Running rich; Running out of ideas

[Bimmerboy91]

bump

[Bimmerboy91]

ok so today i didnt run the car but i did turn it on and its acting worse then ever. but i tried to do some work to it. here is a pic of the spark plugs, sorry i couldnt get closer because then the focus would suck:


i cleaned them and put them back in and here is a clip of the car running at its worse. sorry about the quality but the focus was all wacked out. when i show the end of the car im trying to show the smoke coming out, i also noticed that there is water and carbon coming out the exhaust. please ignore what i was doing close to the end:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUojjgL6A9M

and well i took out the spark plugs after letting the idle for a little bit. and the came out all looking a little like how they did when i took them out for the first time since i did the tune up about a month ago, again im not sure if you can see anything but here you go:



the spark plugs are champion brand, and when i tighten them down the dont tighten. they just keep turning and turning. so i just leave them hand tight and try to tighten them down. i wonder why....... i think i might go get some bosch spark plugs and put them in there.

help me out guys....

[Bimmerboy91]

so today after i adjusted the AFM yesterday, the car really ran no different than it did. so today i adjusted it again. and i found a vacuum leak on the hose that goes to the valve cover to the intake. i ordered a new hose that shouldve came today but there was a problem so it will come tuesday or sometime then which sucks.

so when i was adjusting the AFM today, i noticed that if i moved it slightly to left the idle seemed to surge but even out. it might be surging because i have adjusted the ICV too high. which might make sense because when i when i said that if unplugged the ICV when its running rich and plugged it back and then the car ran good, when i unplug the ICV the AFM opens up and goes crazy just like the engine revs do. but then when i plug it back the AFM seems to find it place again. Anyway, i couldnt really see if the revs got better if i gave it gas because the afm moves open. so just thought id like to share that.

well tomorrow im going the pick n pull and i might pull a computer and see if that might help. i might try to clean out the cold start valve. can i use carb cleaner to clean the cold start valve? i have a FPR that i pulled last weekend at the PnP, that i will swap in to see if there is any change.

well anyone please reply! i need to fix this problem. and if i find the problem it could possibly solve your problems or future member's problems

[Bimmerboy91]

ok well the car didnt change at all after the stuff i did. i mean its been a bit better but still runs rich. ive adjusted the AFM spring and have watched the AFM as i give it throtte and seems to be respond pretty good, very interesting how it works. but i havent drove it since i adjusted it. so i will return with an update tomorrow.

[redhatpat]

Test the fuel pressure, sounds like it might be a faulty FPR.

[Bimmerboy91]

yes, ive tried to run the car without the o2 sensor. and it really made no difference. i cleaned the AFM out and cleaned the two connectors that are on the engine block that feed the fuel injectors. i havent drove it since i did the cleaning but i will tomorrow. also, i have found a vacuum leak. if my idle goes up, even a little bit when im spraying around with carb cleaner, would that cause the car to run rich? if so i found one. theres a hose that goes from the intake to the valve cover, when i spray at it the idle goes up. not a WHOLE lot but you can tell.

[AndrewBird]

Yes, that cleaner will work.

Have you tried any of the other suggestions?

[Bimmerboy91]

well usually 10 gallons will last me 2 weeks. now its down to 1 week and couple days. or a little less. like i said ive noticed that the mgp gauge shows that im getting below 15 mpg and id doesnt matter what gear or rpm im at.

can i use electic parts cleaner to clean the flap in the AFM?

[digger]

disconnect O2 sensor, then if no change check FPR, then if no change check AFM according to http://frwilk.com/944dme/afm.htm

[mops]

At WOT, while parked, there is a lot of black smoke. and when im driving it when its all rich, my mpg gauge says im getting really bad gas mileage and it doesnt matter what gear or rpm im at or how soft im on the throttle. and when i try to give floor it when im in lower rpms to get speed, the car hesitates so much that most of the time i have to get off the gas for the car to rev up. so im getting really bad gas mileage and fuel smell all the time. sometimes the car will act good, but other times it will almost not start. and i also changed the temp sensor for the computer like a couple weeks ago. what do i open up to get to that spring or adjuster in the afm? and which way is tighter

keep the responses coming!

on top of them afm, there's a black cover. it's glued inplace (not intended to be sercvicable). you need to pry it out gently and you will see a psring there. note the current position. with a pen or something, so you can go back. you will see how the spring is mounted, so if you tighten it then it will get leaner and if you loosed it it will get richer.

check the fuel press regulator vacum feed first. from what you are saying it looks like you are getting too much fuel. But, what's the fuel economy like ?

[Bimmerboy91]

At WOT, while parked, there is a lot of black smoke. and when im driving it when its all rich, my mpg gauge says im getting really bad gas mileage and it doesnt matter what gear or rpm im at or how soft im on the throttle. and when i try to give floor it when im in lower rpms to get speed, the car hesitates so much that most of the time i have to get off the gas for the car to rev up. so im getting really bad gas mileage and fuel smell all the time. sometimes the car will act good, but other times it will almost not start. and i also changed the temp sensor for the computer like a couple weeks ago. what do i open up to get to that spring or adjuster in the afm? and which way is tighter

keep the responses coming!

[mops]

why do you thin kit's running rich ? is it only rich idle ? ro always rich ? how can you tell ?

1st thing i would check... vacum reference line to the fuel pressure regulator. if cracked you will be rich. common fault (with all cars)

first... you should try adjusting afm by spring. that alone can lean it out. possibly your amf is broken, but i would think adjusting it will fix it. with age the spring must be getting weaker therefore afm is easier to 'open' showing more air than actually is. it's hard to adjust it right without wideband o2 gauge, BUT i would start with 2 or 3 clicks 'tighter'.

aswell on afm there's a bypass screw, but that's only for adjusting idle.

[AndrewBird]

Basically spray it with carb/brake cleaner. The idea is to clean all the gunk out of the flap door so it moves easilly.

Bad o2 sensor will cause the engine to run rich. Could be a bad temp sensor (there are two, one for the gauge, one for the ECU). Also could be your cold start valve.

If you search, you should find a thread on how to test the o2 sensor. The other two you'll just have to swap out for known working ones and see if there is a change.

[Bimmerboy91]

bump!

and anyone know how to clean the AFM? ive searched but really havent found the right answer.

[Bimmerboy91]

ok well ive changed the temp sensor and it made no difference, and ive tried cleaning and even putting in a new 135 dollar ICV and that didnt even do a difference. i also cleaned the injectors when i replaced all the o-rings. do you know how i might be able to clean the Cold start valve?