96 Legacy GTB help!

[Guest]

Hey guys/girls.

I've been having a little trouble with my 96GTB, actually quite a lot.

I've replaced the cambelt/waterpump/thermostat/fuel pump/spark plugs and probably a few other things I can't think of recently..

Anyway, car was running fine for a few weeks when it suddenly started deteriorating.

To cut a long story short, I can't drive it for longer then 30-40 minutes at a time.

If I drive for say 10 minutes, stop somewhere for 20 minutes or so the car runs absolutely shit. Misfires/doesn't idle at lights and sometimes when it's really bad it won't make it up steepish hills.

Symptoms are:

Idles very badly

Stalls then takes a while to start up again.

Misfires REALLY badly

Lacks a massive amount of power

Generally just feels like it's running on 2-3 cylinders.

I'm thinking it's either something to do with the coils/air flow meter or wiring to the air flow meter/spark plugs.

I've purchased a new set of coils, which I'll be putting in over the next few days but I've got a feeling it's not the only problem.

Any help would be really appreciated, a box a beer or something for the person who diagnoses the prob!

Cheers!

[Joker]

coolant temp sensor? when it thinks its really cold it will dump fuel in (wont idle)

possibility not a certainty..

[Hailz]

 JoKer said:

coolant temp sensor? when it thinks its really cold it will dump fuel in (wont idle)

possibility not a certainty..

Yeah I'd have to say I agree, I had very simmilar problems as you've had in my V6 terrano (different vehicle I know but most ecu's work in similar ways) It turned out to be that sensor, replaced it and she was mint, never ran better!

If you do a cel check it should bring up a 21 if its really buggered.

[log1call]

If you disconnect the temp sensor the ecu will default to a typical warm running temperature which should get it running better. Try that when it's playing up and if it runs better then it will probably be the temp sensor..

[Treecrusher]

I had somewhat similar symptoms when my fuel pump started to go. Not the 30 mins thing, but just generally running like a bag of sh!t one minute then fine the next. Worst thing was it din't though any cels, so it took me ages, and many replaced sensors, to fix the problem.

I got a new/second hand fuel pump for $30, so could be a cheap thing to check.

[Guest]

Changed the coils today.

Car went extremely well for the first 20 minutes, quicker then it's ever been etc.

After 20 minutes or so it felt like it was running on 3 cylinders. Wasn't misfiring/no idling problems, everything seemed to be fine apart from the fact that it felt like it was running on 3 cylinders.

I replaced the spark plugs with normal NGK ones a few weeks ago, was told that it wasn't necessary to replace them with the Titanium plated ones or whatever they are. Could that possibly be the reason?

Also checked the plugs today when replacing the coils, they all seemed fine except for one which had what smelt like petrol on it.

Cheers for all the suggestions so far, will look into them all.

[DPI]

 marcmarc said:

Hey guys/girls.

I've been having a little trouble with my 96GTB, actually quite a lot.

Symptoms are:

Idles very badly

Stalls then takes a while to start up again.

Misfires REALLY badly

Lacks a massive amount of power

Generally just feels like it's running on 2-3 cylinders.

Mine did this, same symptoms...was the AFM...

[Guest]

hmm, changed the AFM & put in correct plugs.

Still not the problem.

Guessing it's the headgasket/s ;\!

[Treecrusher]

Have you tried the fuel pump?

Take the hose from the pump off the fuel filter in engine bay, hold a bucket under it, hold your thumb as tight as you can over the end of it and turn the engine on. If you can stop the flow the pump is stuffed.

When mine went petrol flowed out of the hose and I thought it was good. But when I held my thumb over it I could stop it easily.