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| Car Flooded, been running really bad, dunno what to do | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jul 17 2012, 04:02 PM (1,032 Views) | |
| hpb | Jul 17 2012, 04:02 PM Post #1 |
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Fresh Fish
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I'm not a mechanic type person, I can fix computers all day long but when it comes to a car I am completely lost. I have a 1993 Geo Metro and when I first got it (~6 months ago) the car ran great and got almost 50 mpg. Recently the car has been dropping performance. It's been getting about 35 mpg or so and when I go up a hill it tends to have real trouble pulling its weight. If I drive it over a long distance it starts to idle really strangely and will stall if I don't keep it above 1000 rpm. Also, if it stalls it's hard to start back without flooring the pedal. Last night I was at walmart and it just wouldn't start and I kept flooring the pedal. Thankfully, it did start and I made it on the highway but the car seemed to be stuttering really bad (I'm guessing the cylinders were filled with a lot of gas but I dunno) I made it to a stoplight and the car instantly died and I couldn't get it started at all, had to push it over to the shoulder of the highway. I had to get a ride from a friend and left the car on the side of the highway. I got a ride over there today and tried to start it again. It seems to want to start, it cranks over but I think it's completely flooded with gas; spark plugs, cylinders etc. Is there a quick way to get a car's cylinders unflooded? I was doing some research and was thinking this whole low performance and flooding of the engine might be caused by a leaky fuel injector but I'm not 100% sure. Just really need a little help and guidance here. |
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| Bad Bent | Jul 17 2012, 04:23 PM Post #2 |
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Facetious Educated Donkey
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Welcome to your new forum, hpb! If flooded then you mash the pedal to the floor and that adds maximum air. If it will start it will do so after some initial struggling. When it stalls you should use a plug socket and wrench to unscrew one plug and see if it is wet or dry. Yes, we have injector problems. you can open the air cleaner and look inside to see if gas id dripping from the injector. Look when it is dry and when trying to start it. It should have a nice fine "cone" spray pattern. You may have been able to drive it clean with some Chevron Techron or Seafoam added to the gas tank when this first started. Now it may need a new injector if that is the problem. Click on Fuel Injector Cleaning and Fuel Injectors FOR SALE. The other problem may be the fuel filter. You can pull the large fuel hose off the Throttle Body, insert it in a gas can, turn on the engine and you should get fuel. Proper way to check fuel to the injector/TB is to use a fuel gauge "T'd" into the hose. Actually you should hear the fuel pump run for a few seconds when you turn on the key. You can get a piece of clear plastic tube and couple it between the Throttle Body and smaller 'return' fuel hose to see if you have fuel returning to the gas tank. |
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| hpb | Jul 17 2012, 04:41 PM Post #3 |
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Fresh Fish
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Thanks for the reply, glad to be on such a good forum I'll do those things you suggested when I get another ride back to the car. Good to know I was thinking in the right direction. Also, assuming this engine is flooded what can I even do? I'm almost positive the cylinders are flooded all to hell with gas. If I look and see that the fuel injector is indeed leaking and that ends up being the problem and I replace the fuel injector, the cylinders would still be flooded and wouldn't start correct? Do I need to just wait or is there some secret tech magic I can use? ![]() Edited by hpb, Jul 17 2012, 04:42 PM.
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| Bad Bent | Jul 17 2012, 05:16 PM Post #4 |
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Facetious Educated Donkey
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My experience has been that waiting 15-30-45 minutes allows the plugs to dry and gas to drain into the crank case. We aren't talking a full liter here. To dry out the cylinders... You could disconnect the fuel pump relay in the engine compartment fies box. I just unscrewed the "box" and unplugged the relay from below. http://geometroforum.com/single/?p=256778&t=2559772 Then try starting the engine to remove the fuel. I used a 10mm box end wrench and Phillips screwdriver. OR Just unscrew the spark plugs and let the cylinders dry. Seriously - someone else may have a better ideas on the problem. Air filter clean? If dirty try starting without it. Is the check engine light on? The last issue may be low compression but you can check that later. |
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| hpb | Jul 20 2012, 06:12 PM Post #5 |
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Fresh Fish
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Finally got it started by upping the timing just a hair but it's still not running right (having to push the gas pedal down when I start it, won't idle below 1000 without dying). I'm going to borrow someone's compression checker here in a couple days and see what the cylinders are sitting at then I will go from there. I figured I also might as well run some chevron cleaner and some 93 gas for a bit, I guess it can't hurt it. Air filter is good and there is no check engine light, the fuel injector is spraying a perfect cone and no leaks as well that I can see, also checked the timing and it was right on the money so not sure why that made it start but it did. It's running at about 8 over 0, checked it with a timing gun.** Edited by hpb, Jul 20 2012, 06:22 PM.
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9:42 AM Jul 11