codes - limp mode - no vacuum - no power

[wowzer]

replaced rod bearing in 89t1 van and now have no power and am limited to about 3000 rpm. must be in limp mode. vacuum is only at about -5. was running fine before i changed the bearing (other than the knocking ). dropped the pan, changed the bearing, put the pan back on. didn't move the dist or remove the timing belt. codes now are 12 (obviously), 13, 53 and a sporadic 46. checked crank/cam timing and is dead on. checked map sensor/vacuum lines and can't find anything obvious. o2 is new as is hep and 3bar map (installed and working long before rod change). compression is good. i tried datalogging and the only thing that may look weird is the o2 does not swing from high/low like normal. could a bad barometric solenoid cause this?

[Tony Hanna]

Code 53 sounds like a nasty one.
http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/fault/code53.html
I'd try to get that one sorted out first.
The 13 is a map sensor pneumatic code and the 46 is battery voltage.
I'm thinking they could be related to or caused by whatever is causing the code 53 possibly.

[shadow88]

I'd take a much closer look at the map sensor vacuum line. When I had blew off one of my vacuum lines, the map and fpr were also buggered up.
Look toward the 4 to 1 vacuum harness, I'd be after that mostly because it's free. Unlike the smec code. It's a free place to look.

[ShelGame]

It's the MAP or the MAP vac lines. The limp-mode rev limit for a bad MAP is 3k rpm...

[wowzer]

thx everyone. i'll put the old map in and stock cal and go from there. hopefully can get it quickly cause i'm having boost withdrawals.

updated:

put in the stock 2bar and stock cal. no difference. however, 2 more things i want to throw in the mix.

1) when i have it floored to get to the 3000 rpm while sitting in park the boost gauge is registering 10psi!! and as i said before when at idle it is a -5 ish. so i have gained 10 psi!! does this mean my timing is signicantly retarded?

2) just remembered i did pull the oil pump and cleaned/updated it. can this in anyway mess up the timing?

i will focus on the timing stuff. any suggestions would be helpful so i am not just wasting my time.

[mo' parts]

if you had the oil pump out there is a good chance you will no longer be able to use the timing marks on the int. shaft sprocket. that is unless you brought no.1 up to tdc, set the cam timing and made sure the groove in the oil pump was parallel to the block. this could most def. throw your ig. timing off.

[GLHNSLHT2]

set the timing to zero, make sure all the marks line up on the pulley's, drop the pan and re do the oil pump so it's parallel to the block.

[wowzer]

set the timing to zero, make sure all the marks line up on the pulley's, drop the pan and re do the oil pump so it's parallel to the block.

ah crap. do i understand this correctly then - the timing belt drives the intermediate shaft which spins the oil pump which spins the distributor?? if so i understand how i screwed up. if not then since i didn't remove the distributor i dont' understand.

also, would that cause the codes?

[GLHNSLHT2]

you understand correctly. I'd be checking map lines with a mityvac to see if you have a small crack somewhere.

[wowzer]

you understand correctly. I'd be checking map lines with a mityvac to see if you have a small crack somewhere.

thx ( i think). i hate having to put that damn oil pan back on but am getting better at it unfortunately. oh well. live and learn. this is why this board rocks.

... more boost now scotty...

[Tony Hanna]

You might not have to pull the pan again to get the ignition timing right. You should be able to compensate for the oil pump gear being off just by turning the distributer. This may have your distributer cranked way around compared to one that's been set "right" but as long as you have enough adjustment to get it set with a timing light, it won't have a negative effect on how the engine runs.

Try this. Loosen your distributer hold down just enough that you can turn the distributer.
With the engine running, turn the distributer a little at a time and check the idle vacuum on your gauge. When you're going the right way, your idle vacuum should increase. Stop when you see about 15"-20" of vacuum. Now, shut the engine off, connect your timing light, restart the engine, and unplug the coolant temperature sensor (it's the 2 wire plug beside where the top radiator hose connects to the head). At this point the timing should be close enough for you to see the timing mark with the light inside the window on the bellhousing. If it's not, you may have to turn the distributer one way or the other until you can. Then you simply turn the distributer until your timing mark lines up with the mark for whatever base timing you want to run. I think most people run about 12*. I run 14*.
Once you get it where you want it, tighten the distributer hold down, shut off the engine, disconnect the timing light, plug your coolant temperature sensor back in, and disconnect/reconnect your battery to reset the cts code.

This should have your ignition timing perfect regardless of the position of the oil pump drive gear and you can always realign the gear in the future if you have the oil pan off for some reason.
HTH,

[mo' parts]

^exactly.
my pump/gear is off slightly also. like i mentioned earlier, the only thing it affects is the timing mark on the int. shaft sprocket. i usally put a mark on the dist. base marking #1 from the cap, and line my rotor up to that instead of using the timing mark on that sprocket.
i didnt feel like droping my pan to fix it either

[wowzer]

ok thx. i WILL try that first.

[wowzer]

just an update. was able to advance the timing far enough to get back to 12 degrees just by turning the distributor housing. thank goodness. runs perfectly now and the codes went away!! almost perfectly anyhow since the new rod bearing i just put in apparently spun again.

[Turbodave]

Glad to hear the timing fixed the one problem, sorry to hear that the bearing spun again.

Every time I've come across a bearing that spun in the rod it damaged the rod and the crank to the point where they need to be turned or replaced.

[Tony Hanna]

just an update. was able to advance the timing far enough to get back to 12 degrees just by turning the distributor housing. thank goodness. runs perfectly now and the codes went away!! almost perfectly anyhow since the new rod bearing i just put in apparently spun again.

Did you replace the rod or have it reconditioned at a machine shop? Also, what kind of shape is the crank journal in on the one that spun?

Every time I've tried or seen someone else try to replace a spun rod bearing without replacing the rod, it's always spun the new bearing.

If your crank isn't hurt too bad, you might get away with swapping in a different rod with another new bearing. If the journal is trashed, you'll have to replace the crank or have it reground.