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olddavid

Well-Known LVC Member
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otis, oregon
My beautiful and faithful highway star has decided I'm not worthy. I'm stuck in the foothills of Alberta with very limited access to anything and cannot get any web response save our old friend LVC. To wit; 1998 LSC w 157k miles with all maintenance up to date. I cannot get to a scanner but the last time these symptoms presented I had a malfunctioning coil. I just replaced all 8 coils, gapped the plugs - which were nicely browned - and I still chug as though I have two dead coils. My next step is to R&R fuel pump and fuel filter as I have yet to change the pump and the filter has about 3 years use or maybe 25k miles. I am working from parts I stashed before coming to the wilds, so any clues from someone else's experience would be helpful. Maybe by then I will be able to speak to Facebook, but for now all I get is the perpetual refresh that seems to come with weak signal. I am here helping my 89 year old Mother, so bombing off to Calgary or Lethbridge is not feasible at this time. Those cities are the closest frame of reference for my dilemma. Is my fuel pump solution a reasonable conclusion? Or am I guilty of wishful thinking? I've put off til tomorrow the work, so I will check later for any reply. Thank you
 
I would try to check the coils by unplugging each one... one at a time. Don't do it with the engine running... but instead shut it off in between disconnecting/reconnecting.

Once/if you find the problem cylinder/s ... reconnect the coil/s and try the same with the injectors.

This procedure should help you figure out if its a coil or injector issue.

If the coils and injectors appear to test ok... it might be a MAF or MAP sensor issue.

Lastly... since you are up in "the great white north" ... and the temps are dropping... you might want to check for small critter infestation by looking for chewed wires.
 
I had serious issues with our mark under load anything over 3500 rpms and it only had like about 30% power I grabbed a can of maf cleaner from Walmart and it fixed it right up.
 
04_Sport_LS said:
I would try to check the coils by unplugging each one... one at a time. Don't do it with the engine running... but instead shut it off in between disconnecting/reconnecting.

Once/if you find the problem cylinder/s ... reconnect the coil/s and try the same with the injectors.

This procedure should help you figure out if its a coil or injector issue.

If the coils and injectors appear to test ok... it might be a MAF or MAP sensor issue.

Lastly... since you are up in "the great white north" ... and the temps are dropping... you might want to check for small critter infestation by looking for chewed wires.
Click to expand...
I cannot thank you guys enough for the input. Going under the car now. Thanks again
 
04_Sport_LS said:
I would try to check the coils by unplugging each one... one at a time. Don't do it with the engine running... but instead shut it off in between disconnecting/reconnecting.
Click to expand...

or, if you have a decent scanner, you can ask the pcm to do a cylinder balance test.
$20 bluetooth reader and forscan.
 
I agree that I should have never left home w/o all my required tools. Sometimes I am lulled to sleep by an extended period of smooth running. Today I am driving (slowly) into the local town who assures me they can test for me. I had no idea a cylinder balance test was possible through the car. Thank you all. I will post later as to the results. Should you read of a spectacular explosion near Waterton-Glacier rest assured it will only be my car. (that's a joke to all listening NSA morons)
 
olddavid said:
I agree that I should have never left home w/o all my required tools. ...
Click to expand...

I feel like whatever tools I might choose to take with me, will be absent the one that I really needed (since I can't take them all).
 
I always have jumpers a 2 1/2 ton jack a 123 piece socket set a handful of wrenches going from 8-12 mm and a couple of screwdrivers in the trunk of every car I've ever had and its worked for me so far
 
04_Sport_LS said:
That's me when I go to the boneyard. It's part of Murphy's Law. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yes. I feel like they could rent out (maybe cheap Harbor Freight stuff) tools for such "emergencies" and come out ahead. Anyway, there is often a bit of tool lending between customers.
 
The ones near me will loan, (free), something needed but forgotten.

However... if a specialty tool is needed... out comes the "flame wrench" with a wide dispersal pattern around the needed part.

Then there are the yards that allow battery powered tools only, (beyond hand tools), ... which requires some creative disassembly. :rolleyes:
 
I have sourced 8 different coils from a fellow sufferer who claims the car he got them from is operating on all eight at all times. So next will be to install said replacements along with new spark plugs and a new fuel filter. The plugs and filter are less than 15k miles old but in for a penny, in for a pound as the English are wont to say. Should I still have the problem, what is junk metal bringing these days? $200 a ton? I have been driving these cars for 11 years now, having owned both first and second Gen with great results and am reluctant to admit failure, at least not yet. I'll post my results next Monday - so I will be able to recover from the hangover sure to occur if I fail.
 
olddavid said:
I agree that I should have never left home w/o all my required tools. Sometimes I am lulled to sleep by an extended period of smooth running. Today I am driving (slowly) into the local town who assures me they can test for me. I had no idea a cylinder balance test was possible through the car. Thank you all. I will post later as to the results. Should you read of a spectacular explosion near Waterton-Glacier rest assured it will only be my car. (that's a joke to all listening NSA morons)
Click to expand...
I try to keep in mind that the engine in the mark 8 was somewhat made in Italy and all the reliability that ensues from that when I am traveling...
 
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