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engine flutters on full throttle not partial throttle
the car moves but does not pull, like it's bogging
just started recently, I thought it was a vacuum leak, and it was part to blame, the charcoal canister tube was dislodged by the transmission fellas.
it ran better, but didn't fix the problem, it will rev to redline in part throttle, and pull like crazy,in part throttle and run well with part throttle
the wideband readings are spot on with no lean spots, I even changed the air filter thinking I was air starved, it ran better but didn't fix the problem.
it problem starts at around 3500 rpm and when I rev past 4200 or so (I think it clears up), I don't think it's a valve float thing cause it happening at such a low rpm.
any ideas? otherwise the engine idles and run smoothly and beautifully, punch it part throttle in second and the tires spin. gas mileage went up with the lower stall and the governor reprogramming.
i'd check the exhaust , plugged cat? i've seen exhaust pipes rust and fall apart inside, can't see it from the outside. just my 2 cents
thanks for the idea, the front cats are new 3" inchers, to replace the burned out damaged ones a few months ago, and new stock for the center. all new... under a few thousand miles.
they rattled when they were going out, and eventually hissed they were so clogged and the car would not move, maybe I am moving alot more air with the new tune and the exhaust is holding things up...
I did alter the timing table a bit to accommodate the differing torque and load characteristics of the off idle with the lower stall and shift points, actually the problem existed prior to my tweaking the tune.
Last edited by slickfx3; Mar 25, 2012 at 05:59 PM.
Hook up a fuel pressure gauge and check your pressure reading at WOT. You can tape the gauge to the windshield.....
i considered that, if it losses fuel pressure, would it be the pump?
would a lost of pressure lean out the wideband, or would the wideband miss the lost in pressure?
Last edited by slickfx3; Mar 25, 2012 at 05:42 PM.
no time yet, will pull them, when i can what to look for? grease?
Plug contamination from coolant, oil, fuel, etc..
Note the color of them, should be tan-ish and fairly clean. I've taken plugs out of newer stuff like V6 4.0 VQ's at 100K+, they looked I put them in yesterday except for the out of spec. plug gap.
which mechanical problems could be detected by a leak-down otherwise not detectable thru other means?
it does not use a drop of oil, nor are the plugs greasy and the engine never smokes, not on cold start etc...
Just out of curiosity, how can you make this claim, if you (admittedly) have not pulled the plugs since this problem started?
I think 383Vett's idea is a good one. Just because something was ok, at some time in the past, does not mean it is ok now.
you are right, it may not be okay now, how about a vacum test, would that reveal something?
how about codes, I have no codes?
Vacuum test (idle and driving) is a good one. As long as you know what your looking for. Not just what it is, but how the needle (on gauge) acts can tell you a LOT about an engine.
Vacuum test (idle and driving) is a good one. As long as you know what your looking for. Not just what it is, but how the needle (on gauge) acts can tell you a LOT about an engine.
since i don't have a compression guage, I do but I bought it in the 1975 and it is a push in and ask your buddy to crank the engine one, so in order of what I can to
1) vacuum check, I'll check online to compare what it is doing to what it should be doing... I engine has a cam etc... would that change what it should be doing?
2) pull the plugs...
then report those findings here
3) then if i need to rent a fuel pressure gauge from auto zone and tape it to the windshield and watch it behave on full throttle.
and then report the findings here
4)and lastly if I can't figure it out with the above then have a shop or maybe i can rent a compression tester from autozone, but wouldn't it be redundant to the vacuum test?
since i don't have a compression guage, I do but I bought it in the 1975 and it is a push in and ask your buddy to crank the engine one, so in order of what I can to
1) vacuum check, I'll check online to compare what it is doing to what it should be doing... I engine has a cam etc... would that change what it should be doing?
2) pull the plugs...
then report those findings here
3) then if i need to rent a fuel pressure gauge from auto zone and tape it to the windshield and watch it behave on full throttle.
and then report the findings here
4)and lastly if I can't figure it out with the above then have a shop or maybe i can rent a compression tester from autozone, but wouldn't it be redundant to the vacuum test?
Man vacuum tests, still work on new school stuff, because an engine is still an air pump, but man we are getting old school with this stuff. Next thing ya know, I'll be breaking out my grandfathers old timing light and dwell meter. I'm 24 and know what a dwell meter is and how it works....there is something wrong with that.
Compression tests are somewhat worthless. They only tell you if you have compression in a cylinder and how much. A leak down test is better and for diagnostics far more accurate. I do what you are going to do first and worry about leak down/compression last.
Man vacuum tests, still work on new school stuff, because an engine is still an air pump, but man we are getting old school with this stuff. Next thing ya know, I'll be breaking out my grandfathers old timing light and dwell meter. I'm 24 and know what a dwell meter is and how it works....there is something wrong with that.
Compression tests are somewhat worthless. They only tell you if you have compression in a cylinder and how much. A leak down test is better and for diagnostics far more accurate. I do what you are going to do first and worry about leak down/compression last.
thanks, i may have the car back by wed, then I break out the 'ol gauge...
so looking at all the "scenarios" what I should check is
1)idle, look for steady needle
2) slow acceleration, if a symptom is discovered
3) rapid acceleration
Last edited by slickfx3; Mar 25, 2012 at 09:39 PM.
shop adjusted the fuel pressure from 27 ( huh? i thought it was 32 psi last time I checked with autozone gauge) to 45 psi... did not help...
the vacuum gauge is at 15 psi steady and does not flicker, i drove it for 5 miles and based on the links you sent me, there is no indications of mechanical issues...
wide band still read good... i may enrichen it a little
will pull plugs in the next few days
Last edited by slickfx3; Mar 26, 2012 at 04:50 PM.
shop adjusted the fuel pressure from 27 ( huh? i thought it was 32 psi last time I checked with autozone gauge) to 45 psi... did not help...
the vacuum gauge is at 15 in/Hg steady and does not flicker, i drove it for 5 miles and based on the links you sent me, there is no indications of mechanical issues...
wide band still read good... i may enrichen it a little
will pull plugs in the next few days
Fixed, unless you got boost or a really bad gauge no way you got 15 psi.