Verado missing

[Jasonrs]

Ser no #1b890671
200hp Verado 4cyl
Tried to get on plane after a short idle/warmup, about halfway up onto plane, it lost power and started missing as if running on 3 cylinders. I came off the throttle and idled back to the launch and pulled it out. Got home and pulled the plugs and 3 of the 4 are black. The bottom one is better but seemed a touch wet and smelled of fuel. These factory ngk plugs were just replaced about 10 hours prior with no issues until now. The ones i replaced were nice and tan colored, nothing like these. I have a service manual and found the specs for the coils and how to test them. All 4 coils test very close the same. Whats strange is the reading between the electonic spark trigger to battery positive is 6.03 to 6.13 M ohms and the manual says to look for a range of 2-4M ohms.. so obviously out of spec, but why would all 4 coils fail at the same time? High pressure fuel filter replaced about 10 hours ago(same time as plugs) water separating filter only has 20 or so hours and looks clean, no trash in canister. I dont have smartcraft, but do have a different brand aftermarket system and all instruments seem fine and no alarms at all.Thanks in advance

[Jasonrs]

Went thru the stored faults and warnings on my livorsi vantage view gauges and confirmed there are none. I drained the oil and oil filter, no debris found, but it did seem thin and smells somewhat like fuel. About 30 hrs on the oil and filter. Last time out it ran flawlessly right up to 6400rpm...Im hoping Don chimes in with an easy fix

[EuropeanAM]

Need to check fuel pressure. Potentially a problem with the fuel pressure regulator or reference hose, resulting in an extremely rich condition (as in sucking fuel up the manifold pressure reference hose).

[Jasonrs]

Fuel pressure at key on position is 50.8 psi per my instruments. Does not change after 5 minutes.
Thanks for taking the time to reply!

[Jasonrs]

20220805_141413.jpg
This is the instrument i have installed

[EuropeanAM]

See above comments- can't utilize the data you are looking at as it's a calculation (not an actual pressure reading).

[Jasonrs]

Thanks don will do asap

[Jasonrs]

With a fuel pressure gauge hooked to the top of the fuel rail, i read 51 psi at key on. I hear the fuel pump shut off and it drops to about 47, after 5 minutes its at 45psi.

[EuropeanAM]

Locate reference hose, disconnect, and check regulator with a mity-vac (note: if you get any fuel or vapor, there is a problem inside the FSM).

Suspect the reference hose inside the FSM, or an o-ring on the pressure regulator.

[Jasonrs]

Thanks again don, will dig deeper!

[Jasonrs]

When i use mighty vac on the fsm to manifold reference hose, i went to -10in/hg and it held until i released the pressure. No liquid fuel, but the catch can on the vac definitely smells strongly of fuel. Not sure if i need more vacuum than that to test?

[EuropeanAM]

There should not be fuel or fuel vapor in that hose... so unless you know that you had fuel in the can, you're probably on to something.

Might also want to cycle the key ON, OFF, ON a few times so that the fuel pumps bring the fuel pressure up (may leak under normal fuel pressure but not under low pressure/light vacuum).

[Jasonrs]

The mighty vac and can were brand new for this job. I will try to cycle the key and do it again. I took the lower chaps and fsm guard off last night to get a look at what im probably going to be dealing with. Thanks again Don

[Jasonrs]

So no visible damage to the reference tube. BUT, two different things i found inside the fsm:
1- the "isolater" as its called that is supposed to be on the bottom of the high pressure fuel pump was not attached to the pump and seemed like it was possibly never in place properly? It was kind of crammed into the bottom of the fsm housing and a little deformed even. I had to pull it out with a pair of long needle nose as it was very stuck in the housing itself. I was able to make it go back onto the pump with a little manipulation. Also the ty wrap that is shown in the manual as a means to secure the high pressure pump was laying down there too...
2- when i removed the fuel pressure regulator i found the screen to be at least 1/4 covered in black sludge! According to the service manual, I should "Visually inspect the fuel pressure regulator. Replace the fuel pressure regulator if debris is found on the screen"
Don, is any of this the cause(s) of my issues?
20220810_205434.jpg

[SPORTMOD25]

where were the spark plugs purchased from? if they were purchased from amazon i would get a set from somewhere else and try them as amazon is known to have many counterfeit spark plugs that causes many issues shortly after replacing. would be very easy to look over bad plugs thinking you had just replaced them.

[Jasonrs]

The plugs were from rock auto, which i have never had problems with, but i have considered that. Shes definitely getting new ones before all this is done. Thanks for the input!

[EuropeanAM]

The pressure regulator is definitely a possibility. The other two items are not right... but I don't think they were "the" problem.

Regulator and Reference Hose would be what I would be doing while in there.

[Jasonrs]

Thanks don, i will get with Rhonda and order those along with a set of plugs. Your help is greatly appreciated as always!

[Jasonrs]

After replacing the regulator and reference hose along with new spark plugs and oil change, I also drained the fuel tank and added 10 gallons of fresh 89 non ethanol fuel. There is no change in the way the engine idles. Its rough and sounds like its missing. I have a video of it running normally and it is smooth as silk. The rpms vary from anout 600 to 740, up and down, erratically. I let it lidle for about 5 minutes on the hose, everything looks good on the gauges, but definitely not right. The new plugs look wet and smell strongly of fuel. Im at a loss here, not sure whats next. The engine starts immediately with no hesitation at all, just like always. Part of me thinks it has to be something simple, sensor or electrical part by the way it started to run rough so immediately, like a switch was flipped. No issues at all in any way until it fell on its face trying to get on plane. Thanks again everyone

[EuropeanAM]

Triple-check to make certain there is no fuel in the reference hose. Even the tiniest nick in an o-ring down in that FSM will dump a ton of raw fuel when pulled by vacuum.

Other item to check is the MAP sensor and boot.