tuesday 16th January 18:51
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