need some help, please engine experts >>

[Craig 94 TA GT]

I plan on calling him tomorrow. I will tell him to pull out the plugs and test it or else. Maybe he's afraid that he won't get reimbursed for the labor of taking out all the plugs. Either way, that really does get me upset on how he can just rule out all other things, and assume its a rod or valve. He is still for the insurance approval, so that will buy me time for talking to this fool.

Whatever happens, at least I will probably get new injectors and a regulator. If it still doesn't run, I will start the diagnosis from then on, as you all have given great troubleshooting steps. Thanks for that!

TRANS AM IN EUROPE, do you have a fuel pressure gauge? This would come in handy to try and diagnose your problem. Also, buy a new fuel filter and pry open your current one. It will have stallized bits on the inside on the metal canister if sugar was run through your system. Also, the sock on your fuel pump will be sticky and coated with sugary residue. That's how I verified the sugar in my system.

[Trans Am]

hi
cant find a fuel pressure gauge that fits, the sock on the fuel pump looks ok
how about taking off the fuel rail off instead of taking out the plugs? it d be a lot easier and faster but i bont know if the ffuel will come out what do you think ?

why not pay for the removal of the plugs yourself, i think it s not expensive, and if you find out that there is internal damage in the engine , get the money from the insurance company. i dont know what totaled means but i think that if you get a salvaged title for the car its market value will drop considerably. then you can buy back the car and fix it yourself

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Hmmm....if you can't find a hose/gauge, then try this...make sure you have some rags on hand. Pressurize the system by turning the key to the on position. Wait a few minutes, then with a screwdriver or your thumb, press the pin down (on the shrader valve and see if gasoline squirts out. If it does, then it's holding *some* fuel pressure. Since you don't have a gauge, you can only assume it's holding some kind of pressure. If gas doesn't squirt, but maybe a few drips seep out, it isn't holding pressure at all. This is what I am seeing. If it seems to hold pressure, you can try this test again, only depress the pin on the valve 30 minutes after and see. As far as checking for leaking injectors, remove the fuel rail screws (4 total). Lift it up a bit with all the injectors. Make sure the injectors are still over the holes. Pressurize the system and check if any injectors are wet. I tried this too, but all my injectors were bone dry

Regarding the salvage title, I do not want to have one! These cars are soon-to-be classics and a "junk" title would really screw it up. The insurance is talking to the mechanic directly now, so they will take care of diagnostics, but once they find the problem, they need my approval to go from there. If for some reason, I have internal damage, I will tell the insurance to pay for new injectors and a regulator, but will fix the engine myself. They will close the case, and all the rest of the expenses will come from me. This will save it from the salvage title. Now, if I were to tell them to salvage it, then I buy it back, I don't even think I'll have much $$ left over to pay for any kind of parts for repairs. They will probably give me $5k (or less) for the car (probably try to rip me there), and who knows how much I'll pay to buy it back. That won't leave me with much money left, On top of that, the car's title is trashed.

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Motor was hydrolocked!!!!!

Ha to the mechanic!!!!!!! The motor was hydrolocked!!!!!!!!!!! He said the injectors took a big dump and lots of fuel dumped out as he pulled the plugs. But...it still won't start. He said he was able to crank it over a bit, but it stopped again. He said he hopes I didn't bend a rod when I tried to start it hydrolocked. I don't think that's the case (unless anyone else has experienced otherwise). I really don't think the stock starter/battery is that strong. I think it's either the low battery, or possibly the injectors simply dumping lots of fuel into the cylinders constantly when trying to turn it over (and then, back to the old hydrolock). Those are my theories. He said the insurance adjuster submitted the paperwork to safeco and will contact him by tomorrow. I hope my baby will be back soon.
Thanks to all who started and supported the hydrolock theory!!

[Jeff_in_Atl]

I knew it! Now maybe they can fix it and get it back on the road again. I hope it all works out now.

[TraceZ]

Since the hydrolock was caused by the bad injectors, it should be covered by insurance to clean it up and change the oil.

*whew* I bet your relieved!

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Oh yea, I am completely relieved. In no way did I want a salvage title, but I couldn't afford many parts if I did it on my own! However, I'm still hoping that starting it when hydrolocked didn't bend a rod...as the mechanic said.

Thanks guys for your diagnosis posts. Oh yea, the mechanic also said that lots of gas is in my oil too...just as you said Tracy.

[Joe 1320]

Re: Motor was hydrolocked!!!!!

Originally posted by Craig 94 TA GT
Ha to the mechanic!!!!!!! The motor was hydrolocked!!!!!!!!!!! He said the injectors took a big dump and lots of fuel dumped out as he pulled the plugs. But...it still won't start. He said he was able to crank it over a bit, but it stopped again. He said he hopes I didn't bend a rod when I tried to start it hydrolocked. I don't think that's the case (unless anyone else has experienced otherwise). I really don't think the stock starter/battery is that strong. I think it's either the low battery, or possibly the injectors simply dumping lots of fuel into the cylinders constantly when trying to turn it over (and then, back to the old hydrolock). Those are my theories. He said the insurance adjuster submitted the paperwork to safeco and will contact him by tomorrow. I hope my baby will be back soon.
Thanks to all who started and supported the hydrolock theory!!

Told ya. Glad the accurate diagnosis has been found. Now the rest is simple.

[fastTa]

Sound like the 94 TA will live to breathe again!!

[Trans Am]

mine was hydrolocked too!!!!!!!!!!!!

hi

i took out the spark plugs, hell no 8 was f%#ing hard. i did it from above the engine

and a lot of gas squirted out of the no 2 cylinder, and also from cylinders no 3, 8 . i took out the fuel rail and pressurized the system: the no2 injector was leaking really bad, others seemed fine.
i turned the engine by hand a little but it was pretty hard. i ll try again today, yesterday it was getting dark outside and my hands were all bruised so gave up. i ll try again today and let you know what happens. should it turn easily?

can i clean the injector, or check if its really busted?
ill have a really hard time finding a replacement injector here, does anyone have a stock fuel injector for sale and will send it to europe? if i make an order to an online shop ill have to pay customs for it( customs + tax is about 65% of the vaue)


Craig please let me know what you did with your car, if you start the engine , i think mine has the same problem


thanks guys



i m going to work on the car now

[TraceZ]

Re: mine was hydrolocked too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by TRANS AM IN EUROPE
hi

i took out the spark plugs, hell no 8 was f%#ing hard. i did it from above the engine

and a lot of gas squirted out of the no 2 cylinder, and also from cylinders no 3, 8 . i took out the fuel rail and pressurized the system: the no2 injector was leaking really bad, others seemed fine.
i turned the engine by hand a little but it was pretty hard. i ll try again today, yesterday it was getting dark outside and my hands were all bruised so gave up. i ll try again today and let you know what happens. should it turn easily?

can i clean the injector, or check if its really busted?
ill have a really hard time finding a replacement injector here, does anyone have a stock fuel injector for sale and will send it to europe? if i make an order to an online shop ill have to pay customs for it( customs + tax is about 65% of the vaue)


Craig please let me know what you did with your car, if you start the engine , i think mine has the same problem


thanks guys



i m going to work on the car now

I bet you can find a set of stock injectors on this message board, or camaroz28.com. (lots of guys replace them with bigger ones and have the stock ones lying around) You might want to replace the regulator while you are at it, just for good measure.

Then.. change the oil and fire it up!

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Well, she's back
Drove her home (~15 miles) and she responded pretty well. I didn't lay in it or anything of course. It seems to idle a very tad bit on the rough side...don't know if that's my paranioa, or if she just went through so much (i.e. carbon build-up), she needs a good, long freeway run. Either way, it's been roughly 2 months for her sitting there, hurt badly.
She also got an oil change and a new battery. Fuel pressure doesn't drop off anymore, according to the mechanic, although I haven't checked it yet.
I'm too paranoid to open her up yet....I think I should wait a bit to test her. One thing I did notice was the oil press. gauge flucuating a tad bit under deceleration. I don't know if it did this before, but it isn't too much to worry me... yet.
So hopefully...she will run right from now on. Oh yea, and thanks for all your advice, support, and knowledge!!


****EDIT****
Forgot to mention, thanks for offering me the connecting rods and FPR, Kevin. Since everything is ok now, I don't think I should need them anymore. I did get the new FPR, and I don't think I need any connecting rods. They can be used for another f-body in need

[TraceZ]

Originally posted by Craig 94 TA GT
Well, she's back
Drove her home (~15 miles) and she responded pretty well. I didn't lay in it or anything of course. It seems to idle a very tad bit on the rough side...don't know if that's my paranioa, or if she just went through so much (i.e. carbon build-up), she needs a good, long freeway run. Either way, it's been roughly 2 months for her sitting there, hurt badly.
She also got an oil change and a new battery. Fuel pressure doesn't drop off anymore, according to the mechanic, although I haven't checked it yet.
I'm too paranoid to open her up yet....I think I should wait a bit to test her. One thing I did notice was the oil press. gauge flucuating a tad bit under deceleration. I don't know if it did this before, but it isn't too much to worry me... yet.
So hopefully...she will run right from now on. Oh yea, and thanks for all your advice, support, and knowledge!!


****EDIT****
Forgot to mention, thanks for offering me the connecting rods and FPR, Kevin. Since everything is ok now, I don't think I should need them anymore. I did get the new FPR, and I don't think I need any connecting rods. They can be used for another f-body in need

That post is music to my ears. Feels good, doesnt it.

Now get a locking gas cap!

[Craig 94 TA GT]

Thanks Tracy

Oh yea, the first thing I did after I found out it was sabatoged was put on a locking gas cap. I'll take the extra 15 seconds to pull it off rather than take another chance!! It's sad how you can't trust anyone anymore. I did before, and learned the hard way.

One thing I did notice before was that you could hear a burp/hiccup in the exhaust (especially in the open Borla end) when it was running bad. Now, it just sounds smooth and sweet. I want to get her dynoed as soon as I make sure she's fully up to par, and when I'm comfortable with her. That way, I can check and see if she's lost a step after this incident, or possibly back to normal. Although I haven't dynoed her before, I'm sure I can get a rough estimate to see where my power is now.

Do you think there's any carbon build-up or anything I can do to make sure the engine itself is clean/restored? Or would a simple long freeway run do it?

[Lee'S 1997 Z28]

Yes definitely get a locking gas cap. Only $9.99 at AutoZone where I work.

Glad its okay!

Have a goodone Lee!