Thanks for the pics, Larry!I don't have a service manual on it. Before I spend any money for parts, I will get the Seafoam cleaner and try that. I will check that link for ASE shops, thanks. I also need to find a GOOD shop that can fine tune my 280zx. So far I have found out that I know more about it from troubleshooting w/ the Factory Service Manual than any of the shops I've been to! It is an uncommon car at least around here, so I need a shop that specializes in 280's. Anyone know of one in the ST Louis area? I don't think most of the mechanics at the local Nissan dealer were even born when this car was made! I will follow with updates on the Grand Prix as I find out what's up. Thanks, Brian
for one you are totally off base. The idea here is that while maybe these comments might not fix it, if he does indeed take it somewhere where they will likely rape him when he bends over to pick up a penny to help pay for the out the ass expensive dealership to diagnose the problem at least he'd be informed of some ideas as to what it might be. To try all the ideas that people have suggested probably costs $40 for the cleaning products and his time, hardly the $200 or more it will likely cost to have someone fix the problem in a shop. get a clue. honestly i'd rather listen to these guys give me pointers than some jackass who will charge an arm and a leg. besides, half of the fun of fixing cars is discovering what the best way to fix it is, it's a learning process. not sure about you but i enjoy learning. where's my yawn smiley at when i need it.. you're boring me
"hardly the $200 or more it will likely cost to have someone fix the problem in a shop. get a clue." Kyle, You made my point for me. Yes, it does cost to have someone else repair your car. But the truth is, if you spend all day chasing around for parts to throw at the problem, and the problem is still there, what did you accomplish? Some people do not have the time to waste TRYING to fix their car. Yes, I enjoy tinkering with my Buick when I choose to but I would never attempt to fix my modern car because I rely on it. "half of the fun of fixing cars is discovering what the best way to fix it is, it's a learning process. not sure about you but i enjoy learning." You can sign up at UTI to the tune of 30k, you will learn there, and it wll probably be cheaper then those parts your throwing. :laugh: Dave
sometimes that's the case. you don't want to spend the time to do it. however he's shown an interest in fixing the issue himself.. telling him to go have a professional rip off artist look at it might not be the best thing to recommend.
Kyle, The post asked how to change a fuel injector. I would strongly suggest hire a professional to diagnose the symptom prior to replacing $600 worth of parts that may not fix it. I will not be getting into an argument with you, you obviously have never been in a professionally run automotive center and I doubt you would value one anyway. Dave
Dave, I understand what you are saying, and I wouldn't go back to a shop that told me indirectly that "they didn't have a clue". But, I think most guys on this BB are hands on guys, and would try to fix the problem themselves before surrendering to the dealer :laugh: I frequent the www.regalgs.org site, and after awhile you see some common symptoms with common solutions. Idle speed that is high, or goes up and down on fuel injected cars usually has something to do with the throttle body or the IAC being carboned up. A simple cleaning is all it takes to restore normal performance. Seen it many times. I'm not saying that this is Brians problem for sure, but if it was my car, I'd try a cleaning first, especially since it doesn't cost very much. Not much goes wrong with the 3800 engines, but I've seen this one a few times, so I thought it worth a shot.
Maybe put some black electrical tape over the tach and check engine light. Then just turn up the radio. Better than getting screwed by someone who has the tools and knowledge to fix it. Be carefull when running cleaners through a vacuum hose or poring them down the carb. To much to quick can hydrolock the motor. Never hurts to clean the throttle plates and IAC passages. 400-2000 rpm and a misfire code just seems extreme for dirt.
Good advice, pour the cleaner in very slowly, and follow the directions. It does seem extreme for a little dirt, but I've seen it a number of times, and cleaning fixed it.
I will be working on it tomorrow for sure. I noticed yesterday once, and my wife today also says she smells raw fuel. I checked all over and under and I don't see any sign of seepage. But I'll bet it is related to my problem. It wasn't that my shop didn't have a clue, with what they had to work with, they were just not sure about what their test equipment was telling them. They weren't able to pin it down and didn't want to start throwing parts at it I feel it's better to be honest and back off than start guessing. And they know I feel that way. Anyhow, hopefully I will have some good news tomorrow! Thanks all for your ideas, if anyone has more to offer, please post it! Brian
They could have charged you to learn how to fix your car. Sounds like a decent shop for most repairs. I would disconnect the vacuum hose going to the fuel pressure regulator. The regulator maybe ruptured and allowing the vacuum hose to suck raw fuel into the intake. If the vacuum source is close to the #3 intake runner it will flood #3. Also will cause a major surge. Check it when it is acting up and more than once if you do not see anything the first time. First check it when cold before you fire it up. John
Removing all the injectors is easy and for $120 sonic cleaning they will be as good or better than replacements. But.....I would look elsewhere first like IAC or vacuum leak. Boosted motors are known for blowing vacuum hoses off....... Bruce
I took my wife to work this morning in it and it was fine except for one surge episode. After it cools off I will start checking. It's odd how some days it is terrible and others it hardly acts up. We smelled raw fuel twice the last two days, but nothing yet today. Hopefully I will find something out today. Thanks all, Brian
I had a leaking injector problem. Caused rough running on cold startup with odor of fuel. Also, hard starting hot with roughness. The sonic cleaning completely cured it. I had replaced fuel pump, cleaned injectors with BD IV. The Lucas sonic cleaning at did the trick. B & D Fuel Injector Service (301) 899-1626
Well, since we're taking stabs at it. Just to be safe, you may want to pick up a bottle of propane and check for vacuum leaks at the base gasket of the supercharger. Another COMMON problem with the 3800 SC
I am in the process of cleaning the IAC and throttle body right now. I'm curious about the possible S/C base leak. Is there any other thing I can use other than propane? I have full tanks for my grille, but I don't know how you would introduce it around the S/C from that tank. I'm guessing the old carb spray trick won't work because of damaging the sensors and such. I pulled the wires off of the 1,3,5 plugs and metered them out. They all were well within acceptable range. I went ahead and replaced those plugs while i was at it. More to follow...... Brian
Brian, They sell small bottles of propane at the hardware stores. You can get a small piece of rubber tubing and use it to introduce the propane around the base of the SC. It will not hurt to use carb spray but propane is easier to introduce, control and more precise. It's also safer from a flammability standpoint. Dave
Gotcha Dave. The IAC valve was really carboned up. I sprayed it with Air Intake Cleaner to clean it off. I noticed that if I extend the pintle out, there are 2 grooves on the pintle shaft that have to line up before it can be pushed back in. On mine, it will not line up on it's own, fully extented. The shaft has a lot of play in it, you have to line it up before attempting to depress it. I know they can only be extended to a certain length when installed, maybe that's why........ Brian
Well here's the latest on my problem..... I cleaned the IAC and throttle body the other day. They were horribly dirty! I also used Seafoam thru a vacuum hse, and then poured the rest into the fuel tank. It definitely made a difference, but it still acts up. Not like it did, but seems to happen now when you are "dogging it". Like slow acceleration when it's in 4th gear. It will buck a little and surge. It doesn't surge at idle much at all now, but will occasionally. The strange thing is, When it was first scanned, it was showing a #3 injector misfire. Now when the SES light went on again, it is showing a #1 injector misfire. We rest the light Sunday and it hasn't come back on........yet. I'm going to run some more injector cleaner thru the gas tank and see what happens. So it did improve, just not all the way. Brian o No:
My wife reports today that it sputters on deacceleration and just for a second on take off sometimes. No new SES light yet. Do you think another dose of Seafoam in the tank or thru a vacuum hose again is in order? Inquiring minds want to know.......... Thanks, Brian o No:
3.8 question brian, with all due respect it sounds like your in over your head. if you still smell raw fuel , try this. locate the fuel pressure regulator,with the engine off carefully pull off the vacuum line. if you get fuel from the vacuum line youve found your problem. the fuel pressure regulator has a broken diaphram when you get fuel through the vacuum line. if its not the regulator, stop throwing parts at the problem or it can cost you a ton of money before you get it right.
