Greetings!
Ok, so this isn't really an LBC question. And there is some part of me that
always feels somehow guilty mentioning my LIC here on the list. But I have
always felt that the gathered wisdom if this group of people is beyond compare
and I am at my wits end.
So here's the problem. While I'm completing my internship in DC I'm driving a
1982 Fiat 2000 Spider. It has the twin-cam 2 liter engine and is fuel
injected. I bought this car last May, drove it from Kansas to Maryland the
next day, and have generally had little trouble with it since. Ok, a little
overheating ;^). Last Tuesday, I was driving around the Beltway in a driving
rain. Now, my TR-7 doesn't seem to mind the rain, but the Fiat appeared to be
put off by it.
I got to the off-ramp and saw water running over the road, from one side to
the other. This was much deeper than I would have liked, but the way traffic
was I had no choice but to continue. You guessed it, It stalled midway
through the water.
So, we pull it home and I begin to assess the damage. I pulled the air flow
sensor off the air cleaner box. The filter was wringing wet (not an
exageration :^(, and there was standing water in the air cleaner box. There
were drops of water through the air flow sensor's air pathway, and all the way
through the air intake hose that connects the air flow sensor and the throttle
body. I pulled the spark plugs and cranked the engine over and copious
amounts of water and fuel spewed from the cylinders. This did not make me
happy.
Ok. Last night, one week later... The car has had a week to dry out. I have
done a static timing check, and the timing seems to be appropriate. I
replaced the plugs and air filter. Put everything back together and it
doesn't run. It will crank until the battery is dead, but no fire. So, I go
about rechecking the connections on the air flow sensor, the end of the fuel
rail, the throttle position sensor, and everything I can find. Lo and behold
it starts. Runs pretty rough, doesn't want to idle. But, it is running!
Unfortunately, when I let it die, it won't restart. It still cranks, but no
combustion.
I experienced variations of that theme all evening. Now, my question to the
gathered wisdom of the net is this. What the heck is going on! <G>
What is the relation of the air flow sensor and the rest of the injection
system? What is a testing procedure to use to check the output of the air
flow sensor? Can it be done with a multi-meter? What other components might
be involved in this type of failure mode? This is a Bosch injection system.
Is it the same as the system used on TR-8's and other injected Rover engines?
Things I have done so far:
Changed Air Filter and Plugs
Connected and re-connected every connector I could find
checked all Fuses
Learned to cuss in Italian (I got a book. Thought it might be a language
problem)
Sorry this is so involved. As always, any and all help will be greatly
appreciated.
Please feel free to either post, or e-mail me directly at ahart@geis.geis.com
Thanks for your indulgence!
Arlie "I really miss my Triumph" Hart
|