The root cause was OIL, as in oil in the intake(slapping forehead). I have been putting off installing the oil catch can, but I guess it should have gone on immediately. There was nearly half a quart of oil in the bottom of the IC and the connecting hoses. I figured something was up when I pulled the throttle cable and saw the tube connecting to the TB collapse due to blockage :-o If I had hard pipes I never would have known there was oil in the intake piping and IC. In fact, if I had hard pipes I bet it would have sucked the oil up and into the TB and been running my engine like a 2-stroke, lol.
I removed and cleaned all the hoses and ran mineral spirits a few times through the IC so everything is squeaky clean now. I ran out of time this morning(dad's b-day today), but I will be back at it tonight. Yes, I will be installing the oil catch can as well, I just need to figure out how to mount it. Something tells me I might want to run some top engine cleaner through the system before I hit the smog check next month :-) Thanks for all the ideas guys -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Ray Ayala" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > True ... and a bad map sensor can both cause similar symptoms itself, and > cook a cat. > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Bob Bundy" > To: ; > Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 10:33 AM > Subject: Re: MiniMe running like crap > > > > Symptoms sound strangely like a plugged up cat to me. Not a lot of > > misfiring > > or sputtering but no power under load. > > The ceramic core cats can overheat and crack apart due to really poor > > fueling and timing or sometimes just from getting whacked by a rock or > > something. a loose piece of core can shift and lodge slightly sideways and > > it can cut off most all flow. > > > > Bob > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: > > To: "MiataPower" > > Sent: Saturday, April 19, 2008 12:34 AM > > Subject: MiniMe running like crap > > > > > >> Symptoms: > >> Completely gutless power. Anything more than light throttle has > >> absolutely no effect - car goes nowhere FAST. Max speed I was able to > >> hit > >> was ~40mph - feels like the engine is being choked - reminds me of > >> driving > >> a kiddie style gokart with a governed engine. > >> > >> I was trying to get my car to pass smog earlier this week so I swapped > >> out > >> the fuel rail, valve cover, installed the AFM, recirculating BOV, etc. I > >> am running an AEM ecu and the AFM was ignored since I was running off the > >> MAP sensor so it was there just for the visual test. I also had the Begi > >> AFPR installed for looks - it was not plumbed in. > >> > >> So tonight I put the FM dual feed rail back on, VTA BOV and now the > >> engine > >> has NO power under load. I can rev the throttle and it feels fine, but > >> under load the car has no power. Unfortunately I didn't have my laptop > >> with me so I could not log into the AEM to monitor the sensors - could a > >> faulty connection to the MAP sensor be causing the lack of power under > >> load? > >> > >> There are NO vacuum leaks. Any other things to look for? > >> > >> Thanks, > >> Mike > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Miatapower mailing list > >> [email protected] > >> http://list.miatapower.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/miatapower > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Miatapower mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://list.miatapower.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/miatapower >
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