New Alt. cause Engine wows?

[93nighthawk]

I have been fighting alternator wows for about a month now. With three rebuilds, I finnally got a new one and installed it. Now there is a loud metal grinding noise comming from the power steering pump area(?)/or the rear bank area? The engine runs rough. (I did the Sdpatt idle reset procedure.) I am going to do some exploratory surgery tomorrow(again! gotta love this engine!) to figure out where it is coming from. I am hoping that I did not throw a shim, but I am going to check for piece of mind.

Any ideas what where this sound might come from and would a new alternator cause this?

Eric

 

[sdpatt]

You must find the source of the noise to be able to fix the problem. There is not much we can do across the internet to locate the source of a noise that only you can hear. Check it out and let us know what you find.

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Pull the assy belt off and turn all of the pulleys by hand and see if any of them make any noise. You might have a bad bearing in one of the idler pulleys which could be responsible for the noise, or possibly a bad water pump or PS pump.

Any chance you dropped a socket or other tool down between one of the pulleys and the timing belt covers? That could certainly make a bad noise.

 

[93nighthawk]

Well spent 10 hours crawling over my POS yesterday. Pullies sound good. Water pump kind of squeaks a little when hand turned quickly (it is not leaking, replaced 26K mi ago) Pulled the covers and the cams look good, all the shims are in place and in tolerance, and everything else looks in good shape. Carefully put everything together.

Started it up hopeing that it would like the loving care I gave it and to be nasty beast that it is, it ran worse than before and died. Now I can't get the thing to stay running. It would barely stay at idle when I physically had it at WOT.

Pulled KOEO codes:
122:TP sensor circuit below minimum voltage.
543:Fuel pump secondary circuit failure.

Could not pull KOER codes for evident reasons.

I take it that the TP is the TPS? If so, that is an easy fix. Code 543= new fuel pump? (I hope not, I just filled up last week and it is still at F) Replaced fuel filter 26k mi ago also, but would that cause 543?

Also another freaky item is that the interior lights/dash lights slightly flicker rapidly. Not a clue on why that is happening now.

Any and all help welcomed!

Eric

 

[shojuan]

Check your ground connections at the crossover pipe (the two hold down bolts) and the two ground strap connections on the firewall side of the intake manifold.

Rick

 

[93nighthawk]

Connections are tight and clean. Still cannot get the thing to turn over.

Would like a second (and third and fourth if possible) opinion on the 543 code, is a new fuel pump in the very near future?

Eric

 

[Mr Anonymous]

Double-check the vacuum connections on the intake to make sure they are routed & connected properly.

The fuel pump ckt code is more indicative of a CCRM problem than a fuel pump problem. Check the connection to the CCRM module under the plastic radiator sight shield. When you turn the key to run without trying to start the car you should hear the fuel pump hum. If it doesn't then you could be looking at a bad CCRM which would prevent the fuel pump from running and therefore keep the car from starting.

And yes, the TP DTC is referring to the TPS sensor.

With all the problems you're having, I'm beginning to suspect that you may have an electrical/wiring problem somewhere that is the root of your troubles. Although I suppose a bad CCRM could cause the flickering lights problem you're having. Just take a logical step-by-step approach to diagnosing your problems and you'll eventually solve them!

 

[93nighthawk]

The fuel pump is kicking on, but it seems louder than it did before. All vacuum connections are hooked up correctly.

Did some research, and the Sho Shop says fuel pumps last for about 100K mi. Of coarse this is the Sho Shop.

When it stalls it feels like it is not getting enough fuel. It did the same thing when I accidently activated the emeregency fuel shut off valve, that is why I am leaning towards the fuel pump, but I have heard that CCRMs can go too (just not as likely.)

Eric

 

[SolidState]

I heard on this board once that the 543 might have come from the car stalling.

 

[92greensho]

You said "Connections are tight and clean. Still cannot get the thing to turn over."

Does the starter crank, or not? I’ll assume that was a typo, and that is does crank. Also I think I missed the beginning of this saga, so if you could, would you fill me in. I assume at one time your car was running fine. Then what happened? ie. Why did you replace so many alternators? Also how many miles on the old bird?

A P0534 code will not be set by a bad fuel pump (unless there is an internal short in the pump. –highly unlikely-). 534 means that the secondary circuitry (wiring between the pump, and pump relay) has a loss of voltage on a positive wire, or a presence of voltage on a ground wire. Basically it is designed to be set if the fuel pump circuit experiences a short to ground, or power. It is possible and likely that your stall set that code. If the engine quits the PCM will cut the power to the fuel pump, effectively setting the 534 code. Its actually fairly common on EECIV systems.

After you removed the intake and both front covers did you put everything back together 100%. Especially the intake connecting tube on the passengers side, bolts and all?

Assuming all is well, lets cover the basics.
- Have you had your timing belt off? Make sure your base timing is correct. The belt could be missing cogs, or be loose, and jump a notch or two.
- Secondly, check fuel. Find your Schrader valve, on the fuel rail, and remove the cap. If you have a fuel gauge great. Hook it up and make sure your maintaining 30 psi while cranking. If not, have a friend crank it over. And carefully press the needle of the Schrader valve with a small screwdriver. IMPORTANT: cover the valve tightly with a rag, and watch your eyes. If there is 30psi fuel will spray out of the valve like a squirt gun.
- 3rd Check spark. Remove a plug and re-insert the plug back into the plug wire only. Then set the plug down so that it is making contact with a good ground. (keep in mind that you have probably just sprayed gas all over and that there will be bursts of fuel/air blowing out of the plug well during the compression stroke. So be careful where you ground your plug.) Now crank the engine, and watch for a consistent repeating spark across the plug.
- Finally you need air. More specifically metered air (100% passing through the MAF) Like someone mentioned earlier, look for vacuum leaks, and listen for an unusual whistle. Check and make sure your MAF to TB connecting tube clamps are tight, and the tube is not cracked. Are your intake gaskets in correctly? Basically look for any place that air could be getting into the intake without passing through the MAF.

Well, this is once again getting long winded, so let us know what you find after checking all of these things.

Until then. Later, Travis

 

[93nighthawk]

Full explination of what is going on, I'll try to make this short.

I had the original alternator rebuilt back in May. Near the end of August the sucker went again. Took it to my rebuild shop, he fixed it again. A couple days later after getting it back the alt light pops on again. Take it back again, couple days go by and the rebuild guy orders a new one sense it would be cheaper than rebuilding the old one. I installed the new one, (I am getting very proficient in pulling the battery tray ) Before installing the new one, the car ran like a champ. Afterwards it seemed fine, just a little sluggish. After about a week it seemed to strugle to stay at highway speeds and when the secondaries opened up there was no kick in the pants. I then started hearing this wierd noise near the pasenger firewall, thinking that it threrw a shim, I pulled everything apart, which was not the case. Put everything back together and it runs even worse now. Engine is not making the noise anymore. thumbs_u

Engine turns over, I can hear the Fuel pump kick on with key on (louder than I remember), when it does stay running, it idles at about 600 rpm and acts like it wants to die. When I reach over and pull on the trottle, it idles like I am not doing anything for a couple seconds then either tries to die or revs up slowly, only to die while reving . I don't smell the tell tale sign of flooding the engine.

I will check the fuel pressure on my day off Thursday. FULL Sho Shop 60k done at 100K mi.

Does this explination of events make more sense?

Eric