328 engine flooding after sitting for a few weeks. | FerrariChat

328 engine flooding after sitting for a few weeks.

Discussion in '308/328' started by pad, May 25, 2019.

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  1. pad

    pad Formula 3

    Sep 30, 2004
    1,418
    Tequesta, FL
    Full Name:
    Paul Delatush
    #1 pad, May 25, 2019
    Last edited: May 25, 2019
    When I let the '86 USA 328 sit for a few weeks, the engine floods when starting. It will only run on a few cylinders. It is not cylinder bank related. I have good spark from both coils. I have been chasing the solution for about a year. Once I get the car running correctly, usually after messing with various attempts over a day or two, it will start and run great for weeks on end until I put is away for another few weeks. I disconnect the new battery when I put the car away for any period of time. The car has new plugs, wires, etc. Once when I was trying things, I loosened the fuel injector lines on the fuel distributor. 2 lines spurted fuel while the others did not. The car started up and ran great afterwards. However, when I tried the same thing today (after the car sat for several weeks), loosening up the lines had no effect. Any thoughts? I've been shot gunning different things, but nothing seems to consistently work. I should mention the car is in Florida, so cold temperature is not a factor.
     
  2. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    12,661
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    Did you send your fuel injectors out for testing and cleaning? Could it be leaking fuel into the cylinders?
     
  3. pad

    pad Formula 3

    Sep 30, 2004
    1,418
    Tequesta, FL
    Full Name:
    Paul Delatush
    It seems the problem is in the WUR. I measured and then SIGHTLY tapped down the control rod a fraction of an inch
    (bronze "cap" located on the top of the WUR).
    This had the effect of increasing the fuel pressure and VOILA, the car started and ran great. Looks like the WUR will need to be rebuilt. I'll keep you posted.
     
  4. Kannan srang

    Kannan srang Rookie

    Jun 14, 2021
    5
    Full Name:
    Kishanrajer
    My 328 GTS has got the problem of engine flooding after just switching the ignition key on, the fuel pump doesn't stop working
     
  5. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,123
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    Sounds like you have two problems as even if the fuel pump runs with only the key "on" that shouldn't cause engine flooding. Please indicate what version 328 you have -- US or euro?

    1. For the fuel pump running with just the key "on" = check to see if the safety switch is unplugged:

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    If it is unplugged that will cause the fuel pump to run with just the key "on". Often this is applied as a quasi-fix for difficult warm restarts when the real trouble is that the system is not holding residual fuel pressure after engine shutoff (due to a bad fuel pump outlet check valve, a bad Accumulator, or a bad Control Pressure Seal in the Pressure Regulator of the Fuel Distributor).

    2. For the flooding, the first diagnostic thing to do is unplug the cold start injector and measure the voltage between the two terminals in the harness connector with just the key "on" (engine not running) = should be 0V (if it is +12V DC = most likely a bad thermo-time switch). If it is correctly 0V, the next diagnostic step is to measure the cold and warm control pressures of the WUR and compare to the WSM specs.
     
    Kannan srang and Saabguy like this.
  6. Kannan srang

    Kannan srang Rookie

    Jun 14, 2021
    5
    Full Name:
    Kishanrajer
    Mine is a US spec , i have sorted out the flooding issue which was due to the safety switch , the present situation is that the vehicle would crank perfect but it won't start unless and untill I keep adjusting the airflow meter down with my hands , is it caused by a any valves in the fuel distributor or is it because of the wur
     
  7. Kannan srang

    Kannan srang Rookie

    Jun 14, 2021
    5
    Full Name:
    Kishanrajer
     
  8. Kannan srang

    Kannan srang Rookie

    Jun 14, 2021
    5
    Full Name:
    Kishanrajer

    The flooding issue has been sorted , it was because of a bad safety switch , now the present scenario is that the vehicle cranks very well but it doesn't start unless and untill I start to adjust the airflow meter plate and with the airflow meter held down if i try to operate the throttle and remove the load from the airflow meter it comes back and the engine stops .
    Would be because of too much pressure inside the fuel distributor system .
    And I bought this car at an auction which was in a no start or no crank condition , it is a US spec
     
  9. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,123
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    #9 Steve Magnusson, Feb 1, 2022
    Last edited: Feb 1, 2022
    It can be a symptom of the WUR having too high a cold control pressure (which reduces the deflection of the fuel distributor plunger and keeps the FD slits more covered = supplies less fuel). When you hold the airflow metering plate down, you are artificially deflecting the fuel distributor plunger which opens the FD slits more = supplies more fuel. IMO, you should get the following items measured (these are the basic initial diagnostic steps for setting up any K-Jet injection system done with the engine not running, but fuel pump running -- i.e., with the key "on" and the safety switch unplugged):

    1. Measure the regulated fuel supply pressure -- ensure in-spec.
    2. Measure the cold control pressure from the WUR -- ensure in-spec.
    3. Measure the warm control pressure from the WUR -- ensure in-spec.
    4. Measure the fuel pressure at engine (fuel pump) shut-off -- ensure in-spec (not needed for engine running behavior, but can impact warm restarting and is basically a free measurement since it's the same as doing #1).

    If all those items are OK, then the other possibility is that your mixture adjustment is just set way too lean (and that would be the next thing to adjust if #1-4 are all OK). Another good diagnostic step is to unplug the cold start injector and connect a 12V test light to the two terminals in the harness connector. During the first cold cranking attempt, the test light should illuminate for a second, or two -- this would confirm that the TTS is working, and the cold start injector would (correctly) squirt some extra fuel during the first cold cranking attempt. On a US 328, you should also check that the frequency valve is buzzing/vibrating (can be done just by touching it) whenever the fuel pump is running -- this confirms that the Protection Relay is working and the injection ECU has +12V to operate (this is important because the frequency valve is also used to provide extra enrichment during starting).

    Good Hunting! It's always difficult bringing a car back from the dead because not only does it have something wrong, but probably every adjustment has been mucked with. This US 328 document from FNA has the fuel pressure specs for #1-4:

    https://www.dropbox.com/s/e5pjuyiyo56vb13/328 tech specs and service bulletins.pdf?dl=0
     
    Saabguy likes this.

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