Better to replace piston, or replace with engine w/blown HG?

[Richdesigns81]

Ok.. car started, ran for a few mins and then shut off once I removed jumper cables.. battery is clearly an issue..

However, my bigger concern is the white smoke coming from the driver's side hole in the firewall just under the windshield..

Why is smoke coming from DRIVER'S side? Heater core?

[a]

could the heater blower plenum be full of water? Is there a leak at back of the head where the heater hose connects ? Total guesses. do you smell coolant?

[Richdesigns81]

Well, the smoke is gone.. hopefully for good. Idled the car for 15 mins.. turned it off to do the final tightening of head bolts. Car refused to idle. Careful inspection showed that one of the two wires connected to icv had broken off. Upon soldering it back on.. IT STARTED IDLING AT 3000 RPM!! Can't visually spot a vacuum leak. Checked all hoses, made sure valve cover is tightened down, etc.. ugh!

[tn535i]

It sounds like you are very close. So a bad connection at the ICV means it could be wide open 'causing' a very high idle speed. I would double check the connections to the ICV and the repair since the eta engine ICV is spring open solenoid close and the solenoid has a duty cycle based on the computer trying to control idle speed. Just to be sure you do have a two wire ICV right? seta had a 3 wire I believe.

Now here's another caveat... It sounds like your TPS is not yet adjusted properly. If it is providing an idle control signal the computer should cut fuel at about 1500 rpm and so the idle will go up then drop, up, drop, repeating that process.

To summarize:

-With NO TPS idle signal and no ICV connection- the ICV springs open and the idle speed will go way up as you experienced.

-With NO TPS idle signal and a good ICV connection- the ICV will be at it's HOME position which may be too high or could be too low based on temp and T/B rest position.

-With TPS idle signal and good ICV & connection- the ICV will be modulated properly by the computer to control the idle speed from cold start through warm engine as designed.

Another issue that occurs is a bad idle speed controller (separate computer on eta) that often gives troubles but based on previous information it sounds like it was doing it's job. To test the computer and even set the bypass screw on the 2 wire ICV you should use a DMM in AMPS to look at the current through the ICV. IIRC it should be set to about 480 mA on a warm engine at idle with no load.

[Richdesigns81]

Oh wow... that is a beautiful summary! I was wondering what to do about the tps. I muddled through on the ICV so that it's now in the correct rpm range. The idle sounds UGLY though.. I'll try to upload a recording.. I'm also considering sea foam in the crank case, at the TB and whatever's left in the gas tank. Thoughts?

[Tiit]

Sea foam? No! Forget about sea foam and fuel injection cleaner and all that crap. Have you replaced fuel lines yet?

[Richdesigns81]

Not yet, but it's not leaking anymore either... also, I need this car to pass smog this weekend, or at least be in shape to be tested and fAil.. Hopefully I'm close!!

[Richdesigns81]

IT MOVES!! Did quite a few laps of the neighborhood last night!

The areas of concern after my drive last night are in the front suspension:

1. As best as I can describe it, there were a couple times when it felt like it was slipping sideways.
2. There was a rhythmic clunking that varied with speed, not rpm, and felt like it was coming from the front suspension ( maybe the sway bar that popped out of the left bracket?
3. A couple times it felt like front wheels wanted to go in two different directions slightly.
There was one other problem that I can't remember off the top of my head.. but this thing is SO close to being done!!

[Mike W.]

IT MOVES!! Did quite a few laps of the neighborhood last night!

The areas of concern after my drive last night are in the front suspension:

1. As best as I can describe it, there were a couple times when it felt like it was slipping sideways.
2. There was a rhythmic clunking that varied with speed, not rpm, and felt like it was coming from the front suspension ( maybe the sway bar that popped out of the left bracket?
3. A couple times it felt like front wheels wanted to go in two different directions slightly.
There was one other problem that I can't remember off the top of my head.. but this thing is SO close to being done!!

Numbers 1 and 3 sound like alignment or maybe tires.

[Richdesigns81]

Tires are entirely possible.. front right one is completely bald..

The other problem is fuxung valve chatter.. I can adjust the eccentric enough to get the right feeler gauge in.. what am I missing?

Spark plugs are black, but given my idle issues, I shouldn't be surprised by that, right?

[Richdesigns81]

Quick question.. how do I Line up fan with fan clutch to bolt it down?

[Richdesigns81]

Ok.. here's what engine sounds like now:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1op4QG ... y7CzSSiatQ

Kinda like a typewriter.. lol

[Richdesigns81]

Car went from revving high to completely dead WHILE I WAS DRIVING!!

So when I had started the car it started revving high while my dash gauges(fuel, tach) weren't working. Couldn't track down a cause, but when I started the car again a little while later, it seemed to be ok.. I took for a drive through the neighborhood and it started revving high again, while tach showed 0.

I waa close to home so I headed back. All of a sudden, EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL WENT DEAD! I coasted most of the way home in neutral.. What would cause the car to go so completely dead electrically?

[demetk]

Maybe you have a dead battery.

[tn535i]

Maybe simple as some bad connections at the battery or engine to body or any grounds. When everything has been out it is easy to miss something or not get it all back with a good connections. I guess it could include the engine to body harness connectors too.

[Mike W.]

My first thought is a loose or electrically poor battery cable connection. Any chance in your hurry to drive it you just pushed it back on and didn't tighten it? I doubt I'm alone in having done that before. Even if it is tight, it's always good procedure to remove, clean and reinstall, sometimes battery terminals can look perfectly clean but not conduct well. You can't see resistance.

[demetk]

You can't see resistance.

Sure you can. I see it in people all the time.

[Richdesigns81]

Oh, it's on good and tight for sure! No two ways about it. Terminals are clean!

Would a bed main relay knock out power to EVERYTHING at once? As in ignition, gauges, etc

Also, what electrical issue would cause an engine to idle high starting up and driving while killing the fuel and tach gauges? This happened while the car started up and when idling while driving? Could a sustained high idle screw with the voltage regulator?

[tn535i]

Oh, it's on good and tight for sure! No two ways about it. Terminals are clean!

Would a bed main relay knock out power to EVERYTHING at once? As in ignition, gauges, etc

Also, what electrical issue would cause an engine to idle high starting up and driving while killing the fuel and tach gauges? This happened while the car started up and when idling while driving? Could a sustained high idle screw with the voltage regulator?

It's not just the battery but any grounds you have worked on and any connectors you have had apart. Since the engine was out there are a few and pay special attention to G103 which is on the engine and grounds things like idle control, the main relay, and a host of other stuff. In fact I would start by checking that. If you left it loose it could explain loss of idle control and even loss of DME since it has grounds there.

The Main Relay will knock out the computer but not the instrument cluster. So while you would loose the tach... the speedo, temp, and fuel should still be OK.

High idle will NOT hurt the VR or charging system. No different than cruising at higher engine speed. But bad grounds from the engine to chassis would cause issues I think.

I'm guessing it's something simple you missed during the swap.

[Mike W.]

Oh, it's on good and tight for sure! No two ways about it. Terminals are clean!

I know it sounds stupid, but go back and remove, clean and reinstall. At worst it's not difficult nor expensive. At best it might be the problem.

Would a bed main relay knock out power to EVERYTHING at once? As in ignition, gauges, etc

No. Ignition yes, but gauges are powered separately. Tach yes, but fuel and temp no. Might just try to remove, inspect and reinstall the engine harness connector going to the fusebox. C103 I think it is, but the only big plug on the fusebox.

Also, what electrical issue would cause an engine to idle high starting up and driving while killing the fuel and tach gauges? This happened while the car started up and when idling while driving? Could a sustained high idle screw with the voltage regulator?

Kind of sort of suggests ground to me, but high idle would not affect gauges or voltage regulator. 528e's don't seem to be as bad as 533's, but the separate idle control box cars don't seem to be as reliable on idle control as the later ones that integrated it into the ECU.

[Richdesigns81]

So I went to jump the car to see if I could get it started again long enough to check alternator output.. the lights suddenly came on.. guess I'd left em on when I cruised back home in Neutral. So I decided to see if it would start unassisted.. and it did, cuz why wouldn't it.. lol. Now before the high rev stuff started I had driven the car less thank mile before it died. I called AAA, and they weren't able to jump it so.i had em tow it back. The way they lifted the front end brought it back was really gentle given the small distance and low speeds involved. Still, something could have shaken loose..

So it looks I should look for an air leak and and good electrical connections, right?

Still leaves the questions about why the car died the first time when I had to have AAA tow it. I had assumed the reason was undercharged battery.

Btw, the voltage at the battery terminals was 13.05 with the car running. That indicates a working alternator, right?

[Mike W.]

Btw, the voltage at the battery terminals was 13.05 with the car running. That indicates a working alternator, right?

Working, but real low. Possibly a very discharged battery or bad connections between the alt and the batt. 13.04 won't really charge the battery, kind of sort of, it might start or it might not. It should be at least 13.5. Now don't go too far too fast, I doubt the alt is the problem. Possibly the voltage regulator, but more likely connections. What happens when you turn the headlights on? Try checking the voltage at the alternator, between the positive terminal on it and the alt case. My guess is it will be closer to 14V there. If so that means you have resistance in one or more connections. A ground? Is the alt to engine ground in place? Is the ground from the battery to the body in place? Is the ground that jumpers the pass side motor mount in place? It could be on the positive side, but my guess would be negative.

[Richdesigns81]

So the grounds between battery and body, engine and firewall, and engine and passenger side body are in place.. the alternator is grounded through its bracket to the engine, right?

So that should be plenty.. the exposed wire on the grounding cable hooking up battery to body isn't exactly shiny, so I suppose I could get new terminals and recrimp that.. Also, the positive terminal is brass, yet has some red stuff on it that looks kinda like rust.. how is that possible? Brass doesn't rust, right? Also, I could go through and solder the terminal attaching the positive wires coming from fuse box to battery terminal.. though it's crimped pretty tight to copper terminals..I had used a hammer and punch to make sure it was properly cinched..

Also., headlights, or headlight, rather, was in when I measured alternator voltage.i'm wondering if one headlight is actually out or if it's a wiring issue.

[Richdesigns81]

So the grounds between battery and body, engine and firewall, and engine and passenger side body are in place.. the alternator is grounded through its bracket to the engine, right?

So that should be plenty.. the exposed wire on the grounding cable hooking up battery to body isn't exactly shiny, so I suppose I could get new terminals and recrimp that.. Also, the pgositive terminal is brass, yet has some red stuff on it that looks kinda like rust.. how is that possible? Brass doesn't rust, right? Also, I could go through and solder the terminal attaching the positive wires coming from fuse box to battery terminal.. though it's crimped pretty tight to copper terminals..I had used a hammer and punch to make sure it was properly cinched..

Also., headlights, or headlight, rather, was on when I measured alternator voltage.i'm wondering if one headlight is actually out or if it's a wiring issue.

[tn535i]

There is a ground on the engine head where about a half dozen things in the engine harness are grounded like the DME and idle control. What about that one. Easily disturbed or loosened during an engine swap maybe ?

[Richdesigns81]

Are you referring to the grounding point above the starter? Yeah.. that one is screwed down tight.. as is the one that screws on the valve cover near the firewall.

[Richdesigns81]

The only one that's not attached is the thicker grounding cable going to the hood. There is an additional thinner grounding cablegoing to the hood though.. and I figure that since the only things on the hood are the windshield washer spray, it's not urgent, and it's been unhooked all along, long before these symptoms emerged.

Right now it's the dead gauges that's bothering me. Wish I knew what had caused that..

[Mike W.]

So the grounds between battery and body, engine and firewall, and engine and passenger side body are in place.. the alternator is grounded through its bracket to the engine, right?

Not necessarily, some are, but some are rubber mounted and only grounded thru the ground wire between the alt body running to the bracket that is bolted to the engine. IIRC 86/87 was the changeover on that but I'm not at all sure. Don't quote me on that.

[Richdesigns81]

Spare alternator has a grounding strap so you may be right.

Also, the engine seems to idle OK and the gauges work when I jump the car but go back to high idle and no gauges on the dash when the jumper cables come off so I am hoping that the problem is that the battery is not charged enough. Have it on the float charger now.

Also, the main relay tends to get a bit warm. Should that be the case?

[Mike W.]

I've never noticed the main relay to get warm, but given it's also the only one I've ever had to replace it doesn't surprise me. It does carry some load. I wouldn't worry about it unless it's real hot to the touch.

On the gauges and running, sounds like something isn't connected, electrically, with the jumpers off, that the jumper cables are compressing something and making a connection. Just lowish voltage shouldn't be enough to kill the gauges.