What has the mechanic done??

[Kremmen]

My JA's been running fine for years. Idled a little roughly at times, but drove perfectly, except for sometimes a major hesitation at certain speeds under heavy acceleration.

I asked my usual place to tune it and see if they could find out what the hesitation problem was. They replaced the fuel filter, ignition leads (for no reason, afaik, and these ones are a disgusting bright blue like cheap ethernet cables these days), spark plugs, air filter, rotor and distributor. The mucked about with timing, etc.

When I got it back, it was almost undrivable: Gutless as hell. Ran rough at all speeds and kept threatening to stall, but the ECU kept saving it. After any acceleration that involved the turbo, there would be loud turbo flutter, something this car has never, ever done before. Then, after driving about 150km, it become impossible to start it again. (It catches and fires up perfectly and then dies after about 3 secs.) RACV guy thinks it's a fuel blockage at the engine.

So, I'm wondering if any of you can guess what the hell this guy has done to my engine and (far less importantly at this stage) what a solution to the minor original issue might be?

[Entaran]

New problem sounds like the timing is up shit creek.

Original problem is probably a carboned up exhaust valve in the head.

[vr4gone]

I haven't had my JA for all that long but when the timing was out on mine (spark firing on inlet & exhaust overlap) it would get major compressor surge just like you experienced. I side with Entran and also say, check the timing.

[enthuzed]

My JA's been running fine for years. Idled a little roughly at times, but drove perfectly, except for sometimes a major hesitation at certain speeds under heavy acceleration.

I asked my usual place to tune it and see if they could find out what the hesitation problem was. They replaced the fuel filter, ignition leads (for no reason, afaik, and these ones are a disgusting bright blue like cheap ethernet cables these days), spark plugs, air filter, rotor and distributor. The mucked about with timing, etc.

I've experienced the same problems, and swapped all this gear and looked at timing. The head on this car was not the cause, it was clean as a whistle.

Still like to know for curiousity's sake but will get aftermarket management instead etc.

[Entaran]

The reason i said the original problem was carboned up valves is because we had this happen on two of our older cars so far (not mistubishi's) and both ended up in terminal engine failure. Point was pinned to a carboned exhaust valve that wasn't closing fully thus letting explosive air back into the head and deoxygenating cylinders that were supposed to be firing (causing hesitation).

It was also consistent in that you could pick exactly when it was going to happen, on one car it was between 2700-3300 and the other it happened as it hit 3600rpm.

It's worth checking :)

[Adriano]

Are you sure they put the ignition leads on the correct way?

[Kremmen]

Well, they discovered the big problem quickly this time: A (now-massive) split on the underneath of the turbo end of the hose from the air filter to the turbo. Taping it up fixed it. (... for now.)

So, then comes the hard part. Is there any way to obtain one of those hoses in Australia?

[Alspos]

I'll have a look.

Or you can fix it. Radiator elbow and a bit of 2" muffler pipe.

[redzone]

i've got a perfect one. PM me if keen!