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1996 Alfa Romeo T. Spark 4 cylinder engine has idle, acceleration, and backfire issues
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Alfa 89
Novice
May 15, 2017, 10:42 AM
Post #1 of 7
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1996 Alfa Romeo T. Spark 4 cylinder engine has idle, acceleration, and backfire issues
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Hi all, I drive a European 164 T. Spark 4 cylinder. Last week I failed my safety inspection due to the engine having too much oil residue (i had spilled it during an oil change and guess I missed a few spots). I took the car to a car was, sprayed the engine down with de-greaser and pressure washed the engine compartment and undercarriage while leaving the engine running. I drove the car the rest of the day with no problems turning it off and starting it several times. That was a Friday. The car sat in my garage the rest of the weekend and on Monday when I went to leave for work it cranked a bit longer than usual before starting and idled very low. It died several times getting up the ramp of my parking garage and once I got on flat ground it would barely accelerate and backfire terribly. I started smelling something similar to fireworks or sulfur and decided it best to turn around. Made it back home and coasted into my parking spot. The temp, oil pressure, and fuel gauges all read normal and no warning lights were on. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I'm assuming either something electrical or a sensor?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 15, 2017, 11:29 AM
Post #2 of 7
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Re: 1996 Alfa Romeo T. Spark 4 cylinder engine has idle, acceleration, and backfire issues
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OK - Too late but if you drove where you could wash engine it was hot - not good alone. Degreaser - worse yet. All high voltage electrical items just took a bad hit they are not used to being quickly wet, pressurized water and degreaser who knows what it could harm? Clean doesn't equal running well and electrical stuff anywhere is to be covered carefully if that is wanted to do.
First issues would be cracking hard plastic parts of distributor, coil(s) on to spark plug wires. Distributor could have water inside that can't get out now too.
Other electrical anything even just connectors could lose proper connection and the list goes on.
I'd begin with a good look at distributor and rotor inside. Leave it off to dry. They make a fairly harmless "wire dryer" spray that might cover up the problem but it's there to find where it got too wet in the wrong places.
Understood - oil spilled is also a fire hazard if it gets on the wrong parts that are hot. I'd much prefer careful cleaning up dry with towels you can toss.
It's harder if you don't see something wet under distributor or a near invisible crack in a coil tower.
Look first and I'll think of some dry ways to make it show where it's in trouble so you don't just begin tossing all that stuff out which may not really be the problem if not seen,
T
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Alfa 89
Novice
May 16, 2017, 5:34 AM
Post #3 of 7
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Re: 1996 Alfa Romeo T. Spark 4 cylinder engine has idle, acceleration, and backfire issues
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Update- I checked what you recommended and everything checked out. However while inspecting something else I noticed a corner of my air filter had dry rotted away leaving and opening. I removed it and discovered some oily water in my air intake. Is it possible that my MAF sensor got wet or coated with oil and is causing an imbalance of my fuel/air? If so is this something that could be cleaned or would I need to replace it? Thanks in advance!
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 16, 2017, 5:38 AM
Post #4 of 7
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Re: 1996 Alfa Romeo T. Spark 4 cylinder engine has idle, acceleration, and backfire issues
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You could try cleaning it, if it is a hot wire MAF, with electrical contact cleaner.
Does this have a distributor cap?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on May 16, 2017, 5:39 AM)
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Alfa 89
Novice
May 16, 2017, 6:01 AM
Post #5 of 7
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Re: 1996 Alfa Romeo T. Spark 4 cylinder engine has idle, acceleration, and backfire issues
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It's a hot air MAF, no distributor cap. I'll try giving it a good cleaning and see if that works. Thanks for the help!
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
May 16, 2017, 6:28 AM
Post #6 of 7
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Re: 1996 Alfa Romeo T. Spark 4 cylinder engine has idle, acceleration, and backfire issues
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Wow - get thru the MAF and air filter took quite a hit so whatever passed by that unfiltered went on to plugs probably. Sorry I couldn't know if a distributor cap or coils done as a pack or on plugs.
If after the other fixes it's not solved I might try removing any plug wires and air blow drying them. Then perhaps if still leaking out high voltage still highly suspect on top of other things I might use a spark tester - basic in line thing that just flashes. Ground one end with a long enough wire and sweep it over any wires or items that carry high voltage and see if it picks up anything.
Hope this is over easily and found quickly for you. None of these electric things - any electric thing like water never mind the solvent to degrease it unknown how strong of what could eat thru things?
Again - don't forget because air filter blew out junk to check plugs if they are shorted with junk?
T
(This post was edited by Tom Greenleaf on May 16, 2017, 6:29 AM)
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Alfa 89
Novice
May 18, 2017, 9:17 AM
Post #7 of 7
(1513 views)
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Re: 1996 Alfa Romeo T. Spark 4 cylinder engine has idle, acceleration, and backfire issues
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Update- pulled all the plugs and fuel injectors cleaned them with break cleaner set a fan in front of the engine overnight and cleaned the MAF with isopropyl alchohol as well as far as i could reach into the air intake. She's running much better. Still hiccuping a bit during accelerating but hopefully that will burn off after a while. Thank you for the help!
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