Issues With My Car

Ok im new to this forum and just got my s12.  It was owned by an older man but he tinkered with stuff and made it run like bad.

i have a 1985 200sx with a CA18ET

when i first start the car the car idles fine.  However if it push in the gass pedal the rpms drop and then it revs.  If i push the gas to far in at 1 time it will kill the car.  When the car warms up it seems to go away.  Also when i drive the car at full throttle it will goe to 4000rpms and then studder.  Then when i shift into second gear and full throttle it it might go to like 3000 rpms and then studder.

Thanks guys in advanced

Sounds like a fuel issue

But im new as well, Welcome to the site.

Check your timing.

OH wait.. i got the same problem tonight  Found out it was the bushings  the turbo'd leaking so bad that the engines getting clogged with oil.....

Fixing that next week ... Good thing im not in a rush to get my car..

ßlåçk§mókèOH wait.. i got the same problem tonight  Found out it was the bushings  the turbo'd leaking so bad that the engines getting clogged with oil.....
Fixing that next week ... Good thing im not in a rush to get my car..

i havent checked mt timeing but i will.

mine will stop accelerating at full throttle but if say its at less then half throttle it will continue to accelerate.

is there some kind of fuel cut on the car or anything that if the maf sees to much air it will nutor your car or cause it to go into like a limp mode?

also it doesnt have a problem when its in neutral

A big ass boost leak,timing, ignition, or fuel.

If you just got the car you should give it a full check on pretty well everything.  Check the plugs, cap rotor, spark plug wires, fuel filter, timing, air filter, pcv valve. Pay close attention to the spark plug wire arrangement, because the engine has two plugs per cylinder it will run a bit uneven but not rough like a normal single plug design if the wires are not in the right order.

+1 timing

check ignition system also

FSM is available here on he forum

good luck

Ok guys sorry for the delay

i went ahead and checked some more things.  the distributor cap and the rotor seem fine and the wires seem to be new as well.  However the spark plugs look like they need to be changed  But they should still work for the time being.  I was going to do the timing but i have a few problems.

1.  I believe there is supposed to be a cover on the bottom of the car that has the timing marks.  I seem to be missing that.  So I'm going to ask the old man that i got the car from to see if by chance he still has the timing cover.  If he doesn't I would like to know how to get another one.  Being as this motor is rare i doubt there will be one in the junkyard.  However,  If any of you know if there is another timing cover i can use that might be on a different motor i would like to know.

2.  You may think I'm kinda dumb but I cant figure out how to reset the distributor.  I think that you have to align the crank at 0 degrees TDC.  I also know you have to take the distributor off which is easy.  However,  I don't know how to align the distributor teeth so that its at the right position when i put it back in.

also I checked the codes on the ecu and it gave me "idle Switch" code.  which to my understanding is the "TPS" would that cause my issue (see first post).  Not only that but it looks like the connector has some green corrosion on it.  Does anyone have an idea how to clean that off.  I used some b-12 but that didnt seen to clean it much.

The cutting out at 4k rpms is  a symptom that your primay coil/ transistor could be crapped out.

They are new coils and it only wont go past 4 grand if I WOT it.  if its like half throttle or less it will still climb just fine.

I had a friend ride in the car and he said that I could be blowing out my spark.  Anyway I figure that maybe the coils are just weak so ill do the coil mod and then get some decent aftermarket wires.

But i still need to know the distributor question in my previous post and if anyone has a timeing plate.

Check out the FSM (Factory Service Manual) fellow Las Vegan!

Inspect that TPS.  Clean contacts etc.  Mighta crapped out but you never kno.

The dizzy has 2 10 millys holdin it.  Just loosen them and you can turn the dizzy to adjust ignition timing.  But if it revs well from idle then thats prob not the problem.

If the coils were messed around with in the past then mos def suspect them.  May not be bad but mayb the wiring is eh or somethin.

Troubleshoot the TPS and the whole ignition system mang.  FSM FTW!

And have FUN!

Kerberos_8They are new coils  

I have looked at the manual and i know how to advance and retard the the timing i just don't understand how to reset the distributor.  What i mean is like for example say i bought a brand new dizzy and need to put it in.  It has to be put in a certain tooth right??  I read the manual and i don't understand exactly what it means except that you have to have the crank at 0 TDC.  I don't understand how to align the dizzy before installing in the motor.

Oh and earlier today I found out for the most part that the timing is the issue. I was dicking with the dizzy and decided to advance the timing as far as it would go.  It ran much better it actually made it to redline with most power but it was still slightly off.  So to my understanding was that the dizzy was off a tooth. so i tried moving it a tooth. Now it runs worse then before.

Oh and btw where are the timing marks.  I know that there is a mark on the main crank pully but i can't find the timing marks on the block.  I have looked all over for the damn marks and i can't find them.

also when i first start the car and its in neutral. if i press on the throttle lightly it will accel.  But if I half throttle or more.  It falls on its face.  It doest die and then catches back up and starts reving.

oh and i don't know what the transiters are or what they look like.

If you have a pic that would be nice and also a pic of the marks.

*sigh* I almost want to say my RX7 was easier to fix.

The timing marks are on the crank pulley....sould be like 6 tick marks......2nd from the right is 15 degrees.  The "fixed" timing mark is a pointed tab that is on the lower timing cover just above the crank pulley that sticks out....maybe yours got broke off??  Here is a pic...


Also, you don't want to drive the car with the timing advanced as far as it goes...because you will more than likely detonate.

The transistors look like this...


As far as taking off the dist. to get it to TDC rotate the crank pulley by hand, rotating it clockwise.  TDC is the second tick mark from the left(as shown above)  align that with fixed marker on the lower timing cover.   If your pointer IS broke off, take out the #1 exhaust side spark plug, put your thumb over the spark plug hole, and rotate the crank clockwise until you feel air hitting your thumb.  Once you feel the air coming out of the hole, that is TDC.  Once you do that unscrew the two 10 mm bolts that hold the dist. on, then pull the dist straight out, and replace with the new one along with a new O-ring. Tighten it all up,plug back on the electrical connector and plug wires and you should be good to go.  If it doesn't fire up, that means it's off 180 degrees....put it back to TDC then pull out the dist, and rotate it so it bolts up to the opposite holes.

I looked and didn't have the cover so i asked the old man about the lower timing cover plate.  He said he will look but he probably threw it away 4 years ago.

Anyhow the picture i saw was a little different.  But accourding to the pic you showed me the timing tab points straight down.  Which means that maybe i can use a level and some brain skillz and still time the car without the cover.

Unless maybe i can find one in the junk yard or something.

Oh and for the most part i understand the tdc thing however what i was asking was is that the dizzy has a gear. and that gear spins. In most cars from what i understand but i could be wrong is not only does the crank have to be at tdc on the compression stroke but the dizzy itself is supposed to be aligned.  Some dizzys have like 2 marks one on the gear and the other one on the shaft the gear is next 2.  Or i worked on a ca18det and the dizzy can only go in one way so you cant mess it up.  I read the book and it says something about the distributor rotor being at 12 o'clock noon and then aligning with the head bolt studs and something about point to spark plug hole 1.  Thats the confusing part. Sorry if its not clear what im asking about.

oh and i didn't advance it literally as far as it would go i advanced it as far as it would go without taking the 10mm bolt completely out witch it why i think it is off by a tooth.  But i really wont know till i set the timing.

oh I just want to say thank you guys for your patience an help  

and thank you for the pics as well

Kerberos_8I looked and didn't have the cover so i asked the old man about the lower timing cover plate.  He said he will look but he probably threw it away 4 years ago.

Anyhow the picture i saw was a little different.  But accourding to the pic you showed me the timing tab points straight down.  Which means that maybe i can use a level and some brain skillz and still time the car without the cover.

Unless maybe i can find one in the junk yard or something.

Oh and for the most part i understand the tdc thing however what i was asking was is that the dizzy has a gear. and that gear spins. In most cars from what i understand but i could be wrong is not only does the crank have to be at tdc on the compression stroke but the dizzy itself is supposed to be aligned.  Some dizzys have like 2 marks one on the gear and the other one on the shaft the gear is next 2.  Or i worked on a ca18det and the dizzy can only go in one way so you cant mess it up.  I read the book and it says something about the distributor rotor being at 12 o'clock noon and then aligning with the head bolt studs and something about point to spark plug hole 1.  Thats the confusing part. Sorry if its not clear what im asking about.

oh and i didn't advance it literally as far as it would go i advanced it as far as it would go without taking the 10mm bolt completely out witch it why i think it is off by a tooth.  But i really wont know till i set the timing.

oh I just want to say thank you guys for your patience an help  

and thank you for the pics as well

IF you do that would be sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo awesome.  Im Going crazy I know this car has some balls but how do i get it from AL ??

welcome to the club and what part of vegas are you in? Maybe we can hang out sometime. As for the problems your having listen to what these guys are saying I would give you an answer but they've already covered it and I don't like to repeat lol

Im at Tropicana and jones.

I know there right .  Its just i cant do anything without a timing cover.

Hey Keith did you find that timing cover. Im in dire need

Kerberos_8Hey Keith did you find that timing cover. Im in dire need

Alright.......I found it.  It yours if you want it.  PM me your shipping address and I'll give you a ship quote

Ok man i pmed you

This problem sounds like mine down to the last dot...

Have you solved the problem yet??
I have almost lost faith in my S12..

I haven't yet because i haven't got the timing plate yet.  Once i do thow i will time it and update you guys.

i should have the plate within a week

Did Keith already ship it to you?

Keith is going to ship it to me tomorrow and its going to take 3-4 days to get it.  The reason why it wasn't shipped earlier was my fault i didn't have the funds at the time.  No he is not charging an ridiculously large amount of money im poor .  Any how i have sent him the money and i will receive the part soon .

I will try this today... must fix tha s12 so i can rebuild the mitzu..
will post tonight...

Nope did´t work for me..      

Now i´m really low...

Damn that sucks.  I still have to wait for the plate and it was six day days to ship  so i have to wait awhile.  But the part is on its way

Kerberos_8Damn that sucks.  I still have to wait for the plate and it was six day days to ship  so i have to wait awhile.  But the part is on its way

I´m going to take a look at the ECU as soon as I can...

Mabye some thing is wrong in there... It still have a spark even when the engine goes in die mode so it have to do with the fuel system... it runs realy rich so it may be the exhaust sensor that´s f*** upp...

Got some tips on fuel regulator or perhaps the knock sensor...

going to check these tomorrow..
do anyone have a pic of the knock sensor?? don´t know how to get to it..

well i beleive it has a plug that goes to harness by the back of the motor.  And it should go from the wireing harness to the block i think? but i haven't had the car very long so i dont know.  Also i have heard of a o2 sensor causeing issues but not as bad as mine and if mine are like yours i doubt it.  You may want to check your fuel pressure.  Just replaced a fuel pump on car that would start and would rev but not if you full throttled it.  If you full throttled it it would die out right.  After the pump was replaced the car ran great.  also had a fuel pressure tester and was reading below 20 before the pump was replaced.

I cant wait till the 31st.  I want to go zooooom.  Im tired of driving my roomates car.

Kerberos_8well i beleive it has a plug that goes to harness by the back of the motor.  And it should go from the wireing harness to the block i think?

Ok guys I got the timing Plate (thank you keith you rock) and im going to put it on the car and get it set up.  Since i don't have a timing light im going to have to wait for my father to come down on friday to do use his timing light.  so i will let you guys know if it fixed the issue late friday or saturday.

P.S.  Does anyone know the thread size of the bolts that go into the block that hold the timing plate up

Kerberos_8Ok guys I got the timing Plate (thank you keith you rock) and im going to put it on the car and get it set up.  Since i don't have a timing light im going to have to wait for my father to come down on friday to do use his timing light.  so i will let you guys

Kerberos_8Ok guys I got the timing Plate (thank you keith you rock) and im going to put it on the car and get it set up.  Since i don't have a timing light im going to have to wait for my father to come down on friday to do use his timing light.  so i will let you guys know if it fixed the issue late friday or saturday.

P.S.  Does anyone know the thread size of the bolts that go into the block that hold the timing plate up

I did have top timing cover and I used it to get the other bolts.  That was good idea

Ok so i put on the timing plate and i fucked up somehow.  Now the car doesn't start and it does something weird but that may be because of low battery power but i'm not sure or it can be something else not sure.  Or my timing could be so far off now it just wont work.  which means i did it wrong.

I re stabbed the distributor with the crank at tdc.  with the rotor facing 12 o'clock and when i inserted the dizzy it move the rotor to what looks to be pointing or close to pointing cylinder #1 on the intake plug.

I did do something completely retarded thow. I took apart the crank pully.  Now the part of the pully that bolts on to the motor itself is easy because it has a notch for the woodrif key.  So it can only go on 1 way.  however if you take apart the pully the section of the pully that has the timing marks can go on basically anywhere along the six outer bolts.  so what i did was i put the woodrif straight up and installed the pully that it was point to the tdc marker on the pully  witch i believe is the second marker over if you where reading it from left to right.  I also put in new plugs.

now the car turns over but sometimes while trying to turn over it will stop.  like it will make 1 or 2 revoutions and stop like its hitting something but i dont hear anything being hit nothing is in the way of the pullys i don't hear any clanging, knocking, banging, or any of the sort.  and if it doesnt do the weird stop thing it will spin but with no issue but wont start.  It doesn't even sound like its firing at all. like its missing spark completely or fuel completely.

anyway im stumped

Ok the car has gone in to FAIL SAFE mode...
i have reed the service manual now ( http://club-s12.org/v3/index.php?topic=18797 )and it seems to have something to do with the output from the MAF... when this gives out to low voltage it goes in to FAIL SAFE mode..

FAIL SAFE mode means that the engine is running pre set fuel and timing causing it to run no higer revs than 3000rpm...

Now Is there anyone that knows how to fix this??
Im trying later to fix this but don´t know what output from the MAF is the right one..

Micro S12Ok the car has gone in to FAIL SAFE mode...
i have reed the service manual now ( http://club-s12.org/v3/index.php?topic=18797 )and it seems to have something to do with the output from the MAF... when this gives out to low voltage it goes in to FAIL SAFE mode..

FAIL SAFE mode means that the engine is running pre set fuel and timing causing it to run no higer revs than 3000rpm...

Now Is there anyone that knows how to fix this??
Im trying later to fix this but don´t know what output from the MAF is the right one..

.