Sputtering and Struggling to Accelerate

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Gavin_Danitz

Gavin_Danitz

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Ktuner doesn’t show any codes. I have a scan tool at the shop I can use later
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For plugs with fine-tipped electrodes like the iridium plugs our cars come with, I highly recommend using feeler gauges to check the gaps, instead of other styles of tools. Much less risk of damaging the plugs with feeler gauges.
If OEM calls for iridium plugs, you've downgraded your ignition system by installing standard plugs.

"Fine-wire plugs like this Denso Iridium requires much less voltage to fire the same spark plug gap versus a standard copper-core plug"

https://www.enginelabs.com/engine-t...ark-plug-debate-separating-fact-from-opinion/
 


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My first guess is the injectors. Ethanol accelerates their degradation.
I'm interested in this comment. I recently had my high pressure fuel pump go bad and it was suggested to replace the injectors also since there was questionable contamination based on PRL's bulletin about a bad batch of low pressure fuel supply hoses in their flex fuel kits. It had to do with ethanol compatibility from the hose supplier. I kept all the parts and dissected the fuel pump to note no evidence of contamination. The dealer mentioned the HPFP's are known to go bad under normal circumstances. PRL sent me a replacement hose, so I split the old hose and saw no evidence of breakdown. I did not have the old injectors tested, so I couldn't say they needed to be replaced. I had 96K miles on them, with about 40K on e35. Replacing the injectors wouldn't be my first thought the next time I see high knock counts. I was in the hundreds when the pump was going bad.

What is the evidence or observations that ethanol is degrading parts on our cars? I'm interested in reliability issues as I intend to keep my car and will continue to manage power vs. reliability.

Sorry I can't contribute anything more to the original post, as my suggestions have already been covered.
 
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All spark plug gaps were about .02. I scanned it with a diagnostic reader and there were no misfire or engine lean codes. The car seems to be running better but consistently breaks up at wot above 6k. At this point in guessing it has to be injectors or a blown head gasket. I noticed some white puffs come out the exhaust at my last autocross, not sure if it’s normal or a sign of a bad head gasket.
 

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@the op man that stinks brother. Keep us posted. Stay away from WOT will you get it resolved homey. :( For your sake I hope it’s injectors.

@Chris_19Si Might start a new thread for your Inquiry. Would be a lot easier to track your answer on a clean slate, and no sense is muddying the waters In @Gavin_Danitz thread.
 
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I’m guessing the next step is to pull the injectors to look?
 


xXoVrKiLLXx

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If it were me and I was pulling them I’d just replace em while I was at it for peace of mind. Lots of threads out there referencing failed injectors on these cars. Having them checked would require sending them off to be tested which means more down time. Know what I mean?
 
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Not sure where to go from here. I don’t want to replace the injectors if it’s not necessary. I just emailed Derek to see what he thinks and if I can send him logs.
 

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Not sure where to go from here. I don’t want to replace the injectors if it’s not necessary. I just emailed Derek to see what he thinks and if I can send him logs.
Understood. Is he your tuner too?
 

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White smoke is coolant, so it looks like a lifted head / headgasket to me.
The video shows the smoke appearing when you were off throttle (under vacuum), where the engine would suck in coolant if there was any gap in the mating surface between the head and block (gasket).

If it is breaking up all the time now, the heat cycling of the engine made the gap/hole in the gasket larger and coolant is seeping into the cylinder all the time now.
Check your coolant level to verify, test the coolant for exhaust gasses as well if the level looks alright.

Good luck.
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