timothy_nd28 wrote:Wow, what a book you have written. Have you checked the grounds? Joking! I had a similar problem not that long ago with my car. It would idle great, but when it warmed up, all went to hell fast. Absolutely no power, had the car WOT, and barely had enough power to creep the car back into my heated garage! Before all this happened, I replaced the harmonic balancer for the same reason your thinking about doing yours. "which I'm still unsure if you did or didn't in your car?" The new harmonic balancer off of Ebay turned out to be a certified POS. All went well when installing the harmonic balancer and was pleased with the repair. A very short time later, I had a power-loss problem and overheating. I had plenty of power when it was cold, but it heated up quickly. The problem progressed very quickly after each consecutive start. Towards the last few run times, I noticed the exhaust manifold glowing orange,,this was from a cold engine to about 3 mins of run time,,,and just idling! I found the harmonic balancer shaft/socket had cracked and fractured, causing the whole harmonic balancer to rotate 15degress advanced. Each time I started the car, the harmonic balancer would shift an additonal degree or more. I got some super weird sounds in the intake, and some backfiring. I believe this is your problem in some way. Your timing is running advanced. Is this the factory harmonic balancer on your car? I think you mentioned that you replaced the crank shaft sensor already, so you had to have that balancer off at one point before. You mentioned trouble with getting that huge ass harmonic balancer bolt off. I'm not sure how the board feels about this, but I used a 1/2" breaker bar on the bolt, and the other end against the ground. Disconnected the ICM connector and bumped the starter. Worked great for me, considering I used that red loctite on the bolt when I installed the Ebay POS balancer earlier.
I would concentrate all efforts to the harmonic balancer area. Something is up in that area, and you need to take it all apart and inspect that balancer and key.
Now the variable to this equation is the fuel. I haven't really payed much attention to the cycle rates of my fuel pump, but you mentioned something about 50 psi down to 10? And clear audible un-natural sounds? They beauty of this, from what it sounds like, this is a very consistant problem, and you can count on the failure in short amounts of time. Low fuel to the injectors could cause it to run extremely lean, with the loss of power as you stated.
Just how long can the car sit at idle, before you start hearing this fuel pump singing? And when the fuel pump starts to sing, thats when your pressure begins to rise and fall? Just to rule out the electrical side of this,,try disconnecting the fuel pump (electrically) as a test,,and hard wire it straight to the battery, with heavy guage speaker wire. Drive the car to see if it fixed your problem. If it overheats and looses power, then you can rule out your grounds and + supply to everything. The problem would be a faulty fuel pump, plugged fuel filter, plugged fuel regulator,, maybe a squashed fuel line from a hydraulic jack? By ensuring you have a good 12v supply to the fuel pump, with good guage speaker wire, and you still have fluxuations with fuel pressure, means that your pump is dead heading against something, and the pump is overheating. My fuel lines rusted out, and I found a ton of rust in the fuel regulator screen. Run the test to help isolate your problem
Good luck
Thanks.
I've been looking into these items.
I suspect the Fuel pump driver in the PCM is overheating. So, as soon as it warms up. I'm checking the PCM/Sensor ground on the front of the engine.
It doesn't have a fuel restriction. Did it with the old fuel filter. Still does it with the new one. Did it with the old fuel pump. Does it with new fuel pump. I've inspect the fuel lines. Nothing there.
The balancer.
They are locktighted and, torqued to somewhere around 300 ft lbs. I had to use a 6 ft cheater. I have had mine off. Replaced the CPS. Inspected the balancer. It has some fairly bad cracks in it. It has not slipped. And, the key is in place. I'm looking for a newer one. Like a brand new one at the pull it yourself salvage yard. It has been a eye opening experience. I found several. Most of them old and the rubber is cracking. I found a fairly nice on. Removed the crank bolt. But, you can't start the cars in the yard. No keys or, batteries in them. As, for mine. I've used a starter to break alot of balancer bolts loose. Didn't work for mine. Anyway. Back to the one I was after. I go to install my puller. And, I can only get 2 of the puller bolts in the balancer. One of the holes was blocked by the iron center piece. So, off looking for one that I can get all 3 bolts in. Looked at about 40 more. Same problem. Finally. Found a brand new one. Some had installed on the Oldsmobile. I get all 3 bolts in it. So, I go to remove the crank bolt. With my Lady holding the flexplate. I start trying to back off the bolt. It was so tight. It broke my half inch drive extension in 2. So, I still don't have a nicer/newer balance. But, I'm going back to get one with 3/4 drive tools.
I'm aware that these balancers come apart. Had one shell out on my 92 century 3.3. Took out my CPS when it did it. It was not as big of a headache to repair.
But, yes. Movement in the balancers for the 92 to 94 3.8's happens. I was a little suprised that most of them I couldn;t get my puller bolts in. I can get all 3 bolts into mine. It pulls right off. Not sure how to get one off with only 2 bolts. Without destroying the balance. Maybe you could use a die grinder with a long straight bit and grind the metal over hanging the threads to get the third bolts in. So, if you're looking for a balancer. Make sure you can get all 3 puller bolts in it before you waist you time breaking the crank bolt loose.
If my balancer had slipped. The car would run bad all the time. My car only runs bad when at least 70 outside and, after extended driveing times. It runs like a new one cold.
I'm after a factory balancer. Preferable a new one on a 3.8 in the yard. The 95 and ups are different. Not sure if they will interchage. The rubber in them is generally in better shape. But, unless I know if you could interchange them. I'm looking for a 93 or 94. One that was recently changed before the auto ended up in the yard. A new one is over 3 hundred. Not sure what jobber is on it. I don't get that anymore. I won't install a after market replacement on it. I know better.
It's 9 outside. Plum chilly. It's supposed to get to 32. I may go out and check my harness grounds under the harness gaurd plate under the ICM. If, the sun comes out and, it warms up some.
Note diagrams above. Those 2 wires under the plate. I have not checked them. So, that's my next move. It's supposed to warm up by Thurs. A whopping 55. I'll check them for sure by then.
Back with results of harness ground wire check soon. I've seen alot of problems from these grounds. Mine are hidden. Didn't know they were there. Even though I was looking for them. I don't believe it's ever been apart there. And, usually you have a problem with them when some one work in this area. Like twisting them off disassembling or, forgetting to reinstall them during reassembly.
God Bless,
Chris
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Just a long haired country boy.