Watch and help me diagnose: Running rich!!

[Stripes]

Here's the video- http://vimeo.com/3426617

So this started out a few weeks back when my car randomly starting misfiring and running really rich one day. They next day, and for a few days after, it ran fine. Then it did it again one day, fine the next day, then just got more frequent until white smoke wreaking of fuel was just pouring out of my exhaust. I figured it was an o2 sensor, so I replaced it and it changed absolutely nothing. If anyone knows what this could be, I can really use your help.It's an s14 sr with stock injectors, 255 walboro and stock fuel pressure regulator.

Things I think I should check are injector o-rings, fuel pressure regulator, and replace the fuel filter.Please help! This is my daily :[

[Justin35ll]

Maybe your pressure regulator took a dump.. But why white smoke? White is coolant and if you were running rich it would be black smoke

[blackhole1]

dude, I have pretty much the same setup except my head is upgraded and a rebuilt bottom end so the sr is pretty much new everything was replaced, I am having the same problems! when your car smokes like this is it on a full tank? the reason I am asking is that I noticed that if I fill up with 93 octaine it smokes really bad, but when it gets down to half a tank it does not smoke as much, I pretty much checked the injectors, and the o'rings they were good, checked for leaks none, checked timming and tps all dead on and in spec! so i am intrested to see if you correct this. the only thing i have to check is the fuel pump voltage, and the sock on the fuel pump, then check the fpr idk. I hate my car put so much money into it and no one can fix it, I am going to due a tune and see if it changes upgrading the maf and injectors, also installing fpr with it please keep me posted if you find the problem.

[redsx13]

sounds like you have a dead cylinder. pull your injector plugs off one at a time, the one that doesn't make a difference in the way the car runs is your problem cylinder. its most likely a coilpack, or plug. if thats not it, you have a dead injector.
Modified by redsx13 at 10:19 PM 3/1/2009

[Stripes]

Maybe your pressure regulator took a dump.. But why white smoke? White is coolant and if you were running rich it would be black smoke

Are you joking?

sounds like you have a dead cylinder. pull your injector plugs off one at a time, the one that doesn't make a difference in the way the car runs is your problem cylinder. its most likely a coilpack, or plug. if thats not it, you have a dead injector.

I did a compression test and I don't have a dead cylinder. Also, I don't think its a bad coil pack because then it would not be igniting any fuel therefore causing the cylinder to liquid lock or at least leave fuel sitting on top of the piston. I am seeing none of this.I do have an Aeromotive fuel pressure regulator waiting to be installed, although I don't think my FPR is the issue here.
Modified by Stripes at 8:27 AM 3/2/2009

[redsx13]

man, the video sounds just like a dead cylinder, maybe the sound is just distorted because of the camera.

your right though, if a cylinder wasn't getting spark it would be wet with gasoline, what do the tips of your plugs look like?

I'm surprised it wasn't your o2.

[Stripes]

I don't exactly know what a dead cylinder sounds like, so you could be right. The plugs don't look bad, a little black. Maybe I'll snap some pics and show you to get your opinion. What I am thinking now, is I could possibly have an injector stuck open, because when I really give it some gas it actually runs the way it's supposed to. It only runs crappy like in the video if I am at idle or not giving it "enough" gas.

[aznrib]

definitely sounds like you're running on 3 cylinders.

[Stripes]

Checking my coil packs in on the to do list, so I'll see if I've got a dead one or not. The only thing telling me I'm not is the fact that there is no fuel sitting on top of any of my pistons..... now does that make sense?

[DJ_Sunrise]

I once drove my KA on one cylinder...I had a video somewhere. Car didn't smoke much.. If you had a dead cylinder, the car wouldn't have much power. I would still individually pull every coil pack on the car and see what happens. I had a problem before with my engine coolant temp sensor... killed my gas mileage and caused my car to smoke bad. Either way.. it's so hard to diagnose.

Btw.. if your injector orings were bad, your engine would be on fire. If your insulators were bad, the engine won't be "perfectly" smooth. There's just vacuum there.. no serious harm if the insulators are worn out. Either way.. if you pull the injectors off, you NEEEEED to replace all the orings and insulators every time you pull them.

-Bart

[DJ_Sunrise]

After watching that.. coil pack. That video is mad fugly, so hard to say 100%.. I have 2 coil packs that are known good, and a temp gun. Located in NJ if you wanted to make your way up here. You can use the temp gun to determine if any coil packs are bad. This would explain why the plugs are dry.

609-802-2449

-Bart

[Stripes]

Thanks a million bart for your input! Like I said, I've yet to tests anything since I've been busy helping my friend with his car all week and haven't had time to touch mine. I know how to test my coil packs using a multimeter so I'll see if that is the issue. If not, I'll test the plugs and the injectors and I will probably install new injector o-rings just to be safe. If none of that is causing the problem, then I will replace my temp sensor.At this point, it could be quite a few things really so I'll just have to narrow it down. Hopefully I'll get some time tomorrow to work on my own car. Thanks again!

[Stripes]

Today I finally got to test everything. The problem is on cylinder #2. Coil packs are good, plugs are good, and I'm getting continuity through all the wires from the ignitor chip to the plugs and from the ecu to the ignitor chip. Sooooooo this means one of two things.1. My ignitor chip is bad on coil pack #2, causing it not to fire2. My ECU is jacked and something in there isn't telling the coil to fire like it should.

Would a bad ignitor cause just 1 pack to go out, or would it shut all four out? HELP! If it is the ignitor, does anyone have a working sr or q45 ignitor they are looking to get rid of? Let me know! Thanks