Kitcat Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 About once a year, my X-flow starts to run like crap. Today is such a day. Rev's up roughly, sputters and stutters at low speed, and stumbles on acceleration. It does best accelerating with part throttle, full throttle causes more un-eveness and missing. And tons of backfiring, much more than the usual pop on deceleration. Typically cured w/some hard driving. Usually 10-50 miles or so does it. Any ideas? Bad gas? Clogged gas filter? I was down to 3 gallons but it had run well on the same tank up til now. I had just washed it today but that hasn't been a problem in the past. When I drove off today it just stalled out and wouldn't re-start for 10.' Lots of cranking but it would not fire up. Finally after resting a bit it started and I drove to the gas station and filled the tank w/quality gas and drove for 10 miles. It's better but still rough and not its usual robust self. Theories? Mike M. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestTexasS2K Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 any chance you got moisture in the dist cap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted May 22, 2011 Author Share Posted May 22, 2011 Could well be. We'll see how it runs this afternoon, after baking in the sun all day. Last time I had the problem I was coming out of a rainstorm (Hmmmm.....). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yellowss7 Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Mike, try squirting a little WD40 under the cap to dry it off. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
11Budlite Posted May 22, 2011 Share Posted May 22, 2011 Mike - One thing I do before I wash my car is lay a couple towels over the top of the motor to keep water from going through the louvers and getting into the spark plug wells, coil pack, and air filters. I've never had a problem, but I'm sure the X-flow ignition system is even more susceptible to water problems than the Zetec motor.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlumba81 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 You could try taking the bonnet off and misting some water on the electrical parts to see if it stumbles or misfires at idle. Might be a problem w moisture getting in the coil. Check for cracked insulation on electrical parts. Could be the hard driving is drying out the faulty electrical parts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Well, the car started right up and ran like a top, or at least like a X-flow, after baking out in the sun, initially. Then, after 10 miles of zooming around, cough, sputter, backfire, backfire. It started acting up as I was bending around a nice left handed turn but I had done that multiple times on this brief blat w/o a hic-cup. I limped the last coupla miles home. It runs, just not cleanly or strongly. So I don't think it's a moisture issue. Other thots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Mike Time for a new Bosch cap and rotor on that cross flow. There are stock pile of cheap rotors floating around for the cross flow that cause nothing but problems. "black in color with type rivet design" Dave W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 My car uses the Petronix Flamethrower electronic ignition. I am no expert (obviously), but I thot that eliminated rotor issues??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MHKflyer52 Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Kitcat, Check for loose electrical connections to the ignition system even the key switch. Hope this helps and you find what is giving you issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDingo8MyBaby Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 Here's a couple of thoughts, but my best guess would be moisture somewhere. Timing: Check idle and advance. Plugs - look for raw fuel and try to isolate a cylinder Check your venturis - they may be loose. Check jets for blockage and float height. Fuel Filter I don't think the fact that it ran great for a while and went back to sputtering completely rules out moisture. There could still be moisture left somewhere... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnCh Posted May 23, 2011 Share Posted May 23, 2011 When it exhibits this behavior is idle also rough? If so, try pulling the plug wires one-by-one to see if you can isolate a cylinder. Another thing to check is that your distributor is tight and the advance isn’t moving around. -John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted May 23, 2011 Author Share Posted May 23, 2011 Thx. Yes a big idle problem. I will also double ck radiator hoses. Perhaps a leak is supplying moisture, it's happened before.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboeric Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 If idle is a problem, it's probably not the fuel filter. If any fuel can get through the filter, it's enough for idle. Also check for vacuum leaks. But the backfire suggests ignition problems, or huge over-fueling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WestTexasS2K Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 I had a Kabota tractor tha hadthis same issue. It was a 23hp gas engine. If it got wet it would sputter and back fire just run like crap. If it had moisture in the dist it got hot it would steam up and the moisture would collect in the cap and it would begin to misfire. It really sounds like the problem. WD40 helps but the real cure is to leave the cap off on a sunny hot day put a small fan blowing on it for about an 1 hour. Replace the gasket between the cap and dist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 Everything's nice and dry under the hood. I played w/it yesterday and idle IS ok, just cant run hard/cleanly thru the rev's. I tried pulling off plug leads and the water "misting" approach and learned nuttin. I will try Loren's suggestion next. We have had almost 40 days and 40 nights of rain here (more like 60-60) so that ain't helping, I am sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turboeric Posted May 24, 2011 Share Posted May 24, 2011 When was the last time you changed the plugs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitcat Posted May 24, 2011 Author Share Posted May 24, 2011 2 years ago, new plugs, wires. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danilo Posted May 25, 2011 Share Posted May 25, 2011 Maybe faulty Ignition (petronix are decent but hardly outstandingly reliable) ? I'd check fuel flow, either some movable obstruction in the fuel tank (once had a Gas cap gasket (in the bottom of the tank slide around and occaisionaly covering the fuel outlet. Took me weeks to find it :-) Also there is possibility of water condensing in the fuel tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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