EJ22 running on three cylinders?

robdddd · Post by **robdddd** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:08 am

I have got it all together now and taken my L to EJ22 conversion for a test run, but something is not right.

It idles sort of OK, well much better than my EA82 did but when taking off or accelerating at low revs she coughs and splutters and backfires, get the revs up and she runs OK but feels like lacks power (about the same as what the EA82 was on a good day!).

Back home in the drive checking a few things out:
The No 1 sparkplug gap was huge and no spark (fixed that) but still if i pull the plug lead or fuel injector lead off cylinder 1 there is no change to the engine revs?

I was also having some exhaust leakage so i decided to use some exhaust sealant on the header, when i removed the pipe the exhaust outlet for cylinder 1 was wet with unburnt fuel. (thats not going to be good for the CAT is it?)

Any thoughts?

Subarino, are you still interested in having a Look? or any Perth guys (i realise you may all be on an a trip this weekend....

rob

tim_81coupe · Post by **tim_81coupe** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 1:39 am

I'd love to come take a look, you're NOR right? I'm down in Riverton, but I should be able to come up some time this weekend....

85wrx · Post by **85wrx** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:50 am

My father had a similar problem but it was with number 3 cylinder. After all the stuffing around at the mechanics checking ecu's and the sensors. It turned out the one of the pulleys for the timing belt seized and it had jumped a tooth and thrown the timing out. Only a suggeation but check there are no problems with the timing belt.

What the diagnostics come up with, is it was double pulsing on No. 1 cylinder. They replace the ECU, Coil pack, spark plug leads, spark plugs, cleaned the injectors, check for a sticking valve due to compression readings.

Simple as a timing belt.

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Wed Sep 06, 2006 8:06 pm

What have u replaced from when u got the engine?? It's generally a good idea to get all new plugs, new leads and new filters when first setting up an engine... ohh and obviously new oil.

There is a LOT of things i can test to see what could be going wrong here.... need to make sure the injector is working for starters. It seams to be pretty comon that EJ injectors seam to seize up if left sat for a long time. If not u need to make sure there is a power pulse actually being sent to the injector from the ECU.

Could be your coil... could be your ignitor... could be your plugs.... could be your leads.... could be your ECU.... soo many things it could be without testing.

I have a spare coil here i think. i would have to double check... im NOR too.
PM me the suburb your in and your scedule for the week and weekend and i will see if i have some time i can drop by.

Dave

robdddd · Post by **robdddd** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 2:47 pm

Thanks guys, I will send PM with address and Ph number, Saturday or Sunday after 12 whould be great. If both of you could make it I am sure you will solve the problem.

At this stage I admit I havn't replaced leads or plugs or even the oil, i wanted to make sure i could fire it up and it didn't blow clouds of smoke (history of motor unknown). I also havnit got the charcoal canister yet so have simply bklocked the hoses (will get that Saturday morning)

Can't wait to get out on a trip.

daza · Post by **daza** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 8:38 pm

robdddd,
Have you upgraded the fuel pump?
Sounds like could be insufficient fuel flow?
Daza.

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:04 pm

Charcole Canister would not make a difference.... although if u did have it connected i would be checking it... fuel flowing into them evap lines floods the shit out of the engine i found.

Dave

robdddd · Post by **robdddd** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 8:57 pm

Only had a quick look thisfternoon, put the timing light on and teh notch is way down near 5 o'clock no where near where it should be.

Pulled off the two side covers and both lined up with the notch at the top, forgot to check where the notch on crank was....started it up and put the timing light on the belt at the camshaft and it was registering about an inch past the notch.

Summarry..Cam markers indicate firing about 30deg after TDC and main pulley indicates who knows what.....its way off.

Assume someone has changed the belts and got it all wrong(the belts look in good condition). Could it be possible to run the engine if it was out like described?

Tim or Dave if you come tomorrow could you bring a timing light, mine is next to useless and stopped working.

rob

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 10:49 pm

I don't have a timing light but i have done timing belts on an ej22 before so i know what im looking for to see if it is right... only thing i would be using a timing light fire would be to make sure all 4 leads are firing. But there are other ways to do this. Tim and I are looking at coming over about the same time tomorrow and he has your address i belive... i will talk to him tomorrow morning to work out whta time he is planing to get there.

Dave

robdddd · Post by **robdddd** » Sat Sep 09, 2006 11:14 pm

Dave,

great look forward to it, i have sent PM with address.

Hopefully if you talk to Tim he may have a timing light.

I have dog training in the morning...new puppy...finishes at 11.30, will be home at 12.

rob

robdddd · Post by **robdddd** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 8:03 pm

Huge thanks to Dave and Tim, came around to help solve the problem...we worked out a lot of things that it wasn't and now i have a new timing belt, but problem persisted.

After the guys had left i tried the only thing they thought it could be...placed the compression guage on it (worked out how to get it to to fit)...nothing registered at all on cylinder1.....(hhmmmm) try cylinder 3 and that looks fine. There is no blowpast comming out the oil filler cap so believe it must be a valve issue.

only question i have is if there is no compression yet it is getting spark would the fuel ignite? reason for question is that the spark plug gets saturated with fuel indicating no combustion?

Should I pull the motor to take the head off or persist with tryng to keep it in the bay?

rob

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:21 pm

Even turning the engine by hand should create compression.... as far as i know if u got no compression thats a really bad sign and would explain a lot. Might have to pull the engine apart which is what u didn't want to hear i guess. Wait for someone else to comfirm this though.

Also when i was turning that side cam pully by hand today it seamed not as hard to turn than the opposite side.

Dave

robdddd · Post by **robdddd** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:29 pm

Dave,

Think first thing will be to take rocker cover off and see that valve springs and all that look like they are doing their job...possibly valve stuck open?
will let you know.......

rob

SuBaRiNo · Post by **SuBaRiNo** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 9:45 pm

Yeah definately try that first...

Seagull that motor didn't happen to have come out of anyther guy named Rob's car did it??

Dave

waggaclint · Post by **waggaclint** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:20 am

by the sounds of it id be pulln the motor out and stripping it....thats if ya want to fix it properly....if theres no compression then youve got problems...did you do a wet and dry comp test???

robdddd · Post by **robdddd** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:30 am

I assume wet means squirt some oil in and if there is some improvement then rings are the problem?

No i havn't done wet yet, it got dark and i went in for dinner.

Also the engine was cold, the manual says to do test at operating temp but i can't imagine it would make much difference.

waggaclint · Post by **waggaclint** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:10 pm

yep thats right......

The AUSubaru.com.au Forums

EJ22 running on three cylinders?

EJ22 running on three cylinders (think I worked it out...not good though)?

Thanks guys

looks like timing belt really ODD?

thanks Dave and Tim (but your going to hate this!)