Engine problem

[GeneMiller]

THe engine runs fine all day and then all of a sudden it sounds like its under water. check the video out for what it sounds like. Here is what it is not.
THe computer, I have 2 and it does it on both. Just to be sure i reprogrammed one and it still happens.
its not the Distributor cap or rotor.
Its not the spark plugs.
In 5 to 8 hrs of running it might happens once. all i did in the video is turn the selector to idle and then turn off the pump. that usually fixes it. sometimes i have to release the vacuum also.
occasionally i have to turn it off and wait for a couple of minutes and then turn it back on.
it definitely smells like it is suddenly rich and there is smoke of both color coming out. it seems like an ignition problem but i don't see one any where i look. can a coil go bad intermittently .

http://youtu.be/8wVImu2wQKcgene

 

[SMRBAP]

Yes, they can.

I'd also look at any sensor/sensor that kills the ignition - temp sensor, oil sensor etc.

 

[Jim Martin]

first thing I would do..would be to change the fuel filter.....sounds to me like under a load it is starving for fuel.......

 

[GeneMiller]

All those show to be working but I can check them again. I have the link but can't reproduce it when I'm hooked up. The water temp is always very high when it happens but I know that sensor works because I tested it.

gene

 

[GeneMiller]

The fuel filter is new and sized for an outboard , it's the oil filter type screw on. It does seem like its starving but it bellows out fuel, you can smell it. It seems like its getting flooded all of a sudden from the smell.

gene

 

[FredC]

map sensor?

 

[GeneMiller]

It shows to be working also. Whatever it is lasts 4 less then 5 minutes and usually only occurs once in a very long day. I have tested the sensors that I can but its hard to test for a freaking ghost. I'm glad that it only lasts for a few minutes
It might be a wire that had rubbed except then I think it would last longer and removing the load shouldn't fix it.

gene

 

[Jim Martin]

fuel injected.......??

 

[GeneMiller]

fuel injected.......??

Yep. It seems like the computer and throttle plate are getting confused where they are in relation to each other. I don't know how to check that one

gene

 

[Jim Martin]

Yep. It seems like the computer and throttle plate are getting confused where they are in relation to each other. I don't know how to check that one

gene

when was the last time they were cleaned and adjusted.....?????

 

[GeneMiller]

Never, didn't know I was supposed to.

gene

 

[Jim Martin]

yea..they need to be cleaned periodically......how often depends on the type of fuel and how hard you run it....on all my other vehicles I just put injector cleaner in the tank...but it is not recommended to do this with the machines...why I don't know but that's what they tell me.....

I pump 89 octane in all of mine and I never ever let any of my fuel tanks get below 1/4 tank....I don't want any dirt or crap being sucked up and getting into my filters or injectors....

never ever have I had any types of problems.....

 

[Becker]

Is it only on long jobs. Or very hot days?

 

[GeneMiller]

It's always hot but no not always long jobs. The water temp has always been above 230 when it happens I think. What are you thinking.
ill try tomorrow without any heat and see if it happens. I haven't seen any real consistency.

gene

 

[Jim Martin]

Your water temp is not going to effect this....to different things....if it is over heating the computer is going to shut it down....I also would not lean towards a vapor lock .....

 

[Becker]

When I bought mine joe at jondon warned me the only problems he has seen were some machines the computer over heats. I guess it sits right over the enigune. The cure was installing a larger fan. Getting more air across the engine.
Live put 415 hrs on mine since mid dec, and we have recently had some pretty hot days, and been running the machine all day recently. Luckily no issues.

Try pointing and air mover at the machine.

 

[FredC]

Gene...is this the one you were messing with the distributor on? Did you have the issue prior to that? What was the reason for the distributor surgery? No start?

There really isn't a lot of input that would cause the ecu "make it" run like that.

MAP, IAT, ECT

so if not those I would suspect ignition

 

[Erik]

Is your radiator clean? On my vortex, it gets cottonwood plugging the radiator every year. The truck will shut down to idle.

 

[Jim Martin]

When I bought mine joe at jondon warned me the only problems he has seen were some machines the computer over heats. I guess it sits right over the enigune. The cure was installing a larger fan. Getting more air across the engine.
Live put 415 hrs on mine since mid dec, and we have recently had some pretty hot days, and been running the machine all day recently. Luckily no issues.

Try pointing and air mover at the machine.

on the GM Vortec engines the computer sits right in front of the bottom of the engine....I don't care how big of a fan you put on it...there is no way in hell it gets any air movement down there.....not to mention ( like mine did ).when the radiator hose burst..it flooded the computer......

on the GM motor..they put a long cable on the computer....I took mine out of the engine compartment and relocated it outside the machine behind the filter box...it does not get half as hot as it use to and I have no fan blowing any where near it............

from what I understand....the nissian motors do not have the extra long cables but I believe that Sapphire has the hook up for who makes them so you can relocate them.......

as far as a bigger radiator fan...auto zone has the one that works the best..it was one of the first things I replaced on mine...these machines need as much air flow as possible...they are much happier...........

 

[GeneMiller]

on the GM Vortec engines the computer sits right in front of the bottom of the engine....I don't care how big of a fan you put on it...there is no way in hell it gets any air movement down there.....not to mention ( like mine did ).when the radiator hose burst..it flooded the computer......

on the GM motor..they put a long cable on the computer....I took mine out of the engine compartment and relocated it outside the machine behind the filter box...it does not get half as hot as it use to and I have no fan blowing any where near it............

from what I understand....the nissian motors do not have the extra long cables but I believe that Sapphire has the hook up for who makes them so you can relocate them.......

as far as a bigger radiator fan...auto zone has the one that works the best..it was one of the first things I replaced on mine...these machines need as much air flow as possible...they are much happier...........

I moved my computer right after I bought the machine. I made my own extension. I remember when cars had problems with heat and computers so I didn't want to take a chance. When the problems started I checked the distributor first and noticed the center contact was completely gone. How it ran I don't know but it was gone. I replaced the cap and rotor with Nissan parts. It didn't help, but they needed it. at the same time replaced the plugs. Next time ill pull the wire on the heat sensor for the water and see if maybe something's wrong with it. It just goes to ground and works went tested but maybe it has something funky going on.

Gene

 

[Jack Zipper Zerkie]

Gene
I would look at the air intake too much heat from inside I had the same type of problem with heat FT Myers Fl. I fixed it by running a new air line from the air intake out to the side door panel of the unit. This worked for me and is a cheep fix if thats the problem. The engine would stumble because of all the heat . The hose worked for cooler outsie air. Hope it works. jz.

 

[bob vawter]

mass air sensor......
disconnect neg battery terminal...wait one minute
reconnect neg battery terminal....
turn key on (don't start) twenty secs or so
listen for mas to reposition itsef.....

 

[GeneMiller]

Jack it does get hot in there but I have 4' doors across from each other. I was going to add 2 radiator fans on top to pull out all the excess so we will see. Bob ill try the map sensor. I have an extra one so i can just replace it.I also have an extra fuel injector . Can't hurt

Gene

 

[bob vawter]

Jack it does get hot in there but I have 4' doors across from each other. I was going to add 2 radiator fans on top to pull out all the excess so we will see. Bob ill try the map sensor. I have an extra one so i can just replace it.I also have an extra fuel injector . Can't hurt

Gene

Ahh Gene....jus for the record a MAT("manifold" air temperature )is different than the MASS air sensor....
carefull wit that axe Eugene!

 

[spotman123]

yea..they need to be cleaned periodically......how often depends on the type of fuel and how hard you run it....on all my other vehicles I just put injector cleaner in the tank...but it is not recommended to do this with the machines...why I don't know but that's what they tell me.....

I pump 89 octane in all of mine and I never ever let any of my fuel tanks get below 1/4 tank....I don't want any dirt or crap being sucked up and getting into my filters or injectors....

never ever have I had any types of problems.....

Jim are you talking cleaning just the fuel injectors? If so how without adding inj cleaner to the tank?

 

[Jim Martin]

I take mine in and have them done....not something that I want to mess with...there are all type of kits you can get to clean and flush the tarnish off/out of them....but nothing I want to get to involved with.....

i noticed that my fuel mileage on my machine is off and it it sputtering a little....will probably set an appointment up in a week or two....

 

[GeneMiller]

Ahh Gene....jus for the record a MAT("manifold" air temperature )is different than the MASS air sensor....
carefull wit that axe Eugene!

Didn't know that. Thanks Bob . I will reset it. Friday it ran fine with no problems including one stint for 4 hrs and 32 minutes. Go figure. It comes and goes making it hard to track down.

gene

 

[GeneMiller]

Still acting up . It was correcting itself. Today it happen 8-9 times and I had problems getting it to stop. I changed computers and that fixed it. Then 1 job later I switched it back to fix it again . I'm starting to think a wire is grounding out somewhere messing up the computer temporarily.


Gene

 

[FredC]

Maybe........but I would still think a problem with a sensor. The computer being "fresh" having been unplugged for a bit and cleared is running properly until it receives the fault and changes the run condition.

of course that fault could also be between the sensors and the ecu in the harness

 

[GeneMiller]

None of the sensors show a problem. I have the link between the ecu and computer. It never does it when hooked up. It went weeks with no problems and then yesterday it was a constant problem. Ill relink it and check the wires again.

Gene