Jump to content

need help diagnosing PMIII problems


Guest TurboSedan
 Share

Recommended Posts

Was not trying to make it sound like you were wrong doing it with the TB that way, just thinking about the ones I did that did not require it and hoping the same for TurboSedan :wink: but if he finds he cannot clear things, he knows what to take off next :lol:

 

Hope that clears up things :)

 

Jeff M

 

Yeah, I didn't take it as you making me sound wrong, I was just curious how your swap went. I actually tried to get my accumulator by the dipstick and whatnot first and I couldn't get it down in there, so I just removed the throttle body and got it back there with ease.

 

Ahh good, glad you did not feel that way 8), guess I was just lucky with the cars I had to work on. With the heater hoses and EGR and TB cables in that area, there really is not much room, also to try and get to the accumulator to do any work :evil: But a new accumulator fixes a lot of problems with these, that get a bad name from owners most the time (wallet master etc :roll: ) :wink:

 

Jeff M

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 67
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Jeff M

    13

  • Prospeeder

    9

  • mfewtrail

    8

  • Bossman429

    8

If you pull the Throttle body you might as well replace that leaking dist o-ring as well. :wink:

 

Good point 8) and clean out all that goo that gets stuck to the throttle plate edges, and inside of the TB bore, that helps controlling the idle better. Lets keep getting more great ideas so he has to keep working on his car :P :lol: well making it better is always good :wink:

 

Jeff M

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TurboSedan

yeah i will more than likely do that stuff too. the car has a strange idling problem; it will idle fine for awhile but after a few minutes the idle suddenly raises a few hundred RPM and stays there. what i'd really like to do is just pull the entire engine/trans soon and change every single gasket and go over the wiring harness and vacumm lines etc like i did with the Cutlass. the good T25 and crossover pipe that are on my Cutlass will more than likely go to the TSTE then too. the Cutlass needs something bigger :)

 

hopefully my brother will get his Spirit R/T finished up soon and i'll have room to put my car in the garage :lol:

 

anyways, i'm going to order a Prior accumulator soon. i really want to drive this TSTE. a daily driver with an automatic is sounding pretty nice right about now.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
Guest TurboSedan

well i ordered a new acuumulator from Prior yesterday, so that should be here this Friday or next Monday. i pulled the turbo and crossover earlier this week and that made getting the old acuumulator out really easy.

 

checked the brakes for the first time today. this car needs new pads & rotors all around. the passenger side rear caliper has frozen, and the rotor is completely rusted. the other side looked like it was barely working. damn early W-body rear disc brakes :lol: i will likely go with '94+ rear discs like i've done with the Cutlass. for the front, i already have a pair of strut/knuckle assemblies from a '96 Cutlass in my garage, so they are going to go on the TSTE for the big front rotor upgrade. i'm also going to throw this Addco sway bar in the TSTE while i'm at it. the stock bar looks so tiny!

 

checked all wheel speed sensors and they were all plugged in and the wiring looked OK. i haven't seen any signs of brake fluid leaks anywhere. hopefully this new acuumulator will help, meanwhile i need to find me some newer rear brakes from the salvage yard and buy some new pads & rotors.

 

i've decided to go ahead and swap the turbo and crossover from my Cutlass as soon as i get the new acuumulator in. i may as well drive the car while i save up parts for the engine (gaskets, oil pump etc). i'm a little worried about the Getrag in my Cutlass so i'd like to park that car anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sorry to thread jack, but i really need some help with my brakes to.

ok it was slowy leaking fluid from the prortioning valve.

well i would put fluid in it like evey 2 weeks and it wold be fine. well one day it stoped leaking and i thought cool but after driving for like a couple mins i had to press the pedal really hard to stop. i thought i was out of fluid but it was full , it hasnt leaked since except for the one day it decided to start working again but it stoped the next mourning. i dont know what it is so i could really use some advice cause this is my daily driver and i'm getting tired of trying to stop like this. thanks alot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Josh, I got a funny feeling in my pants that an accumulator will solve the problems that car has with the brakes. Well, except for the calipers. :lol:

 

gmtgp,

Are you getting any ABS or Brake light coming on when you have to push the pedal hard to get it to stop? If you are it would indicate that either:

1. The accumulator is not holding enough pressure and causing the pump to have to pump all the time.

2. The Pump motor is not pumping at all.

 

I think that's all I have to say, I'm no Jeff M. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
Guest TurboSedan

i put the new Prior accumulator in but i couldn't get it very tight. i simply couldn't get my 15/16" end wrench on the nut good enough. i had to remove one of the heater hoses so i do have room to swing the wrench, but it seems like something on the master cylinder is keeping me from getting the wrench on the acuumulator nut good enough to get it really tight. i'll attempt it again tomarrow with a vice grips since i'm not 100% it's tight enough or not. after i got it on i turned the ignition on and the pump wouldn't stop running. i realized that the reservoir was empty :oops: put some fluid in the reservoir, then pumped the pedal with the key off 40 times. then i topped off the reservoir. turned the key on and the pump turned off after ~40 seconds. no leaks at the accumulator at all or anywhere else.

 

anyways...i attempted to bleed the rear brakes. i used the directions on Chris A's site and that went fine. however, the the pump was coming on while i was bleeding the rear brakes (normal?). after i finished i noticed the pump is still coming on after only two presses of the brake pedal. during the bleeding process i was careful to keep the master cylinder full. there is no brake fluid leaking anywhere...not from the accumulator or anywhere else. do just have too much air in the master cylinder or what? i'm going to bleed the front brakes and then bleed the two ports on the master cylinder tomarrow. hopefully that does something.

 

ugh.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i belive the accumulator only needs to be 20 ft lbs tight, try an extension to get the wrench on the acumulator?? Or is there still not enough room,. Jeff M has a GREAT write up, and How you can replace is without having to fully bleed the brakes, just smash the pedal really hard right after, turn the ignition on let it run, turn it off, smash the pedal like 5 times, run the motor, and do that a couple more times and then fill the resevoir as nessesary

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TurboSedan
i belive the accumulator only needs to be 20 ft lbs tight, try an extension to get the wrench on the acumulator?? Or is there still not enough room,. Jeff M has a GREAT write up, and How you can replace is without having to fully bleed the brakes, just smash the pedal really hard right after, turn the ignition on let it run, turn it off, smash the pedal like 5 times, run the motor, and do that a couple more times and then fill the resevoir as nessesary

 

you can't use an extension due to the way Prior put the nut on the other side of the accumulator. why did they do it that way!?!!!!??? it would be really nice to have the nut on the backside of the accumulator like the original one has. i wouldn't have any problems then. i'm almost tempted to install the accumulator with a Gear Wrench on it :lol: i couldn't get it off afterwards of course but i could at least get it tight haha.

 

i mashed the pedal plenty of times today and cycled the key on/off while checking the reservoir afterwards and keeping the fluid full in the reservoir after completely discharging the pressure. although i think the master cylinder must have gotten some air in the system because when i started working on it today it completely emptied the reservoir when i turned the key on.

 

well....i'll be doing more bleeding tomarrow. i'm hoping everything will be alright after i bleed the two ports on the master cylinder. i was at NAPA looking at a Mityvac today and i might be buying one later this week. they want $90 though.

 

the turbo and crossover pipe from my Cutlass will be going onto my TSTE within a few days, so i'm hoping to be driving this car later this week.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

well....i'll be doing more bleeding tomarrow. i'm hoping everything will be alright after i bleed the two ports on the master cylinder. i was at NAPA looking at a Mityvac today and i might be buying one later this week. they want $90 though.

Those are really nice to have, we have several at work. I use it to bleed brakes, and suck fluid out of differentials and manual transmissions with no drain plugs. (the GTS :lol: )

 

Here's how Alldata says to bleed the system. The order seems to differ from regular cars:

depresurize the system

make sure reservoir is full.

put cap back on

Do not turn ignition on

Bleed right front wheel first, like a normal car.

Bleed left front like normal

check fluid level

Turn the ignition to RUN and allow the system to pressurize

 

bleed the right rear as follows:

With ignition on open bleeder

depress brake pedal part way until fluid comes out the bleeder.

Allow fluid to flow out the bleeder for 15 seconds. Do not fully depress the brake pedal.

Close the bleeder

release brake.

Check fluid level

bleed the left rear wheel the same as above for the right rear.

 

There is a procedure for bleeding the master cylinder as well.

Bleed the inboard side first.

Apply the brake slightly like with the rears.

Open the bleeder until no air comes out.

Repeat for outboard bleeder.

 

It looks like you have the accumulator bleed procedure figured out, with the 3 jabs of the pedal jazz.

 

You can actually bleed the accumulator using a scanner and the "Bleed Solenoid and check out procedure" within the scanner.

I did this on your car while I had it to see if it would fix any of the problems, but it didn't do much. :lol:

 

Good luck, If you need better instructions let me know, I can post Alldata's exact procedure from work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TurboSedan

Here's how Alldata says to bleed the system. The order seems to differ from regular cars:

depresurize the system

make sure reservoir is full.

put cap back on

Do not turn ignition on

Bleed right front wheel first, like a normal car.

Bleed left front like normal

check fluid level

Turn the ignition to RUN and allow the system to pressurize

 

bleed the right rear as follows:

With ignition on open bleeder

depress brake pedal part way until fluid comes out the bleeder.

Allow fluid to flow out the bleeder for 15 seconds. Do not fully depress the brake pedal.

Close the bleeder

release brake.

Check fluid level

bleed the left rear wheel the same as above for the right rear.

 

hrmm....Chris A's site says to start with the rear wheels before going to the front wheels....otherwise the procedure looks the same.

 

alot of air came out of the rear caliper bleeders, and i'm confident i got all of it out (did it several times on both sides until i seen no air at all). i haven't done the fronts yet. i'm expecting alot of air to come out of the master cylinder bleeders since the reservoir emptied completely and the pump was still running for awhile after the reservoir emptied with the key on. i'm hoping that is the problem. right now i'm just worried on whether the accumulator is tight enough and i'm hoping that isn't the problem. i don't think i tightened the accumulator to 20ft/lbs....maybe close but not quite. obviously i can't use a torque wrench there.

 

wish i could go out and finish the job right now but it will have to wait until tomarrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Josh, I had the engine rotated forward and tightened the accumulator with a wrench placed just behind the plenum. Also, I used a 1'' wrench to tighten it. When you remove the accumulator, you do get air in the master cylinder, after you completely bleed the brakes and then the ports on the PMIII, you should be good to go.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a suggestion...

 

Move to NYC. Use cabs and pedestrians to stop.

 

Seriously, If youre getting air in the rear only, I would check the rear proportioning valve, its a little aluminum block under the rear seat on the driverside. Thats where mine was leaking and it took me a while to find it, it would only leave a quarter sized oil spot on the garage floor but it looked like an old motor oil drip. I think the valve was some where around $80 from Vandevere Olds, but thats been a while ago. Brake fluid evaporates fairly quick and piss-a-dears when it comes in contact with water, so it might be hard to tell if it is leaking there. Mine was just cracked and seeping on the TOP of the proportioning block. Also, when you do find your leak and fix it, flush your brake lines with new fluid and get as much of the old stuff out as possible. If air is getting in so is moisture and moisture kills brake parts.

 

As far as the ABS and BRAKE lights... I've come to accept them on my car, if they DIDN'T flash, I think I would worry. :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TurboSedan

this thing is really starting to piss me off :bash:

 

the heat shield will NOT fit into place with the Prior accumulator! it can't slide all the way back into posistion because the 'thing' right below the accumulator is in the way. the heat shield used to be able to fit but that was only becaues the stock accumulator was smaller. the Prior accumulator is so big that it is right up against it and will not allow the heat shield room to go back into the right place. there is ZERO room between that piece and the accumulator. no way will it fit.

 

whatever that part is just below the accumulator (some kind of pressure switch?) was also getting in the way enough that i couldn't get a 15/16" wrench on the accumulator to tighten it. it prevented the wrench from going onto the nut all the way because it was so close. in the end the only way i got it tight was by using a vice grips.

 

i'd have to say that i would never buy the Prior accumulator ever again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TurboSedan
Seriously, If youre getting air in the rear only, I would check the rear proportioning valve

 

the only reason i had to bleed the brakes was because i converted to '94+ rear brakes. it's not leaking brake fluid anywhere.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So did you get everything else to work, besides the heat shield?

 

I think I will be going the GM route on my accumulator from what I have heard of the Prior unit, what can I say? I'm a no hassle, drop in, fits like the old one kinda guy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TurboSedan
So did you get everything else to work, besides the heat shield?

 

yeah i got it pretty tight. obviously i couldn't use a torque wrench but it's not like i tightened the shit out of it. as far as the accumulator install goes everything is done besides that heat shield.

 

I think I will be going the GM route on my accumulator from what I have heard of the Prior unit, what can I say? I'm a no hassle, drop in, fits like the old one kinda guy.

 

installation would have been soooo much easier if Prior would have simply welded the nut onto the backside of the accumulator like GM did. i wouldn't have had to tilt the engine forward, remove the heater core line, and i could have torqued it to spec. after reading the forums and seeing Chris A's site i got the impression installing the Prior accumulator would be easy anyway but it was a total PITA as far as i'm concerned. it wouldn't have been that bad if i could have gotten my wrench on it but even that wasn't possible.

 

i will be bleeding the front brakes and master cylinder tomarrow. as far as the heat shield goes i'll likely be trimming it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Damn Josh, I didn't really have any issues with installing the prior in my car. My heat shield slid back in just like it came out. Also, the accumulator I have does have a 1'' nut on it, only my 1'' wrench would fit...I guess they put different sizes on them. :?:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TurboSedan

here is the problem area:

 

DSC02430.JPG

 

DSC02431.JPG

 

there is NO space between that part with the electrical connector just below and to the right of the accumulator. the heat shiel can't fit inbetween the two. i think the only way to make the heat shield fit is by trimming it :?

 

or am i doing something wrong :confused:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hmm....it almost seems like *something* is different on there vs. my car(I don't really remember the bracket there that the heatshield attaches to sticking out that far, but maybe I'm wrong).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Did a quick look at my car, the shield goes under the connector/pressure switch, so once you can get the damn shield to cooperate and get back in there, try guiding it under that connector, should be good to go then, though the fatter Prior Accumulator will cause the shield to bulge a little on the side that goes around it/the accum, not an issue at all just thought I would mention it.

 

Jeff M

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest TurboSedan
Did a quick look at my car, the shield goes under the connector/pressure switch, so once you can get the damn shield to cooperate and get back in there, try guiding it under that connector, should be good to go then, though the fatter Prior Accumulator will cause the shield to bulge a little on the side that goes around it/the accum, not an issue at all just thought I would mention it.

 

Jeff M

 

thanks Jeff! i must have tweaked my heat shield pretty good pulling it out. i'll try again tomarrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share


×
×
  • Create New...