[madness_spirit]

I just changed plugs and wires in my 97 sable. I used autolite professional series wires and autolite DP plugs. The plugs are gapped to exactly .054 and all the wires are hooked up in the correct order. All the sensors and vacuum lines are plugged back in and I have even taken everything back apart to verify that everything was done right. I start the car and it dies almost immediatly after starting. If I rev the engine it will run smoothly until I let off the gas at which point it immediatly dies. The only thing I have found out of the ordinary is a high pitch whistling or whining sound while the car is on.

any help is appreciated, I am continuing to work on it, but I need to finish soon, I have a 9 month old baby and cant afford to not have a running car.

 

[XLSuruaT]

Originally posted by madness_spirit@Jun 21 2004, 11:47 PM
The only thing I have found out of the ordinary is a high pitch whistling or whining sound while the car is on

To me, it sounds like you have some air leak. I would triple check everything and try to trace where that air noise is comming from.

 

[sixfofalcon]

Yep, I would say it's most likely a vacuum leak. You must have dislodged one of the vacuum hoses on the manifold. I bet if you have someone start the car and give it a little gas, you can keep it running long enough to find the source of the whistling.

 

[godspunk32]

You might also have knocked the throttle cable out of whack when you were doing the rear bank. If so, it will die because it's not getting enough fuel once the engine reaches typical idle rpm...for example: If your car idles at 650 rpm, and gets say, 150 cubic feet per minute (cfm) at that rpm level, and your car starts up and goes directly to 1500 rpm for a few seconds, where it gets, say, 250 cfm, and the throttle cable is out of whack, the car might get 100 cfm at 650 rpm and 150 cfm at 1500 rpm...

That still doesn't explain the whistle. I would definitely look for a broken connector, cut hose, disconnected hose...walk us through your method of taking off the plugs and replacing them...

JR

 

[maceslin]

Sure sounds like a vacuum leak. I would look at teh vacuu harness that runs behind teh engine to the vacuum solenoid, this particular one has 9 fittings on it and you could have easily dislodged one

 

[madness_spirit]

First I took off the flexible intake hose, then I removed the throttle cables, removed, then I pulled off that throttle body or whatever it was, next I pulled of the egr, then I unbolted the upper manifold. I did disconnect all the wire harnesses and vacuum hoses before removing everything that I removed. After I had removed all that I pulled the wires all off, then I pulled out all the plugs. I gapped the plugs to .054 then I put them all in. I put dielectric grease in the boots of the plug wires and put them in in the correct order

4 6 5
3 2 1

Then I put everything back in the reverse order I took them out.

The vehicle runs smoothly when the engine is reved, but the moment I release the gas it dies. if the throttle is depressed only slightly it usually sputters. Also it sputters for a moment before revving. As if it isnt recieving enough fuel

 

[maceslin]

Again I would look at the tightness of the vacuum hoses, as i stated earlier the big harness behind the engine has lots of fittings and although mine looked OK air was getting past a fitting. THe new part only avail from the dealer was about $125. It took the dealer to discover this one for me, I was experincing all the same symptons as you but could not find the problem, The delaer charged me about $350 for parts and labor.

Did you replace the EGR and TB gaskets with new on reassemby?

While the TB was off did you notice if the TB ports were plugged with carbon?

Have you checked the functionality of your DPFE, a common problem on our cars?

Are you getting an check engine lights?

 

[madness_spirit]

some carbon build up inside the intake manifold, not enough to plug anything just enough to look dirty, I didnt bother cleaning it since it has a sticker on it saying not to since it is chemically treated. yes gaskets were replaced, no check engine light. still checking for a vacuum problem. What is the DPFE I am not always there on abbreviations

 

[maceslin]

DPFE- differential pressure feedback EGR

It is located under the air plenum and throttle body, has 2 vacuum lines and one electrical conection

This usually pops a code when it is bad.

Did you disconect the battery when doing al your work that might have cleared any codes?

 

[madness_spirit]

no I didnt disconnect the battery
I have checked all the hoses and cannot find a vacuum leak.
I still cant localize the whistling sound
the sound is definately in the area of the EGR the general area
When I was working on it I think I might have bent the tube that is beneath the EGR, I dont think I broke it or anything, but if that tube leaks could that cause this?
if I give it just enough gas to run then it sputters a lot and misfires a bunch. However at high rpm's it still runs smoothly

 

[godspunk32]

You could always have the car towed to a shop or to Autozone to get the codes read, but that would cost a crapload of money...

JR

 

[madness_spirit]

No autozone in my town yet, they arent done building one yet there is a checkers a block away though. I am gonna walk over there right now and see what those guys think. I cant believe this crap, I can get an ASE certification but I cant change spark plugs in a Mercury Sable. Good thing I stopped being a mechanic from my injuries.

 

[madness_spirit]

Fixed

After the 4th check I finally found a cracked hose under the upper intake manifold.
changed PCV valve to for good measure as long as I had everything off
Broke the top center bolt for the upper intake when I was putting it back together, yeah I suck I was getting aggravated about taking it apart and putting it back together.

Even my moms pontiac was easier to change plugs in and I had to drop the engine to do it.

 

[godspunk32]

Well...congrats on getting everything back together. Where did you get all the gaskets and such? I'm going to be changing my plugs and probably replacing some sensors in the next coupla weeks, so need to grab this stuff...

JR

 

[HighTecRedneck]

Originally posted by godspunk32@Jun 23 2004, 06:56 AM
Well...congrats on getting everything back together. Where did you get all the gaskets and such? I'm going to be changing my plugs and probably replacing some sensors in the next coupla weeks, so need to grab this stuff...

JR

When i changed the plugs on my duratec a month or so ago i ended up having to get the gasket from autozone since i didn't plan far enough in advance. But you can find them at rockauto.com for around 19 bucks for the upper intake gasket and it cost me like 26 from autozone. I've ordered several things from rockauto.com and been very happy with them each time.