D15B7 Turbo: Hesitates, sluggish, and running rich.

rocko5845

New Member
5+ Year Member
I took the ride out on the town the past couple days and came across two major problems. First problem is this: When I accelerate, the car is sluggish, when I give it gas it goes but it hesitates bad. I tried to reach higher rpms to see if it would be any better but its worse.

Problem 2 is this: My spark plugs keeps turning charcoal black. I have tried gapping at 026, 028, 030, 032, and 034 but this keeps occuring. The wires, distributor, cap, and rotor are brand new. I was told that my problem is a fuel issue. I have a FPR that is fully adjustable if that matters in all this. The FPR is set at 38psi.

The car will idle on its own and fire up every time, first try. Even when I rev it up in nuetral I can here it hesitating. It sounds like a spark and fuel problem to me, but I cant figure it out.

Can you please help me out???

Here is my setup:

1992 Honda Civic Dx 1.5L SOHC MT D15B7 Non-Vtec
PO6 Chipped ECU (just have basemap made for my setup for now)
440cc Injectors (Lucas)
Ebay Modified Intake manifold (70% more volume than stock intake)
2.5in Exhaust system
Fully Rebuilt Head
Vitara Turbo Pistons 8:1 compression (not 9:1)
Custom Downpipe
T3/T4 Turbocharger
Compressor Specs :
3" Compressor Inlet
3.000" or 76.20mm Major
1.988" or 50.50mm Minor
Compressor .50 A.R.
Compressor 57 Trim
M24 / T4 Compressor Housing
Turbine Specs :
T3 Type Turbine
11 Blade Type
Turbine .64 A.R.
Turbine 76 Trim
2.560 " or 65.04mm Major
2.204 " or 56.00mm Minor
Manual Turbo Boost controller
38mm External Turbo Wastegate (custom dump pipe)
Turbo Sequential Blow Off Valve (It Can Hold Up To 1200HP Or 25 PSI Of Boost Pressure)
28"x7"x2.5" Front Mount Intercooler/2.5in piping
Adjustable FPR 0-140psi (going to run 38psi to start)
Stock Fuel pump (31-38psi with regulator vacuum attached and 40-47psi without regulator vacuum
Braided Oil Feed & Return Lines
Oil Catch Can
90amp Alternator
10.2mm spark plug wires
NGKBKR7E-11 Plugs (2steps colder) gapped-.026
Adjustable cam gear (set at stock)
58mm throttle body (stock)
Yellow top battery
All sensors are in OEM and working condition and have not been modified in any way.
 

io_303

NIFOC
Registered VIP
Registered OG
5+ Year Member
10+ Year Member


Are we talking carbon black or oil black?
 


rocko5845

New Member
5+ Year Member
io_303 said:


Are we talking carbon black or oil black?
Click to expand...
Not too sure. I just know that it comes out dry and black. Its easy to clean them but Im not going to reuse plugs that looked like that. This happens evey time I start it and then check the plugs.
 

RonJ

Banned
Any CEL codes?

Have you checked the ignition timing with a timing gun and the service connector jumped?
 


RonJ

Banned
Is the engine running cold? Any black smoke in the exhaust?

When the engine is fully warmed up, hook up an inductive timing gun, jump the service connector, and check whether the lone red mark on the crank pulley aligns with the pointer:

 
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civic_noob

New Member
5+ Year Member
I had the same issue last year on the exact same engine. I had no CELs, but visibly ran rich as the exhaust was dark and my plugs were black after 15 minutes of run time in the driveway. Performed a number of checks and found my coolant temp sensor to be bad. The bad sensor kept the ECU in closed loop mode (think thats what it's called) creating a rich fuel condition. Replaced the sensor and all has been well since.
Just a thought.
 

rocko5845

New Member
5+ Year Member
civic_noob said:
I had the same issue last year on the exact same engine. I had no CELs, but visibly ran rich as the exhaust was dark and my plugs were black after 15 minutes of run time in the driveway. Performed a number of checks and found my coolant temp sensor to be bad. The bad sensor kept the ECU in closed loop mode (think thats what it's called) creating a rich fuel condition. Replaced the sensor and all has been well since.
Just a thought.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much for that reply. I was hoping to find someone with this problem on the same motor. I will for sure be changing that. Did the sluggish go away when you drove it, or did you not have that problem? Did you also turbo your D15?
 

rocko5845

New Member
5+ Year Member
What is everyone's input about puting the OEM ECU back in the car to drive it to me tuner, which is almost 200 miles from me?
 

rocko5845

New Member
5+ Year Member
RonJ said:
Why not hook up a timing gun before driving 200 miles?
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I really dont think the timing is off and if it is, it sure isnt enough to do all this. I spent many hours going over the timing to be sure it was correct. Where could I get one of those guns? What do they cost, cause I dont have much cash at the moment? I'll still try it out to be sure?
 

RonJ

Banned
If the ignition timing is off, your engine can run rich and poorly. You set the mechanical timing, but that could also still be off by a tooth. Post pictures of the cam and crank at TDC1. Then there is ignition timing, which fine tunes the engine timing. You need an inductive timing gun to set correctly. This can be purchased for $30, or some auto parts stores offer free rentals. Call around.

If you prefer to drive 200 miles so that your tuner can sort things out for you, that's your choice. I'm sure you'll kick yourself, however, if the solution turns out to be simple. That's what I'm trying to save you from.
 
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rocko5845

New Member
5+ Year Member
RonJ said:
If the ignition timing is off, your engine can run rich and poorly. You set the mechanical timing, but that could also still be off by a tooth. Post pictures of the cam and crank at TDC1. Then there is ignition timing, which fine tunes the engine timing. You need an inductive timing gun to set correctly. This can be purchased for $30, or some auto parts stores offer free rentals. Call around.

If you prefer to drive 200 miles so that your tuner can sort things out for you, that's your choice. I'm sure you'll kick yourself, however, if the solution turns out to be simple. That's what I'm trying to save you from.
Click to expand...
I know for a fact that the mechanical timing is on because all the marks still match up perfectly. The thing I did not realize is that Im dealing with 2 different types of timing. I figured since the mechanical timing was dead on that the ignition would be too. When I put the cap and rotor on, and befor I tightened down the distributor, I centered the rotor with NO.1. Is that not correct, cause thats how the book explained it? I also have to go see a tuner anyways, I was told be many people that my car wouldnt right without the tune, but I didnt expect it to be this sluggish and run through plugs.
 

RonJ

Banned
The only way to set the ignition timing correctly is with a timing gun as described in the diagram I posted. My guess is that your problem has much more to do with something basic rather than with a need for a tuner. Just my opinion.
 

rocko5845

New Member
5+ Year Member
RonJ said:
The only way to set the ignition timing correctly is with a timing gun as described in the diagram I posted. My guess is that your problem has much more to do with something basic rather than with a need for a tuner. Just my opinion.
Click to expand...
You've been a great deal of help, thank you. Im going to pick up a gun tomorrow and try it out. Should I use new plugs, or just clean up a pair that were used long enough to turn black?lol
 

EG-HATCHIE

______Get Blown______
5+ Year Member
well if its not tuned then thats probly the problem. 440's are alot of gas at idle. Would running no o2 sensors (f+r) effect your ecu that much to make it run bad?
 

rocko5845

New Member
5+ Year Member
EG-HATCHIE said:
well if its not tuned then thats probly the problem. 440's are alot of gas at idle. Would running no o2 sensors (f+r) effect your ecu that much to make it run bad?
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I tried to run without an O2 sensor at first but it set off a code and wouldnt hardly run. It will idle all day long but when I rev it up or drive it, it is restricted and sluggish. There is only one O2 with the D15B7.
 

streetscivic

Streets
5+ Year Member
just a suggestion now granted please check with someone who knows more than me my last turbo car was set up at a shop and was a 2jz. but i have been told that you can retard your timing to negative 3 degrees and it would help but not to go over 3 degrees or youll jack your head. but please check with someone else first and let me know cuz im working on my d15b7 at the moment and any advice i can use woulld be great
 
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