Swapped EG33 issues
 

I'm having trouble with a 94 EG33 I swapped into my Legacy Outback race car. http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=12965

I just got this thing in and fired up about a week ago and took it to a fabricator friend of mine for a custom rear exhaust. He'd already made a custom front Y pipe for me and the old rear pipe and Supertrapp were just too crusty and loud. So this was it's first drive beyond the 9 miles between my house and my shop which were taken once at a sedate pace due to the loud exhaust. Apart from the noise the car managed the 1 hour freeway journey nicely and drove onto his hoist without a hitch.

After six hours of welding and bending pipe it fired up with a lovely burble but soon we realized all was not well. We had a rough and low idle. In fact the engine would not idle very well at all and we soon realised we only had five cyclinders firing. A quick trip round the cyclinders pulling injector wires revealed #1 was not firing. Strangly though it came back on line above about 1500rpm so, as it was late, we decided to set the idle about 1800 and I would drive it home. It ran great till about 40 minutes in when the gauges started doing wiered things and the lights went dim. This may be a red herring as I think it is a failing alternator but threw it in incase it might be significant. Anyway I slowed to 60 and everything came back so I continued on at a reduced pace. However, once I got near home the idle was really rough and down to around 1000rpm.

This morning I drove it back to my shop and it was misfiring on #1 again after a blast on the freeway. This then got worse and at the shop and I diagnosed that #2 is now acting up as well but not above about 1500 rpm. Above that the engine runs great. I swapped out the ignitor as I had a spare but that didn't help.

Last night, before I headed home we had good spark and compression in #1 but did not know how to check the injectors properly and it was getting late. I'm not sure how to go about diagnosing this problem and am hoping someone here has solved a similar issue. I should also mention that the engine is currently running with the Idle Air Control Valve disconnected and blocked off as it was causing a fast idle condition even though the valve itself tested good. I think the temperature sensor is sending too strong a signal and making the ECU think the engine is still cold so it won't close the IACV. I have a new temperature sensor on the way.

Anyone have any ideas. I'm really flummoxed?

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

Sounds crazy, but make sure the crank pulley is not separating, if the outer section of the pulley is slipping on the inner it will cause many of these symptoms, free to check, just put a mark across the face of the pulley, drive it some and see if the mark stays lined up on the inner and outer sections...

If not, probably either a sticky injector, or a failing coil...

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

Not crazy but in my case probably not possible as I have a one piece aluminium UnderDrive pulley installed.

Is it possible to remove a single injector and swap it's location with a known working one without disassemling the fuel rail? I think I'd like to try that next,

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

I just swapped over injectors from #1 and #3 but the problem persists. Still not firing #1 and #2 below about 1500rpm. At least I know it's not injectors. But we had spark too so what is it?

I did notice that the spark plug boots don't lock onto the plugs positively nor is there a spring to maintain contact. Is this normal. Seems as if the plugs have to be exactly the right length to maintain contact with the plug boots. I'm using NGK PFR6B-11.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

The bolt that holds the coils to the plugs should provide plenty of force to hold them together with a good connection. I'm reading through your build thread, it's very interesting. Try swapping a coil (or both) from left to right; they're interchangeable.

Remember this post? :p http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/s...9&postcount=15

The coils are starting to fail on the SVXs that haven't been messed with, just due to age. So I'd say that's definitely worth checking. You can find come used, good coils here in the part out threads for much cheaper than new.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

Thanks. I can't swap coils as 1 and 2 are the only ones that swap and they are both down anyway. Any way to check a coil while it's actually installed or on the bench? When we had one out with a plug and we had good spark while cranking.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

Have you tried changing the plugs. I had a misfire in No. 6, plugs were only 20k old, so replaced the coil, still there, replaced plug, fixed. The Platinum plugs looked fine, but did not fire.

Harvey.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

Looked at the build thread.:cool:

I would check the cam sensor, as it may have been damaged. If it is, it can move the trouble from side to side.

Harvey.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

Plugs in 1 and 3 were a little tight so I regapped those two. I could try moving some plugs around.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

Never thought of that one.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

I checked all the injector wiring and grounds with my meter this afternoon and it was all good. I'm thinking the coils are going bad on 1 and 2. The few post I've found relating to coils always seem to be those two. If it's not coils it may be the ECU.

So, does anyone near Pontiac, Michigan have any known good 1 and 2 coils and/or an ECU. The could can be on a car, I just need to try one.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

I also removed and reinstalled the alternator and cleaned up the battery negative terminal then took it out for spin. No silly gauge issues this time out but the battery post really wasn't that dirty. Fingers crossed.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

You know, I've just remembered, one of the first things I did today was listen to the injectors via a screwdriver placed on the top cover and the other end in my ear. (Yes, I was sure to put the sharp end on the injector)

I could hear a pulsing sound from 3 through 4 but not from 1 and 2. Is this definitive evidence of non firing injectors?

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

You may want to block test, compression test, and use a vacuum gauge to inspect for head gasket leaks. Bad head gaskets are common on these old engines and cause cylinders to drop at low rpms. They are also annoyingling hard to find on these engines and usually don't show up on a block test.

You may want to install a fuel pressure gauge between the fuel filter and engine. Leaking injector orings are annother common cause of cylinders dropping--particularly if the injectors have been r&r'd. An installed fuel pressure gauge quickly and definitively shows if the fuel rail maintains pressure with the key off; of course if it doesn't you have a leak.

The spark plug gap should be OE. You may want to try hotter plugs on these two holes for now. It often helps, particularly if head gasket leaks are the underlying cause. Stick with double platinums or laser iridiums or you are just making things worse.

Re: Swapped EG33 issues
 

Thanks LongAssName, some scary stuff.

I replaced the head gaskets before I put the engine in. Resealed everything too but I could have screwed it up I guess. I have double patinum plugs I believe. I regapped the two I took out, were a little tight. Fuel pressure is an interesting idea.

I'm borrowing a couple of good coils today. Shoul know if they are the problem later.