Okay, I swapped my original TB back into place yesterday, with little effect. I tried rerouting some of the vacuum system to the correct values, even though this was pointless. The car had been running find beforehand with the same connections. I think I'm going to follow Bob, Darin and Tony in removing most of the hoses and EGR/Recirc systems shortly.

I did confirm that my O2 sensor was giving me no voltage, but the heater element was giving me 6 Ohms of resistance. This sucks, since the sensor is almost new, but what's even more confusing is that the ECU is ignoring this fact, and giving me a 'normal' output code. Also, two of my 'new' NGK wires likes to spark through the boot, (#1 & 3) so I'll try wrapping this in electrical tape. If it solves the problem, I'll hit CDN Tire up for a replacement set.

I also found out (through the propane leak test) that my intake manifold gasket is 'kinked' right underneath where the spark plug wires run. I sealed this as well as I could with hi-temp RTV. Vacuum problem solved, right? WRONG. My vacuum still sucks (or doesn't (: ), and stays at around 8-10-12in/hg with a really rough idle. The worst is that the propane didn't show up any other leaks... ):

I have to get all of this nailed down before I think of installing my new bushings/suspension/wheels/tires and upping the boost. Felgercarb!

8 10 12.. harsh... I have 19 and my idle is still not as smooth as I'd like it to be!!..
You have to have big leak to go from 19 to 8... Disconnecting one of those tiny hoses like the boost gauge ones made no difference on my vacuum at idle.. how does the car run when you floor it?..

The heater circuit doesn't matter in the O2 sensor. It will work regardless of the circuit. I personally use a 1 wire o2 sensor for just that reason. It takes about a minute longer before I get accurate readings but they're much more reliable since they retain heat more than the O2 sensors with the metal heater circuit in the middle of the probe.

I'll also stick to the fact that screwed with my tips & BISS fixed my slight idle trouble/low vaccum.

Then again, going back to my nemesis, the timing belt, I found that having it redone helps enormously in that department, even if it's all gone to sh*t now..


Don't know what else to say, I don't anywhere near as much experience with these cars as other people on this board do, someone jump in here with some more ideas.

How does it run when I floor it? Well, as good as it ever did, albeit down a bit on power...

Troy, you must have a big vacumn leak somewhere that you're missing. That is really the only explanation??? Isn't it??? Unless you have something plugged up somewhere... but I still don't understand why it runs better when you pinch off the return line. You said you did the propane thing to look for vacumn leaks, so I assume that you're not sucking by one of your injectors, and you closed up the leak around the intake mani.... The only other thing that I can think of as a possibility would be that maybe the lobes on one of your cams has worn to the point of no return. I know that this will cause a rough idle... but I am not sure if it will result in a loss of vacumn, plus it doesn't coincide with the other problems that you've had with idle surge. It's got to be a vacumn leak.... doesn't it.... I am at a loss.

Story of my life, Adrian. I never get hit with any 'easy' problems. S'why I fire off lots of answers to everyone *else*. (:

The vacuum leak theory is still number one on my list. I think my next step is to cap off most of the vacuum hoses and see what happens. I also need a new O2 sensor to make sure everything is good and even to test.

Don't even mention cams. I have nowhere near the money to replace something like *that* right now. They seemed fine when I reinstalled them last Fall, except for a bit of 'smudging' on the lobe edges. That would affect vacuum, but I don't think it would do it like that, as the valves wouldn't be able to open as much.

Well, the shop I bought my O2 sensor from wants me to let them 'analyze' the car to make sure it's really dead. We'll see what that turns up tomorrow. (:

He He..... analyse a DSM???? Good Freaking luck. HAHAHA.

I think it works, but it only gives them basic outputs, like O2 and injector voltages, etc... Nothing we can't monitor ourselves with a multimeter.

I assume you've replaced the intake manifold gasket you know was leaking? That gasket maker sh!t doesn't do squat on that gasket. Spend the hour and pull the manifold off. The gasket is $8.10 from Crappy tire.

Cap off the vacuum line for the brake booster, fpr, all the ones off of the throttle body and try again. If it fixes the vacuum hook things back up one at a time and you'll soon find your leak. There is no need for any of the vacuum lines for vacuum tests. Just don't try to drive the car with the brake booster or FPR vacuum disconnected. Every vacuum line on the throttle body can be left off.....

Have you done a compression test?? Maybe a valve is sticking open?



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http://www.ecanfix.com/~mdhamilton

90 Eagle Talon AWD Body
94 Drivetrain
94 Electronics
Supercharged

Our conversations are just like the ones I have with 3rd tier networking support, Mike. Pretty much on equal ground. (: I just posted most of today's events in the 'Wrong Again' topic...

Anyway, I did a compression test not too long ago and it showed up as fine. I'll be doing another one this weekend to confirm. I'm busy in school, so I haven't been able to touch the intake manifold gasket yet. It's on my list of things to do. The RTV didn't seal perfectly, but it's MUCH less of a leak than before. It also didn't affect my idle/vacuum problems at all. I'm just trying to get this thing to run good while putting around, let alone at over 10psi of boost.

As for your vacuum checks, that was on my agenda for this weekend already. I'm especially suspicious of the brake hose, although a connection is only evident when vacuum is really low anyway. I also might try something with the timing. Now that the ECU is retarding it (LED on, MAS unplugged) the vacuum seems to be a touch better. 12 in/hg instead of 8...