Project O-Ren - Now road worthy!

[wagZE]

It really seems like there's an air leak. There's that hose hidden on top back corner of rear valve cover its a short but big hose of u missed it after pulling intake manifold it wont start, or just the slightest of rips in the air intake you might've overlooked (try wiggling air intake while person 2 starts car. A bad VAF will still let the car start just run weird. It sounds like you're on the right track, but consider air too, not just fuel.

[Beccabob593]

The problem with it being a vacuum hose is that the car was running fine after we installed the head gaskets - well enough for me to drive it into town a few times. Each time the engine started without hesitation, and was running strong - no smoke, no smell of burnt oil. It had an idle problem at the time where the RPM would fluctuate between 500 RPM and 1000 RPM. We presumed the ignition timing was slightly off, so I moved the disty 1 to 2 degrees, and we haven't been able to start it since. Afterwards I moved the disty back to where it was and I checked the timing yesterday and everything still lines up.

I suppose a vacuum hose could have come loose due vibration, but this seems unlikely.

The MAF code turned out to be my fault - I forgot to reconnect it. (After Becca asked me, "Did you reconnect my MAF?")

We read the codes again, and it's still giving us a fault on the Fuel Pressure Regulator Solenoid. Could this be causing fuel rail pressure to drop so much that the injectors are starving out?

[davmac]

If the FPR solenoid is not working then fuel pressure would be regulated by the FPR spring and diaphragm alone - no vacuum control. You would get maximum fuel at all times to the injectors and run rich. I would think the car will still run. This is equal to pulling the vacuum line off the FPR.

To check the FPR solenoid:
Trace the vacuum hose off the FPR to the solenoid.
Disconnect the solenoid and apply 12 vdc directly to see if it works - will make a clicking noise each time power is applied.

I assume you verified your new fuel pump works - and there are no electrical problems (fuel pump fuse and fuel pump relay work). Just jumper GND and F/P at the diagnostic box and turn the ignition key to the on position like you do to get codes. The fuel pump should run.

[wytbishop]

Yes check that the fuel pump is running first. Also do a compression test. I bet you get 0 compression in two cylinders...because I still think the cam timing is off.

[Beccabob593]

Replaced fuel pump, no change.

Replaced a vacuum hose on the FPR solenoid, no change.

Not sure how cam timing could be off?

We quadruple checked the timing marks before final reassembly. Crank was at TDC, cam gears' were aligned to each other, cam sprockets were aligned to their respective marks on the heads, and checked disty rotor - it was pointing to No 1.

Besides, if cams were out of time, disty would no longer line up on TDC, correct?

Timing belt is in GREAT SHAPE.

As I've had to repeatedly say, the car was running FINE after reassembly. I drove it. It cranked without hesitation. Then one day, Becca cranks it and it fires right up. I adjust disty 1 degree, and we haven't been able to start it since, even after moving disty back.


@ davmac: We pulled codes AFTER fuel pump installation. Only faults was showing FPR solenoid and EGR system components, which of course don't exist on a KF, but it's still using a K8 ECU.

[SuperK]

Distributors are the weakest link. And they generally don't throw a code when they go bad.

[Beccabob593]

I've been putting off that possibility because the disty was brand new when Becca bought it. I know that of course, means peanuts in the real world, because sometimes you just get a dud. I know that better than anyone - I once ordered an Accel super coil for my SN95, and when I installed it, it wouldn't fire on No. 6! I had to send it back along with a letter explaining the problem, then they would test it, and if THEY deemed it faulty, they would send me another one.

I did get a replacement, btw.

According to Chilton & Haynes, the MX has a DTC for a fault on the ICM or coil itself.

Is it possible that the spark plugs could be bad? I know it's a long shot, but they are the cheapo Bosch that Ford uses, instead of NGKs.

[wagZE]

Do NOT run bosch on these motors. They run like sh1t with them. Must be ngk copper for best results $3 a plug
Search nobody ever had good experiences with bosch.

I've been putting off that possibility because the disty was brand new when Becca bought it. I know that of course, means peanuts in the real world, because sometimes you just get a dud. I know that better than anyone - I once ordered an Accel super coil for my SN95, and when I installed it, it wouldn't fire on No. 6! I had to send it back along with a letter explaining the problem, then they would test it, and if THEY deemed it faulty, they would send me another one.

I did get a replacement, btw.

According to Chilton & Haynes, the MX has a DTC for a fault on the ICM or coil itself.

Is it possible that the spark plugs could be bad? I know it's a long shot, but they are the cheapo Bosch that Ford uses, instead of NGKs.

[Beccabob593]

So me and Ethan changed the spark plugs today. We used NGK VPower plugs. They didn't have copper ones. Still not cranking. I just got an idea tonight while randomly reading the ford probe manual. I am thinking that the terminals are corroded in the disty cap. I remember Ethan saying that they were. I might be crazy though. :p Here is the new plan. Sometime this week Ethan is going to get me a new cap and see if it works. If it doesn't he will return it and we will keep our plans to go to Mobile to the UPull it junkyard to get another disty. I have my fingers crossed that the cap is the issue. 

[atx_mx3]

... get another disty. I have my fingers crossed that the cap is the issue. 

I have never seen a cap so corroded that it wouldn't run, maybe run poorly, but that's about it. I'm going with the distributor on this one. Mine died out of the blue...was fine, then not. No codes/no indication.

[Beccabob593]

We are going to the UPull it junkyard in Mobile this weekend to get one.

[Beccabob593]

Okay so we installed the new disty and I put a new cold air intake, because I was so tired of fighting with the stock intake. O-Ren is still not starting. So far we have new spark plugs, new disty, we checked the timing when we fixed the head gaskets. It started up fine for a while and then Ethan moved the disty a little bit and then it wouldn't start anymore. He moved it back and everything. I honestly am at a loss.


Update: She is fixed! Somehow the timing got messed up. After fixing it back in the pouring rain, she is running again. Yaaaaay!

[Beccabob593]

Hey guys,

Becca's former boyfriend now fiance' here

So a couple of weeks ago my SN95 went belly up by going rod down...as in straight through the oil pan. So for transportation the MX-3 has had to step up to bat.

We narrowed the idle issue down to a bad IAC valve, which is like a whopping $500!!! So we're holding off on that for the moment.

Last weekend, she and I replaced the passenger side CV axle, because the guy she bought it from said the driver's side had been recently replaced.

I had assumed that the loud roary vibration at 20 MPH or above was due to the bad axle, but after replacement, I've still got the vibration.

Both axles look good, no clicking in sharp turns.

Any ideas?

[atx_mx3]

Hey guys,

Becca's former boyfriend now fiance' here

So a couple of weeks ago my SN95 went belly up by going rod down...as in straight through the oil pan. So for transportation the MX-3 has had to step up to bat.

We narrowed the idle issue down to a bad IAC valve, which is like a whopping $500!!! So we're holding off on that for the moment.

Last weekend, she and I replaced the passenger side CV axle, because the guy she bought it from said the driver's side had been recently replaced.

I had assumed that the loud roary vibration at 20 MPH or above was due to the bad axle, but after replacement, I've still got the vibration.

Both axles look good, no clicking in sharp turns.

Any ideas?

Wheel bearing.

[MrMazda92]

Don't replace the IAC valve with a brand new one. If you need to, pull a junkyard one, or even replace the entire TB. It'll be about 10% of that cost, if your luck is poor...

If you're interested, you could always just avoid using it entirely.