RB20 STILL not running tip top, help please!!

[skillzilla]

SO Im getting sick and tired of working on my car and spending money on it when nothing seems to fix my issues. Basically, its pulling timing any time Im in boost. Motor will make and hold boost fine and rev freely but has no power.

Anyways, today I put new plugs in and made sure my adjustable cam gears hadnt slipped. Cam gears were fine, new plugs actually made it WORSE. So I pulled them out, gapped them smaller (to .027) and put em back in. Basically, it runs exactly like it did. Runs fine if Im not boosting, and wants to fall on its face if I am. Checked for boost leaks and I have one teeny one on a weld but thats it. Also swapped in the stock S13 fuel pump thinking it was getting too much fuel, as the old plugs reeked of gas and it always burned a lot of fuel. Fuel pump semmed to help a little, and the plugs came out a little white after 15 minutes of hard driving, but no gas smell.

Anyways, I am fed up and taking one last test run after restting the timing to 15 degrees and I pull over at a gas station and pop the hood. I look in the bay and the turbo is freakin glowing like red hot, crap you see in magaizinges and stuff. Im like wtf?! So Im wonding, what is making the exhaust so hot? Timing too advanced? plugs gapped too narrow? Im at a loss, if anyone can help please LMK.

[gomer23]

I've been suggesting this alot lately haha but have you tried replacing the FPR (assuming you have the stock one now) I had a similar issue you are having and it ended up being my stock regulator. I got the Nismo one and fixed everything (well almost everything).

[rbspitfire]

too retarted timing, fuel is still burning on it way out of the head, i bet it spools really fast, but has no power, and if its pulling timing only under boost its obviusly something with the knock sensors, it could be false knock. i tried to adjust my timing one time and it sounds like your problem, it free reved fine but ran extremely slow, like retarded timing. wherever the timing is right now go 5 dregrees either way and see if that helps

[skillzilla]

sweet Ill try both, timing forst then the FPR since it costs money

[Carl H]

get your injectors cleaned.sounds like one is sticky and causing too much fuel to dump into the motor thus the sluggish acceleration and no power.the glowing mani is from high egts from too much fuel...

[27RB240]

Wassup JJ..its Kel.... I read the issue....I heard you had swapped ECUs a while ago and everything cleared...I was curious if it started acting like that with the other ECU, and if you are still using it (the one you swapped out) for starters...Well what I think soo far is...1. I say get an inline fuel pressure gauge instead of something soo expensive to save the cash and less of a hassel to me.....2. Borrow a EGT gauge and or buy one to see if you are running too hot, likely you are since it was red hot like you say......3. O2 sensor.. They can read wrong and pull timing, and can cause the car to run rich...Injectors...check those (carl beat me to it...)4. Any other sensors..I believe you told me a long time ago you had already replaced the Coolant temp sensor...5. Check any other sensors that come to mind. I hope that everything comes out good man...dont sell it......please dont......... Seriously though, good luck with everything, hope you get to the root of the prob.

[skillzilla]

I think the base timing is set wrong, like maybe I misalligned the crank and cams when I did the timing belt this last time. The CAS is pulled all the way clockwise in order to get it to even 15 degrees advanced.

Assuming that is the case, pushing the cams forward with my cam gears should fix the base timing, but Ill have to do it in small increments and see how the motor reacts. I will try advancing it with the CAS and see if that helps at all.

DO you think it is getting too much fuel from the ECU retarding the timing from a knock sensor or soemthing? That could give the same results as the timing being wrong, eh?

[Carl H]

if the cas timing is that far advanced then the cam timing might be off.

[skillzilla]

thats what Im thinking. If the CAS is advanced 100%, then the cams are set further back then they should be. I am going to set the crank at TDC then align the cams to the stock marks with the adj. cam gears, then retime it and see whats shakin. If the cams are in fact off, and I set them right, what would be the next step? Shoudl I start with the CAS dead center then fire it up and time from there?

[skillzilla]

crap, so after reading more of the service manual it says turning the CAS counter clockwise is advancing it, and turning it clockwise retards timing. SO, I have it all the way retarded now, and it is barely at 15 degrees.

I just checked my base timing and it all looks good, crank pulley is lined up with the 0 mark on the point and the cam gears are lined up with the marks on the back cover.

Im lost

[noodl35]

i think its a sensor problem. Try your knock sensor for starts then o2 sensor. Do what the guys say and test fpr too. Sometimes you gotta spend money to fix problems.

[skillzilla]

Just took another test run, it starts blowing out the spark at 12 psi, 10 psi it runs ok but still pulls timing. Glowing turbo again

[skillzilla]

The O2 sensor is new, knock sensors looked OK when I checked em. I have a couple used replacement knock sensors I could try, I really wish they werent such a PITA to change out.

[Carl H]

dead cas perhaps?are you sure that the cams are set right?glowing turbo means retarded timing, and or lots of fuel.

[eh?]

Place the CAS dead center. Where are you hooking up the timing light to?

[USMCgetsome]

had similar issues.

Changed out ecu and cleared up alot of probs. Mainly it was my damn CAS causing all my probs. Luckily i bought a new motor and got a new one with it. Also, i had my timing fully advanced to make 15btdc due to the belt slipping(burn out at the track). I put in a new tensioner and idler pulley over the weekend with a new belt. and i have had great returns on my investments.

CASECUPULLEY SET, BELT, ALIGNMENTby the way between the CAS AND MY IGNITER CHIP i had all my issues. Why don't u send them to some one with another RB20DET SWAP FOR testing. I've done that for a few people. FYI i have an rb25det.

Also, did u check to see if your getting 12vdc to the coil packs and good grounds to the ecu and sensor. How bout the maf?

[rbspitfire]

its a timing issue, 98% sure. like i said i had the same problem. i tried to set the base timing to 20degrees and it ran exacly how youre describing i REALLY know my way around cars, especially turbo setups, i could not get it to run good, i dont know if it was the gun i was using or what any setting of theCAS except where it came from the factory would cause the same issue, it didnt matter if i advanced or retarded it. i was timing from the black loop wire off the coil harness ive read its better to read it stright off the number 1 coil.

[Yellow4g63]

What code is the ecu throwing at you? Sounds like a CAS problem or Knock sensor.

[erikhalvorson]

Do you have the Consult cable, software and a laptop? If not, spend the $113.00, including shipping and get one (PLMS out of Australia) . You can't tell a damn thing these engine are doing without one. Get one, learn to use it, you will save yourself a lot of time and $ not guessing what the car is doing. It is not magic so it won't/can't tell you everything but it can get you close or at least pointed int he right direction...

Here is their website.

http://www.plmsdevelopments.com/consult_if.shtml

Good software too! Easy to use and about as bullet proof as you can get. There are coming out with a "mod" tool for tuning on the fly. not out yet but they hope it to be soon....

Check out my toy:http://s48.photobucket.com/alb...GTS-t/