Need help asap, please read

[blubottlemax]

For a little over a week now I have been working on my KA-T project. I finally got it running yesterday, but with some serious issues. I had a SAFC and the 370cc injectors installed and running fine before the turbo install. Here was my setup:

T25SSAC manifold & O2 extension3" downpipe3" exhaust370cc injectorsZ32 MAFSAFCMSD BTMSMICrecirc valveLM-1 wideband2 step colder plugs, gapped at .032

With this setup, I had to run my MAF setting at 1in, 6out, or it would not run. This gave me the smoothest idle, but it still was missing and was not very driveable, bogging under a load.

Work done today: Reinstalled KA MAF, removed BTM and installed stock distributor, removed and reinstalled oil lines, double checked all fittings and connections.

Problems:1)Car will not idle correctly on SAFC setting 5in, 5out (correct for KA). Will only idle with 5in, 6out. With this setting, the engine runs really rich (12.4 at idle), with the stock KA setting, it runs really lean (16.7 at idle)

2)Engine stumbles and misses slightly no matter what the setting.

3)If reved above 3k, engine will die unless throttle is applied

4) While trying to set the timing, I removed the TPS plug, and the car shut off. It will not run with the TPS connected, just gets really rich and dies, so I cannot properly set the timing.

Any and all help is needed at this point. I tried moving the MAF farther away from the turbo, and it did nothing. I sprayed brakeleen around the fittings, and nothing. If I can't get this fixed in the next couple days, the turbo's gotta come off, this is my daily driver and it must be complete by next week.

[Red-KAT]

Are yer plugs fouled up? 2 step colder is a lot, You also have a large gap for a stock ignition. I have to run .025-.028.

Thats what I would check... If yer gas does not ignite you would run rich.

Also did you make sure you put you're distributor back in correctly?

[Structure240sx]

with the stock ka setting: did you let the car fully warm up? my car will run very lean at cold start up and have similar problems you mention

i used to have the same problems unplugging the tps. go all the way to -50% on low throttle for 1000-2000rpms, this should help let it idle. also the dec. air setting NE1 with a lower number i have found can lean it out, high number can richen it. for my lean/cold start issue i add .2 to the NE1 setting to richen it up to idle smooth until it warms up and return it to my normal setting

[blubottlemax]

Structure, what do you mean about the decel air setting? I have a stock S13 recirculation valve routed back into the intake piping. Do I still need to set this up? I did let the car warm up fully. It was stumbling when cold, but it got steadily worse as it warmed up. It wasn't until I adjusted the MAF setting to 6 out that it steadied up some, but it was still having some issues, and would die if I reved the motor over 3k rpm. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but the car should still run fine at idle, whether or not the turbo is installed right? Why would the turbo change anything, unless your under boost? Theoretically, I should be able to run stock plugs, stock gap, and stock ignition, unless I'm boosting, at which point those would cause all kinds of problems. I haven't pulled the plugs yet, I'm going to do that tomorrow. The distributor is installed correctly, took 3 tries, but my car idles horribly, if at all, when the distributor is a tooth off. I need to be able to set the timing, but I can't do that if the car shuts off when I unplug the TPS. I didn't have this problem when I had the 370's on and SAFC, only after installing the turbo. Thanks for the replies, anymore help much appreciated, trying to understand all this stuff a little better...

[blubottlemax]

Anyone?

[WDRacing]

What are your vac lines installed to now? The IACV lines etc? Sounds like a possible vac problem.

Your plugs are probably fouled as well. I've had similar issues with the SAFC and any MAF. I can't get my car to run at all with the 300zx MAF installed. It idles at 9-10/1 AF on my LM1.

When you run a sensor check, what voltage is the MAF putting out?

[blubottlemax]

WD, I have my IACV routed to the cold pipe, my boost gauge is routed off of the FPR line, my recirc valve is tapped in after the intercooler, and my wastegate is running off a fitting on the coupler to the hotpipe, right after the turbo. I switched back to the KA MAF, and I am still having issues. Stock KA settings are 5 in, 5 out, but my car gets really lean, like 16.4-.9, with that setting, and stumbles pretty bad once warmed up. I have to run it on 5 in, 6 out, and it runs pretty rich, 11.4 or so on the LM-1, and it still stumbles a little bit, enough that I don't feel safe driving it. I can't setup the base timing, because it dies as soon as I unplug the TPS. I'm going to try what structure suggested here in a little bit. I'll also run another sensor check, but last I checked, everything seemed to be in spec. I tried spraying brakeleen around all the vacuum fittings, but I didn't get any response in RPM. Thanks for the Help!!!!

[WDRacing]

Can't you just add some fuel with the 5-5 setting?

[blubottlemax]

I tried that. It does add fuel, but it still idles bad. I don't know what the AFC fully adjust when you change from one setting to the next. I tried getting it down to the same 11.4 afr, but I couldn't get it down that low, and like I said, it still doesn't idle like it does with the setting on 6.

[D1 guy]

it could be just about anything. I was having that same problem and all it was, was my cold pipe coupler came off. Check your vac. lines and all piping.

[blubottlemax]

Pulled the plugs and they were BLACK, covered in soot. Cleaned them off and raised the gap to .035. I rechecked the distributor setting at tdc. Check all my lines and clamps AGAIN. Car still idles like crap. Its just a series of little backfires, and obviously its running way too rich, even though when I try to lean it out it runs a lot worse. I played with the decel air settings on the AFC, they made a difference, but not for the better. I pulled my codes: nothing, car is running fine according to the ECU. Wouldn't it throw a code if my MAF was bad? I'm running out of ideas...

[blubottlemax]

Here's what I did since noon:

Removed the SMIC, took off the fittings, removed the old gaskets, RTV'ed the fittings to the SMIC and re-installed, checking all clamps and connections.

Took apart Recirc valve and RTV'ed the base together.

Searched around for any vacuum leaks.

Car runs exactly the same, or worse, so that didn't fix anything. Took it for a drive down the street, backfiring along the way. On the way back (200 yards maybe) it started idleing worst than before. I'm thinking fouled plugs from running too rich.

I'm going to pull my wideband and recalibrate it, maybe its off and giving me an error. I'm also going to pull the Cold piping and reinstall my stock intake piping. The car ran fine with this, so I'll cut out the turbo and see what happens. At the same time, I'm going to put my stock plugs back in, and see how it runs. I have plans for tonight, so I won't be able to do any of this until tomorrow. After thats all done... you might see a new for sale ad posted...