pulled afm plug..and nothing!!!!!!

[mk3tattoos]

so when i cold started the car today it was realy lean and would not richen up, so pulled the afm plug to see what happends, just keep running like shit. so i plugged it back in and took it around the block and gave it a quick wot. pulled back in and it then was running fine, uplugged it again and it would barely run.

so what should i start testing and checking. thank you all.

i have a few mods but this started before all that.
what could cause the car to run so lean that the ecu does not need the afm?
car history

no codes
fresh jdm with usdm ecu
vac leaks, not to bad though

 

[rayall01]

Check the plug. Clean the contacts, and check the gasket in the plug, it may be worn, or missing. That would cause the plug to lose contact.

 

[mk3tattoos]

Check the plug. Clean the contacts, and check the gasket in the plug, it may be worn, or missing. That would cause the plug to lose contact.

what could cause it to not effect the engine to kill itself. When you pull your plug while its running what happends?

 

[grimreaper]

it goes into fail safe to get your ass home!

when mine went bad, it wouldnt run or start with it plug in. Unplugged it and ran smoothly.
Oil got in the housing...

Why cant you fix the vac leaks?

 

[TurboStreetCar]

vac leaks arent helping.....

 

[mk3tattoos]

it goes into fail safe to get your ass home!

when mine went bad, it wouldnt run or start with it plug in. Unplugged it and ran smoothly.
Oil got in the housing...

Why cant you fix the vac leaks?

i need to change out the leaky breakbooster to fix the leak.

is it worth a try to use a new afm?

its wierd how my ecu does crazy shit like that!

 

[rayall01]

i need to change out the leaky breakbooster to fix the leak.

is it worth a try to use a new afm?

its wierd how my ecu does crazy shit like that!

Check the connector. If the AFM was bad, it wouldn't work right at all. The fact you had it running fine for a time, indicates a transient problem, like a bad connection will cause. Good contact, RUNS, bad contact, NOT!

 

[mk3tattoos]

^^^^^any tips on fixxing or checking a bad connection? as far as i can see it looks fine. thanks

 

[rayall01]

Physically look at the connector. Do the contacts look dirty, or corroded? Check the o-ring seal, is it damaged, dried out, or just plain missing. Just common sense things, really.

 

[grimreaper]

Bad connector would throw codes instantly once the circuit was broken... i would look else where, like the vac leaks.

Test the KS signal and the continuity of the wires from the afm to the ecu. If everything checks out and there is no codes for the afm its most likely not the afm. You'll know when it fails. Like i said, the car wont run with it plugged in when it does (or VERY poorly along with the DTC for it)

 

[rayall01]

Grim, check the OP. he had it running fine after reinserting the AFM plug, and then removed and reinserted the plug and it ran like shit again. Seems more plug related than vac related, maybe?

 

[mk3tattoos]

Grim, check the OP. he had it running fine after reinserting the AFM plug, and then removed and reinserted the plug and it ran like shit again. Seems more plug related than vac related, maybe?

it went it little more like started car ran realy lean, pulled afm plug kept running lean. put afm plug back in wot under light load pulled over and watched af's go normal. Pop the hood pulled the plug and the car car is in limp mode and af's are very rich. hope that helps.

 

[rayall01]

it went it little more like started car ran realy lean, pulled afm plug kept running lean. put afm plug back in wot under light load pulled over and watched af's go normal. Pop the hood pulled the plug and the car car is in limp mode and af's are very rich. hope that helps.

Just trying to nail it down to something, and what you described doesn't seem vac related is all I'm saying.

 

[mk3tattoos]

Just trying to nail it down to something, and what you described doesn't seem vac related is all I'm saying.

very true it realy does not seem like it on this side of it either! what if it is the ecu or something that the ecu uses to keep things in check. Mabey one of the sensors?

 

[rayall01]

It's the running fine portion of this that makes me think of the plug. It's a known issue with these cars, and I can't think of anything else that would give the off, on, off type of thing we have here.

 

[mk3tattoos]

It's the running fine portion of this that makes me think of the plug. It's a known issue with these cars, and I can't think of anything else that would give the off, on, off type of thing we have here.

or.....a broken wire.

 

[rayall01]

or.....a broken wire.

Quite possible! A few mentions have been made in regard to that as well on this forum.

 

[mk3tattoos]

is there any advice on the best way to find a short in the wire's. i can realy use the help on this matter!

 

[grimreaper]

Bad connector would throw codes instantly once the circuit was broken... i would look else where, like the vac leaks.

Test the KS signal and the continuity of the wires from the afm to the ecu. If everything checks out and there is no codes for the afm its most likely not the afm. You'll know when it fails. Like i said, the car wont run with it plugged in when it does (or VERY poorly along with the DTC for it)

 

[gaboonviper85]

is there any advice on the best way to find a short in the wire's. i can realy use the help on this matter!

Grim is a smart cookie...one should really pay attention to him when he speaks!