When a Tune-up is a Tune-down (¿CSV Woes?)

[therotman]

My 1980 911sc has been good to me, so I gave her new plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, fan belt, air filter, and a new fuel filter.

I had an issue with the wire order on the distributor cap, and unsuccessfully attempted to start the car a few times before I got the wires on properly.


Car started perfect before the tune-up, but now it takes a long time turning over before it starts, with the RPMs extra low and rough at first before coming up to typical speed. After 2-3 seconds the car operates perfectly, and if I stop the car and re-start when the engine is warm it starts right up.

After searching this forum, it sounds like the CSV is bad. My question is, is it possible that I damaged the CSV by attempting to start the engine with the incorrect spark plug wire order? Could something else just have been accidentally disconnected or damaged? Should I just replace it and hope that fixes it?

TIA!

[mcinturff]

I had a similar issue, turned out to be timing. Couldn't believe it had gotten so out of whack. I don't see any possible way of damaging the cold start valve by routing the plug wires wrong.

[theFONZ]

I had a problem after the first major tuneup on my current SC where it didn't in properly afterward. It turned out the fuel had been adjusted to make it run smooth with worn out/older parts and valves that needed adjustment. After I did all the work, it ran like crap. I had to re-adjust the idle and mixture to get it to run even remotely smooth.

Mine was much worse than yours sounds, however.

[kodioneill]

When you change the fuel filter you introduce air in the system you have to bleed it out. Pull the injectors lift the air plate while the fuel pump is running bleed the injectors until you have a nice conical flow. Make sure you have a extinguisher ready.
Install the injectors and she should run.

[therotman]

It's months later and I still haven't solved the issue. I've even tried changing to a new set of plug and still no success.

The druck/pressure is low when I start the car when cold, and after the car turns over for 2-3 seconds I can watch the pressure gauge raise- when the pressure goes up a little I can stop turning over the ignition and the car starts.

If I don't wait for pressure to build the car will die when i stop turning the starter, but generally start the next time I turn the ignition, even if just for a split second.

Any thoughts?

[fred cook]

You have the wires in the correct firing order, but not in the correct place in the distributor cap? Pop the dizzy cap, put the pulley on TDC with the #1 valves just starting to open and see which terminal the rotor is pointing towards. That would be the #1 plug wire term. Follow the firing order around from there. This would throw your timing off enough to make it run poorly, but probably still start. Have you checked the timing with a timing light? Good luck!

[T77911S]

they would have to be correct unless he pulled the dist and put it back in with the rotor lined up to the "new" #1. plus, it would not matter, it would not effect the timing.

starting it would not damage the CSV. just make sure you did not disconnect the wires to the thermo time switch(TTS). you could check out the CSV circuit.

check the timing. make sure it is correct.
check for air leaks.
check the mixture.
PM psalt, he is better at the lambda systems than i am. ask him to walk you through checking frequency valve and mixture.