Possible cause loss of power - 3.6
 

78SC w/93 3.6:
Just driving the car normal today and it suddenly felt as if it was running on four cylinders. It just suddenly haed no power and it sounds as if it's missing. I hooked up a timing light to each plug wire and each is firing from the distributor, so I can rule out a broken distributor belt. Pulled the coil wire on each distributor and the motor still runs, so I think I can rule out a coil. I disconnected each ignitor at the coil and the motor continued to run but dropped in rpms so I can rule out the ignitors and the harness. Open up the oil filler cap and the car will die. Fuel filter is new and there is plenty of Chevron 91 gas. All electrical connections appear secure. I disconnected the battery to let the DME reset to see if that will do anything. Any suggestions?

PBS, Re-post as "oil tank fill cap off- car dies", I've seen this before on the board, just can't remember what its a symptom of. I'm some one will chime in.

Paul:

What happens once the engine is allowed to get cold, and driving is attempted??

Have you tried testing the head temp sensor??

I have not yet even started my 3.6, still have to hook up some things, so I'm the last guy who should be giving advice. Here it goes anyway, did you put some kind of restricter in the breather hose between the oil tank and air intake? As I understand it if the hose is left open, to much air gets by the throttle sensor. This probably would have been a problem from day one, just thought I'd throw it out there.

Didn't you buy this motor off of the all mighty "Timmins"?

My 3.6 Varioram sporadically did the same thing after Timmins completed the install. After I tightened all of the vacuum lines that he left loose or unattached, installed the REQUIRED O2 sensor, and swapped out the POS Cyntex chip, it ran somewhat better.

The motor came directly from Harald and is in better shape than i could have ever hoped. It turned out that a few of the plugs were fouled, probably from running to rich of mixture while I got all the bugs worked out, vacuum lines properly connected/capped and 2 weeks of running the motor without an O2 sensor. I disconnected the battery to reset the DMW, changed the plugs, cleaned up the electrical connections and the motor is stronger than ever. Thanks for the tips.

As for the restrictor in the oil breather hose that runs from the throttle body to the oil tank, I just have a regular breather hose. Does someone have a pic of the restricter?

can't help with a photo but the part number I found in PET is 930 107 289 00. I didn't use a stock diameter breather (cost) and bought some 1" rubber hose, so I have to fab something that will work.

Paul, did you get this worked out?? Was it the restrictor?


Thanks,

Probably should let Paul answer for himself but I think he changed some sparkplugs and that helped the loss of power.

My car was stalling when I opened the oil filler cap, I inserted a rubber bushing with a 1/4 hole in the middle into the breather hose and now I can check my oil level without the car throwing fits.

Yes, the easy way to check if you have the restrictor is to open the oil tank cap. The car will run poorly and stall if there's no restrictor in place.

And since Todd can't seem to resist an opportunity to bash Steve Timmins, even on a project he had nothing to do with, I'll point out that my Timmins swap kit with its 'POS' Cyntex Chip continues to run like a Swiss clock after two years and so many days on the track that I've lost count.

I understand that Todd had a bad experience wsith Timmins, and he's entitled to post his opinions. But I continue to recommend Timmins without reservation, and the overwhelming majority of his customers are extremely happy with his kit and his dedication to the swap he popularized. (We're just less vocal about it than Todd.)

As a side note, I ran my 3.6 without an O2 sensor for months, and still sometimes disconnect it for track events.

Just to also chime in here .. Orange Beauty also was built with Steve Timmins adapter kit , chip and great technical help on the conversion.As for my opinion..... he is a "Stand up guy"

Thanks Steve !@

POVI, wow, that's quite a pair of cars you've got there. How would you compare the two?

Hi Steve,

I guess the easiest comparison would be the red one is like a hot rod vs the orange one is more like a speed bike.I think i get just as much enjoyment building the cars as driving them ..haha, those were 2 fun projects to put together.

The red V8 conversion feels a bit bulkier then the orange rs .. prob. because it is much wider and prob. a bit heavier too.It has a 930 4 speed 21/30 torsion bars 9" + 11" wheels 345x35 in the rear ! it feels nice and solid, and its a nice cruiser, or use it to beat up on ricer honda's :).

The Orange RS .. man that thing just scares the crap out of you when you launch it, it has a 915 limited slip in it and just flat hooks up in first and second to 6800 rpm.. had tears in my eyes after a ride down the street ! ( although not having a front winshield installed prob. contributed to that haha )

So i guess i need to drive them both some more to give a better feedback on the cars.

But the overall favorite car choice by my friends and co-workers is ... the red slant nose V8, looks better my friends say.But i personally think i like the rs body better .


- Joe -

Bad plugs. I was lazy and didn't change them before I put the motor in.

Jack do you notice any benefits in running the motor with the O2 sensor disconnected?

That's great for you Sheriff Jack, I am glad you had a good experience, but you didn't drive or experience any of the issues with my car. So perhaps you should shut your over moderating rich boy cake hole. I had a bad experience, posted it and took lots of shat over it, period. You bash Motor Meister (or at least let it happen on this BBS) how much work have you had performed by Motor Meister? I am guessing none..... So your motive is......

You can support and/or bash whomever you please can't you Sheriff Jack (your BBS Sheriff badge is in the mail)

I may get kicked off of this BBS but you are a narrow minded one sided moderator. The fact is you have never driven my car or experienced any of the problems. All you have done is set behind your computer, made assumptions and criticized me. I have had many people email me since that fateful post and tell me the horror stories they were afraid to post on Pelican or the Rennlist because the didn't want to get "beat up" online. Search the legal records for the shop in question and then tell me what you think Sheriff Jack.

I am sure your faithful posse will come to your rescue now, BRING IT ON.

Don't take the bait, Jack.

Can I use this line or is it trademarked?:D And can any guy over the age of 25, really be called a rich boy? Doesn't he become a rich guy, or at the very least a rich *******? Inquiring minds want to know!

Wow, I think I just read a post of someone who has hit rock-bottom and started to dig.

So what exactly did Jack say that was innacurate?

You are the only Timmons customer I have heard of who has had a problem (except for your super secret list of unhappy people that is), and I am active on this forum, and both the Rennlist 911 board and email list.

You are bashing Timmons over a project he wasn't involved with.

If you notice, Jack posted: If he was truly a "narrow minded one sided moderator" as you suggest, he could have deleted your message, or (my preferance) edited it so that you were proclaiming that you were out of Vagisil, and were looking for the best place to buy it in a 55 gallon drum.

I have also never seen Jack bash MM. In fact, most times someone asks about them (every 3 or 4 months it seems) the usual response is "Search the Archives" or a simple link to a past thread. However, you got me curious, so I did a search. Jack has exactly one (1) post that mentions MM. His answer is "search the archives"

Tom

Tom, don't confuse us with the facts!