1989 Horizon Masi project

[zin]

Map Sensor or Injector stuck/leaking.

I've had almost this exact problem and it turned out to be the MAP. If you have a scan tool, hook it up and look at the signals to ensure they are not saying something ridiculous, like you're in boost while at idle!

Mike

[iTurbo]

Wish I was there to check it out!

When you set the initial timing, did you just aim the crank and I-shaft marks together or did you put the flywheel on the 0 mark on the bell housing? I always use the flywheel mark and even remove the #1 plug and use a screwdriver to verify #1 is actually at TDC. Awesome project!

[joelzip]

I used the bell housing and flywheel, pulled the plug and see the piston high up. I have no scan tool. I'll report back when I have some motivation again.

[168glhs1986]

Map Sensor or Injector stuck/leaking.

I've had almost this exact problem and it turned out to be the MAP. If you have a scan tool, hook it up and look at the signals to ensure they are not saying something ridiculous, like you're in boost while at idle!

Mike

Let me start by saying Im far from a mechanic or expert but I had a similar problem.
Car was running great. just passed an S4 a few turns earlier when some poor soul in his $100k sports car totaled his car at the bridge turn. We had a red flag so i turned the car off. We get the green flag 10 minutes later and.... Here comes the stumbling and black smoke.

I pulled into the pits and my mechanic friend who knows these cars said i had blown my motor. I called Mr. Slowe and he told me to check the map sensor, bam.....melted line found. We swapped the line with part of the windshield wiper fluid line and instantly back to normal.

One thing of note I Keep the electronics simple for the break in procedure. Then once i know everything is running right, I switch to stand alones and custom tunes.

Hang in there its probably a small fix. Good luck

[5DIGITS]

Well not quite that simple. The masi 16V sprockets are flipped 180° so using 8V SOHC adjustable cam sprockets, the degree marks and nuts used to adjust would be on the inboard side facing the head.
Not much room there. So in other words, the 8V fidanza pulleys won't work very well.

There is also a slight offset difference between the standard 8V pulley when compared to the Maserati pulley.

[going4speed]

If it were me on a fresh motor I'd pull plugs, run some atf down each cylinder to lubricate against that extra fuel. I'm nervous like that with new engines.

[joelzip]

I was fearing washing the cylinders with fuel as well. Map looks good, tested 1.7 v with ignition on and it drops with the vacuum pump on it. 3 bar map. Might have to look into the computer.

[Captain Chaos]

Is it just the #1 plug? Move the injector and see if it fouls that plug. If thats feasible on one of these. I'm not familiar with them at all.

Edit: I see now you say the others are wet but not firing.

[2.216VTurbo]

Any CEL illuminated? I had a problem at the track last weekend with the 3bar MAP, even after I found one in town (a miracle in itself!) and replaced it, same problem. Turns out it was a suspect vacuum/boost source for the MAP. Very frustrating Missed four tuning passes which we desperately needed.

[2.216VTurbo]

ooops, double post, wont let me delete

[Reaper1]

There is also a slight offset difference between the standard 8V pulley when compared to the Maserati pulley.

The Masi 16V cam gears are .100" different. I can't remember off the top of my head whether they are just narrower or if they are offset. I can look when I get home.

[GLHNSLHT2]

They have identical 3 digit #'s as the early square tooth gears. IMO this makes them the same other than having .100 ground off the inside or outside of the pulley depending on which motor you're looking at. And it's just to be able to take the valve cover on and off anyways.

[4 l-bodies]

Joel,
Mike kind of eluded to this. Do you have a Masi 16V SMEC and 2 bar map that you can throw in? That would eliminate a bad custom SMEC from the equation. Can't remember what size injectors you have (probably huge) so you would have to back off fuel pressure WAY off too. Another thing is the cams are interchangeable, but you must have the keys in the correct keyways (yes they each have two keyways to make them interchangeable). In other words, is it possible you have the intake and exhaust cams reversed, or one cam with correct keyway orientation while the other is off? So two intake or two exhaust? That certainly would make it run poorly (if at all). haha. If you pull out the camshafts for any reason, also double check to make sure the small core plug is in the (drivers) end of them. Seen that before too. You would have serious oil pressure issues without them installed.
Another thought, make sure you have a good ground at your injector rail. All that powdercoating where the injector harness grounds needs to be scraped off. Saw this once on a TIV VNT application after powdercoating the intake manifold.
I think I may have a masi 3 bar calibration SMEC programed for 72 lbs injectors you could try. The cal certainly wasn't ideal, but at least the vehicle ran with it. Lean below 3500 RPM and fat up top. Hang in there, you almost need to expect a couple bugs with every new project, esp. one that was so extensively modified. You'll figure it out. My first Masi project certainly had its share of issues. Then with the bugs sorted out, ran in 11's first time out to track, then another half second quicker a few days later.
Todd

[joelzip]

I'll look into grounding, it's strange the car ran in the beginning then got worse and worse. I changed the plugs and o2 thinking I fouled them as they were black. Now the car won't even start. I have 72 lb injectors with an sbec from boost button.

[4 l-bodies]

Joel another thing I've seen on the Masi transplants is the inadvertent switching of the two orange wires on the TPS. This can be done because as you know those wires need to be lengthened for the Masi transplant. The center orange wire is the signal that should be around 1 volt with key on and throttle closed. It should then steadily rise to about 4 volts at WOT. The other orange wire is the 5 volt input. Cross those two up and the SMEC/SBEC will be really confused.

Does Rob Lloyd have a stock 16V Masi calibration for a SBEC? That would be good to have just to be able to fall back on.

Todd

[joelzip]

I'll check that, I'm going to contact rob soon. Maybe lure him over with some cash, he lives about 30 minutes from me thank God.

[GLHNSLHT2]

He was supposed to be working on it, but I'm sure it got put on the back burner again.

[joelzip]

I'm a moron, too little gas and what was in there was bad. Added new 93 octane and it runs again. Fouled 3 plugs but number four is burning clean. Let me change the plugs for the third time and see where I stand. I may get a third o2 sensor as well...