My RB25 is turning into a Subaru

[zerodameaon]

So i know a bit about RBs but i haven't ever had this problem before. When im driving my or having just started the car, will randomly start sounding like a Subaru. iv searched around a bit but i only found one thread that didn't really answer what the problem was. and the crappy thing is i cant pull codes because my ECU is one of those remand ones that doesn't have the screw or LEDs. and i cant find out how to make it use the Check engine light. Any help or even a point in the right direction would be appreciated.

[martins_240sx]

check to make sure your spark plugs wires are connected

[modulation]

So i know a bit about RBs but i haven't ever had this problem before. When im driving my or having just started the car, will randomly start sounding like a Subaru. iv searched around a bit but i only found one thread that didn't really answer what the problem was. and the crappy thing is i cant pull codes because my ECU is one of those remand ones that doesn't have the screw or LEDs. and i cant find out how to make it use the Check engine light. Any help or even a point in the right direction would be appreciated.

When it randomly starts does it continue until you shut it off or does it go away?If you can get it to consistently do that then pull a plug wire one at a time until you notice that when you pull 1 out of the 4 nothing changes. Then you know which one is misfiring and you can take it from there..

Get new plugs if you haven't in a while or re-gap your current plugs to minimum gap to see if problem goes away. Also when you remove spark plugs check and see if one is differet colored then the rest, and that would be the plug that is misfiring.

[zerodameaon]

Alright ill give it a try. see what i can find.

[ANVIL]

1 out of 6 coilpacks. not plug wires.

but yeah, good advice otherwise. check the plugs, and the gap. if u can get it to make the sound, unplug one coilpack at a time. if u need more help you can probably better answers if u posted up in the RB section

[J.E.I.]

See if there is any oil saturating the coil packs. Sometimes the gasket will leak oil onto the spark plugs themselves and will cause it to misfire. If there is a lot of oil it will continuously misfire until the oil is cleaned out of the spark plug tubs. if ther is a little oil it will go away when the engine reaches opertating temps.

Also:

My engine (sr20det) does the same thing, but only at start up and if I don't allow the engine to cool off prior to shutting down. But it will soon go away after a couple minutes of running. I haven't figured out why, but I am pretty sure it has to do with the amount of oil resting in the head. ??? but just try that if your sypmtoms are the same.

Also if you are local and would like to come check out a different ecu I would be more than willing to help you out.

[zerodameaon]

It hasn't done it in a few days. its just completely random when it does it. but that is awesome info. ill look into this also and see what i can find out. thanks

[modulation]

1 out of 6 coilpacks. not plug wires.

but yeah, good advice otherwise. check the plugs, and the gap. if u can get it to make the sound, unplug one coilpack at a time. if u need more help you can probably better answers if u posted up in the RB section

Ah I didn't see it was an RB..

Yeah I was bet you it's a coil-pack.I had one go bad in my VW r32.

You'd be better off replacing them all or at least 2-3.

[zerodameaon]

I think... well this is just a speculation, is that it might have been timing. i adjusted it like 2degrees and the car runs better and pulls harder. it hasn't done it since. but the coil packs to look a little bit old. kinda one of those things i overlooked on the swap. Thanks for the help.

[zerodameaon]

quick time for a write up on the possible problem. so the problem went away for about a week then suddenly resurfaced worse then ever and wouldent go away. so i pulled the coil pack cover and started pulling coil pack connectors. #4 had no change so i started with that one. i put the wrench down in there to pull the spark and it was loose as hell. iv had this spark plug backing out problem before so i check them about ever 6 or so weeks. well i pulled the spark out and there was no gap... so at this point I was starting to think YAY im out of a car for a while well i rebuild the engine. then i turned the spark upside down and the electrode slipped back in and the gap returned. iv never seen the electrode simply loosen up and drop down like that. so i replaced them and now we wait to see if the problem comes back.

[modulation]

Wow.I bought cheap spark plugs once.Heard a ticking a few days later..The spark plug some how came loose from the thread holding it in so it would rattle a bit and under heavy accel leak..

I'll never buy cheap spark plugs again.

[zerodameaon]

My cars a damn quack. it started that **** again today. but i pull into a parking lot to take off the damn coil pack cover to test out what coils acting up and by the time i get the cover off it stops it temper tantrum and decideds to work right. i guess im just gana have to pull that cover off and keep it off. catch it by surprise.

[Coolwhip]

check your coil pack ignition sub-harness that connects to the coils. Make sure the plug connectors are snug and that there isn't any build up of corrosion on any terminals. The harness usually gets backed in between the rocker covers and trapped under the coil cover, so it should feel pretty crispy (the harness). Might want to break open the harness and check the wires, could have some wiring that just isn't up to par like it use to and as it gets hot or wiggles the wrong way, you start to lose that cylinder.

As well, assuming this is a Series 1 RB25, make sure that the ignitor chip is away from extreme heat sources. Things get funky around heat.

[zerodameaon]

check your coil pack ignition sub-harness that connects to the coils. Make sure the plug connectors are snug and that there isn't any build up of corrosion on any terminals. The harness usually gets backed in between the rocker covers and trapped under the coil cover, so it should feel pretty crispy (the harness). Might want to break open the harness and check the wires, could have some wiring that just isn't up to par like it use to and as it gets hot or wiggles the wrong way, you start to lose that cylinder.

As well, assuming this is a Series 1 RB25, make sure that the ignitor chip is away from extreme heat sources. Things get funky around heat.

I just got some coils off a Q45 with 50000mi on it so im going to find out which coil might be bad and change it out. once i can get my hands on a J30 im going to get me a second ignitor and see if the problem goes away.

[Coolwhip]

Throwing money and parts at the engine isn't always the best way of solving the problems.

Check and make sure all the components are up to task before buying and replacing bits.

But back ups can never hurt.

[zerodameaon]

I wish i could get my ECU to give me the codes but theres no diagnostics system on this one... at least from what i can tell.

[zerodameaon]

So i was driving down a freeway where there really wasn't much room to pull off the road or many stops... and she started to do that **** again. i drove for about a mile and was lucky to find some wide shoulder area. found out it was coil 3 that was doing it so i quickly got my tools out as they were already staged. changed out the coil and for the rest of the 50mi drive back home the car was fine.

Im not paranoid about my car... i don't just think its out to get me.. i know it is. lol

[ANVIL]

does any coil from a q45 work? is it a direct replacement? i read somewhere it was a certain cylinder coil from the q45 is the same as rbs

[zerodameaon]

does any coil from a q45 work? is it a direct replacement? i read somewhere it was a certain cylinder coil from the q45 is the same as rbs

What you heard is correct. only cylinders 1 and 2 work. the rest are lot diffrent.