Carter's Critters

new 06/09/2004, updated 09/08/2004

I guess the little critters that got trapped in my car the last time I had my subframe/engine/tranny out got the last laugh even after I got the smell purged.

Paul, think I found my problem.

Chuck, the problem isn't in the GEM after all.

One might note in the wider shot the collection of starlight mints I have used in place of cigarettes 10 years ago have found a new place to hide.

By the way, I now know how to remove the headliner.

Looks like I'll end up having to replace the whole hunk of harness as all the wires from that point forward to the overhead control are "fused" together.

Carter Fuji

Looks like the little critters had an appetite. Good catch. By the way, got a mint??

U.L.

____________________________________________________________________

09/08/20004

For the last two days I have been trying to figure out why after re-installing the engine I couldn't get anymore then an idle out of her. Everytime I tried to rev her up, she stumbled and just wouldn't do anything. The other puzzling part was that the mixture gauges stayed in the "LEAN" indication side. I decided late last night after doing voltage and ohm test on just about every electrical component and sensor under the hood it must be the fuel filter plugging or my fuel pump puking out.

So after a very hectic day at work today (had a customer call screaming that they finally saw their commercial on TV that I produced and noticed something they did not see when they approved it on the 5" LCD DVD player. This first scene that rather upset them was right in front of their tire store on the street which we opened the ad from was a "free cat" we (the production staff) decided after seeing it that we should name it "Tortia". For those of you who have not seen the pic on the internet, some slightly demented individual or individuals saw a feline who did not make it following the chicken and place a sign on the side of the rode with an arrow pointing to the freshly posthumous critter indicating in spray paint "FREE CAT". I anxiously left the office to run by and pick up a fuel filter at the parts store. I knew I was in trouble when I pulled the engine side and a steady stream started out that side. I went ahead and replaced it since I had it in hand and started the car. Same response. Now thinking it could be the fuel pump, but really not wanting to take the tank down for the fourth time (once for the notorious shorting wire, once to swap to the HiFlo pump, once to figure out why it quit pumping (tube came of the top), once to remove it and put the stock pump back in after removing the leaking Cobra injectors). Seriously hate becoming to proficient at distasteful projects like that and the engine/tranny/subframe assembly.

Start hunting for alternatives. While the engine is idling I start disconnecting sensors to note changes in RPM, or more like not chaning.

TPS-idles still but erratic: not the cause.

CPS-Still idles but drop for a moment: not the cause,

CKS-Almost dies, but stumbles back to life: not the cause.

IAC-Dies after a couple of seconds: not the cause

Last thing I check is the MAF-Idle jumps up to almost 1,600 and the mixture gauges reads RICH: Odd response, but it did change, so I am not positive this is the culprit. I double check the voltages and resistance, all looks good. Decide to take it apart. Remove it from my intake snorkel, flip it over and removed the K&N to see a rather large moth stuck in the sample tube. Removed the offending "bug" and replace the MAF. Start the car and all is purring and whining as it should.

By the way, in my attempts to find the problem I remove the intake tubing from the Vortech and started the car. Holly $hit, there is a lot of air coming out of that sucker even at an idle! A stumbling blip to 1,600 produced enough air to de-fur my cat or de-feather a chicken. Sorry, just needed to share that.

Now I can get back to sneaking dead animals back into TV commercials.
Carter Fuji

'97 ES Whoosh
_____________________________________________________________________

Did you check for badgers? I hear they like to eat the rubber boots
connecting the intake.

Matt Kennedy

Contact Information