ok, 98 civic ex w/ greddy kit on it. running it with 8.5psi (approximately heh). Lately, when I floor it, the car stumbles like it doesn't want to do anything but you can feel it struggling. At part throttle and all it's just fine...

I don't think it's spark as I don't hear any detonation or anything. I think it's fuel related. possibly fuel filter? MAYBE fuel pump isn't giving enough gas at full throttle to compensate for the 8.5~9psi at full throttle as it only starts to stumble in gear under full throttle AFTER about 3200rpm. I dunno, but it's really starting to bother me.

I doooo usually run the tank down before refilling which I try to get away from doing...

need suggestions, help?

 

try changing the spark plugs

 

but I just put them in like 2000 miles ago? they go bad THAT fast???

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by stackz &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">but I just put them in like 2000 miles ago? they go bad THAT fast???</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yep thay can, Why don't you think it's spark related?
Have you done a tune up lately? Turbo engines need more maintenance and upkeep then n/a cars.
Does the problem only occure when you first floor it?

 

no, it ONLY occurs when I floor it and not even all the time. I've got an msd sci ignition box w/ blaster ss coil and 8.5mm msd wires all with about 6k on them since install so that's why I don't think it's spark...

unless of course if the plugs have gone bad. I only say this because usually when it's spark related the ecu will retard the ignition and/or toss a cel at me but it's not doing that at any point when it's struggling on me.

 

To me it sounds like it's bogging... probably fouled plugs.

 

not enough fuel?

 

Just check the plugs, takes 5 min

 

how can I tell by looking at them if the plugs are fouled??

 

They will be very, very dark and smell like gas.

 

It sounds like either a timing or fuel issue to me. The plugs will tell if you are running too rich.

 

Happen to me without any turbo on and it turned out to be bad ignition wires try to swap a pair out if you can. They wont throw a code

 

ok, I pulled and replaced my plugs and the new ones are gapped at .035 (that's what I found on msd's site for what they should be at with the sci ignition).

Looking at the plugs...







they don't look fouled but I don't know what I'm looking at haha...

explaining the fuzzyness!:

black ring on bottom of threaded part with nice white porcelain and the electrode is mostly black except the part that I'm assuming conducts the spark which is nice and greyish/white

so I'm assuming the plugs were fine....

I replaced the fuel filter too and will be test driving the car after the rain lets up but this is just fyi for all the fine people helping me thus far :D

comments/suggestions??

 

You could try regapping them to like .032-.030...

Do you have an a/f meter? If not, just hook up a voltmeter to your o2 sensor and the voltage should be around .900-.950V at WOT. If it's closer to 1v (the supposed maximum the sensor can show) you are too rich. I actually had mine start showing 1.1 at one point and then it got fouled to **** and was reading negative voltage, ha!

 

what fuel pump/injectors/fuel press. regulator are you running?

 

yea...beleive it or not i dropped 4/10ths from my E.T. by shortening the gap on my plugs in my old 96 ex turbo.

car was running like shiet, checked the plugs, saw they were a little worn (made the gap bigger) so i re-gapped them, and ran 4/10ths quicker.

stupid little shiet u gotta keep your eye on.

turbo civics blow thru plugs like nothing, i changed mine every 7k mi or so.

 

what fuel pump/injectors/fuel press. regulator are you running?
_______


stock fuel pump/injectors/fuel press. regulator is ALL what I'm running...

I swapped the plugs and fuel filter this morning and drove around town with a/c on flooring it all over the place and no more bogging!! yay!! I'm leaning towards fuel filter though as the plugs just looked tooo good to be bad...

 

Have you ever thought that it could be an exhaust gasket leak? It doesn't take much, to cause it to hesitate... Check to see if there are any black rings aroud your exhaust somewhere

 

chech the msd box too, just in case 0.030 is what you should be gapped at too,, with msd,,,,