Hey guys, my girlfriend just picked up a 95 GS and now Im finding out the problems with it. Here is some info on the car: was previosuly turbo'd (no turbo anymore) engine is built for it: j/e pistons .020 over, with eagle rods, and a polished crank, head is port/polished as well.

it has a walbro 255 lph fuel pump in it but the car seems to be running really lean. Can I replace the 255lph with the stock fuel pump from a 95 turbo awd?? Or will this still be too big...? Anyone want to trade +a few bucks???

alright, so I cant figure out why its running lean, I pulled the spark plugs out and they are pretty white, Im going to replace them, could the fact that it has like 10mm spark plug wires cause this?? The plugs are also pretty old..

Second question; I think its running too hot; the gauge does not indicate this but I had my datalogger hooked up to it and the fan came on at around 210; and I saw temps of 215* I dont think this car should ever get that hot??? Unfortunently it only has one cooling fan as I think the previous owner removed one in order to make room for the turbo. Has anyone ever datalogged their car and can tell me what their normal temp was?

last question; a buddy of mine says forged pistons are not a good thing on daily driven (and female driven) cars...any truth to this?? I told her to make sure the car is fully warmed up before she leaves because of the forged pistons....

Doesnt matter whose running forged pistons in there car, they can drive anytime they want as long as they want.

As for your running temps, that is kinda high. I run around 180, fan kix on at about 185-190 ish. You could look inot getting a lower temp rated thermostat.

As for the running lean, there are a few variables. Off the top of my head, my first thing I would replace would be the fuel filter. Then go on to get a conventional size plug wires, of course the plugs aswell. Unless for some reason you have a hunch that theres something wrong with the pump I'd leave it alone. Im not too familiar with the 95 fuel system. Is the regulator by the fuel rail adjustable? Maybe check for a pinched fuel line?

Originally posted by DJ420a
Doesnt matter whose running forged pistons in there car, they can drive anytime they want as long as they want. As for your running temps, that is kinda high. I run around 180, fan kix on at about 185-190 ish. You could look inot getting a lower temp rated thermostat. As for the running lean, there are a few variables. Off the top of my head, my first thing I would replace would be the fuel filter. Then go on to get a conventional size plug wires, of course the plugs aswell. Unless for some reason you have a hunch that theres something wrong with the pump I'd leave it alone. Im not too familiar with the 95 fuel system. Is the regulator by the fuel rail adjustable? Maybe check for a pinched fuel line?

A friend mentioned something to me about piston slap with forged pistons...what i was concerned about is if they could cause a problem?


The 255lph isnt WAY overkill for a non-turbo?? We need to get the car to pass emissions and I am concerned with it failing because of the 255 & no cat. I also am not familiar with the fuel system on these cars. I'll check/replace the filter too. I thought the thing should be running incredibly rich because of the 255, thats what I run in my awdturbo at 19lbs.

I will have to look into the fan stuff a bit more, the previous owner moved the "small" a/c? fan over to the driver side and thats the only fan the car has.

also I forgot to mention, the vacuum on the car is around -13 in/hg is this normal??

I looked at the fuel setup on my 420a (stock) their seems to only be a feed line, it feeds the rail from the driver side. However on the passenger side of the rail - on my car - their is a little knob I can turn, I forgot what it says but it doesnt say anything relating to fuel. Anyone know what it does??

Originally posted by rowlex
also I forgot to mention, the vacuum on the car is around -13 in/hg is this normal?? I looked at the fuel setup on my 420a (stock) their seems to only be a feed line, it feeds the rail from the driver side. However on the passenger side of the rail - on my car - their is a little knob I can turn, I forgot what it says but it doesnt say anything relating to fuel. Anyone know what it does??

no vac at idle should be like -18 to -21.

i think the knob releases the pressure from the rail, and obviously, fuel will come out of it if you take it off all the way.

does your inline make the annoying noise when the car is running?
just cause your running lean, doesnt mean your fuel pump is gone bad though. how do you know your running lean though? do you have a wideband or sometime of tuning device thats showing or displaying your lean'ness?

Well if she has a 95, then it has a return system and the regulator is near the fuel rail. Like I said previously, I dont know if its adjustable or not. 13 is definitley low. I run about 18-20. Do some searching and find out how to test the voltage on the fuel pump. Is it in-tank or in-line? The 255 pump isnt overkill on an NA. If anything, your gonna run rich, not lean. If your worried about passing inspection, I'd worry about not having a cat.

Im going out on a limb because Ive never really had a problem running lean, but Im gonna take a stab at the low vac being a part of your running lean prob. Your MAP might be trying to compensate for that. Id look into fixing that first.

thanks for the info, guess i will have to pressure test it? Would not having an intake pipe cause cause this? the previous owner took all the IC piping I need to purchase a intake off of ebay.. can i pressure test by hooking my boost tester up to the throttle body and pressurizing it? would i have to open the throttle plate to check?


I think its running lean because the plugs are white. indicating a lean condition, their isnt a bunch of fuel on them... like their should be?

also, the car seems to hesitate if i dont launch it just right, if i do a crappy launch it will jerk back and fourth.. my datalogger also was showing lower then i'd like a/f ratios. I need to log it again but my brother has my logger.

However sometimes it does feel like its backfiring. but the plugs indicate lean and their is no fuel or soot on them.

the fuel pump im pretty sure is in-tank, it is quite noisy. Im trying to get a stock exhaust for it.

I looked at the fuel rail on my 95(esi), i couldnt find anything indicating a return line; atleast nothing like my TSI AWD has... it had one single line running to the rail..

Are you the same Rowlex from POSDSM?

POSDSM yep lol :)

ok, well I finally got my datalogger back from my brother...apparently its running really rich but the plugs dont show it...

I found that the car still had a "missing link" on it so i removed that...and i found one of the injector wires is about to fall off (looks like someone had tapped the wire for something)
Any suggestions on how to fix it??

For the injector wire....trying stripping the ends, and soldering a piece back in, and using heat-shrink to guard it. As i was reading through your post, i was gonna suggest that you were actually running too RICH...not lean. a hi-press walbro is WAAAAAY overkill for NA...period. if you run THAT rich, it can actually make your EGT's go up, just like if you were lean, cause of an afterburn condition. does the car have factory injectors? what kinda fuel management does it have(if any)? if the injectors are factory, that hi-press pump is prolly pushing the crap outta them. get a stock RS/GS fuel pump if the injectors are factory. and as far as the forged piston bad for daily driving etc, thats BS. piston slap WILL occur on any forged internaled engine (especially aftermarket ones), but this is required to give the piston room to expand once it heats up. piston slap should get a lot quieter once the engine is up to temp...but most likely still audible. Absolutely no need to warm the car up before you drive it...even if it was turbo, still no need...you just wouldnt wanna hit a ton of boost till the engine was up to temp....but normal driving is perfectly fine...start it up and go.


1997 Silver RS
Built
T3/T4 BB Turbo
20psi
Most current 1/8th mile time: 8.1@93mph 2.015 60'
1996 Black Supra TT
2004 Silver Snake

Originally posted by DJ420a
Im going out on a limb because Ive never really had a problem running lean, but Im gonna take a stab at the low vac being a part of your running lean prob. Your MAP might be trying to compensate for that. Id look into fixing that first.

Wouldn't that try to send MORE fuel in there to compensate. Not less?

OKay. First check the back of the intake manifold on the left and make sure all the vacum ports are closed. One will be for EGR, one for cruise (if you have it) and theres another one that goes to your Fuel pressure regulator mounted on the left side of the rail.

If there are no vacume leaks thats good. As a result of the low compression still, Your rings may be worn? :shrug

On the fuel issue. If your standing at the front of the car looking at the fuel rail, on the right side is the high pressured (Fuel IN) line on the top and the low pressure return line below it. With the 255 pump your just pushing more fuel through the return thats all. You could hook up a FP gauge to the schreader valve on the rail and see what your idle FP is at. It should be around 35-38psi at idle and around 55-60psi at WOT.

Oh, and you prolly wont pass emissions without "REAL" Cat.

guys thanks for all the responces!

Nitrous RS: Excellent idea on the injector wire, I will give it a shot :) Ive got a stock RS pump now, i screwed up the fuel line at the pump so I have to get a replacement first. I also screwed up the oil pressure sending unit...waiting for its replacement. NO fuel management; how do I tell if it has stock injectors?? I assume it does not..damnit. No turbo on the car anymore. Thanks for the help!

Blizare: Thanks for the info on the intake manifold, The previous owner of the car literally pulled the turbo out; and anything easy and quick to remove. I found that two of the lines on the back of the intake manifold leak - as one of them was for the boost gauge and the other was ...well im not sure but it was open to air; I also have not got an intake for it yet (intercooler pipes/etc were ripped off and their is NOTHING on it. What you described on the fuel rail is correct. Thats how it is setup. The car actually has good compression; before she bought it I ran a comp test and got 185 across all 4. I'll work on the cat situation.

If it has larger injectors on it I assume it will still run like crap with a stock NT pump?

I have a 95 and ran the 255 for like a year before turboing my car. I never had a problem. How does the car run? You never said if it runs poorly or not, just that you thought it was running lean. Also don't try to compare your awd factory turbo car to this one, they are completly different, so what does not work in one might work ok in the other.

Originally posted by RxR_Eclipse
I have a 95 and ran the 255 for like a year before turboing my car. I never had a problem. How does the car run? You never said if it runs poorly or not, just that you thought it was running lean. Also don't try to compare your awd factory turbo car to this one, they are completly different, so what does not work in one might work ok in the other.

rxr: the car seems to stumble a bit when in low rpms under load, it idles fine and when i get on it it pulls fine.. The CE light came on with the CE code saying that o2 sensor bank 1 is too rich. I thought it was running lean because when i ran a compression test on it and pulled the plugs they were white. instead of soiled with soot like they should be..

The pump doesnt matter unless you have reason to thing it was going bad. I have had a walbro 255 for almost a year now and i've never been turboed. As long as your stock FPR work then your fine. Same shit with your missing link, doesnt matter unless you think its fried in some way. (wont hurt anything to remove it obviously)

I would have to guess that your ingectors aren't the right size. Although they cant be off by toooo much because the car will buck on every stroke and run like hell.(learnd that one the hard way)

I think there is a way to check injector size depending on the resistance between the 2 wires. Although im not sure about that one.

Grain of Salt:
Check your fuel trim (i think). if the engine comp is trying to starve it of fuel and its still rich and the fp at rail is good, then injectors is all i can think of. Anybody wanna tell me if I'm in left field on this one^?

I figure since I cant stop fixing the damn thing, I'll just create more problems to work on. :) The stock pile has begun. Parts PArts PARts PARTs PARTS!!!
I'm a novice listen to what I say and make your own conclusion. If I'm wrong tell me and I will learn. Thanks be to the 2gnt Gods may they grant me turbo and fruits of the Earth. Amen.

Originally posted by hs_elrod
The pump doesnt matter unless you have reason to thing it was going bad. I have had a walbro 255 for almost a year now and i've never been turboed. As long as your stock FPR work then your fine. Same shit with your missing link, doesnt matter unless you think its fried in some way. (wont hurt anything to remove it obviously) I would have to guess that your ingectors aren't the right size. Although they cant be off by toooo much because the car will buck on every stroke and run like hell.(learnd that one the hard way) I think there is a way to check injector size depending on the resistance between the 2 wires. Although im not sure about that one. Grain of Salt: Check your fuel trim (i think). if the engine comp is trying to starve it of fuel and its still rich and the fp at rail is good, then injectors is all i can think of. Anybody wanna tell me if I'm in left field on this one^? I figure since I cant stop fixing the damn thing, I'll just create more problems to work on. :) The stock pile has begun. Parts PArts PARts PARTs PARTS!!! I'm a novice listen to what I say and make your own conclusion. If I'm wrong tell me and I will learn. Thanks be to the 2gnt Gods may they grant me turbo and fruits of the Earth. Amen.

Thanks for the info! The car runs pretty bad under low throttle/low rpm situations. Ive got a stock fuel pump in it now..unfortunently I cant run it because I broke the fuel feed line at the pump and the oil pressure sending unit. When I looked at the injectors I dont recall seeing any brand names or different colorts, I think they were just black. Ive removed the missing link and 255...but like i said broke some things :) The fuel trims were -12-15% last time I checked it (o2 sensor logging) and the CE came on for "conditions too rich o2 bank 1"

Anyone know how to check the injectors?