Liquid in the intake

[vectormechanic]

While changing my air filter, I noticed quite a bit of brown liquid collected in the bellows of the air duct. It was where the plastic duct attaches to the intake ('93, fuel injected). I don't know whether it was water or what, couldn't really tell by the smell.
What's going on, possibly?

By the way, the air box was chock full of seat padding and grass, brought in by (I guess) a mouse making a house. When he finished his house, he got his nose up to the element and poked a nice hole clean through the paper in the center of the filter. I wonder how effective the nest was at filtering, in place of the damage. Just kidding about the wondering part.

Incidentally (and I dunno, maybe this is all connected), once I got the filter changed and the air box cleaned out (and the oil and oil filter changed), all of a sudden, the car didn't run well. It ran rough and caused oscillations in the drive train (like when you mishandle the clutch at slow speeds) at low rpm. It is a totally consistent problem. Acts like it's hitting on 3 cyl at idle. Or rather perhaps, is choking cyclically. Still had plenty of power and smooth at high rpms. It refuses to coast or cruise in 4th gear; I have to keep it in 3rd or below, and the revs up, around town. I pulled each plug wire individually, and found them all to be sparking, but have yet to check the plugs. Not sure what else to check, but was wondering if maybe some garbage got into the flow meter or whether I broke a flow meter wire.

[syfir]

I used to get alot of oil in air cleaner as well, changed the pcv valve and it stopped. 3 dollar part.

[jglutz]

Yes with the PCv as a start....if the problem does not go away it cold be alot worse

The bad performance....did you remove the electrical connector from the air box? If so and it is not properly inserted...it could cause havoc.

[GenevaDirt]

^^that was my thoughts...I have forgotten to reconnect that plug and man does it mess things up....lol

[stefan]

If its oil and replacing the PCV doesn't fix it, you could be looking at blown rings.

[vectormechanic]

Sure enough, changed the pcv valve and it runs much better but still has a slight remnant of the prior behavior. Very slight loping in the idle. I suspect the problem, whatever it is was highlighted by the change in the flow restriction when I serviced the air filter and box. ????? Also, the electrical connector is in place. And I made sure the pcv hose was clear and clean.

Funny thing, when I tried to look up the pcv system in the shop manual, it wouldn't even tell me where the valve was located. It referred me to "Pamphlet Umptysquat." !!!!!!! Like, Finish the Manual Guys! But it did mention that a problem in the pcv system would cause "loping" (which I think is what I was experiencing), and it said not to try to work around it by adjusting the idle or bypassing the pcv system. It left me wondering what else to check in "the pcv system" besides the valve. still have not seen what the plugs look like (I have only had the car a month). Well, over and out til Monday morning. Thanks a lot for your help. Never suspected a web club could be so fun and practical.

[vectormechanic]

How it ended up

After replacing PCV valve, thot it ran good, but actually was worse than I thought, almost as bad as before. But I still attribute the oil in the duct to the old valve, so many thanks for that tip.

Here's how I fixed the loping and bad idle (it was dying at every stop light again): I unscrewed the screws that fasten the air box lid/flow meter to the air box, with the engine running, and lifted the lid a bit, to see if there would be any change in how the motor was running. I wanted to make sure my snorkel wasn't blocked. There was no change. But then, I guess since I was wiggling the flow meter unit a bit, she said "ahem," and started running right. What a difference! I had forgot what running right was like! She been running right ever since. One more note: I had disconnected the battery and reconnected it to reset the computer just before starting it up to do the air box thing.

[jglutz]

^^slight 'looping' at idle....if the rpm are fine for a minute or so then hunts up or down for a couple of seconds and then fine again for another minute or so....either the O2 sensor or coolant temp sensor is drifting.