Power Loss 79 Seville - Page 2

Sergey21 · #16 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 03:54 AM

First thing in the morning is im going to take out each injector, clean it...and clean out the sitting. I found a leak (passenger side) below the valve cover. A small leak, but this makes me think that maybe im losing compression through that leak?

Update: When I start the car cold, and after cranking for a few mins it tries to start...but not fully...it starts out as it is about to die, but tries to stay on...and if i step on the gas, theres KNOCKING in the engine bay, but after it warms up, it completely diminishes. Could this be telling me something?!

Basically im going to run a compression test for the cylinders, clean out injectors (How do i find out if one of them is leaking?) Then get new rubber seal for the valve cover. Get new sparkplug wires and new belts. If problem persists. I donno....

Sergey21 · #17 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 04:01 AM

Found this on Yahoo Autos:

On older fuel injected engines, a separate "cold start" injector is used to spray additional fuel into the intake manifold when a cold engine is first started. If this injector is not working, the engine can be hard to start. The injector is controlled by a timer and relay, so if either of these components is defective it can prevent the cold start injector from doing its job, too.

If your engine cranks slowly, your cold starting problem is not fuel related, but may be due to a weak battery, loose or corroded battery cables, or a weak starter.

But cross out battery and corroded wires. Cant be my starter can it? Unless its Cold Sensitive??

racecardude310 · #18 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 04:52 AM

unlikely because you say when it starts it knocks. there is too much fuel in the cylinders or you could have a loss in compression like you suggested, *sigh* i dont know anything about compression problems though. but your engine is definitely running rich from the way it sounds (low compression means less air, same amount of fuel so in either case its running rich) i cant garuntee this is the case it seems like every new post i go from thinking its timing/spark to thinking its fuel air. i agree with what ranger said though but i dont think that is the only problem

lbwd · #19 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 01:08 PM

Do as Ranger suggested.
It could be any of several things like the catalytic converter, FPR, MAF, Fuel Pump, Fuel Injectors...

**Ranger** · #20 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 01:18 PM

Quote:

First thing in the morning is im going to take out each injector, clean it.

Forget it. Injectors are close to impossible to clean.

Forget the compression check. Not your problem. See the Tech Tips section for a tutorial on checking for a leaky injector.

I have never heard of a "cold start injector". The PCM usually richens the mixture by lengthening the injector pulse width.

The "knocking" could have something to do with spark advance, or lack there of.

Sergey21 · #21 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 04:35 PM

Thanks everybody, Ranger you're the man

I will go ahead and try what you have said, then I will borrow a tool kit from Kragen or Autozone, to check the Fuel Pressure, see if maybe my pump is going out. I'm still going to be hardheaded and try and clean the injectors. Or at least take them out and see if one is leaking.

Because, my sparkplugs are fine, sparkwires are fine, ignition coil is fine.

My car doesnt have a choke of some sort does it?

**Ranger** · #22 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 05:59 PM

You cannot tell if an injector is leaking by taking it out. You have to lift the entire fuel rail with the injectors attached. Then turn the key on, but DO NOT crank. Key on, energizes the fuel pump for 2-3 seconds and pressurizes the fuel system. Then you look for a leaking injector.

No choke on FI engines. The PCM richens the mixture as mentioned above.

Sergey21 · #23 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 09:02 PM

Thanks. Just bought a new Cap and Rotor...now the car doesnt want to start at all.

**Ranger** · #24 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 10:07 PM

Did you screw up the firing order when you put the plug wires back on?

Sergey21 · #25 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 10:14 PM

No, I labeled them. I actually got it sir. Electric wire was plugged in wrong way.

But it still has the same problem. A guy at autozone told me that my car sounds like it idles WAY too high. And he said it might be my timing that makes it hard to start when cold.

What you guys think?

Also, cant be my Ignition Module can it?

**Ranger** · #26 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 10:21 PM

I would expect that if the ICM was bad, you have more problems than hard starts. I would not suspect timing.

Sergey21 · #27 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 10:25 PM

What kind of problems would those be?

Also where is my fuel filter located?

**Ranger** · #28 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 10:29 PM

Most likely a no start.

cadillac_al · #29 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 10:31 PM

Hi Sergey, I almost pulled all my hair out when I first got my fuel injected Seville. I'll try to save you 40 hours or so. It's been a while and my memory is a little foggy because I switched to a carb on my 78. My Seville was the first car I ever saw that could drown a set of new spark plugs without ever starting. That car has an idle air compensater valve(not sure of exact name) that is known to go bad or it could be gummed up. If I remember right it is right on top of the throttle body and has a plug on it. I think it twists out or something. That will definitely cause it to stall until warmed up.

If you keep having problems you may need to invest in a fuel pressure gauge. I spent many hours trying to figure why my car would start for a second and then die. This may be how I drowned my plugs. Once I borrowed a fuel pressure gauge I saw that I had good fuel pressure with the key on but when I turned it to start, the fuel pressure died. I think I had to change the ignition switch that time.

You might want to double check the fuel pump wire. It runs around the rear of the gas tank and I think it's green. Just make sure what you can see isn't frayed or spliced like mine was. That caused me some intermittant starting problems. Sometimes it would die while driving down the road and I finally found that if I wiggled the wires on the cpu, which is located next to my big foot and accelrater pedal, that it would start again.

At this point, I think you should check your plugs to be sure they aren't too wet and see if it has fire. If you do get it started, just let it idle until it's warm enough to drive to see if there are any other driveability problems that may be affecting the starting and cold idleing. Good luck.

Sergey21 · #30 (**permalink**) 01-18-08, 10:41 PM

Let me just state my whole problem in detail.

- In the morning, car is terribly hard to start. Turns over, and over..but eventually starts. While started, it acts as if about to die, if you dont let it warm up. Once put in gear, it dies. Go through the process again. Dies once more. So try it again, and it works. Warms up...then you can drive. For a short period of time, if you barely press on the gas, it tries to die, and knocks. If you step on the gas, it drives OK. Once fully warmed up, car drives fine, no knocks, gas pedal is ok whether it is pressed just a little or half way, or all the way down.

So basically what could be causing me, not to start my car fine in the morning, putting it in gear right off, and drive normally? Why all this crap? What is doing this?!?

New: Spark plugs, Distributor cap & rotor, air filter.

So lets thing this through, can it be the fuel pump? Probably not, because the car wouldnt start at all correct? Could it be my ignition module? Hence it helps to start the car when its cold. Could it be my injectors? Leaking perhaps? Even if it did leak, could it cause all this? Can it be my FPR? Letting gas into the cylinders while car is sitting, causing it to flood? Can it be because my fuel filter is plugged?

Ranger, I'm relying on your help. So no pressure