what should COMPRESSION TEST show?

[Tamgesic]

ok thanks for that. I have the alternator from the ex that i could put in?

When I put the fuel pump from the ex in hoping it would be working it did not seem to work at all. no vibration, no noise and car would not start..

Someone mentioned that if car is blowing black smoke its obviously running rich so would be getting enough fuel..actually too much fuel and so they dont believe its a faulty pump or leaky injectors.. which seems to be a valid point? I am prone to disagree but not really sure why lol can anyone explain how it makes sense?

[RiceThief]

The pump from your ex could be stuffed, put 12v across it directly from a battery to see if it runs. Keep the lines connected to the fuel though as you dont want the pump to run while its dry.

If your car wants to stall when you turn on the headlights is usually a sign of an alternator not providing enough juice.

Ex alternator should be capatible.

[thrash]

yeah this seems more like an electrical/ignition issue.. i'd check that before pulling out fuel pumps and injectors and the like..

do one thing at a time.. don't try to change everything at once.

When was the last time the spark plugs were changed on the car? I reckon that's the first thing you should do if it's been a while.. cheap and easy thing like this is good to start with. While you at it, check the spark plug leads too, especially the areas that sit above the exhaust manifold heat sheild, as those are the first areas to let go under immense heat. If they look frayed or you can see through to the wire or any sort of damage, it's a good idea to change them as well. Even if these things don't solve the problem, it's a few less things to worry about for a while

Then check the alternator with a multimeter.. should read 14.4 volts at any rpm. I believe anything below 14.0 is a shot alternator, but the others will correct me if i'm wrong :) Anything above 14.4 is very bad as well.
Then if all that is ok, and the problem persists, check the ignition timing.

if all of the above is ok, then move onto the fuel pump (and very - no, probably more importantly, the pump relay), and finally onto the leaky injectors, as this is probably the toughest/most expensive problem..

And surely someone in NZ can help the lady out with testing the flow of her fuel pump? volunteer anyone?

[Tamgesic]

Good info .

Have already only JUST changed the spark plugs ..and leads [ yes number 4 was frayed ] aa what else ..changed coil lead too that was a bit nacid .

The temp sensor or whatever iot is that comes off that top pipe that crosses engine [ know name cant think right now ] had come copmpletely lose of the plug [ the wires were pulled out so got some connectors and got a friend to show me that . Still no differnce im afraid.

if time was gonna change alterntor over today..but will test my one first [need to buy a new multi]

First of all am finishing 5 stud conversion ..the rear. . and its pissing down with rain and there is thunder ! Its kind of scary :P


the scary bit being how the F**k to do this [I cant take all the credit ..just for this part i got a mate to help but he a v8 man and constantly going on about how he can get 330 h/p ...' and thats without a turbo' ]

[Tamgesic]

can you just give me a bit more detail about how to test/ fix or replace the pump relay??

[Junkers]

If your fuel pump was failing you would never achieve black smoke from the exhaust. Keep in mind that poor ignition firing will result in excess fuel from intermittent spark/combustion i.e. black smoke. I am guessing your pump and injectors are OK.

I'm not quite sure exactly how the coil is triggered with the 4g63, but there could be an overheating transistor/solder joints in your ecu. Try replacing the ecu if you have one handy. (Heat creates electrical resistance, the struggling idle could be caused by a component having to greater resistance until it cools down after being worked hard)

That's my guess anyway.

P.S. Your mate should turbo his V8

[thrash]

P.P.S you should tell your mate to stop trying to compensate LOL

[Tamgesic]

I love your saying Thrash lol

aaaanyway yup alterntor is totally farked ! was reading 0.4 volts at times!!! so i have my spare ex alternator but it does not have the fan on front and it has different plug.

The plug is not a prob that can be rewired/connected

But what i need to know as dont have time to dummy up ..need to drive to Auck in a day which is a 5 hour return trip...is will it all align up properly for the alterntor belt?? Does anyne know or done this before?

Or does someone in Auck have the same kind of alt as mine which they can part with [ Staz may make it down if got an alternator waiting down there]

Ok about the ecu thing. Any way to test it? I have my ex ecu but is that compatible? eg can I just simple unplug from ex and plug into my Staz or would i need to completely re loom with ex loom? I had a feeling they were quite different??

Quick change of subject ..when i get round to putting in the ex mechanical dash with the 260 km speedo will i need the ex ecu? I shouldnt should i?

[Junkers]

But what i need to know as dont have time to dummy up ..need to drive to Auck in a day which is a 5 hour return trip...is will it all align up properly for the alterntor belt?? Does anyne know or done this before?

Your alternator should be fine, disregard the fan.

Ok about the ecu thing. Any way to test it? I have my ex ecu but is that compatible? eg can I just simple unplug from ex and plug into my Staz or would i need to completely re loom with ex loom? I had a feeling they were quite different??

Yes actually your right, I assume you have the early style of injection so you wont be able to run the EX ecu. You can take apart your ecu and look for hairline cracks/dry joints in the solder.

Quick change of subject ..when i get round to putting in the ex mechanical dash with the 260 km speedo will i need the ex ecu? I shouldnt should i?

Nah should be sweet as :)

[Tamgesic]

Great ta for that Junkers

You SURE about putting Ex alternator in? ..well reasonably sure ? I wont quote you on it or anything but don't wanna go to the trouble [ as will be first time I change an alternator, and ill only have the help of this forum ] if it does'nt end up fitting you know ?

Sorry for double checking. BUt thats the answer I wanted sounds good !!

[thrash]

just check the belts for the alternator.. if the belts are the same, it should be fine.. i believe there are two different types of belts.. one is called a v-belt, and the other i think are the toothed belts?

[Tamgesic]

ok need someones help asap.

I am meant to be happily cruising in my Staz for a much needed weekend away right at this moment.

This morning when i left home as soon as I started car black smoke came pouring out exhaust. As I drove down road it did what its only been doing occasionally the whole drive. I drove for about 7 minutes with it shuddering and bunny hopping type jerking over the place , black smoke pouring out ....and then it died. .I was left stranded on side of road just like I didnt want to happen

When I tried to start it again it gave off a big spark type bang . there would be no vacuum and it would just die.

$170 later and I have paid for a tow truck to a mechanics and two hours of his 'time' he fixed alt so car would turn off and said battery was charging low so he put somwething in to fix that but still is. He said the car is running now ,,it will drive but boy it will be running rich and is still running rich as hell .....Im thinking to myself 'mate I just paid you to tell me something I already KNOW?'

He thinks it may be the manifold pressure sensor [ the box on firewall on drivers side [ about the size of a deck of cards ]

Thats all he could tell me . He said he didnt wanna keep looking around and have to charge me more ....this guy is the best mechanic/ auto sparky in whangarei !!

I dont wanna be stuck on side of road in Auckland ..anyone got a quick plan before i leave?

[Tamgesic]

a moderator can join these tow posts if like . This one started with me wanting to know correct compression test reading and the other was asking of ex alterntor would fit.

its all talking about the same prob which I need to figure out asap as my car is not running well at all and just broke down today .

I dont have another car and will be left carless so yeah just join the two if want

[Johnyturbo]

ok need someones help asap.

I am meant to be happily cruising in my Staz for a much needed weekend away right at this moment.

This morning when i left home as soon as I started car black smoke came pouring out exhaust. As I drove down road it did what its only been doing occasionally the whole drive. I drove for about 7 minutes with it shuddering and bunny hopping type jerking over the place , black smoke pouring out ....and then it died. .I was left stranded on side of road just like I didnt want to happen

When I tried to start it again it gave off a big spark type bang . there would be no vacuum and it would just die.

$170 later and I have paid for a tow truck to a mechanics and two hours of his 'time' he fixed alt so car would turn off and said battery was charging low so he put somwething in to fix that but still is. He said the car is running now ,,it will drive but boy it will be running rich and is still running rich as hell .....Im thinking to myself 'mate I just paid you to tell me something I already KNOW?'

He thinks it may be the manifold pressure sensor [ the box on firewall on drivers side [ about the size of a deck of cards ]

Thats all he could tell me . He said he didnt wanna keep looking around and have to charge me more ....this guy is the best mechanic/ auto sparky in whangarei !!

I dont wanna be stuck on side of road in Auckland ..anyone got a quick plan before i leave?

Hi Tamgesic,

Are you still having issues with the Starion or has it all be sorted out?
just replying to the the question on the MAP sensor (manifold pressure sensor), i had a issue with mine just recently in regards to idle but it was not to the extreme you have had, its possible that you could be having multiple issues from what i was reading.

After changing my MAP over my Idle has improved and the car is running allot better but when it was playing up i found my car was running lean after pulling out the plugs to inspect, when you pulled out your spark plugs what color were they?

White normally means Running lean
Tan is about spot on for fuel to air
Black/carbon is to rich/ not burning fuel correctly.

A good thing to check when you have the car running next to detect if the MAP is on the way out keep an eye on your stock boost gauge in the instrument cluster and see if its playing up they can some times give bad readings if they are on the way out (that could also be related to a vacuum leak in the hose that runs from the inlet to the MAP)

I only bought my car recently off a young guy who described a similar problem to yourself backfiring, dropping heaps of black smoke ect. and it ended up multiple problems, MAP, Airflow And fuel injectors and after all that its still not 100% there but its getting close, the main one that was coursing the smoke and the back firing as it turned out was the injectors.

He fixed the injector problem before i bought the car by picking up another JA inlet manifold with a set of working injectors in it and doing a full inlet swap, could be a easier option that tinkering around if you know some one who has some spare parts available or i'm sure some one on here should be able to sell you one, i've seen a few JA's getting wrecked recently.

I hope this helps or better yet i hope you have already fixed the problems you have been encountering. i have also added some pictures of a MAP so you know what to look for.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42338950@N04/4397728960/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42338950@N04/4396962827

Regards

Johnny