Help with Lambda on QV Mondi

Bought an '85 "0000" Mondi last year and it's been a nightmare! The car had been in climate controlled storage for 8 years and I bought it on faith because it didn't run. Took it to a specialist in the bay area for a pretty straightforward major. Sure, I expected things like fuel system items needed attention and they got it. He claimed it took him 2 months to get the schematic and do the wiring. Then after he got the car running he claimed it ran fine for an hour and then just at the very end of the test it pops a head gasket. Personally, I'm no genius, but it sounded to us like he was trying to make work for himself. After another several weeks of missed communications and even a 500 mile round trip for face time, we got there and he says something like he reconnected the "reposilator" and the head gaskets weren't needed after all...Hmmm, go figure! Long story short(ha!), after his 8 month major service, finally get the car back and head home. I am in So Cal when my partner picks it up. I call to get the good news that it's running good and everything's fine. Well, not so much, I am on the phone and my partner is on the side of the road with the left rear wheel supporting the car by way of the lower control arm, because all the lugs came loose and three out of 5 broke! I ask him "How does it run?" "Like a Harley!" Anyway, the car has been at a local shop and we have been babysitting it through the redux. It's runs on all 8 accept one bank is fat and the other is lean, ignition timing is TDC on both, the engine has new OEM injectors, the fuel accumulator and FI distributor/pump has been rebuilt and works fine. The only thing left is cam timing and the Lambda rewire. Any thoughts or possibly a schematic of the Lambda system would be great.

Thanks,
Bill
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Well, you certainly captured the essence of we think of this place, now. At this point I didn't want to start name calling that shop, yet. However, from the several responses I've received to this post thus far, my ability to hold back from that is wearing thin. This shop is a well respected and famous shop in the SF bay area, and in my defense, I really thought the "monkeys" were well trained...oops! Just goes to show that no matter how much you check the BBB, B.A.R., internet, and even a local referral, there's always "one" job that gets AFU'd! Ultimately, I will accept your distinction of "dude", because I am the one responsible for trusting apes to work on my car. I think that when I am done with him, in litigation, I will send him a bunch of bananas. Thanks for the thought.

Soldiering on...

 

The next step, first thing tomorrow is to run a compression test to determine bank pressure variations to further isolate just which bank is wrong. The first consideration would be to just draw the conclusion that it's the rich bank which is indeed 5/8, if that is ther rear bank. I know that there is no "wrong way" to set the ignition timing, guewss I was just wishful thinking. I agree with you about the Lambda system and disconnecting it. My concern was whether or not the system "does" have a bearing on engine run or not run. Also the reason I was asking for a schematic is that I believe we are going to wind up, at least, checking and verifying all the "monkey's" rewire. Bottom line, we are trusting NO ONE else to work on this car that won't work with us in open discussions and progression first. My partner and I both have automotive experience, but we decided to let an F-car "specialist" do the original work...oops!

 

Thanks for your thoughts. Unfortunately both my partner and I could not find a reputable shop in this town, hence the search for the specialist. We were both a little nervous of the dealers and the possibility that they would see a potential whale. Ironically, had we gone to the dealer, in the first place, the cost would have been around what we got extorted out of by the so called "specialist" anyway...and we would have had a warranty. Bitter lesson. Yes the coil wires were fried and we had the wires replaced. The pics are the before's and those wires were on the car when we bought it. In fact the pics were taken the day we bought it. I will address the Bypass tube tomorrow. Both caps have replaced OEM as have the rotors OEM. I will also address the "yellow wire" tomorrow. I am thinking it's part of the Lambda rewire.

I will keep you all posted.

 

OK, so the Lambda is a "read only" system and has no effect on engine operation, except to get emissions readings. I guarantee, if I would have known that(my bad) before the rewire I would have not allowed the "monkey" to screw me on it.

Now, the compression test reveals 175 +/- 5 pounds, can't be too disappointed in that! The plugs all read rich, evenly! So, my new question is why are the banks reading off? A conversation with the new guy as he tells me that the car may have simply just been cold when he did those readings, and that the bank that was rich on the machine, wasn't hot enough to "light" the cat? Now they want to plug their diagnostic O2(which is connected to a computer that can give accurate levels), while the car is on the dyno, to determine mixture setting.

Correct me, if I am thinking crazy here, but wouldn't just taking the car out for a 10 mile run and using the sniffer to test his theory be a prudent move at this point. I can't see how these plugs are necessarily going to just "miraculously" clean up from hoist to dyno, especially after the beating they have taken getting the engine running. There was a problem with reversed fuel lines, after he got it back together, that caused quite a bit of trial and error in locating the problem. Although a stupid mistake, I can see it creating a "phantom" to chase. I watched him systematically check and recheck his work except, of course, missing the main fuel lines in/out of the FI pump. So in the meantime there was sure start, running on the sure start and a bunch of engine cranking; and that had to take "some" toll on the plugs. When he got it started, he moved it immediately to the sniffer, so my guess is the mixtures may be off, but the plugs need to be cleared, not by 15 seconds at 2000 rpm, but by driving it and "clearing her lungs" and then sniffing her(that didn't come out right...). I have half a mind, just to go get it and drive it myself! BTW, does anyone know where the mixture adjustment is on the FI pump?

Hmmm...

 

Well, I can say that #1, I was wrong about the Lambda being a "read only" system. Turns out the product is well within Lambda tolerances and both banks are equal and the car passed smog without a hitch. There were two power runups on the dyno and the result was 174 hp @ 6000 rpm in 4th. There was a 19% correction for barometer/altitude(4415) plus an estimated 15% for flywheel to ground loss. The number comes up 238 hp at the flywheel and who knows how much the cats are grabbing, so at the very least the car is producing close to spec for 29,000 miles. As for driving it when it's running like it should...it sounds great and goes like stink. I know it's not what some purists would consider anything other than "entry-level", but this car needs no defending and eventhough it's been a bit of a hole in the water it was well worth the wait.

For the car, this ordeal is over, for the shop in Sausalito - it's just beginning.

Thanks to all for your input. We will just have to see what tomorrow brings, but for now, this is going to be a lot of "F"un!