Over revving and other issues

[TristanC]

Hi Nick,

Yes, just disconnected the idle speed motor connection.

I have checked the vacuum lines on a few occasions.... I’m pretty sure they are all ok.

All  checks have been with AC off and there hasn’t been any hissing in the cabin or anywhere else that I can hear. The charcoal canister does have a blanked off connector too.

I will have to check on the brass connectors. Last time I checked, they were pretty solid and I didn’t want to mess with them.

Maybe there’s a vacuum line I’ve missed..... I will have to re-investigate.

Cheers
Tris

[TristanC]

Well, I’d say the honeymoon period is well and truly over now.

Went back to the car today - still can’t find anything obvious.
Checked the curb idle screw, that was fine.

Started her up and adjusted the mixture slightly anti clockwise until it struggled, then back clockwise until it did the same and moved back pretty much to middle of that.

Idle was around 1500 then. I then removed the connector to the idle speed motor and she died.
I reconnected it and tried to restart. 

Now she won’t start AT ALL !!

Strong smell of petrol each time I try, so she’s flooded all the time and also I can hear a bit of a whine when the fuel pump is pushing fuel. (There’s fuel in the tank)
After all this I then saw a few leaks on the garage floor near the oil filter.
I smelt it and it was petrol! Seeping out of the oil filter seal.

What the heck have I done guys? I am now totally lost

I did try to adjust mixture again to restart..... but no dice.
She’s on charge now. Hope I can look again next weekend.

But to be honest, I am just not skilled enough to go any further.

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Oh and another thing I noticed today is that the metering air flap (is that what it’s called?) now is very stiff to open.

Before today, the flap could be pushed open very easily, now it’s way too stiff for my liking.....
My guess is the mixture screw has now been wound too tight??
I don’t know.....

[Chris P]

In my experience mixture screws don't go 'out of adjustment' ..Its something else faulty!...You've now got 2 faults!

[TristanC]

I agree.

My messing with the mixture has created an new issue. I can’t get the mixture right again because I can’t start her at all now

[Nick H]

Tris,
Ok, you have inadvertently made the mixture to rich. The metering flap is stiffer because the fuel pressure has been increased to the injectors by the mixture screw.
You also now have fuel in the oil. Change the oil and filter as soon as you get the car running correctly.

If I lived nearer I would pop round and give you a hand as I have a couple of days off this week.

You need to turn the mixture screw anti-clockwise a little. This leans the mixture. No big movements of the mixture screw.
A Dwell meter and/or a CO meter is needed to set it up perfectly.

When you have the car running again try disconnecting the Lambda sensor and report back if it effects the idle.

Nick H

[TristanC]

Thanks Nick,

I fear I have already moved the adjuster way too much in both directions now.
And I am really unsure which way to now turn.

Can’t believe I’ve been such a numpty..... just wish I’d left the high idle alone.

Any advice on moving the mixture adjuster so I can at least start it?
I’ll get some oil ordered too.

I’m afraid of trying again as she was just flooding every time.
When she was last running, and I adjusted the mixture, I pulled the connector off the idle motor, to see if the idle settled. But that just cut her out immediately.
I plugged the connector back on and tried to restart...... and that’s when she refused to start again.

Could I have messed anything else up when doing that? Just so I can check before another attempt.

I wish you lived nearer too

Cheers guys
Tris

[Rissy]

I'm a little worried here. You may have blown one of your boards. You should only be pulling or plugging back plugs in a powered down state, not whilst the car is energised, and especially not when the engine is running. Please say you haven't been doing that.

[TristanC]

I did do that......

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How can I check what boards I have blown?

[Rissy]

(13 Aug 2018, 16:35)TristanC Wrote: I did do that......

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How can I check what boards I have blown?

You ask an expert to look at your boards and see if you have blown anything. I don't know anyone who can do that for sure.

[TristanC]

Ok thanks,

And what “boards” are we talking of in total?

The idle ecu for one? (It still seems to be powering the idle motor)

[Rissy]

Well there's three normally. Idle. Engine (ignition). Lambda.

But in your case, it depends what you've been unplugging and plugging "hot". I remember reading somewhere that if you unplug/plug the cold start injector or it might have been the idle speed motor (valve) while live; you blow a capacitor or something on the idle speed ECU. Butt memory is vague I'm afraid. I never noted it properly because I never had any intention on doing such a thing. Before you (we jump to any conclusions, you need to note down exactly what you've done, and get an expert involved. Don't go rushing out to buy anything (yet), because you may either be ok, or you can have something fixed inexpensively. You may have to get someone else involved for trying swapping out ecu's with known good ones (if you can find a kind hearted soul near you.

This is the problem with having a little knowledge but not a full appreciation of what you're doing or how to go about it properly. You can cause a lot of damage and even more problems for yourself and not even realise it. Now is time for calm, and take your time. It's not a race. It's a marathon.

[TristanC]

Cheers

I’m away from the car until Saturday anyway. So I have time to reflect and gather info.

It was the idle speed motor connector I removed while running.
The car cut out and I reconnected it. And since won’t restart.

Stuart is popping over to me on Saturday with some spare parts and some experience.

I will report back as I progress.

[Rissy]

Good stuff. Good luck. I hope all is ok. I don't mean to frighten you. It's just important that you stop and approach from a logical manner, one step at a time now.

[Chris Williams]

I know what Chris's suggested is possible, but you would have to be VERY un-lucky for that to have happened in my opinion. Out of interest did you ever notice the cat getting red or over hot? I'm sure you will get it sorted when you have another pair of eyes to look over it. Don't worry to much it's nothing that cant be sorted.
Chris

[TristanC]

I can’t say I noticed it getting hot or red hot if I’m honest.

When this latest installment occurred yesterday, she was only running for 5 mins or so until she cut out with the disconnection of the idle speed motor.

Fingers crossed for the weekend....