Causes for runing rich + low on power + video

[Mihnea"e34]

What do you guys think about this smoke?
It gets like this after i do a pull to +5000rpm. It smells like unburnt fuel. The thing is that the exhaust smells like that all the time, not just when driving hard, but that amount of smoke comes after a few good revs.
Engine is a m50b20 `93

FYI: I don`t usualy drift it or do dumb things in it, it`s my daily and i don`t want to ruin it, so please don`t think a do this sort of things in a 2.0 liters 1.5 tons old wagon every day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGY0lNZe0V8

The thing is i asked a friend to do a few donuts in it since i lack any skills it this field, and if feels gutless up top. I know is a heavy car with a small engine, but i feel like it lacks power up top. It barely manages to spin a wheel while sliding and burnouts are out of the question, never has the power to do it, even with 195 65 15 in the back.
What will cause the engine to run so rich? Bad Injectors?
Other infos:
-0-100 (0-60) does it in factory time
-195.65.15 back 225 60 15 front
-burns less then 1l of oil per 10.000km
-does not looses coolant or oil in the radiator (indicating to a burnt headgasket)
-no vacuum leak
-new spark plugs..(cheap ones but new)
-new fuel filter
-new Mobil 1 10w40 oil
-new air filter
-no catalitic converter
- 300.000 km (200.000 miles) on the clock
- 3.64 diff ratio
Compresion numbers from front to back are 15.1, 15.2, 14.9, 15.4, 14.5 15.1

[theBMWbeast]

Fuel pressure test, go from there. Any audible misfire, rough idle, etc?

[Mihnea"e34]

No rough idle, but sometimes has a hesitation when i rev it from idle to redline around 1000-1200 rpm for a split second. I think the sparkplugs are black with all the soot running rich causes thus not providing a strong enough spark. Other than that is fine.
Oh...and one more thing.
No matter how cold outside, the engine will idle at 600rpm. Even when it sit for 3 days covered in a thick layer of ice, the idle will run at 600rpm. My other cars i had would idle at 1100rpm for a minute or two.
If i think about it, the coolant temp sensor had a big part in dictating the air/fuel mix. hmmm

[theBMWbeast]

If you suspect the coolant temp sensor is faulty and the car is stuck in open loop, then search how to test it, or take the plunge and replace it for peace of mind. It’s a cheap part and a quick job.

[Thomas525]

Just unplug the coolant temp sensor and see if the smoke clears up. If it does, then you know whats the problem. Do the same test with the afm. Thirdly, check on the fuel pressure regulator. That's a big possibility here. Yank the vacuum hose at its bottom and sniff if there's a strong smell of gasoline then you know fuel is leaking through the regulator into the intake manifold. Lastly (before you disconnect anything) check if the stomp test works on your car. If it does, pull the codes, clear the codes, drive for a day and then pull the codes again and see what shows up.

[Mihnea"e34]

So a friend of mine has a delphi diagnostic scan tool and managed to get a few codes out of this old thing.
1. Electronic throttle control
2. Injection valve 3
3. Injection valve 5
4. Idle valve
5. Fuel pump relay
I don`t know how reliable that tool is, but i hope there is a fuel related problem since is the easiest to fix.
I think that injection valve refers to the injectors. A have a full injector rail laying around, from a m50b20 e36. I will swap injector 3 and 5 to see if there is any change.
I will try and test the injectors to see if all of them gets a nice full spray.

My theory here is that if one or more injectors are bad, and drip gas instead of spray...when the engine is at +5000 rpm, the amount of gas is so much that it will wet the spark plug and loose power, resulting in gas smelling exhaust gases and smoke. Maybe this is why it can`t do a burnout even with such tiny tires.

[Mihnea"e34]

So a friend of mine has a delphi diagnostic scan tool and managed to get a few codes out of this old thing.
1. Electronic throttle control
2. Injection valve 3
3. Injection valve 5
4. Idle valve
5. Fuel pump relay
I don`t know how reliable that tool is, but i hope there is a fuel related problem since is the easiest to fix.
I think that injection valve refers to the injectors. A have a full injector rail laying around, from a m50b20 e36. I will swap injector 3 and 5 to see if there is any change.
I will try and test the injectors to see if all of them gets a nice full spray.

My theory here is that if one or more injectors are bad, and drip gas instead of spray...when the engine is at +5000 rpm, the amount of gas is so much that it will wet the spark plug and loose power, resulting in gas smelling exhaust gases and smoke. Maybe this is why it can

[Thomas525]

Lastly (before you disconnect anything) check if the stomp test works on your car. If it does, pull the codes, clear the codes, drive for a day and then pull the codes again and see what shows up.

There is a reason why I described this as the correct procedure when it comes to using codes.

[Mihnea"e34]

Sorry, i forgot to reply to youre comment. unfortunately the stomp test does not work on my car. I know how to do it, but it does not have it

[Thomas525]

How has your fuel consumption changed? It may not be your injectors Frankly. If they leak they should leak all the time instead of just at WOT.

It is more likely to be your air flow meter or some other sensor.

Lets not waste any time with this. Since there is a clear repeatable situation where this problem happens, we can test the fix easily. First throttle up at idle to confirm that black smoke comes out at idle. Then unplug the afm, then throttle up. If no more black smoke, then the afm is the problem. If the black smoke is still there, replug the afm and unplug the engine's coolant temp sensor (blue tipped, under the intake manifold, on the cylinder head). Then throttle up at idle again.

There are other driveability sensors you need to unplug and check but these are the usual suspects and they can be checked in a few minutes.

Then pull out the fuel pressure regulator's vacuum hose. Then throttle up at the engine bay itself and see if fuel leaks out from the regulator directly. Youtube has great videos about this please check. You may need long nosed pliers to reinstall the vacuum hose.

All of the above will take no more than 15 minutes in total. If it all fails, then it is time to check the injectors.

As for your injectors, you can check them in a simple way. Shut down your engine for the night. Unbolt the plastic cover on the fuel rail. Unbolt the fuel rail. Lift up the fuel rail by 2 inches ( thats about as far as they will go with the fuel hoses connected). Put some kleenex over each injector port on the intake manifold (which will now be visible). Gently lower the rail onto the kleenex (take your time with all this and dont' knock the injector's pintle covers off). Then come back in the morning, lift the rail and remove each kleenex and sniff. If there is a faint gasoline smell thats typical. But there shouldn't be a strong smell, and you shouldn't see significantly fuel stains from the fuel's dye, on the white kleenex.

[Mihnea"e34]

Man, if all forum posts would be like that. Will test everyting you said and come back with a reply. THX

[Thomas525]

Man, if all forum posts would be like that. Will test everyting you said and come back with a reply. THX

I had given you about half of my suggestions much earlier. If only you had read them lol

[leeview]

Yo Mihnea, you still around? Any updates on troubleshooting these issues?