Pulled engine, now afterfires under load and rough idle.

[lcoleman]

So, I bought an '84 eta with lots of miles and a fried clutch a few weeks back, in hopes of making a reliable winter beater. I pulled the engine to replace the clutch because I hate fighting the bitch bolt on the top of the trans and I wanted to clean everything up anyway. Now, I have a couple of different problems:

-afterfires/pops loudly under load at any rpm, worse under 2K
-loss of power (assuming, never driven an eta)
-won't catch itself in an idle until it warms up, ie. if you rev it and let off it will die
-weird "bump" at idle, vibrates like a lumpy cam
-hesitation around idle
-oil light on check panel is lit--was not before (could be unrelated connection--possibly in the glove box?)

Basically, none of this happened before, but admittedly the clutch was so far gone I doubt enough load would've been applied. I don't think I've forgotten to connect anything.

It really seems like a vacuum leak, but I can't find it if so. I would like more opinions before I shell out for a smoke test.

[diggity_1031]

I would check for a vacuum leak like you mentioned or the 2 flywheel sensors that bolt into the bell housing and make sure those are clean and connected properly.

[Danny]

Try putting the motor back in the car?

[lcoleman]

Damn! I knew I forgot something.

[jlevie]

That sounds like an intake leak to me also.

[slammin.e28]

I vote for air leak. Big air leak. I my old 300zx and my 318 vert had the same symptoms. Both had a massive air leak. I mean not some small, vacuum line missing leak, like gaping, PO-decided-to-use-electrical-tape-to-try-to-fix-the-intake-boot-that-was-ripped-in-half air leak.

[lcoleman]

Well, this is befuddling. If it's an air leak big enough to cause the symptoms I'm describing, I sure can't find it.

Any chance it's possible to switch the bell housing timing sensors, and that could throw off the timing by a set # of degrees? That would seem to account for almost, if not all, the symptoms I'm describing. I imagine an air leak would be more variable, this seems like it could be timing-related.

[Kershaw]

those sensors are absolutely identical. same part number.

i have this issue in my eta (seems too damn common :( ) and i've tried quite a lot of different things. mine is not an intake leak. my new set of injectors should be here tomorrow. the 3 bar FPR from an "i" helped me out on this issue a good bit. made the car a lot more drivable, but didnt entirely fix the issue.

i know a local r3v member that has been having this issue in his eta for 2 years. no luck. just deals with it.

my car is drivable, just sucky. its just really down on power unless i floor it. then after 2 or 2.5k rpm, its like a switch flips and i get full power.

[mr.vang]

wiggle your injector/wire.. see if it make any difference..

[lcoleman]

Took it to a mechanic. A set of reference sensors has it back on the road, and I think a tune-up will get it where it needs to be.