poping through intake at 12lbs of boost
- Thread starter eddiedellz
- Start date
eddiedellz
Gringo
- Joined
- May 25, 2003
and BINGO! was her nameO! swaped out ignition modules from my brother in laws car and oh what a diffrence not one back fire ! beautifull and runing so much stronger then it ever did im gana post pics of what this module looked like when i pulled it out!
Russ Merritt
New Member
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2002
Ignition, thank you! Sorry I was wrong bout the pack. Those modules will kill ya everytime. The Caspers module/pack tester is THE BEST tool I ever bought!
eddiedellz
Gringo
- Joined
- May 25, 2003
im just relived that it dident have anything to do with a burnt valve or major engine over hall stuff this is my daily driver although it would be no big deal for me to re do em .
ericmccann
Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2008
Low boost (5 lbs.) engine feels like it's backfiring, etc.
First, let me introduce myself as a new member. Hi, I'm Eric McCann from Germantown, WI. I'm now happily the proud owner of my *dream* car in a 1987 Buick Regal Grand National with factory T-tops and a bunch of other factory goodies. I'm happy to be a part of the team here and hope that we can all learn from each other. Please know that I'm migrating away from my previous 15+ year affiliation with Italian car enthusiast groups and clubs so please bear with me if I'm asking dumb or novice questions with regard to the Turbo Regals.
After reading this thread and pulling codes, I'm hopeful that my problem will go away as well. First, I'm a MegaSquirt EFI geek and have tooled on enough FI motors to understand FI, but the Buick SFI Turbo ignition setup is a whole other story. I used to own a 1979 Turbo Regal (Sport Coupe) and I loved that car. Anyway...
My situation is this:
Newly owned 1987 Buick Grand National (79,000 miles) runs very strong up until boost. About 5 Lbs. of boost sends the engine into chaos where it *feels* like a severe backfire through the intake, but I don't think it really is. It feels far too sudden (electrical issue, I'm thinking). I've taken the intake tubing apart looking for signs of fuel combustion (carbon) in the intake and all is well. SO, with that, I noticed that the "Service Engine" light was on. I pulled the codes and got code 23 and 44. I then replaced the O2 sensor at the turbo downpipe manifold and replaced the Air Charge Sensor (AKA IAT - Intake Air Temperature in today's language), and cleared the codes. Engine runs the same. No "Service Engine" light anymore though and I've driven the car enough to make it come on if it was going to.
I bought some AC Delco Spark plugs (not installed yet due to ignition wire crimping failure - for which I have new AC Delco plug wires on order locally) to install, but well, as you just read, I have not installed them yet.
After reading this thread, it made reasonable sense that based on what the engine *feels* like when under low and up boost it feels like it backfires, misses, just generally feels like the whole engine shuts down.
Tomorrow, I'm picking up a new Ignition Controller (module) and coil pack. These are of the Autozone Duralast variety and I don't expect them to last, but just need something to test with - so in the interest of time, that's what I bought.
I will continue to update this thread with my findings. The PO of my car said he had the same problem with a previous GN of his. I'm learning while going through this engine that the PO didn't give a piss about the motor on this thing. I'm owner #3 and the PO had it for 2K. The original owner had it up until 77K miles. Right now, as the 3rd owner it has 79K.
Can anyone out there please provide logical advice as to what the engine problem may be - and/or what other course of action I should take. Any tests that I should attempt, etc. I have a lot of tools, but not a lot (well, pretty much none) electrical diagnostic tools for enigines of this age.
Is there someplace I can find a build sheet on this thing? Would be neat to find one.
Best,
Eric McCann
Germantown, WI
eric.mccann@sbcglobal.net
First, let me introduce myself as a new member. Hi, I'm Eric McCann from Germantown, WI. I'm now happily the proud owner of my *dream* car in a 1987 Buick Regal Grand National with factory T-tops and a bunch of other factory goodies. I'm happy to be a part of the team here and hope that we can all learn from each other. Please know that I'm migrating away from my previous 15+ year affiliation with Italian car enthusiast groups and clubs so please bear with me if I'm asking dumb or novice questions with regard to the Turbo Regals.
After reading this thread and pulling codes, I'm hopeful that my problem will go away as well. First, I'm a MegaSquirt EFI geek and have tooled on enough FI motors to understand FI, but the Buick SFI Turbo ignition setup is a whole other story. I used to own a 1979 Turbo Regal (Sport Coupe) and I loved that car. Anyway...
My situation is this:
Newly owned 1987 Buick Grand National (79,000 miles) runs very strong up until boost. About 5 Lbs. of boost sends the engine into chaos where it *feels* like a severe backfire through the intake, but I don't think it really is. It feels far too sudden (electrical issue, I'm thinking). I've taken the intake tubing apart looking for signs of fuel combustion (carbon) in the intake and all is well. SO, with that, I noticed that the "Service Engine" light was on. I pulled the codes and got code 23 and 44. I then replaced the O2 sensor at the turbo downpipe manifold and replaced the Air Charge Sensor (AKA IAT - Intake Air Temperature in today's language), and cleared the codes. Engine runs the same. No "Service Engine" light anymore though and I've driven the car enough to make it come on if it was going to.
I bought some AC Delco Spark plugs (not installed yet due to ignition wire crimping failure - for which I have new AC Delco plug wires on order locally) to install, but well, as you just read, I have not installed them yet.
After reading this thread, it made reasonable sense that based on what the engine *feels* like when under low and up boost it feels like it backfires, misses, just generally feels like the whole engine shuts down.
Tomorrow, I'm picking up a new Ignition Controller (module) and coil pack. These are of the Autozone Duralast variety and I don't expect them to last, but just need something to test with - so in the interest of time, that's what I bought.
I will continue to update this thread with my findings. The PO of my car said he had the same problem with a previous GN of his. I'm learning while going through this engine that the PO didn't give a piss about the motor on this thing. I'm owner #3 and the PO had it for 2K. The original owner had it up until 77K miles. Right now, as the 3rd owner it has 79K.
Can anyone out there please provide logical advice as to what the engine problem may be - and/or what other course of action I should take. Any tests that I should attempt, etc. I have a lot of tools, but not a lot (well, pretty much none) electrical diagnostic tools for enigines of this age.
Is there someplace I can find a build sheet on this thing? Would be neat to find one.
Best,
Eric McCann
Germantown, WI
eric.mccann@sbcglobal.net
bmackinnon
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2005
Welcome to the darkside!
.... replace the plugs and wires and see if that fixes it. If not, the problem is likely the same as the above poster's... coil pack or ign. module. Don't even bother with the AutoZone module and pack. You'll be lucky if it works AT ALL , let alone properly or for any amount of time. Do yourself a huge favor and find an OEM module and coil pack. Yes, they are a bit more expensive, but WELL worth it when you consider trying/returning 3 or 4 or 5 autozones, and STILL not getting one that works. Anyone here will tell you the same thing. The OEM's can be had for fairly reasonable $, and you won't have to worry about it again for a long time. One good source is, pardon me, but they aren't a 'supporting vendor', so the link won't work, but just call it NOS4GN with 3 w's in front of it and a dotcom on the end. There are others and you can shop around as well. The aforementioned source is reputable, with many genuine, hard to find OEM parts, and offers great customer service and super fast delivery. Try the plugs (AC 43RTS's at a tight .035) and wires first.... especially since you mentioned a 'crimped end' failure, which I interpret as a hosed wire, and eliminate that possibility. Good luck! (and you might want to start your own thread, so as to not hijack this one! )ericmccann
Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2008
Thanks for the tips on the parts resource
Thanks so much for the tip on the parts resource and thank you for the welcome message. I'm SO happy to be a member of the 'dark side'. As I wrote earlier, this is the car of my dreams. I want to help contribute to the forum however I can. The first step in this is obviously by learning from the masters - like you.
In all of my google'ing, I have not come across that site (something about a NOS4GN dot something orother). EXCELLENT resource! I am going to heed your advice and purchase the OEM ignition controller module and coil pack. I have read enough tonight to indicate, as you said, the generic brands are not exactly reliable for testing or otherwise.
Again, I'll keep you updated and I'll start a new thread, as you suggested. Good idea, by the way!
Thank you so much for your kind, well-thought and timely advice.
Best,
Eric McCann
Thanks so much for the tip on the parts resource and thank you for the welcome message. I'm SO happy to be a member of the 'dark side'.
As I wrote earlier, this is the car of my dreams. I want to help contribute to the forum however I can. The first step in this is obviously by learning from the masters - like you. In all of my google'ing, I have not come across that site (something about a NOS4GN dot something orother). EXCELLENT resource! I am going to heed your advice and purchase the OEM ignition controller module and coil pack. I have read enough tonight to indicate, as you said, the generic brands are not exactly reliable for testing or otherwise.
Again, I'll keep you updated and I'll start a new thread, as you suggested. Good idea, by the way!
Thank you so much for your kind, well-thought and timely advice.
Best,
Eric McCann
