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New guy. Here is my Cat


Vovchandr

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Did the car idle before you took them out? They look like a plug should look if you cut the engine off at speed and took it out of gear. Modern gas has a lot of stuff in it that makes reading plugs harder. There appears to be carbon on the body of the plug and the center electrode insulation isn't white. That would indicate it isn't very lean. Even better the plugs do not appear to be steamed cleaned.  that would indicate water in a cylinder. Unfortunately that doesn't mean compressed air isn't getting in the cooling system. 

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Carl is correct, reading plugs is a black art. Reading old plugs is just about impossible. Drag racing is just about the only sport were plug reading is used, but they shut the engine down at full throttle and coast into the return lane. You can tell general engine health, burning oil, coolant that sort of thing. If you want to know how your jetting is install a wide band sensor, you will learn more in one drive around the block that you will spending weeks swapping jets. 

 

Gunson (the ColourTune people) used to make a self contained unit that you could plug into a power source and put a flexy hose in the exhaust pipe, worked great. 

 

Graham  

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You guys are right, spark plugs aren't a good way to tell running condition so I installed a wideband after getting the stuck bung out with a lot of persuasion. 

 

 

At the moment car is still a bit of a drivability mess. I'm not confident in cooling system or my idle/AFM situation. 

 

 

Current status.

1) Wideband installed and keeping an eye on it. Strange thing is from what I see I should go lean when off throttle but I go rich. Otherwise it's a bit all over the place

2) IAC is connected back. It still doesn't hold idle by itself for likely one of two reasons. a) it's bad b) TPS never gives it a hand shake to take over *pending testing*

3) Coolant is still a problem. I drive fine and at temp on highway but as soon as I slow down into traffic I run hot

4) While driving around yesterday I started to get an electrical issue in the tach/speedometer unit. Shift lights would flicker when shifting up or down and then towards the end of the drive when it got hot in traffic it started to be even more buggy. RPM was off and lights were triggering at random. Not too concerned with this as it seems to be a slave from other issues.

5) Rented a coolant system pressure test

 

Plan is to go back a page and follow Crocs list in detail.

 

 

Remnants of the bung

 

IMG_20210613_130344359.jpg

Edited by Vovchandr
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15 minutes ago, Vovchandr said:

Anybody know what could have happened here?

 

Fuel gauge spontaneously blackened/fogged. 

 

At the risk of being Captain Obvious, your gauge is full of fuel.  See the level towards the top....

 

Next observation - why is that fuel so dark?  Grease/dirt from the gauge/internals?  Lack of in-line filter?   Mixed with oil?

 

Dude...what are you doing to that poor car of yours?

 

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10 minutes ago, Croc said:

 

At the risk of being Captain Obvious, your gauge is full of fuel.  See the level towards the top....

 

Next observation - why is that fuel so dark?  Grease/dirt from the gauge/internals?  Lack of in-line filter?   Mixed with oil?

 

Dude...what are you doing to that poor car of yours?

 

 

They are full of fluid from the getgo - 

 

image.png.a3dab0a15c6078668a0edaf76ace9bb5.png

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GQNVDDW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Marshall Instruments LS00100 Silver Dial Fuel Pressure Gauge

 

Pretty sure my actual fuel should never be directly in the gauge. It should be separated by a diaphragm or similar (somebody will surely correct me if I'm wrong)

 

10 minutes ago, Croc said:

Dude...what are you doing to that poor car of yours?

 

Just driving it. I swear :(

 

I'm pretty sure I'm testing theoretical limits of the Murphy's Laws in regards to everything that can go wrong..

Edited by Vovchandr
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Ok I assumed you were using a dry-type gauge and it became a wet-type gauge based on how you described it.  

 

The wet gauges do go cloudy when the liquid within is contaminated.  The liquid is usually a silicone, clear light oil or glycerin - not sure what Marshall use?   That happens when the little pressure seal goes "poof" and fuel invades the gauge liquid.  I bet it reads low now?  

 

At least you are retaining some sense of humor!!! 

 

 

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This raises the question if the gauge failed due to age/vibration or if something wonky happened with your fuel pressure to pop the seal?  Have you been monitoring that during your diagnostic sessions?  

 

-John

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1 minute ago, JohnCh said:

This raises the question if the gauge failed due to age/vibration or if something wonky happened with your fuel pressure to pop the seal?  Have you been monitoring that during your diagnostic sessions?  

 

-John

 

It was good just a day or two ago.

 

Only thing that happened is that I ran "hot" again. Closer to 100c during test driving and parking. Was very surprised to find it like that. I think I'm not going to put too much thought into it at this moment. Cooling troubleshooting is still priority. Thought it was interesting however. 

 

With the current - reinstalled old/OE thermostat I average just below 80 degrees and my fan turns on right before 80 as well. 

Edited by Vovchandr
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You mentioned in the Tillett thread that you spoke to someone who worked for your car's former owner.  Have you asked him if the car had similar issues back then?  I wonder if you are simply having bad luck or if you are chasing old issues.

 

-John

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5 minutes ago, Croc said:

Ok I assumed you were using a dry-type gauge and it became a wet-type gauge based on how you described it.  

 

The wet gauges do go cloudy when the liquid within is contaminated.  The liquid is usually a silicone, clear light oil or glycerin - not sure what Marshall use?   That happens when the little pressure seal goes "poof" and fuel invades the gauge liquid.  I bet it reads low now?  

 

At least you are retaining some sense of humor!!! 

 

 

 

Not sure what they use either. Obviously some kind of failure. I think it reads on par. I'll double check during next testing. Notably I was spot on 40 for longest time and just a few days ago I was at 38. 

 

I'm laughing about it. It's maniacal and hair pulling but still laughter. 

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Just now, JohnCh said:

You mentioned in the Tillett thread that you spoke to someone who worked for your car's former owner.  Have you asked him if the car had similar issues back then?  I wonder if you are simply having bad luck or if you are chasing old issues.

 

-John

 

I'll try to pursue that. I spoke with the current owner of the seat who brought it from a couple who worked for him. He decided to reach out to them when I thought it was very coincidental that the only other red Tillett I've ever seen like mine is also currently in NC where my car was from. So I asked where he got it and whether it was close to where original owner lived. He reached out to wife of who he bought it from and confirmed. I'll ask for that contact info

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Vlad - I think your car was originally sourced from Chip Bond.  He had a few of those red seats around.  No idea why only he had them, never saw them anywhere else.  

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