Is my engine dead?

[Nozila]

The incident happened about three weeks ago and since then my car has been sitting in the garage gathering dust. This is what happened - according to my brother who was driving at the time. My brother was taking the car around the block to a friends place ( no more than a 5 km away), when returning home (after he stopped at the petrol station to fill up the tank) the exhaust backfired - offboost, with visible black smoke and then suddenly the car shut down. He tried to start the car for the a few times without luck but then it started although struggled to idle and then died again. When he eventually got it home, we tried to start the car again - still idling very roughtly. but noticed alot of smoke leaking from between the seal where the turbo is joined to the dump pipe. The next day i had an inspection of the engine bay and noticed that one coil pack was split and the gasket between the turbo and dump pipe had indeed deteriorated. ATM the car starts but doesnt seem to be making an signs of induction noise or sounds from the bov as you would get by revving it at idle. i would like to ask is if my engine is in need of a rebuild or could it just be a minor fix. I havent had the chance to get the engine compression tested. btw the engine is a sr20.

thanks for any help/recommendations/opinions,

duc.

[KamikazeR33]

get a compression test done first, then if thats ok go over everything on the outside.. gaskets etc.

is the engine making any weird noises while revving (just making sure theres no bearings gone inside)

[blk180]

Check that all the intercooler pipes are connected.

[KamikazeR33]

that 2

[someonestolecc]

Check the ECU. If it's got a red light on while it's on then it's in limp mode.

This won't explain the smoke unless there's a leak also (where the richer mix is causing the black smoke to be visible).

[Nozila]

thanks for your feedback guys. I removed the dump pipe today as i though that maybe, just maybe the turbo died causing the smoke to leak from in between the gasket - the exhaust wheel was still intacted. Having done this, is it safe to say that the turbo was not the cause of the car to shut down. I'll try the ecu test and intercooler pipes that has been mentioned. Thanks so far guys.

[Col-GTSX]

Check the pulse.....

[Col-GTSX]

Sorry couldnt help myself... Title of the post made me do it...

Black smoke.... ummmm piping could have a leak... but this usually happens when the piping has completlly blown off.... First fix the exhaust manifold then go from there... Fix all the visible signs... If oil is all over the place around the back of the turbo (dump pipe area) then dead turbo... (seals have let go).... The oil burning can also cause smoke of coarse, if you cant hear induction noise (ie. no piping let go) then replace exhaust manifold gasket as stated above. Then replace tubro.... This should be it.... If it still stutters, then rplace the AFM this is all the possible problems covered.... Should not cost too much....

Remember if it back fired badlly, it may have also back fired threw the intake as well, whcih is enough to bust a oild seal in the turbo...

[BBQ]

Your coil pack is faulty, causing it to run on 5 or less cylinders.

Replace your coils. As you mentioned you had one split.

[Sydneykid]

Loose intercooler pipe would be my guess, backfire then black smoke is the usual sympton. It is not actually a "backfire" it is the sound of the air eacaping rapidly.

[Nozila]

thank you very much for all of your reply's. Yesterday, since i had the front bar offm so i decided to take the intecooler piping off also even though it was on very tight just to see if there was anything stuck/lurking in it. What i discovered is that in the pipe from where the outlet pipe from the cooler where the turbo side is was covered in what seems to be oil or some sort of dark liquid ( im thinking that it could be some form of sealent that was on the silicion pipe). But this liquid was nowhere found where the piping joins the turbo pipe nor was it on the other pipe which connected to the throttle body.

I have called for a mobile mechanic to perform a compression test on the engine today but as unsure if its better to take it to the workshop to get this sort of diagnostic performed. Is this a good step to take or should i be changing the exhaust maniforld gasket and coils firsts and go from there.

thank you very much for your replies guys even though its aint a rb engine.

regards,

duc.

[nmcmahon83]

Pay close attention to the coil pack comment... My coil packs are dying slowly, and one day my car just decided it didn't want to idle any more (until they were cleaned with contact cleaner). The black smoke is probably the unburnt fuel from the affected cylinder. A compression test is always handy though I guess.

[Nozila]

Well not long after my previous reply the mobile mechanic arrived before i was contemplating cancelling it o i went ahead and had it performed. The results were as follows..

cylinder 1 - 150

cylinder 2 - 150

cylinder 3 - 150

cylinder 4 - 150 (cylinder in which the coul pack was spilt)

To say the least i was very happy. Does this mean that i still need to perform a leak down test to confirm these results - i wanted the guy to do it but he said that he didnt have the necessary equipment to do it. In saying this, im assured at least that the engine did not sustain any damage when it suddenly shut down, so i guess now i have too look at other parts to find out the problem. btw, the mechanic said that maybe it was a bad batch of petrol or was overfuelled due to the split coil. Could this be fule pump related than as the car did get petrol before the incident occured.

[BBQ]

The problem seems quiet clear; Replace the faulty coil pack, which will allow the car to run on 4 Cylinders.

The reason its running rough, is because its not firing cylinder number 4, and the excess fuel is blowing out into the exhaust systems. Not to mention going though your ring lands and into your sump & mixing with your oil!!!

A leek down compression test doesn’t seem necessary, I would fix the most visible problem first. Coil Pack.

[Nozila]

thanks for the repetative advice, i will change the coil pack and go from there. very much appreciated.

[Evil]

i had a similar thing happen to me on xmas eve... turned out to be the AFM and O2 sensors stuffing up...

[blk180]

yer was gona say afm. dose the car start if so can you rev it passed 2500rpm if not most likey afm. if not u need a pro.

[Nozila]

the car starts perfectly fine its just that there isnt any induction noise from either the bov or filter. It also idles very lumpy - coil pack problem as it has been stated.

[1400r]

good to see the old bitch is still going I was worried for a sec there it shouldnt be a fuel pump related issue as I fitted a new high flow pump installed not long before I sold it to you it could be a coil as one of the was a little cracked when I first got the car I never got around to swapping it over or even just a fouled plug. Good luck

[Nozila]

thanks mate, how are you? i was more worried that i had to get a new engine for it. Initially, it was going to get some cosmetic treatment ie respray, until this happened. ive noticed that you are looking for a cefiro, found one yet?