oz_orion

Having a bit of a problem here with my V8 EF Fairmont Ghia.

When I first got it, one of the high-tension leads was damaged near the end and would often arc on to a metal part of the engine instead of firing the plug. When it happened, the car's idle would drop down like it was going to stall (it's auto). I replaced the lead and everything has been good for the past five months.

Just the other day, I was driving and suddenly the engine started acting sluggishly, like it had when the lead was misfiring before. I checked all the lead ends and they were on fine (both on the plugs and on the dizzy). In the end, instead of screwing around trying to work out if one cable or one plug was rooted, I decided just to go the whole haul and get a full set of new cables and a full set of new sparkplugs.

Three hours, and about $130 later, I've got it all installed and the engine is still idling sluggishly. The car vibrates heavily when I'm at low revs. I've checked the dizzy, and that looks alright. I'm just trying to work out what might have happened while I was driving the other day to cause this problem, and how I might fix it. Any suggestions?

Also, does anyone know. On a V8 EF/EL Dizzy, what is the lead order? I know the top one is 1, how does it go clockwise from there? Just want to make sure everythings in the right place.

Thanks,

James

__________________
2000 AUII LTD
Madness takes its toll... please have exact change.

EDXR8

Firing order is 1 3 7 2 6 5 4 8. Also have you checked the base timing? Could also be a bit of bad fuel vlogging up your filter or injectors. Try running through some fuel injector cleaner, check the base timing, and check to see if the eec is giving any fault codes.

oz_orion

Okay, well my firing order is totally screwed up then, because it's nothing like what you've given me. Could you just confirm which cylinder is which looking at the front of the engine. Is this correct?

4 8
3 7
2 6
1 5
^
FRONT

As for the timing, how can I check that?

I last filled the car up (from next to empty) about two days before the problem happened, if it was the petrol, should this have started straight away?

I'm not sure how to check EEC fault codes either.

James

__________________
2000 AUII LTD
Madness takes its toll... please have exact change.

TopGhia

The side where the filler cap is from front is 1,2,3,4
Other side is 5,6,7,8

The distributor should read from the 12 noon position going <b>anti-clockwise</b> 1 (noon),3,7,2,6,5,4,8, as EDXR8 said.

Check/replace the fuel filter.

__________________
"I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always."

TopGhia

One more thing, the diagnostics have a "cylinder balance test" (V8's only) wherby fuel is selectively shut off each cylinder in turn and measures the drop in engine RPM. At the completion of the test it will put up a code for the faulty cylinder: 10 for cyl 1, 20 for cyl 2 etc. If all cylinders within specs will output a code 90.

This is a good test to pick up igniton, valve and compression problems.

__________________
"I married Miss Right. I just didn't know her first name was Always."