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Author Topic: 1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup  (Read 4437 times)

Rabbit-Rabbit

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Greetings! This is my 1st post here, so hello to all the members.

Just call me Rabbit.

Here is the situation:

Just purchased a 1993 Capri with a rebuilt engine with 35K on it. It starts right up when cold, but if the engine gets shut off, it won't easily restart without holding the gas pedal down - and even then, it won't necessarily catch and stay running. Idles @ 2000 RPM when cold, and when I can get it restarted, runs about 1200 RPM. Runs very rich, and when shifting gears, I see a fair amount of black smoke out the tailpipe.

I believe it should run at 800-900 RPM's from what I understand.

Unplug the Oxygen sensor - no change whatsoever - while running or when trying to restart.

I checked as many vacuum lines as I can, and see no leakage. Solid alternator connections and new battery.

New wires and plugs, cap and rotor, rebuilt VAF (Mass Airflow Sensor).

New Bosch 12054 Oxygen sensor on the way. No CEL (I believe the lamp is burned out, but I have yet to verify that) I have both Ford Service Manuals, so I can find my way around reasonably well with what is to me a different car to work on than what I'm used to (I'm a Volvo guy, and own 2 2000 V70XC's and 2 1989 240 Wagons. I do most of my own work on these cars), and am learning the Capri as fast as I can.

I wish to thank all the knowledgable members here for the posts and topics I've found here that have been educational as I'm learning.

Can anyone that has experienced what I'm talking about help with any suggestions?

Cheers! Rabbit
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Rocketman

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #1 on: May 05, 2011, 11:50:00 PM »

Okay, first off, Welcome to TeamCapri!

Now, your Capri - N/A or XR2? It sounds like a manual.

Have you checked engine/cam timing? Who did the rebuild?

Ignition timing?

Vacuum leaks are a major thing, might want to try a propane or aerosol check.

I'm a little wary of a "rebuilt" or "remanufactured" VAF.

Catalytic converter still in place?

Is there any old gas in it?

You should see your CEL flash for a few seconds when you put the key in the RUN position.

Sorry for all the questions, just trying to help.
-Rocket
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1.8L Turbo All Wheel Drive Capri... the "GTXR2"


Rabbit-Rabbit

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2011, 11:25:00 AM »

Jumpered the yellow wire with the green connector to ground. Turned on the key without starting the engine.

I got the Check Engine light working. It flashed 3 times - over and over, so I assume that the code is: 03 CID Sensor

What is a CID Sensor? It can't be the CPS (Camshaft Position Sensor), can it?

The Capri is an N/A with a five speed manual.
It has a CAT, I don't know who rebuilt it, but was told it was someone very knowledgeable.

Haven't checked the timing yet, and haven't checked the timing belt TDC alignment. Car runs fine - plenty of power - just runs rich and is hard to start after it has initially been started.

Ordered a ignition Module for the inside of the distributor, and an ECT Sensor as well as an Oxygen sensor that is on the way.

I got the ECT sensor, because I know from other cars how much they affect an engines operation. I've read that one symtom of a bad ECT sensor is hard starting and running rich.

Can anyone explain what a CID Sensor is?

Cheers! Rabbit
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Rabbit-Rabbit

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #3 on: May 07, 2011, 11:36:00 AM »

Update: Changed the Oxygen Sensor. What a bear to get out (someone didn't use any anti-seize on the old one). It made a world of difference. Engine restarts after it has been shut down.

Still getting "3" on the check engine light, so I'll change the CID Sensor as soon as it arrives.

The Airbag light is flashing "3" and then "2", and if I'm reading the Ford codes it may be the airbag itself has high resistance or it is open.

I think I read in the manual that the airbag was 1 ohm.

If anyone out there has had the 32 code for the airbag, could you confirm that the airbag is non-operational?

Cheers! Rabbit
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Rocketman

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #4 on: May 07, 2011, 12:27:00 PM »

CID = Cylinder IDentification sensor. The ECU uses it to determine Cyl#1 for tach & fuel injection events.

Usually they won't throw a code, it'll die and you'll just lose tach signal & subsenquently fuel/spark. Sometimes they'll fail intermittently (die randomly, and only allow restart when engine is cool) But that doesn't sound like your issue... weird.
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Rabbit-Rabbit

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2011, 02:01:00 PM »

Thx, Rocketman. Appreciate your time and knowledge(aquired wisdom)    . I'll hold off on changing the CID Sensor since it appears to be working.

Any idea what 3 flashes on the CEL means???

Perhaps the Airbag light flashing "3" means low battery power or low backup power, and "2" means all primary crash sensors disconnected. There are only 11 codes listed in the service manual. I don't see code "32" except in the generic Ford listing.

Cheers! Rabbit
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Rabbit-Rabbit

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #6 on: May 09, 2011, 02:08:00 PM »

Update:

For the life of me, I can't find any crash sensors on the front end, nor any wiring. The car was in a wreck in 2003, so maybe they took the sensors and wiring out. I got the Airbag module out (very painful experience). I am getting 2 error codes.

3 = Low Battery Voltage on pin 13 (Power Input to the backup supply (four 2200 uF capacitors in parallel - 8800 uF total)

2 = Primary Sensors Disconnected

I did a continuity check from pin 13 through the Main 30A EGI fuse to the battery - it was good (.99 ohms)

I opened the module and checked all four 2200uF capacitors, all the diodes and all the large transistors as well as all the other electrolytic capacitors & the thermal fuse - I found nothing wrong. I have yet to check the grounds for continuity. I'm suspecting the Airbag module has some other component failure that I can't find (lots of surface mount transistors)or the 40 pin Microcontroller. Wish I had a schematic of the module...

I need an Airbag module from a Capri made after July 1992. I also am looking for the crash sensor wiring harness.

Prior versions (before July 1992) used an external 3300 uF capacitor in a plugin module next to the glovebox - which my Capri doesn't use.


Cheers! Rabbit-Rabbit
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rcdraco

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #7 on: May 10, 2011, 12:54:00 AM »

Okay just for clarity, remove your washer fluid tank, directly at the bottom of that is the RH crash sensor.  Middle sensor is in FRONT of the radiator near the hood latch.  LH sensor is underneath the rain catchers under the driver's side headlight.  Safing Sensor is behind the e-brake.

I honestly don't know why you'd bother, when the airbags will just fire a white flag into your chest if they even deploy.  It's a 20 odd year old car, replacements are supposed to be done every 10 or so years.  And first gen systems are known to be pretty nasty for anyone out of the size range they're designed for, unlike 2nd gen systems which have some sense of occupants.
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Rabbit-Rabbit

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #8 on: May 10, 2011, 01:30:00 AM »

rcdraco, I hear ya!

It's my wifes car, and she wants a little bit more of a "comfort" zone with the car. If having an airbag system makes her feel a bit safer, then I'll try to give her that additional peace of mind - even with the antiquated airbag system in it.

I've suggested disconnecting the system completely, but that suggestion makes her uncomfortable, so I'll give it a try.

Thx!

Cheers! Rabbit
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Rabbit-Rabbit

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #9 on: May 13, 2011, 06:52:00 AM »

Update:

The startup problem has been completely eliminated. It was the ECT Sensor. The CEL that flashed code 3 was the CID sensor, which I repaired by cleaning the contacts on the sensor and the ground connection on the bottom of the sensor. I used dielectric grease on the ECT and CID sensors.

Car fires up 1st time - every time - even when hot.

Amazing what a bad ECT sensor can do...

No CEL Light!    

Cheers! Rabbit
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Rabbit-Rabbit

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #10 on: November 11, 2011, 04:52:00 AM »

Update:

I had to put a new clutch in my 1993 Capri N/A, and it was in the shop for six weeks (I'm not going to go back to that shop anymore). In any case, when I got the car back, the Idle was too high, the engines RPM fluctuated wildly, and the check engine light flickered on/off. Code 9 was registered (ECT), as well as an Oxygen Sensor code. I returned the Capri to the shop to fix a transmission fluid leak, and to find the problem which didn't exist when I took the car in originally. The mechanic was unable to find the problem with the CEL and idle issues - so I took it home after the leak had been fixed (It still leaks a bit, and I'm not sure why).
When I took it home the second time, the idle was at 2000 RPM's and it wouldn't slow down - so after a bit of thought, I guessed the IAC may be acting up - so I tried something different to slow the RPM's down. I placed a large adjustable wrench on the hose going to the TB coming out of the IAC (too much air, or a vacuum leak - never found a vacuum leak). It did slow the engine down, as expected.
I let the car run for about an hour, and I was eventally able to remove the wrench. The idle was still at 1200-1500 RPM.

Now, here's where it got interesting. I turned the car off, and tried to restart the engine. It wouldn't restart easily, and I had to play with the gas pedal to get it to start. I did this about 5 times, and each time it got harder to start - till eventually, I could not start the car at all - no matter what I did. Now, I remember the original problem I had with starting the car when I obtained the car - and I remembered the CEL Code 9 (ECT)that had recently shown up after I got the car back from the shop the first time. The ECT Code 9 never registered again, and NO codes registered at all at this point. So, being at a loss to know what to do at this point, I decided to try a new ECT Sensor (The ECT Sensor that I had put in was put in in May, 2011). I didn't really think that it could be bad - since I had replaced it with a new one in May, but since I had recently seen Code 9, and remembered how hard it was to start when I got the car, I bought a new ECT - ACDelco F1864 ECT Sensor. The ECT that I replaced in May was a Beck Arnley 158-0134 ECT. Since I suspected that the Beck Arnley ECT Sensor had gone bad, I decided to go with the ACDelco Sensor instead. When the ACDelco sensor arrived, I unplugged the ECT connector from the ECT in the car, and just for proof, connected the ACDelco sensor to the wiring harness ECT connector, and just let it dangle.  Got into the car, and it started right up and the idle was about 1500 RPM, and steady. RPM's Dropped a bit after a few seconds of running. I did not have to do anything at all! Shut the car down, and it restarted perfectly - again, and again. I'll be replacing the sensor on Saturday, and I'll report back.

Moral of this story... DON'T UNDERESTIMATE WHAT A ECT SENSOR CAN DO TO CORRECT/FIX STARTUP/IDLE/RUNNING PROBLEMS! If the VAF and IAC appear to be okay, try looking at the ECT Sensor as a realistic and highly probable cause of your starting and idle problems. It's not called the "MASTER SENSOR" for no reason...

Note: I would avoid the Beck Arnley Sensor, judging by my experience.

Cheers! Rabbit
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luvit

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1993 NA Capri - Runs Rich & Won't Restart After an Easy 1st Startup
« Reply #11 on: November 11, 2011, 02:47:00 PM »

i replaced my ECT sensor a couple of weeks ago.
but my CEL codes pointed it out too.
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omgimluvit