Turbo pulling strange..Need help new here

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ATLien
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:29 am

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Hey so first off I'm new here so excuse me if I have some dumb questions.
Last night I got my first 240 vert with a KA24DET. it was pulling really hard and everything was running perfect. But this morning, I crank it up and it sounds kind of strange. Honestly the only way I can describe it is it sounds like a Subaru. In addition to this the car is not pulling nearly as hard as last night. The turbo is still running boost correctly (well it seems) but its just not pulling quite as hard and it's making that kind of grumble noise like i mentioned.. Any idea what it could be?


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SX APPEAL
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Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:26 am
Car: 06 G35 Coupe 6MT
95 Maxima SE 5MT
Location: Springfield, MO

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AHAHAHA- Sounds like a subaru I love it. We always joke that WRX's would be a lot faster if they'd just connect that 4th spark plug wire. In your case it might actually be just that. With the car running disconnect each spark plug wire one at a time. When you disconnect one, the engine note should change, it'll sputter and try to die. If there's one that doesn't change the engine note when you disconnect it, that's the cylinder that's dead. Then you just need to figure out why. KA fuel injector like to die on you after a couple hundred thousand miles so that's a possibility.

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biggie
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Car: '16 Q70L/'14 Q60S Vert/'19 Armada/'09 FX35
Location: Clemmons, NC

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Would need more info. The complete setup list, pics, etc would help.

ATLien
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:29 am

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Fresh s14 ka from a 98 with 68k miles. I have the autocheck from the vin.
S13 intake manifold
Arp Head studs
Cometic HG and all new seals.
XS power manidold and turbo elbow
Blitz nurspec
test pipe
t25 on wastegate made 205 hp and 216 torque on 4.8lbs on a mustang dyno BEAST lol
Safc-II tuned
Freshly rebuilt 370cc injectors like 0 miles
Custom FMIC with t-bolts and type rs bov
Aluminum 2 row radiat
5 spd swap
Clutch specialists stage 4 clutch. Rated for 400H
Has AC, Heat, and PS
Coupe Door swap
5 lug swap with s14 lca's
battery relocated to the rear

Could the safc have anything to do with it? haha I have no idea how to use one so Ive avoided touching it

ATLien
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:29 am

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SX APPEAL wrote:AHAHAHA- Sounds like a subaru I love it. We always joke that WRX's would be a lot faster if they'd just connect that 4th spark plug wire. In your case it might actually be just that. With the car running disconnect each spark plug wire one at a time. When you disconnect one, the engine note should change, it'll sputter and try to die. If there's one that doesn't change the engine note when you disconnect it, that's the cylinder that's dead. Then you just need to figure out why. KA fuel injector like to die on you after a couple hundred thousand miles so that's a possibility.
Dude you hit the nail on the head.. It's the 2nd cylinder back.. What would be a good injector to get for my set up? What else could possibly cause this cylinder to be dead?

ATLien
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:29 am

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Also now the car is kind of stuttering until I get to boost and even then it still stutters a bit. I guess this is due to the injector as well?

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SX APPEAL
Posts: 1345
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2004 10:26 am
Car: 06 G35 Coupe 6MT
95 Maxima SE 5MT
Location: Springfield, MO

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Well first I would test to see if its an injector, bad spark plug, plug wire, distributor cap etc. Most of those are pretty easy. Just swap the injector from that cylinder (#2) over to the next cylinder and see if the problem stays on the #2 cylinder or moves with the injector. if the problem is now on a different cylinder, then you know the injector is bad, if it stays on the #2 cylinder, then it must be another component (spark plug, wire, etc...) that's causing it. So now try swapping the plugs around or the wires, and see which component the fault is "following." Simple logic really. Good luck.

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WDRacing
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Car: 95 240SX, 99 BMW 540i, 01 Chevy Express, 14 Ford Escape
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First off, Welcome to NICO!!!

I call that method of troubleshooting "swaptronics". Simply eliminate things that can be bad, by replacing them with a known good item. All car guys end up with a garage full of spare parts for just this reason. My wife simply doesn't understand.

WD

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neverlift
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most kat's run like a beast just before making the subaru sound are you smoking lol? Every time my shiz sounds subby I have either blown a hg or piston ringlands..

ATLien
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:29 am

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Okay yeah it'sone of my injectors... the former owner is sending an extra one tomorrow to me. Will it be safe to drive my car until it arrives? It seems to be driving fine besides the lack of power and the Subaru power boat noise haha

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WDRacing
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Having a dead cylinder will just make it under powered. Not really unsafe per se.

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jbracy7
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Car: 94 GTS TYPE-M in a dozen pieces
Location: S.A. TX

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Ha ha safe not really its best not to drive it,but hey if u got to,u got too just baby the hell out it

ATLien
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:29 am

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Guys I'm such a F'ing idiot.... One of the spark plug wire had been laying on the exhaust manifold. So needless to say it burned in half and I didnt notice it at first hence me thinking I needed a new injector. :facepalm: Thank you guys for your help though!

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Razi
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Car: Moo

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:rotfl

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Florida240sx
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Car: 93 Hatch 5spd
2012 altima coupe 2.5s
Location: DeLand FL
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Ah the old where is my heat shield before it burns/melts something on the ka-t. I've melted 2 brake master cylinder and my friend sadly burnt his car to the ground :(
Heat wrap and use a heat shield to keep things safe. especially the brake and clutch master cylinders

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neverlift
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Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:26 am

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bottom mount you can get by with just a shield decently, however with a topmount t3 setup I recommend a turbo blanket and reflective tape.
I removed my shield and put a blanket and foil/fiberglass tape, you can touch the turbo blanket and tape after hard runs and not get burned.

ATLien
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Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 8:29 am

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Okay you guys I've run into another problem!
So the car has been pulling fine until i hit boost and it just kind of bogs down and doesnt really want to pull. Today I was messing with it and I let it idle for awhile. It was fine but as the car heated up, it started sputtering a little. So i gave it gas and it continued to sputter and act all weird while I was giving it throttle. Then I stop giving it gas and then it just died. I need a new alternator but I cant imagine this has anything to do with it. Any idea what it could be? Could it need a tune?

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WDRacing
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If you need an alternator, get one. Not having the proper electrical charge will cause millions of problems. Seriously, it's millions.

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neverlift
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if not millions, more. :word


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