car is running really rough

[n00b on demand]

Originally Posted by svxfiles

Are you coming to the dragrace Sunday?
I'll bring my SSM.

I can't drive the car the way it is. It just sounds too rough for my blood...being that i dont even know whats wrong with it. I have to work sunday anyway.

[n00b on demand]

OK here is an update for you all...

Tonight i started the SVX up and let her warm up for 20 minutes....car was idling fine...but the exhaust continued to " put put put"....so i decided to take it out for a spin to do some testing. I was able to make a few WOT runs and the car has as much power as day one that i got it....went fine to redline and everything. All kept within the speed limit of course! The car drives smooth once its up to speed....and then when your coming to a stop it starts to get rough and then you sit there at the light with it " put put put"...u can see the steam coming out of the exhaust the same way...in the " put put" form. Since the engine is smooth and running as should im lead to believe this is exhaust related....hence the noise i described.

Like i said before i had a bad crack in the passenger side pre-cat pipe...and my mechanic put some epoxy blend on it to patch it up since welding it was too difficult ( spot of crack was in a difficult spot). Let me tell you...it smells sooooo bad after you take it for a spirited drive...my mechanic told me the epoxy blend would have a horrible smell to it. There was a little smoke coming from the engine but i have a PS leak...and a small oil leak so its probably just burning off with all the heat. Can a bad exhaust leak cause a car to run rough? I remember after he patched it up and i got to drive it the car felt like it was brand new...it was unbelievably smooth. But now you know the rest .

This could be a sign for me as well....i have had the spare passenger side pre-cat pipe in my garage for 3 weeks now with no intension on putting it on anytime soon. Maybe this is a sign for me to get it done. Who knows but these are all the things i found after my little drive.

[n00b on demand]

Ok heres another update....

My friend came over to check it out....he said it is most definitley the exhaust thats causing the issue. He said the cold weather probably caused the patch to blow off since the metal got heated. You could smell how rich the car was running. He said to get that pre-cat pipe put on and it will probably go away. So that will be my first step. This week when i get some time. If anyone would be able to help out that would be great because my knee and my right shoulder is all messed up.

[msvx95]

The injector check by TomsSvx and SVXfiles is the quicker check anyway. All you have to do is what they said....Let the car run at idle...when it's idling rough...preferably when you are at home...and unplug one injector at a time...just like you would the headlight. When nothing happens at each one, just plug it back in. If the car stalls out when you unplug one of them...then I think the one you unplugged would be bad. Simply take note which one it is and plug it back in.....make sure they are all back in and start the car up again. No harm will be done to the car. This is just my two Abraham Lincolns about your situation until you can set aside the time to replace anything bad.

[n00b on demand]

The car is in the shop right now getting the pre-cat pipe replaced. I hope to God this cures the issue. The mechanic said it sounded like something else though...like something is missing. Hopefully thats not what it is...the car feels completley normal and powerful other than the exhaust noise and little roughness when coming back down to a stop. I'm praying the issues will be solved by tonight or tomorrow morning.

[Earthworm]

Originally Posted by msvx95

When nothing happens at each one, just plug it back in. If the car stalls out when you unplug one of them...then I think the one you unplugged would be bad.

You have this backwards. If nothing happens when you unplug it that's the problem cylinder.

[n00b on demand]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

You have this backwards. If nothing happens when you unplug it that's the problem cylinder.

If the problem persists when I get the car back tomorrow I will try this out but before I do it I have a few questions as to what to do .

I know where the injectors are thanks to the picture that svxfiles has provided. I see that the connector is held in on top with two screws. Would I have to remove the two screws to unplug the injector? Or as someone posted before do I just twist it out like a headlight bulb?

[Earthworm]

Just to make sure, you're going to unplug the connection to the injector and not the injector itself right? That would be bad mmmmkay.

[n00b on demand]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

Just to make sure, you're going to unplug the connection to the injector and not the injector itself right? That would be bad mmmmkay.

I dont know what to do thats why I asked.

[n00b on demand]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

Just to make sure, you're going to unplug the connection to the injector and not the injector itself right? That would be bad mmmmkay.

Whoops I made a mistake I'm a dope....i re-read svxfiles post. Sorry

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by POWER on demand

Whoops I made a mistake ....i re-read svxfiles post. Sorry

The gray plug has a release on the bottom in the middle, that you have to push up, on, when pulling out on the connector.

[n00b on demand]

Originally Posted by svxfiles

The gray plug has a release on the bottom in the middle, that you have to push up, on, when pulling out on the connector.

Thanks Tom!

[wawazat??]

Tom, for a few chuckles do some searches on coolant temperature sensors here. I think you may be having a problem related to a sensor failure causing the car to run rich hence the unburnt fuel smell. Something is sticking in my brain re-reading this thread about your problems.

Good luck!

Todd

[n00b on demand]

Originally Posted by wawazat??

Tom, for a few chuckles do some searches on coolant temperature sensors here. I think you may be having a problem related to a sensor failure causing the car to run rich hence the unburnt fuel smell. Something is sticking in my brain re-reading this thread about your problems.

Good luck!

Todd

Todd, if the coolant temp sensor was bad would that cause the hard starts in the morning? When I start my car the tach jumps and then drops...and continues untill it evens out and begins to idle and then warm up. On very cold mornings sometimes it will rise and then drop and stall but starts right up upon the next try.

[msvx95]

Originally Posted by Earthworm

You have this backwards. If nothing happens when you unplug it that's the problem cylinder.

Oh, whoops.....That makes more sense.