Rich when cold

I have just connected the earth strap to one of the air flow meter bolts (one was foreign and this one attached to the found lead matched the other two). However I cant see any reason why the airflow meter needs earthing, so I ran an additional earth from there to the LH guard (after cleaning of paint etc). I just started it up for the first time today, ran rich, but only for 20-30 secs then ran at high idle without any foot throttle (as it should), so I'm confident the idle by pass is working. I did clean this and checked it was open when cold when I put the new cam etc in. It did seem better overall but a good test will be in the morning when it is much colder. So far today I have only fitted the earth lead and cleaned up all the other earth leads I could find.
If no better in the morning I will try checking the fuel pressure when cold. I did check this some time ago, but cant remember if the engine was cold or hot.
Thanks for help and ideas thus far.

I have that same flat strap on both my rangies... It terminates on the lower left hand side of the engine bay, on the solid member that supprts the left wing / guard. its the braided earth strap.... Am I right??

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Originally Posted by aclo

I have that same flat strap on both my rangies... It terminates on the lower left hand side of the engine bay, on the solid member that supprts the left wing / guard. its the braided earth strap.... Am I right??

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Hi brent.
Yes, it is a flat braided strap, I couldnt find any holes or threaded nuts that it could reach to in the area that you mention. However that is a logical place as it would then earth back to the floor pan and not just the guard.
Could you give a little more detail to the exact location and I will look again.
Thank you
rangy01 (Andy)

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Originally Posted by rangy01

I have just connected the earth strap to one of the air flow meter bolts (one was foreign and this one attached to the found lead matched the other two). However I cant see any reason why the airflow meter needs earthing, so I ran an additional earth from there to the LH guard (after cleaning of paint etc). I just started it up for the first time today, ran rich, but only for 20-30 secs then ran at high idle without any foot throttle (as it should), so I'm confident the idle by pass is working. I did clean this and checked it was open when cold when I put the new cam etc in. It did seem better overall but a good test will be in the morning when it is much colder. So far today I have only fitted the earth lead and cleaned up all the other earth leads I could find.
If no better in the morning I will try checking the fuel pressure when cold. I did check this some time ago, but cant remember if the engine was cold or hot.
Thanks for help and ideas thus far.

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G`day

I guess it would have been to simple to be just the extra air valve .

Airflow meters are not normally earthed and the only reason i can think of for not is because of some of the tests done , like checking there is no continuity between the body and specified pins and if the body is earthed and the connection is made by a fault it may cause further damage but i`m only guessing don`t know .

I`m pressuming you know the mechanical side of the engine to be good , eg , is been dry/wet comp tested etc .

Seems like you`ve check most things , so some more ideas .

Is it possible that it`s running rich even when it`s warm ?

Can anything be learn from the plug colour when it is playing up ?

Have you checked the colour of the plugs on both banks ?

If the plugs all look darker than expected ......

Checking the TPS is in range or adjusted correctly .

There are 2 grey earth wires in the injector loom 1 for each bank that may need checking ,if one bank seems darker .

If there are odd ones that look darker maybe those injectors have a dribble .

Again these are only ideas , don`t what to send you in the wrong direction , just something to think on .

The next thing would be because you have checked replaced and or measured most of the EFI ........ and it seem you have the information for the testing ?

If the plugs reading give the right colour is the problem in the EFI at all ?

Is it possible that the problem is not fuel but ignition as in the advances 1 or both not working right ?

Not very helpful i know , just ideas .

Cheers

Thanks peter r
Plugs are all a good colour when removed, (all a dark colour if I remove them after initial stsrt up). Comps are all good and even.
Heads were just taken off due to a leaking head gasket, heads were stripped and valves tested and new stem seals fitted (professionaly).
New tps fitted and tests ok. Original one was faulty.
Injectors were cleaned and tested when the heads were off, again professionaly done!
New vac advance unit recently fitted. Centrifigual advance seems close, close as I can tesr with strobe light etc. TDC mark checked for accuracy (running extra 3-4degrees).
Overall fuel consumption is reasonable, around 11.5L/100 on a recent run. (constant speed 90-100 no load)
It does seem better after fidling with all the earths today, but the test will be in the morning when it is cold.

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Originally Posted by rangy01

Thanks peter r
Plugs are all a good colour when removed, (all a dark colour if I remove them after initial stsrt up). Comps are all good and even.
Heads were just taken off due to a leaking head gasket, heads were stripped and valves tested and new stem seals fitted (professionaly).
New tps fitted and tests ok. Original one was faulty.
Injectors were cleaned and tested when the heads were off, again professionaly done!
New vac advance unit recently fitted. Centrifigual advance seems close, close as I can tesr with strobe light etc. TDC mark checked for accuracy (running extra 3-4degrees).
Overall fuel consumption is reasonable, around 11.5L/100 on a recent run. (constant speed 90-100 no load)
It does seem better after fidling with all the earths today, but the test will be in the morning when it is cold.

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G`day Andy ,

Yes it is Peter , i hope the earths have done the trick because the only way i`d go about it is to start from the start again but the more we do the more we learn .

I think the main thing is to have an understanding of how things work and this way with your problem in particular , there are only a few things that do anything at the problem time which is specific so must be findable if not already found .

Cheers

Spent some time on the rangie today, found the manifold vacuum was very low at idle, (13-inch merc) especialy when cold. Started the engine and pumped up a more normal vac reading (18inc merc) suddenly ran much better, due to less fuel pressure from the reg.
I advanced the ign timing while watching the vac guage, I found it would go as high as 19inc when way over advanced. I settled on 8 deg adv setting, seems to be driving better, will see how it runs tomorrow when cold.