Need some help with whats wrong with my car (this will be long/detailed)

swallent

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Ok I rarely post on here but I lurk a lot. well now I am in over my head and I could use some help if you guys wouldnt mind. This will be a very detailed post of whats going on...figured the more deatails the better to help me...

Here is my car setup: 1998 Cobra I have the IMRC's deleted and I did the radio shack thing where the the IMRC controller is simulated. Also have an SCT mail order tune to help compensate for this. for the last 2 years it has worked flawless. Other than that car is 100% stock...22000 orgional miles...its a garage queen

The orgional Issue: Well its a long story but after I was putting the car back together from the IMRC delete I busted a bolt that holds the fuel rail down to the lower intake. I wont say how I jerry rigged it to work but I did...until this spring I decided to fix it right. this required the removal of the imrc plates to get a bolt extractor to work.

Got it and got it all set and repaired. reassembled and start the car here are the symptoms which are different with both tries I made:

On Saturdays attempt: car would start...but would not idle without some help from the gas pedal. had a very rough idle...engine shaking badly and knocking. the computer compensated and I took it to get some fresh fuel thought that might be the issue (.25 mile trip). Car bucked and ran rough no knocking all the way. on the way back had to keep it running with the pendal it was staling like crazy. Did all the checks I could think of. No smoke from the exhaust. emptied oil...no coolant in oil or Vise versa. 2 cans of starter fluid no vacume leaks...no codes that the SCT could find. Fine I think somethings not sealed right or I goofed something up in the very lower intake. Also returned the SCT progam back to stock

Sunday: rip it all appart again and inspect everything very closely. all gaskets look fine...no visual cracking of any kind. reassemble the car going very slow...making sure all gasket mating surfaces are extremly clean. I follow the torq procedure precisely in the Haynes Manual in the exact order. wait 20 mins and check bolts again...they are holding thier recommended Nm. Finish assembly. Start car...it wont start. cranks a couple times...finally starts with help of gas peda and runs very very rough and extremly rich and as soon as I let off gas. it dies. Wife noted it was blowing a greyish smoke. I watched on time while she ran it one time. its like a fuel cloud LOL...so rich.
then I ran all the usuals again....excpt for a vaccum leak check cause it wont even run.
No check engine
No Coolant in engine oil or vise versa
I know there is fuel pressue to the lines.
no CEL/CODES...
did notice one time the THEFT light was flasshing really fast but a battery reset seems to have fixed it....
So thats it I am throwing in the towel...I need some help. I am debating taking/towing it to the dealer...but this is my last ditch effort first.

Any thoughts? Bad computer maybe? PATS?
 
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swallent

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Forgot to add something...Sorry.

On saturdays attempt...computer did throw a code refrencing the IAC. I replaced it. code has been gone ever since
 

Toasty

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How did you 'repair' the IMRC that had the busted bolt? Do you have the phenolic or metal IMRC's ('98 should be Phenolic/aka Plastic)?

I would disassemble, and use a machinists straight edge to check the IMRC's for flatness. I wouldnt trust a standard ruler for this.

I would then replace the gaskets, both above and below the IMRC's.

Reassemble and test again.
 

Toasty

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Did you try flashing the ECU back to stock??

+1.

Your SCT tune should 100% remove the IMRC controller box from doing anything. I'm suspicious of your radio shack setup (did any wires get pulled/disconnected when you were taking things apart)?

My SCT tuner turned off my IMRC's and I removed the controller completely.
 

swallent

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How did you 'repair' the IMRC that had the busted bolt? Do you have the phenolic or metal IMRC's ('98 should be Phenolic/aka Plastic)?

I would disassemble, and use a machinists straight edge to check the IMRC's for flatness. I wouldnt trust a standard ruler for this.

I would then replace the gaskets, both above and below the IMRC's.

Reassemble and test again.

I took it off the block...removed the gaskets to protect them. and then I used a snap on bolt removal kit. and verified that the threads were ok ahead of time using a replacement bolt...and it threaded all the way to the bottom no issues.

they are the plastic ones...do you really think they warped? crap
 

swallent

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+1.

Your SCT tune should 100% remove the IMRC controller box from doing anything. I'm suspicious of your radio shack setup (did any wires get pulled/disconnected when you were taking things apart)?

My SCT tuner turned off my IMRC's and I removed the controller completely.

Lets me cover this a little more. The tune I had did indeed turn off the IMRC completely. the radioshack thing was a temporary fix until I could get the tune in my hands. It worked really well...I'm trying to find the write up now

all wires are perfect condition...checked them out too
 

swallent

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Hey Chris...no I didnt...I bought the replacment wires last year from AUTOZONE and put them on. they ran good for about 1500 MIles. I never thought about that though....I will re-wire the car tonight very carefully. Does anybody know...if I coil is going bad..does that throw a check engine?

DAMN never thought about that one
 

MR.ADAMS

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X2 on the spark issue. Doesn't sound intake related at all, more like mixed up plug wires somewhere. Make sure to check that out.
 

Chris98vobra

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I doubt that you lost a coil pack. But make sure the wires are in the right holes and that they are all getting spark. Also make sure the coil packs are both plugged in. :) No kidding.... I have done that before and it runs with just 4 cylinders very much like you describe.
 

swallent

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Ok this will sound very novice...which I am sure it is...but please tell me how I can check to see if my wires are getting spark? meter them?
 

T.Bone

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I normally take off the wire that I want to test and use a screw driver and hold it close to a ground, you should see the arc jump. You could also use a spare/used plug while holding the threads to a ground.
 
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swallent

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Tim how ya doin! havent talked to you in a while. thanks for the tip! this spark thing sounds like a good lead...it does almost seem like not all the cylendars are firing as I sit here and think about it. I am gonna do all my wires all over again tonight and test for spark on each I think also. I just cant help but wonder if the coil went bad...will have to see if chilton or haynes says how to diagnose
 

STAMPEDE3

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I'd get those crap wires off of there in the process.

They are bad enough by themselves and worse every time you fool with them.
 

swallent

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I'd get those crap wires off of there in the process.

They are bad enough by themselves and worse every time you fool with them.

Dealer ones ok? I'll call a dealer and see if they have any...I dont mind paying 80 bux for a good part...just want to get the right one...
 

Chris98vobra

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Tim how ya doin! havent talked to you in a while. thanks for the tip! this spark thing sounds like a good lead...it does almost seem like not all the cylendars are firing as I sit here and think about it. I am gonna do all my wires all over again tonight and test for spark on each I think also. I just cant help but wonder if the coil went bad...will have to see if chilton or haynes says how to diagnose

The Haynes specs are off for the secondary resistance. Unless you check them and one reads open, I doubt that is the problem. These don't go bad very often nand yours hasn't got many miles on them.
 

swallent

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Cool Chris I will go with them being ok and start with some new Plug wires. Thats a 20 Min attemted repair in the garage. Since Haynes is inacurate...is there a diagram on here somone knows if that shows which cylendar goes to which coil plug?
 
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