FI running rich

[mdrburchette]

I thought I'd try posting this problem here. I'm either being ignored everywhere else or I'm not getting the answer I want to hear....I can't determine which.
I've got a strange problem with my X19 FI. When I bought the car, it didn't have an air filter so I installed one. After replacing the slave cylinder, I started it up to test drive it and the car started sputtering. I pulled the plugs and they were fuel soaked and carboned up. I retraced my steps and ruled out the slave cylinder replacement...duh...and pulled the air filter back out and fired it up. It runs smooth again. It's idling at around 1500 rpm but it was doing that before. Being the smart girl I am, I've narrowed it down to the fuel injection system. Does anyone have a clue as to where I should look now? I can't believe a stock air filter would choke it down that much!

[So Cal Mark]

if the air filter is not flowing air, then the plugs should be sooty but not wet. If the plugs are getting wet, either the cold start inj is staying on or leaking or the pressure regulator is leaking and fuel is being sucked into the vacuum hose.

[mdrburchette]

Mark, the plugs were more sooty than wet, but I smelled fuel on them. I had just taken it for a test drive which lasted 1/2 mile and I turned back toward home since it wouldn't clear up. What would cause this issue with the air filter in place? Would it be the MAF? How would you go about checking it out?

[So Cal Mark]

D, your X doesn't have a MAF, it's got an AFM. Two completely different units that operate completely different from each other. Do you have any idea how rich the motor was running before adding the filter? Could the filter housing be restricted from fresh air somehow? Your AFM flap has to move freely throughout its' range, the flap can't stick in any position. After checking that, you would need either a CO meter or volt meter to check the mixture.

[racydave]

Find the specs for the coolant sensor, and check it with an ohm meter. Also, if you can hook up a fuel pressure gauge, it should hold pressure when not runnin. Put a hose on the pressure regulator and apply vaccume to the hose ( worded carefully! ) to check for fuel leak in regulator.

[mdrburchette]

How do you check the flap, Mark? Will I see it if I pull the hose from between the air cleaner and AFM? Do I stick a screwdriver in there and see if it moves from the closed position? I'll pull a plug and see what it looks like since removing the air filter, but I've checked for restrictions and there are none.

Dave, you're not telling me to suck on the fuel hose, are you? I'll make an FI fuel pressure gauge hookup and see what the fuel pressure is. Should I check before or after the regulator?

[racydave]

D, check it after, then you can apply vaccum to see it work.