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92 xfi running rough and hard to start
Topic Started: Mar 8 2013, 05:48 PM (900 Views)
jherman93
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[ *  * ]
Well I just found out which pins to jump to get the timing set thanks to my last thread, now I've discovered the reason it's running so horribly is because of a different issue, so I thought a new thread with a different title was more appropriate.

Anyways, I don't know diddly squat about the history of this car, I think it's been all screwed up by the P.O. Right now, the engine is not running smooth and it's very shaky. It's lucky if it gets started and when it does, it wants to die unless I'm giving it a little gas for the first few seconds. The intake is extremely oily because there's a crapload of smoke coming out of the PCV valve and there's a little bit of smoke from the exhaust. I can't tell what color, it's a little blue, a little white. It's pretty thin and it's not black though. It really wants to stall and die when moving the throttle just a little unless this green connector is unplugged:

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As you can see, there's a load of oil in the carb and the green connector is unplugged. The IAC valve sucks like crazy and the car wants to stall when I block off the hose, so I figure that's working well. It does just fine when it's plugged back in, too.

It's just this green connector. I don't know what it does or what it goes to. If someone could point out what it's for and theorize why it makes the engine run worse when it's plugged in, that would be great.

I can tell you that with it unplugged, it seems like the idle rpms take just a little bit longer to settle back down, but they do eventually come down to a decent rate. IDK what that is exactly because I don't have a tach, but it's not too high. Also, with it unplugged, the CEL is on.


Thanks all! Hope I can get some advice to clear this up.
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Rang-a-Stang
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Schmuck

The green plug/sensor is your Coolant temp sensor (CTS). I would assume your CEL is giving you a code 14 with that unhooked. I would assume your CTS is bad and when you hook it up, it is telling your computer your engine is smoking hot (shorted). As the engine heats up, the resistance goes down. they are really cheap (like 10 bucks) so I would go ahead and replace it.

It sounds to me like you have bad rings. You should check your compression... If there is smoke blowing out the PCV and your throtlle body is that oilly, I think you are getting really bad blowby.
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Coche Blanco
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Check your compression, before messing around with anything else.
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jherman93
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Just checked compression. Wet test with throttle full open left to right is 220-220-215. The spark plugs were pretty black, but dry before the compression test. The pictures don't exactly capture exactly what it looks like, but here's the middle plug. The other two were pretty much the same.


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They were also all three gapped above .050 when I checked. I adjusted them down to about .040, but I couldn't tell if that helped because it's not starting at all now (which is why they're a little wet looking). Bringing the gap down may have made it worse, idk. :banghead I don't understand why they're so black anyways because I was told these were recently new before I bought the car last September.

I'm gonna get some new spark plugs and see if that helps. Can anyone tell me how to tell if the distributor is worn down? I've only ever had distributorless ignition cars and I've got no experience with a worn cap or rotor.

Does anybody have any other ideas what could be wrong? I'm probably going to replace the CTS while I'm at it just in case. Is there anything else I should be considering replacing?
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Coche Blanco
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If you don't know the last time the cap/rotor were replaced, replace them, and the wires. (and the plugs)
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1DCGUY
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Don't be a "Richard"

What were the dry compression #'s? :ermm:

I can put a bunch of oil in my cylinders, and pretty much get the #'s you have, but my dry #'s are in the 150 range.
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Deleted User
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Those spark plugs are worn out.

Get some new ones.

New gap = 0.039"

They wear about 0.003" after 15,000 miles.

The wear accelerates after the first 15,000 miles. When the center electrode begins to round off around the edges, toss them.

Your best bet is to replace them every 15,000 miles.
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jherman93
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Thanks everyone! I guess I wish I would've done a dry test before I returned the rental compression tester. I dry tested the compression last year after buying it and IIRC, the readings were between 165 and 190 I think. :hmm

I just got some spark plugs from O-Realy's when I returned the compression tester to see if that would get it running. I wanted to get it started this weekend and order the rest of the supplies through RockAuto to save a little dough. I'll probably just order everything else and replace them all next weekend. Do you guys have advice for any other potential wear items (or things in the same general area) I might replace while I'm at it so I don't have to bother with them in the next 6-12 months or so?

:cheers
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jherman93
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Rang-a-Stang
Mar 8 2013, 05:56 PM
The green plug/sensor is your Coolant temp sensor (CTS)....~~~....they are really cheap (like 10 bucks) so I would go ahead and replace it.
Where do you find them for this price? I see some on RockAuto from $6-$11 with a different style connector, will that work? Or should I just spring for the ones that are $14+ with minimum $10 shipping?
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dayle1960
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Fastest Hampster EVER

oreillys has one for $17.
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Rang-a-Stang
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jherman93
Mar 9 2013, 08:38 PM
Rang-a-Stang
Mar 8 2013, 05:56 PM
The green plug/sensor is your Coolant temp sensor (CTS)....~~~....they are really cheap (like 10 bucks) so I would go ahead and replace it.
Where do you find them for this price? I see some on RockAuto from $6-$11 with a different style connector, will that work? Or should I just spring for the ones that are $14+ with minimum $10 shipping?
I guess my memory is as bad as my looks. I went into my receipts and found that I paid 17.99 at Kragen 2 years ago. Sorry. :smackface
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jherman93
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Rang-a-Stang
Mar 11 2013, 12:40 PM
jherman93
Mar 9 2013, 08:38 PM
Rang-a-Stang
Mar 8 2013, 05:56 PM
The green plug/sensor is your Coolant temp sensor (CTS)....~~~....they are really cheap (like 10 bucks) so I would go ahead and replace it.
Where do you find them for this price? I see some on RockAuto from $6-$11 with a different style connector, will that work? Or should I just spring for the ones that are $14+ with minimum $10 shipping?
I guess my memory is as bad as my looks. I went into my receipts and found that I paid 17.99 at Kragen 2 years ago. Sorry. :smackface
No prob. I just added one of the $14 ones on RockAuto to my order of the rest of the tuneup items. It added about $5 shipping, so I wish I would've checked this thread before I put the order in. I see OReilly's has them in stock for about $15 and I could've gotten it right away, but I didn't think about it when I was at OReilly's Saturday. Oh well. Only a couple bucks and I don't have a chance to work on it until this weekend anyways.
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