VK calais efi engine probs

[rsol]

I'm hoping someone can help me out with this ongoing prob that no-one seems to be able to answer,my vk calais has a reasonably new recon efi motor in it which has given me grief from day dot. When first started for the day any more than a slight touch of the accelerator causes the engine to run erratic until it warms up & secondly once running if it's left idleing for any length of time it wants to cut out,once driving again it looses power,streams out a large cloud of black smoke and is fine again. Please gimme some answers.

 

[Sammy]

sounds like its running a bit rich possibly.

is the reco motor stock or modified at all ?

 

[Pub247]

If it's a standard reco is it from hm gem? if it is we provide (i work for them) a 1 year unlimited warranty just take it back and get another

 

[rsol]

Thanks for the replies,it's a stock recon done by a mate who works for holdens so unfortunately there's no taking it back. I've replaced the fuel pressure reg,fuel filter,fuel pump & engine temp sensor but none of this has made a difference.

 

[Pub247]

could be the air flow meter? is it the same one Before the rebuild if it ran fine before then it probably won't be. it does sound like its too rich or not getting enough air.

 

[rsol]

i'm sort of thinking too rich, or i don't know if it's possible for injectors to flood the engine or not when it's idling but that's the impression i get. It also has a very black exhaust. Now to top it off the brake pedal has become very hard & when you take your foot off it idle's slower,foot on & RPM's go up,oh & to go with all of that a hissing noise from under dash. AAAHHHHHH!!!!

 

[308vkcalais]

The hissing sound is a Vacuum leak from the heater controls under the dash right in the centre.The controls operate by a Vacuum connected to the inlet manifold or in your case the injection manifold.Between the 2 heater hoses on the fire wall inside the engine bay you will see a small pipe trace it thru it to the heater/air con controls.Try to disconnect your cruze control, maybe it's at the the end of it's string aswell.......??

 

[Goon]

Id check your timing & vaccum mate, if u have had issues since you've installed it.

 

[SL/ENUT]

to go with all of that a hissing noise from under dash. AAAHHHHHH!!!!

Thats NOT the heater controls, they don't use vacuum. If its air con it could be but i think its your brake pedal. My car does this, it means the brake booster is on its last legs.

 

[Sammy]

yeah i agree, if the brake pedal is hard that usually indicates the diaphram in the brake booster has a split in it, and its probably the hissing noise you can hear too.

i'd be fixing that first, once you have if you still have issues with the idle and black smoke each, remove the little black cap off the top of the air flow meter, under it you will find a wheel with teeth on it, this is what you need to adjust if its too rich turn the wheel clockwise a few notches at a time and see if that makes any difference .... be sure to mark on the wheel (liquid paper or something) where the wheel was originally so if this isn't the problem you can revert it back.

also have a look at the plugs, if they are black thats a good sign its rich, you want to adjust the air flow meter till the plugs are a nice tan colour ....

just so you know, turning the air flow meter wheel anti-clockwise will make the engine richer.

then you have a little allen key bolt on the top right of the air flow meter it may be covered with a plastic cap (red or green) so remove that and this will allow you to fine tune the mixture .... but note this is only the idle mixture, get the main mixture right from the plugs and from driving it before you worry too much about the idle mixture.