If the engine is running well I highly doubt you have any vacuum leaks.
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i think what you are seeing as deposits may be anti-seizeAre those deposits at the tip of the electrode and around the perimeter of the threads. From what I've read elsewhere, those are the result of a rich idle mixture.
Standing behind the car while idling is what he said smells like raw fuel coming from the exhaust pipes. ( earlier post )
If the ECT was truly failing, then that could be the cause for the EEC to richen up the mixture until the sensor tells the EEC the engine is warmed up.
While I agree the fuel lines could be an issue... the smell would be present all the time.
I'm curious to hear if the ECT replacement solves the problem.
Ok, that’ll be the plan. So where do I take it for this mystical “sniffer”? Just any random exhaust/muffler shop? I’m in Corpus Christi and there isn’t much in the way of highly rated mechanics down here.The car really needs to go on a sniffer, or have a wide band O2 sensor installed. You need to know if it's running rich or just not burning completely, then you can start to diagnose why.
You can buy an AFR gauge kit which utilizes a clamp on piece with a bung to screw in an O2 sensor. Doesn't require welding. Personally, I'd go this route as opposed to taking it to a tuner shop. Be cheaper and you'd have a permanent gauge for monitoring your AFR. Even better, buy an O2 bung and have a muffler shop weld it in for you. Just have a cheap pipe plug to cap it off until you get back home to install the sensor and gauge.
Your plugs tell the story anyway. It's not running rich but the gauge is good to have regardless. You could be running fat but not rich enough to show on a plug. I've slowly tweaked my EFI to get the AFR into the 13+ range since starting in the low 12s. There is power there to be had if you can program for it. Need a means to monitor the AFR though.
I'm slow but not level slow, Ken. I get that he likely cannot tweak the tune himself. My point was for less than a shop would probably charge him to do an "AFR analysis" of the current running condition he could probably buy and install an functional AFR gauge which would be a permanent means of monitoring how the engine is running relative to AFR. This time I'm trying to spend someone else's money more wisely!
I do. But I also want my wife to “want” get in the car as well.If it has any type of performance tune its going to be richer at idle than cruise, for sure. The plugs should have some indication of it though. Those things have color to them so they aren't super fresh and would, I think, have some indication of even just a rich idle condition. I guess what I'm saying is I think it is running normal and maybe the smell is just that fuel today has a stronger, nastier more noticeable fragrance to it. It's not like an 80s or even 90s EFI system was very refined by modern standards. Look at the compression ratio of a Coyote engine and yet that fuel management system can put out that kind of power and yet prevent detonation. That is some serious tech!
My suggestion is he just get in it and drive it like he stole it!