VH45 Running Like Crap

[Chrispy300]

Need everybody's thoughts on some issues I'm having with the Zed.

I made up the intake today, 3.5" 45deg elbow to a piece of 3.5" stainless with two ports, one for IACV and one for PCV's, also a vac nipple for the carbon canister and EGR (??). After that it goes into the AFM, then 3" down to the Apexi pod filter in the left had side SMIC position.

I'm still waiting on the last bit of silicone to rock up, so I duct taped the bit of stainless pipe to the AFM as a temporary measure.

I started it up and it idled at about 800rpm, which I thought was a bit strange. I looked at the engine for less than a minute then the engine just konked out. Started it up again and it runs real rough and stalls again. Check error codes and it has auto transmission (which I expect, haven't had a chance to put on the manual tune onto the nistune board) and knock sensor fault.

I clear the codes, it starts up ok, then within 10sec of running it throws both codes again and stalls.

Fuel pressure is good, I have a mechanical and electronic gauge both reading the same (42psi with no vac line connected), oil pressure is good and the engine sounds ok mechanically. I've got the throttle body coolant lines hooked up too. It smells like it's running rich though, wish I had the wideband hooked up...

The weird thing is a couple of weeks ago it was running fine. Took it for a drive, hot and cold idle where spot on, no complaints but did have the same error codes as above. I replaced the knock sensors before I put the engine in too. The old ones looked fine but I had new ones from a Z32 so I used those. That might be the issue... Can I just bypass them with a 550kohm resister in the mean time?

[Chrispy300]

More info...

Car starts fine, and idles *ok*, then the error light comes on then it idle poorly. RPM down to 500 and pulses. Definitely running rich, black fuel smelling vapour out the exhausts.

Consult will only connect in that first 10 sec or so where it is running ok and there is no engine check light. If you leave the ignition on and don't start and connect consult it will drop out within the 10 seconds too. Have to turn the ignition off then on again to get it to reconnect. I'm using my ECUtalk readout to check the error codes, I'm not sure if it will read more than 2 at a time though, so there might be more than just the knock sensor and AT fault.

This is really pissing me off...

I think next step will be to put the standard chip back in and remove the nistune board (which has been running fine previously)

Edit:

And I just checked if it will rev in stupid mode. It revs over 4000rpm, so not CAS or AFM. I tried the paperclip method for reading the codes too, got the AT and knock sensor again then the engine light just went on solid.

I think I might have a rooted ECU

Modified by Chrispy300 at 9:40 PM 2/3/2010
Modified by Chrispy300 at 9:55 PM 2/3/2010

[Chrispy300]

Tried a spare ECU that I have that won't let consult connect. It idles fine, no stupid limp mode and revs ok. So I guess that was the problem. Wish I know what caused it though I don't want to have to replace ECU's every few weeks.

[Infinitiguy19]

Sometimes it depends on the Consult adapter. In my case I got one off of E-Mance and it did'nt work with any ECU's I had (OEM 1993 Q45 with TCS FED and 1994 Cali with TCS ECU). So he went ahead and sent another out but this adapter only works with the 1994 ECU....

So check the adapter I would say.

1994-1995 Q45 ECU's are much better at almost everything than 1990-1993 Q45 ECU's, In my opinion.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

[Chrispy300]

I've had this consult working previously though, connected to Nistune no hassles.

I can't use a '94-'95 ecu as I need the 8Bit ECU to work with the Nistune otherwise I would go a later model one.

Thanks anyway