So, here's my explanation of what's going on, and I'll follow it up with what I've done.

I've had a CA sitting on my shelf for years now, and last winter I decided it was time to drop the ka curse. I built the motor and I got it in the car. Now I had to piece the swap together electronics wise. I had two long blocks to work with, so I went through and rebuilt the motor with all new OEM gaskets, ACL bearings and OE Nissan rings. While I was in there, I went through every lifter, the oil pump and oil galleries to make sure everything was spotless before assembly. Finally got everything in the car and IT RUNS! Perfect compression, great vacuum everything was great...

But there was one little detail. I could NOT get my hands on a stock maf. So it ran PERFECT in fail-safe mode with no maf. I finally got my hands on a stock CA18DET maf, and after I plugged it in, the car was just puking black smoke and ran obviously like it had a bad MAF. I pulled it out to do some detective work, and I was absolutely right. The hot wire had broken and no longer made connection. Finding another stock maf was absolutely not possible. So I decided to stop my search for a stock maf and got my hands on a Z32 maf. I also had DSM 450's sitting in my pile of parts. So I bought an ECU SUPPOSEDLY tuned for 450's z32 maf and a gt28r. I put everything in the car and I turn the key, fingers crossed. It started flawlessly and then two seconds later... The car shut down. Turn it over, it fires up again within three revolutions and... Same thing. Shuts down immediately. I try holding the throttle open a little and the same exact thing. After d!ck around for a bit, the only thing I could do to keep the car running with the maf plugged in was rapidly feather the throttle.

What I've tried so far: I tried a second maf, no change. Found broken TPS wires, so I replaced the TPS. I found out that I had the coolant temp sensor plug and IACV plug switched, so I fixes that, no luck. Didn't help. I went through every vacuum line, tightened every hose clamp and the system is vacuum tight. I sat out side with a multimeter for days. The MAF voltage is right where it should be at about 1.1 volts when "running". Every sensor checks out, every wire checks out, all grounds are solid. Literally EVERYTHING in this car checks out as okay. I went for about two months now trying to diagnose this and I just absolutely can not find the problem.

If any one has any suggestions... Please let me know. I've tried everything I know, everything the factory service manual says to check has been checked, it makes no sense.

Z32 + 450's is an uncommon combination. Are you sure it's not for 550's? That would explain why it might start, but then die almost immediately. Do you have a wideband? I think it might be lean. You REALLY need to get an ECU on there you're 100% sure is tuned for that MAFS and injectors.

Also, have you pulled codes? You might also open up the ECU. If it's been chipped, the mods to the ECU are commonly written on the ouside of the ECU, or on a sticker stuck to the new ROM. Also, post up some pics of the ECU. I'll be able to tell if it was actually socketed for a different ROM or not.

The ecu ran my friend's car that was the exact set up. Z32 maf, 2G dsm injectors and a gt28R. I'm in communication with Jason from E-Mance tuning who was supposedly the original tuner. Confirming it's his product in my ecu an making sure I didn't get... Well, you know... Screwed lol.

Sorry, didn't see the second message. I did pull codes and the only code was the coolant temp circuit, which was fixed after I had the right plug going to it lol. And obviously a maf code because the only way I can get it to run long enough for the ecu to throw a code is to run it with no maf. And with no maf, the car runs absolutely flawless. I'll get pics of the ecu up in just a minute. It does have the tune written on the case.

I'll get those pics up in a minute

Doesn't look promising... But I don't know the electronics like the mechanical internals lol.





Looks like a typical auto ecu... You can see some of the writing on the case in the second pic too.

Looks like the ECU is legit. It's been socketed and the writing is on the outside of the case.

Does the car run w/no MAFS now that you have the new injectors in? Also, are you getting the approx. 1v @ idle with the Z32 mafs? That seems a bit high for a MAFS that big. I thought the CA ran more like .7v @ idle w/a Z32? It's been a while since I had that combo (I had Z32 MAFS + 550s for a while).

Here is what I'm getting at BTW. If the wiring is good, then it HAS to be a hardware issue (not the right injectors, MAFS, etc) or a software issue (wrong tune).

I absolutely think it's a hardware issue as well. The problem is, I can't figure out exactly what it is. The injectors are definitely the right ones, MDL450 INP-018. The maf is definitely a N62, and the ecu ran that set up about a year ago in my friend's car. The injectors are nice and clean and with no maf, like I said, the car runs absolutely perfect. From what I understand, the maf should read about .8 to 1.5 at idle... That's according to a z32 FSM at least. And from what I read, it usually reads around 1.1 on an SR... I've never hear of an ECU losing its tune from sitting on a shelf. Is that possible? Could it be as simple as this thing lost its tune and needs to be re-tuned?

So I finished up my investigation of everything electrical. Timing doesn't affect the issue, idle air, air regulator and throttle position don't affect the issue, throttle SWITCH is active when the throttle is closed. Still not a single code on the ECU besides the MAF code. (Again, because the only way it will run long enough to throw a code is to leave the maf unplugged.) The only things that have changed since this thing ran with a maf plugged in is the injectors, maf and ECU. The maf voltage is spot on according to the Z32 FSM, the injectors function perfectly, so... Well I think there's a problem with the ECU. The problem is, I'm not electronic engineer, so I have no way to be 100% sure that it is infact the ECU causing the issue. I did however switch out to a BONE STOCK ecu (Without changing the injectors or maf back to stock) and it did EXACTLY the same issue. Starts right up, runs for a second or two and shuts right back off. That sounds pretty convincing to me, but like I said. I'm no expert on electronics lol.

My only option to fix this problem is to A) send out the ECU to be re-tuned, or B) send out my stock ecu to get tuned. My concern with option A is that there is actually something wrong with the ecu its self and despite being re-tuned, it will come back and still be f*** up. My concern with B is what if the ECU isn't the problem? Then I'm out a few hundred dollars for no reason at all.

Any thoughts?

Please allow me:

Put back the stock ecu and injectors and go from there. Just because something worked good in your buddies car doesn't necessarily mean that it will work the exact same way in yours. It could be a number of things or it could be something as simple as a wire or two. The only other solution is to remove the factory goods for something in the standalone department. It eliminates the factory's gremlins and leave only the work you did to install it to be scrutinized. Just my penny's worth .

This thing rand mint with the stock parts.

So I decided to fix this once and for all and I have Nistune on its way. : ) Not only will I be able to tune specifically to this exact engine (obviously) but it gets rid of the other ECU which I know is absolutely the issue. I just don't have a whole lot of money and didn't want to buy really expensive parts right now, so I was hoping to have someone know something I didn't. She'll be up and running soon. The injectors are flawless, the z MAF worked absolutely fine on my friend's car, as well as puts out the correct voltage, so the last thing it could be is the ecu... And I have heard some VERY bad things about E-Mance tunning. So I decided even though I have very little money, having this thing running right was more important than being broke lol.

If I have problems after this... I'll be back to see if someone knows something I don't again! Haha thanks for the replies.

Looking forward to seeing how Nistune works for you.

Me too lol. We'll know next week. I have a friend who knows the program pretty well and we'll get a base set up and see how it works!

Nice. I have to pay $$$ for tunes, it f*** sucks. I wish I could have someone teach me how to tune, but don't know anyone who is into cars.

Teach yourself man. I did. The basic principles are simple. Start rich and then remove fuel until you start to lose power, then put some back in. Then start advancing timing until it just starts to detonate or stops making power, then remove two degrees. As for HOW to make those changes, it different for every system. Start playing with small stuff. The nice thing about tuning with a laptop is that you can save your current map and then make changes. If you really get it screwed up, just load the map that you know worked back on there and no harm done. Really, as long as you're not messing with the full load areas of the map, you're NOT going to damage the motor.

This is always an area I like to start tuning in with a new EMS. If you don't have to worry about emissions, figure out how to disable the O2 sensor and then retune the part throttle area's for an AFR (on gasoline) of 16:1 and advance the timing in those same area's. You'll get better fuel economy and you don't have any risk of damaging the motor. It will teach you A LOT.

^ pretty damn much! Use the butt dyno and a wide band to get your fuel map set, add some timing to where you feel confident you're not going to blow your motor up and there you have it. Street tune! That's how me and friends have always set up a base map so the car is safe to drive and still makes power. Once that's done, you can safely drive the car and get it on the dyno fir fine tuning, which is usually where you hand over the reigns and let the people that are REALLY good at it do the rest. Hahaha.