Self Inflicted Stupid
Haven’t had a chance to do the compression test yet- hopefully tonight.
Looks a lot like this is a bad injector. I will have to build myself a test fixture to check the injectors so I know what they need. Which means something to give me 30 psi of fuel. Think I’ll use kerosene so I don’t blow myself up. At least, not as readily.
This may be because of a small stupidity I inflicted on myself some months ago- I ran out of gas on my way home- You know the drill, “I think I have enough gas to make it to the next Shell station” and “not”. This is the first time I have done that with the explorer, so I suspect the accumulated sludge of 17,000 gallons of petrol is now in my fuel rail and injectors.
15 comments Og | Uncategorized
That’s OK. No worse than me having a dead battery yesterday at the doctor’s, getting a jump, noting that things still weren’t working right and trying to drive it home anyway, only to have it die on me at a 3-way stop on a busy two-lane suburban road…and not having my cell phone with me. Nothing to do for it but put the hood up (no flashers; battery was completely dead) and go find a phone.
Luckily, it was only a half-mile walk to a friendly business office and then only about 10 minutes till AAA showed up.
But it sure blew my afternoon to pieces. Next time I’ll just go with my first inclination and call AAA instead of getting a free jump from the hospital security guy.
Heh, yesterday morning my brand new battery was stone dead as well.
Hooked up the charger and heard a nasty hum from the passenger side door – turns out the driving sleet we had(mixed with road salt) got into the power door lock panel and shorted the switch.
I yanked the fuse, jumped it and all good. Now I just need to disassemble the panel and see if I can weatherproof it.
I hear the way to do that, og, is to get a handheld grease-gun and a pressure gauge in-line on the output to your injector.
You can get great pressure cheaply and easily, with good hand-control.
(And the sludge-removing trick I’ve heard of is to put some motor oil in the fuel tank. Evidently cleans it, and any shellac deposits, right out.
Not sure it’s a good idea on gas engines, though – that was suggested for diesels…)
uh, hello, dude? I thought the car was dead? move on already. geez, i can’t imagine what you’re like at a funeral. are you one of those coffin grabbers/clinchers? just wondering.
You might indeed have a contaminated fuel injection system, but that would NOT explain the overtemp condition in the exhaust manifold.
I feel your pain, my stuck wheel cylinder has turned into a faulty rubber brake line….I think…maybe…I hope.
So, supergirl, I should what, just kill myself? It’s dead, I’ll just blow my fucking head off. Don’t bother trying to fix the problem, just curl up and die.
Riverdog: The Ford EFI senses O2 at each cylinder bank. If one injector (or more!) is clogged, the computer bumps up fuel on that bank (since there isn’t an O2 sensor for each cylinder) and the extra, unburned fuel burns off in the exhaust manifold. Different proicess but same result with lean burn.
Og,
There is simply no finer product for the dissoulotion of varnish and/or sludge than BG-44-K.
If you’re familiar with Chevron Techron, that’s 10% 44-K, and 90% alchohol.
The BG product is 100% pure, full strength goodness. Bonus, if you can’t get carbon out of your AR’s nooks n’ crannies, it’s proof on that, too.
Now, for continued maintenence of any fuel injection system. Quart of Marvel Mystery Oil, monthy, for average usage.
Cleans and lubricates. Been around for ages, but it’s still the ticket for engine top-end upkeep without disassembly.
Give these two liquids a try before you resort to the higher orders of engineering. Likely you’ll be satisfied with the results.
Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Been thinking I’ll use some 44k mixed wiht some kerosene to clean the injectors. I believe them to be beyond on-car cleaning.
I’ve never tried the chemicals Jim suggested, but a can or two of Seafoam through the gas tank should also clean those injectors just fine.
But…ya gotta find out why everything’s so rich. How old are the O2 sensors, and is this an OBD-II system where you could hook up a scantool? I’ve probably mentioned it before, but that Autoenginuity package that runs on a laptop is great for monitoring what the O2 sensors are doing. Failing that, a really high input impedance DVM will measure the O2 voltage without loading them down too much.
O2 sensors check out OK. I have a scantool wiht a computer interface. I think I have an injector or injectors that are so clogged they are beyond the ability of the system to self adjust- (though theglowing manifold makes me think it’s trying)
not you, doofus, the car, let it go. it longs to be reinCARnated, to the big lot in the sky and all.
the stress, the money, the time. as much as you drive? you need to drive something reliable and a kia is going to kill off what women aren’t running from you already. this i know.
the visual of you curled up sobbing, a good one, though. thanks for that, smartass.
Um, supergirl? Do you know someone who is gonna shit me the money to buy a new fucking car? because I WOULDN’T BE WORRIED ABOUT FIXING THIS ONE IF I HAD THE SCRATCH TO BUY A NEW ONE.
jesus. How many times do I have to say that before someone reads it.