Track car intermittently runs like crap
#22
The hardest part is the bracket, there are a few out there. Here's one: http://sadfab.com/coilmounts.html
After that you need to wire them up. There's a GM harness you can buy that adapts from a 6-pin (weather pack, I think) to the 4 coil connectors. Then you buy the loose matching weather pack and pins and adapt it to your ECU. You also need some custom plug wires.
Coils can be had from junkyards, RockAuto, or GM.
Alternately, FM sells a kit (https://www.flyinmiata.com/big-spark-kit.html) that uses LS2/LS3 coils instead of the truck ones. It's got all the things you need in one box, including brand new GM coils. The cost on those is what produces the eye-watering price, you can also get it without coils for a whole lot less money if you want to supply your own used/cheap ones. The LS2 coils aren't quite as strong as the truck ones (they're plenty for 20+ psi on a Miata motor, though), but they're physically a lot smaller and the FM mounting location is nice.
--Ian
#23
I will literally put it in order for you because I want you to do this.
Assuming you already have a mega squirt. If not you want this
1. MSLabs Megasquirt MS3 Basic
2. http://sadfab.com/coilmounts.html Mount and wires.
3. GM GEN III 5.3 6.0 LQ4 LQ9 LSX D585 IGNITION COILS W/BRACKETS AND WIRE HARNESS | eBay You can sell the extra coils and get a chunk of money back or keep them as spares. These also come with the pre color coded wiring harness that makes sequential a breeze. I choose to leave it wasted for now.
4. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0140E0NPI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This is optional. You cut off your stock coil connectors. Cut the end of this harness extender and soldier it in then plug it into the gm harness above. You can skip this by cutting your factory harness and cutting the end of the gm harness off and wiring it together.
4. Change your dwell settings in MS. This will take a little googling. I know what I have mine set at but I am not confident in the settings enough to advise using them. Basically dwell is 4ish.
5. This is the wiring diagram I used with my 1994 using a MS Labs MS3. My Tach works and I don't know why so I am going to assume Rev did some magic inside.
6. Here is a pic of how I temped in my wiring while waiting for optional Harness extender. You can probably leave it like this and be fine.
Assuming you already have a mega squirt. If not you want this
1. MSLabs Megasquirt MS3 Basic
2. http://sadfab.com/coilmounts.html Mount and wires.
3. GM GEN III 5.3 6.0 LQ4 LQ9 LSX D585 IGNITION COILS W/BRACKETS AND WIRE HARNESS | eBay You can sell the extra coils and get a chunk of money back or keep them as spares. These also come with the pre color coded wiring harness that makes sequential a breeze. I choose to leave it wasted for now.
4. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0140E0NPI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This is optional. You cut off your stock coil connectors. Cut the end of this harness extender and soldier it in then plug it into the gm harness above. You can skip this by cutting your factory harness and cutting the end of the gm harness off and wiring it together.
4. Change your dwell settings in MS. This will take a little googling. I know what I have mine set at but I am not confident in the settings enough to advise using them. Basically dwell is 4ish.
5. This is the wiring diagram I used with my 1994 using a MS Labs MS3. My Tach works and I don't know why so I am going to assume Rev did some magic inside.
6. Here is a pic of how I temped in my wiring while waiting for optional Harness extender. You can probably leave it like this and be fine.
#28
So I took her out with the replacement coils and she did the same thing. I had the deck carpet out and the tray cover off above the fuel pump. Every so often the fuel pump sounded like it was coming apart. I don't have my readers and apologize if there are multiple misspellings.
Last edited by poormxdad; 11-12-2016 at 04:55 PM.
#30
I replaced the DW200 with a Walbro 190 HP. The sound is very different. The last days of the DW200 was a high pitched buzz, whereas the Walbro has a more purposeful groan. She started right up with the new pump and seemed to run normally, but I did not take her for a ride yet. The seat was out to get to the pump, and I plan to replace the fuel filter today before taking her out.
#35
Dammit. Dammit. Dammit. I got the new fuel filter in last evening. So new fuel pump and filter, and new coils. I got to the end of my street and she started doing the exact same stumble, no power, really high AFR behavior.
I swear the fuel pump sounded terrible and I was confident that was the issue. Now what? I hate replacing parts without knowing they're bad.
Thanks,
I swear the fuel pump sounded terrible and I was confident that was the issue. Now what? I hate replacing parts without knowing they're bad.
Thanks,
#37
I got two logs. One is very small, so here are both. I had to .zip the larger file.
Whatever it is that's going on, on three occasions the car has just died. All the idiot lights on the dash lit up. Once it happened parking in the paddock, once at a stop light, and once while driving coming to a stop. In all cases the clutch was pushed in, so the momentum of the car wasn't keeping it running. That last case, I let the clutch out while I was still rolling and jump started it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Whatever it is that's going on, on three occasions the car has just died. All the idiot lights on the dash lit up. Once it happened parking in the paddock, once at a stop light, and once while driving coming to a stop. In all cases the clutch was pushed in, so the momentum of the car wasn't keeping it running. That last case, I let the clutch out while I was still rolling and jump started it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Last edited by poormxdad; 11-17-2016 at 06:23 PM.
#38
Gents,
I could really use an assist here. I've got no idea what to do next but check connections before I start replacing parts ***** nilly.
Is there anything in the logs I provided, or do I need to take her out again?
I had the alternator rebuilt early this year. If the alternator is doing something weird, could that cause the stumbling and the engine to die? Could a bad coil pack cause the engine to die?
When I perform the "Fuel Line Safety Procedure" per the shop manual, and pull the connector under the dash above the gas pedal which disconnects the fuel pump so the car starts but drains the fuel line, the car does not start.
Thanks,
I could really use an assist here. I've got no idea what to do next but check connections before I start replacing parts ***** nilly.
Is there anything in the logs I provided, or do I need to take her out again?
I had the alternator rebuilt early this year. If the alternator is doing something weird, could that cause the stumbling and the engine to die? Could a bad coil pack cause the engine to die?
When I perform the "Fuel Line Safety Procedure" per the shop manual, and pull the connector under the dash above the gas pedal which disconnects the fuel pump so the car starts but drains the fuel line, the car does not start.
Thanks,
Last edited by poormxdad; 11-18-2016 at 05:36 PM.
#40
I reinstalled the fuel pump assembly with the Walbro. I removed the fuel pigtail at Pulsation Damper No. 1 and mounted a pressure gauge. It read a steady 63.5 pounds regardless of rpm or when it started running like crap, but I didn't actually take her out. I would have had to remove the hood. She ran long enough to warm up and have the fan come on. When it was running rough, the AFRs would bounce up and down, but the fuel pressure remained steady..