Since other factors, timing, ignition, etc., seem OK, I suspect the problem may be in the fuel system. If this is a fuel injection vehicle, I would check the pressure in the injector fuel rails. If low or non-existent, I would check to see if the in-tank pump is running or the in-tank filter is clogged; remember, if the engine doesn't start, the fuel pump will run only a few seconds. These are not easy to check, I know.
If carbureted, check for (usually mechanical) fuel pump pressure and also the small filter at the fuel inlet to the carburetor. Also, for either fuel system, check the fuel tank evaporative emission controls and fuel tank venting. Without venting the tank won't flow. I would also check the engine air filter as well. And, oh yes, you did check to see if there was fuel in the tank, right??
xti: the gradual loss of power tells me that there is probably an exhaust restriction, such as a clogged catalytic converter. However, I would start by running a comprssion test, and if the compression is OK, then check for exhaust and intake-air restrictions. If compression and airflow are good, then the next step would be to check the air/fuel ratio under power. Ignition timing could also be a concern, and should be checked as well (probably before the fuel mixture) at all RPMs.
MyDesign; It's always easy when it is someone else's probelm. Read xti's post on the Monte Carlo problem and have a crack at that - before knowing what the answer is.
Good question, but recall that a test for vibration takes but a few seconds, so starting with a cold engine should not cause any problem at all. Keep in mind that dragsters (top-fuel class cars running nitromethane fuel and superchargers putting out several thousand horsepower) use no coolant at all. Yes, I know they only need to run for the burn-out, staging, and a 5-second race, but as I said, testing for vibration only needs a few seconds.
Timing is good, mechanical advance works as expected. Ignition system checks out OK. (MSD 6A's will easily fire plugs gapped at .150 - even if they're immersed in oil.)
- PS if you ever work on a car that has an MSD ignition - be EXTREMELY careful. NEVER go near the plug wires with the engine running; and NEVER even go near the PRIMARY side of the ignition unless the battery is disconnected. Experience is speaking.
Brakes are fine. Parking brake is fine. Car rolls very easily.
Engine does not miss, backfire, or run rough. Just has no power. Starts easily hot or cold. No strange noises in the engine, no vibrations. Oil pressure is fine. Temp is fine.
So where are all the people that were telling us how they could have found the missing bearing in 15 minutes, and how dumb the mechanics were to be changing all those parts?
C'mon guys - step up and tell us how to fix the Monte Carlo. No wild guesses - only a methodical, reasoned approach is allowed.
I will even give you a hint. Three things that troubleshooters often seem to ignore in favour of a purely technical approach. What, When, and Where. But you have to ask the right questions. Customers rarely recognize that something they did might have caused a problem. Oops, did I just see a cat run out of that bag?
If nobody seems to be getting warm, I'll define exactly what I mean by those terms.
GlennA - thanks for playing along. At least someone has big enough, er, "dual, low-hanging, spheroid" objects to step into the fray.
You're right. I misunderstood that, GlennA. But you did end up answering my question. The engine had to die before they crankshaft problem could be identified.
Connect the ignition to the scope / analyzer = check the timing adavance. You may not have enough advance under load. Check the brakes = are the brakes, especially the parking brake, dragging ?
UK-based Plastic Logic and French company ISORG have created what the pair tout as a first in flexible printed electronics: a large area, conformable, organic image sensor printed on plastic.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
0 
