Coolant temp switch wiring for F.I.?

[ShiroiKaze]

I guess I'm wondering if it's possible to wire this switch backwards? The previous owner replaced a bunch of connectors in the F.I. wiring harness, plus stripped out the CTS in the tee, so I had to replace it AND the tee. Basically, it seems to work backward...or rather, what's happening is the car starts, will not stay running till I rev the engine a bit, then when it warms up completely, wants to idle at 2000rpm. Seems like it should start up in high idle, then climb down to 750...I'm wondering if the wires were reversed from the switch to the ECU if this would cause the problem? The injectors are all new, new aux air valve, everything else seems to be working right. Well...mostly, it seems that the fuel pressure regulator makes a hissing noise...I clamped off the return line from the reg. to the tank...the regulator leaks...

AND...there is oil bubbling out from where the dipstick fits to the engine block. Is it just not seated properly or is there a gasket failure?

[ShiroiKaze]

seated the dipstick tube better so now it doesn't leak, but there is quite a bit of blow-by coming out of the dipstick tube itself. The pressure seems to pop it out when I take it on the road...oil vapor wetting everything in that corner of the engine bay...

When I'm on the road with it, it almost invariably idles high. faulty double relay?

[bradartigue]

That much pressure isn't a good thing. Did you clean out the oil/vapor separator and verify it is nice and clean? I assume you have the thing hooked to the FI plenum and it isn't blocked off.

I wouldn't bother diagnosing the FI system until you have this pressure problem worked out. If it isn't something in the crankcase breather then you may be looking at pulling the motor, why diagnose FI when you have to re-do it again after a ring job.

[ShiroiKaze]

Hi Brad, I took the oil separator apart and cleaned it, it wasn't bad. The hose isn't blocked...I'm wondering now how much I'll be able to drive it before pulling the engine? And if I pull the engine, does it make sense to disassemble the whole thing and rebuild it top to bottom or just do the rings? I've never tackled anything so complex, but I'm willing...high compression pistons?? do I need to have the block bored out for this?

Thing is, I could be moving out of state, so I'll have to drive it some 800 miles...could it last another thousand before anything catastrophic?

[bradartigue]

The catastrophe will be if you run out of oil. If it is blowing oil all over the place then you need to determine if you want to take the risk.

[ShiroiKaze]

For now, oil is blowing mostly out of the front cam seals, I have replacements but not time yet to do it...so assuming the leaks can be fixed, are there any other potential dangers to driving it? It's a guess that it would do ok but not have as much power.

[bradartigue]

Maybe the new seals will fix the issue. If not then the oil will find another place to blow out of. There is little risk until you have no more oil, then you're cooked.

[ShiroiKaze]

I see a new engine in my future...the hood is from a later Spider 2000 and it already has fuel injection, so everything would fit properly for a 2L...but man, definitely wasn't looking forward to needing that level of care so soon...but I always carry spare everything just in case...