Running real rough with a fuel smell

[Raylicker]

Hi all, first time corvette owner. A few weeks ago I bought a 92 convertible with 150,000 miles from a friend of a the owner that died. He was putting it back together when he died, I was driving home a notice the temp maxing out a few blocks away, radiator hose off so fixed it and was running some what rough but drivable. The other day it was running real rough with a gas smell, next day i drove it and was fine until it warmed up then ran like crap again. Now its doing all the time. Also this car sat for 5 years, but started right up and had a full tank of gas and ran it till it was almost empty. Could the injectors be clogs? What do I stats checking? Can't even drive now so please any help would be welcome. Thanks

 

[BigJimZ16]

Hi all, first time corvette owner. A few weeks ago I bought a 92 convertible with 150,000 miles from a friend of a the owner that died. He was putting it back together when he died, I was driving home a notice the temp maxing out a few blocks away, radiator hose off so fixed it and was running some what rough but drivable. The other day it was running real rough with a gas smell, next day i drove it and was fine until it warmed up then ran like crap again. Now its doing all the time. Also this car sat for 5 years, but started right up and had a full tank of gas and ran it till it was almost empty. Could the injectors be clogs? What do I stats checking? Can't even drive now so please any help would be welcome. Thanks

Pull the vacuum hose off of the fuel pressure regulator and see if the diaphragm is blown.

 

[Raylicker]

No its fine, yesterday I did a fuel pressure test and had almost 60 PSI and held forever. I'm going to pull injectors and try to clean/flush then out some. I assume with them holding pressure that their not leaking? If that doesn't help I'll pull the plugs and do a cylinder pressure test on then and see what plugs say, not that I really want to do that. Unless you or someone else suggest something else to check. Last night when I started it, it ran real rough and had that kind of exhaust that make your eyes burn, you know what I mean?
Thanks for your help!

 

[GWinter]

did you check the vacuum hose off the fuel pressure reg for gas smell ?

 

[Raylicker]

Yes I did and no gas smell in vacuum line and cleaned the injectors as best as I could. Could it be in ignition somewhere because of the burning eyes from the exhaust ? Is there a component or sensor I can check? I really don't want to pull all the plugs and attempt to do a compression check if I don't have to. HELP!!!
P.S. I read somewhere that there should be 18 ohms in the injectors and if 12 ohms or less replace the injectors, All mine are at 12 ohms, is that correct?

 

[GWinter]

if the coils are shorted the ohms would be lower 12 I all are the same could be a diff in ohm meter I would think they should be ok. if they are open with no short there would be a very high reading.
Hopefully someone with more injector experience will have a better answer. On my 90 a number of yrs ago I had readings all over the place some down in the 8 ohm area. I changed out all the injectors and it greatly improved the way it ran. Be sure it has the right plugs , when I bought mine someone had installed the wrong number with the short threads,I think most of the corvette engines in that age group had a plug with about 3/4 long threads. short plugs will actually be trying to fire inside the plug hole , makes for poor running .

 

[Raylicker]

Just did a compression check on cylinders, they were from 210 to 180 and one was about 165. plugs didn't look that great so traded them out. ran a little smoother then shut it off about hour later started it up and ran like on 6 or 7 cylinders. This is really getting to me i've only driven it for two weeks or so. Im 65 and not as easy working on cars as it used to be. I want to enjoy my first corvette!!!. I'm on a budget so can't take it to a shop. Please help!!!!

 

[ZAKS VETTE]

I feel for you man I'm 72 got my first vet a few months ago full of problems. First off you need the shop manuals thats a given. Do you know how to pull the codes off the ECM? If not youtube is your friend watch some videos. I cleaned my throttle body real good is was black and changed the TPS and the IACV for starters and new gaskets. Plugs and wires was next.

I still have a stumble at 3k and can't talk to the ECM yet but I'm working on it.

Good luck with your Vette most will ask if you have shop manuals and did you pull the codes so that they can give you good pointers great bunch here..

 

[Raylicker]

Yeah I have the second part of the manual and its throwing 26, 28, and don't think those would make it run the way it is. Need i remind that this did get real hot the day I bought it, but no water in oil and no oil in water, but the one low cylinder does bother me. I'll check out the TPS and the IACV, Plug wires good resistance. Hope it's not the opti-spark. I read somewhere that the water temp. sensor would make it run really bad. Would the O2 sensor make it run that bad?

 

[Raylicker]

Now its throwing codes 15 and 67. 15 is the coolent sensor, could that be making it run bad?

 

[Raylicker]

Hey all, was checking the injectors by pulling the connector off while engine running and number 6 and 8 there was no change listening to the engine or no change in RPM's, checked that I was getting spark to those two cylinders and getting spark and new spark plugs. Why are those two cylinders dead? Also I can hear injectors clicking.

 

[Raylicker]

I forgot to add that I took one of the injectors from the dead cylinder and swapped with another and same two cylinders are dead

 

[GWinter]

Do you have a stethoscope? check make sure the injectors are actually working on those two cylinders you might be able to check with the screwdriver handle to the ear and blade on the injector. could have broken wires .

 

[Raylicker]

My bad, when I change the spark plugs I had those two cylinder wires swapped. I feel like such a moron. Still running a little rough but running much better since changing plugs and cleaning injectors. I wondering should I change the injectors? Are any of those 8 for $100 injectors any good? Kinda strapped for money right now.

 

[GWinter]

Check out this site. A number of yrs ago I found these people through Corvette action center. They helped me a lot. At the time they took phone calls and gave information. I got some rebuilt injectors from them and It cured my problems at the time. Watch their videos they know fuel injection. Fuel Injector Connection - High Performance Fuel Injectors .

 

[GWinter]

Something I should have mentioned before, when working on the pass side with plugs . If the 92 is like the 90 10 bolts removes the inner fender. Much easier to get to the plug.

 

[Raylicker]

Well I got some injectors from that site, some rebuilt Bosch 24#. I hope thats what where stock size. I made an improvement but not when I kinda jump on it it wants to hesitate, what could that be. So Far I have cleaned the throttle body, changed the IAC, new plugs, rebuilt injectors, what else should I look at. The air pump isn;t working so I just took it out, would that make it run bad????

 

[GWinter]

does that have a MAF sensor , if so try cleaning it , be careful with it and use the right kind of cleaner. An air leak after the MAF can throw it off also.Hope that helps.