Idle sputter?

[sjbsuperman1425]

i started it today and let it idle for a bit, fixed all the vacuum lines so now i have 20 vacuum. but when doing this, i notices that it kind of sputters a little bit on and off at idle. I did adjust the idle screw a bit because it was idling kind of high. I have good oil pressure, although i am running pretty rich (i have a walbro), and i am just running on the O2 housing, no downpipe or catback exhaust.

i know these engines tend to have a cold start issue but the engine is still kind of warm. about 3 lines up on the stock C-H gauge in the cluster. Im hoping its nothing like a rod knock or lifter. I can't hear any noises in the head but i just want to see what you guys think

My thought, is that its probably the exhaust and the richness. Maybe a fouling plug?

[articzap]

I have similar problems. Mine runs like **** from time to time. Sputtering from spark blow out. If your plugs are fooled like mine, its probably running to rich.

[sjbsuperman1425]

that what i though too. i have to get an adjustable FPR soon. What NISMO FPR should i get? Theres is the Type-A and Type-B?

[ca18detgabby]

what is your fuel pressure JB?

make sure to examine each plug as you pull them. if one is radically fresher looking than the others.

[sjbsuperman1425]

i replaced the plugs before i even put the motor in. But i will check anyway. Im pretty sure its because im running rich, i'll just have to get a new FPR.

[sjbsuperman1425]

update: i think this might pertain to my current problem, but i drove my car today and when it hit boost (5psi as of now) it sputtered very hard. i went back and tightened up some loose couplers (oops lol) so idk if its still because im running really rich or what.

[ca18detgabby]

vac leaks will cause spuddering and stalling. not to mention make u run mad rich.

just think you are trying to add X fuel based on Y amount of air(that your MAF reads). if Y mid way down the line goes down to Y-n(N=any number greater than zero) then you now are not getting the proper a/f mix.

lol, see algerbra is more important than you could ever imagine.

[sjbsuperman1425]

its a good thing i didn't fail Algebra then, just failed Geometry lol but anyway. I did have a small vac leak. Some line that comes from behind the manifold that i dont need. i plugged it with a bit from my Dremel set and tapped it up good for now. I checked the Vac on my Boost Gauge and its ready just around 19 or 20 VAC. im going to bleed the clutch and brake lines the rest of the way tomorrow and see how she drives then. Thanks for the help!

[articzap]

You spit and sputter in boost because of the fouled plugs. Why your plugs are fouling is something you have to figure out.

[sjbsuperman1425]

so pretty much its..

-get adjustable FPR-get new Spark Plugs-Drive

but for the FPR, will both the NISMO Type A FPR work as a bolt on? It says KA/SR only but it looks like it would fit?

[ca18detgabby]

I would doubt it is your FPR...... specially when you said you were having vac issues.

[boost_boy]

Is your oxygen sensor hooked-up? And if so, is it performing properly? Everybody points to the obvious vacuum leaks, but most times it's not even the case. Not hooking-up your knock sensor correctly, not hooking-up your oxygen sensor correctly or having a damaged oxygen sensor or not even checking the computer for trouble codes makes it very hard for anyone to help you. As many times as I've installed the CA's and SR's, I've never had any complaints about driveability issues. Maybe it's because I do it the right way or maybe it's because most of you just want to hear the damn thing fire up, but not properly hook all aspects of the eccs up correctly resulting in the same 'ol complaints on the forum. Please read guys "PLEASE" . We're having waaaaaaaaay too many driveabilty threads that are starting almost every other day. More seasoned members, especially first repliers, need to start referring these folks to the search button and stop entertaining them, first. They need to learn to do some leg work and we have enough valuable information on this forum about the CA to make all CA's run perfect, but no one seems to bother anymore to search for the necessary information.

Dee

[sjbsuperman1425]

im 99.9999% sure i know the problem. When i started the car the first time. The O2 Sensor wires were NOT hooked up correctly and was running VERY rich, so i think i fouled 1 or more plugs and if thats probably the reason why its running rough now. other than that it runs very good before boost. I KNOW everything is hooked up correctly. My car didn't have any plug for me to check codes ok (previous owners ) and im sorry about that. Im going to change out my plugs tonight after work and drive it and see hows shes doing.

Sorry for any hard feelings. and i for one am one who searches first, always have and always do, even before i was a member. Thanks for all the help though guys/gals. Other than this one problem, my car is running up to my standards.

[boost_boy]

im 99.9999% sure i know the problem. When i started the car the first time. The O2 Sensor wires were NOT hooked up correctly and was running VERY rich, so i think i fouled 1 or more plugs and if thats probably the reason why its running rough now. other than that it runs very good before boost. I KNOW everything is hooked up correctly. My car didn't have any plug for me to check codes ok (previous owners ) and im sorry about that. Im going to change out my plugs tonight after work and drive it and see hows shes doing.

Sorry for any hard feelings. and i for one am one who searches first, always have and always do, even before i was a member. Thanks for all the help though guys/gals. Other than this one problem, my car is running up to my standards.

No hard feelings at all, dude. But you don't need a plug to check your computer's codes. Research the method for checking the computer and tell me what you find. If you can't find anything on that topic, get back to us and I'll try and find it as well. And if not, I'll instruct you on how to get this done.

Dee

[sjbsuperman1425]

actually, i checked the plugs already, all are still good. I plugged a vacuum leak and boost leak yesterday and today, i was hitting 10psi then backfire lol. I do think the walbro is overrunning the stock FPR, but im going to buy a downpipe later on first.. i think thats a big reason that its kind of blah. same thing happened with my friends RB25, put a downpipe on it and it seems to straighten right up lol

[sjbsuperman1425]

just one more thing

I do appreciate the knowledge being shared on this Forum. Everybody has been great to help me out. just wanted to say that.

also, im going to replace my O2 sensor soon just incase.

[float_6969]

Get that O2 sensor replaced and see how it runs. I doubt the walbro is over running when the car is in boost. It should only do it at idle and part throttle. Also, you don't need a plug to check the codes on the ECU. Just a small flat blade screwdriver. The procedure is listed out in the FSM.

[sjbsuperman1425]

well today i went and got some free spark plugs (Advance Auto Warranties the others ) and replaced those, and i fixed the vacuum fitting on the back of the intake manifold that goes to the brake booster and the brakes work a little better(need another bleeding probably), and the engine idles a TON better. Driveability was also improved. I was going to get an SR Elbow, but i think the O2 is more important for now. It still a little rich. I hit around 9psi and it backfired so im thinking that the O2 Sensor is the cause. I'll get that in a couple days and see how it goes from there. Probably wont drive the car much, dont want to **** up another set of plugs

[articzap]

People love to blame the sensor and ignore the main cause. If your running rich it has to do with the fueling system.

[sjbsuperman1425]

the thing is, it will make you run richer if its bad. They are pretty old. Im not to happy with mine right now anyway. The wires can come right out of the clip so idk when/if im getting a good connection with the wires or not. and even so, after running rich for a week or two, carbon builds on it and it can affect readings. So in my case, it very well could be the problem. If not, i'll keep searched i have all the time in the world. Winters coming and im not driving it in the winter lol

[sjbsuperman1425]

Update: Well i started the car the other day after changing the plugs and it idled like a brand new 2009 Nissan Altima lol anyway, i let it warm up to operating temp, then gave it a couple small revs to hear her. Then i noticed the engine at idle would run rich and a little rough, ALSO, vacuum dropped from 20in/Hg. to 16in/Hg. Not good. But, I am currently enrolled in an Engine Service class in Community College, and my instructor happens to have owned a race shop and built high horsepower motors before (non-japanese). So i decided to take my problem to him. His conclusion was that the Fuel Pressure Regulator might be sticking, causing more fuel to be added at idle then normal, hence running rich and causing vacuum drop. I somewhat agree with this. What do you guys/gals think? Also, are the KA and CA FPR's the same? i have a spare KA FPR in the basement and was thinking of swapping them to see if it works.

P.S. When i found out, when running a walbro, the fuel pump hardwire is pointless. Just use a 30A fuse instead of a 10A fuse. Idk if anybody has done this or not but just incase lol

[sjbsuperman1425]

well i went and picked up the stock FPR from a KA24DE and am going to put it on the CA within the next couple days and see how it works. I figure, the NISMO Type A fits the SR and KA, and the Type A fits on the CA, so why wouldn't a stock KA fit on a stock CA rail right? If this doesn't work, im still stuck on the problem of running rich after short period of revving. So please keep the ideas coming. Im destined to figure this out so we can get this thread closed and Archived!

[float_6969]

Do you have a CA MAFS or a KA-E MAFS? (We don't archive threads anymore )

[sjbsuperman1425]

CA MAFS.

[sjbsuperman1425]

UPDATE: Well turned my car on this morning to see the symptoms again, and everything happened the same. Except instead, i found an interesting thing on my intake piping. Turns out there was a BIG hole in the piece that goes from the Throttle Body to the Cold Pipe. i had it tapped off as a temp. solution and i think thats what might be causing the problem? MAFS reading so much air and then having it ESCAPE from this whole, when the MAFS already told the ECU how much fuel to inject. This would also be a good place for that mysterious vacuum leak to appear. Seems logical to me. I plugged the whole GOOD this time . But its miss firing now lol. I'm going to try it again in the morning and see if i get the same misfire and all the original symptoms. If i get the misfire im going to go get, yet ANOTHER set of plugs. But will gap them at around .9 instead of 1.0. I hope this works lol. I'll feel like an idiot if this is what was causing my problem

P.S. I did NOT install the KA FPR. Just incase you were wondering.

[ca18detgabby]

vac leaks will cause a serious mis-fire issue.

[sjbsuperman1425]

LAST UPDATE: Well i never did replace the FPR. but i think i SOLVED my problem. Last post i said i had a hole in the intake tube right of the TB. Fixed that and replaced the spark plugs. Then it idled kind of rough and was shacky. I did a few revs, high ones, then she stalled! earlier this morning i moved the IC Cold pipe a little and it must of loosened a coupler a little and when i was revving the motor, the coupler from the Intake side of the IC came off. I put it back on, and let it idle for a bit and the shacky went away. No more rich running idles. a little black smoke still comes out in the high RPMs but i think thats such from the carbon build up. I'll have to drive her a little hard and maybe buy something to get rid of that. Other than that shes good so far haven't drove it yet since the solution but i hope that there is no backfire. Oh and the misfire is gone too btw lol. I'll take it for a drive later today and give my FINAL post to close this up. Thank you everybody with your help. Greatly Appreciated!!

Zak

[sjbsuperman1425]

FINAL POST: My CA powered S13 is amazing. took it for a ride and it is the funnest car i've ever been in, besides my buddies RB25 S13 but thats totally different. I through the pedal to the floor and was hitting 15psi (gotta fix my Home Depot Boost Controller lol). Other than that its great. Has a little start up problem, but that could be do to the fact im only running the O2 Housing for an exhaust Its time to close the thread. Thank You to all that helped me. The solution was as followed:

1) Vacuum Leak2) Boost Leak

I appreciate everything that was done for me, now its time for me to buy an exhaust and call it good. I official LOVE my CA18DET. Thank You, have a nice day

[Kalypso]

thanks for documenting everything you tried.

useful

[sjbsuperman1425]

no problemI may add that i do get a bit of a misfire type issue after i let it warm up and then drive it, and it feels like it may stall on decel sometimes. but at idle after a warm up and a drive, it sounds like a misfire or a BIG exhaust leak. then goes away after a bit. dont know what to blame.