Under load my CA has no power off boost

[jdm s13]

Hi guys, I've got a little well huge problem. About 2 week ago I installed a HKS EVC and I was running 12 psi fine. But daily I keep it at 7psi. Last week I noticed that my car really struggled off boost. It was idling fine but it was really sluggish. So I did the usual: Checked for vacuum leaks, I put new vacuum lines everywhere, I pulled out the plugs to give them a bit of a clean. I found that they where really black from running quite rich. (I only got 86km from half a tank!) I gapped the plugs smaller down to 0.6mm and still no luck in fact it made it worse so I re gapped them back to 0.8mm. They are pretty new plugs only done 3000km and they are the iridium ones that cost $16 each.

What really bothers me is that I cant climb hills in any other gear but 1st. In second I get 3psi boost but the car struggles to get over 2000rpm. I've tested the AFM and I just put in a new O2 sensor a few weeks back.On boost the car runs ok but there is a few misfires and as of late there has been really harsh deceleration whenever the accelerator is let off. I also checked and re calibrated the TPS, new coolant temp sensor, swapped over coil packs with another set of CA18DE ones I have off my old motor and checked the ECU for codes but its reporting that everything is a-ok.

I also get a healthy vacuum pressure of 20 inHg. Sorry if this is a repost guys but I did do a search before I posted.

Its a manual CA18DET I'm from Australia so its a JDM import

[DIng-KF]

Have you tried by-passing the hot start solenoid? Quite common mod: There is a vacuum line that goes to the -useless- hot start solenoid (next to the power transistor/ignitor) and another line that goes from this solenoid to the Fuel Pressure Regulator. These solenoids usually don't work as they are supposed to, and to be honest they are useless, they just do nothing (it is supposed to help start when hot, but nobody ever noticed sth strange to that with this disabled). So, unplug the vaccum line that goes to the solenoid and plug it directly to the FPR. This way the FPR works as it is supposed to, having bypassed the soneloid.

I did mine a few days ago, and it is much better at low/mid rpm range.

[jdm s13]

Thanks for the replyI'm not quite sure if my car has this hot start solenoid. There is no vacuum lines anywhere near my power transistor, since its located across from the turbo. My FPS is connected directly into the plenum and the only other parts to get vacuum is the vacuum box that connects up to the butterflies, the purge tank, the wastegate oh and obviously the boost gauge to.

[Masterdebater]

same problem here. goodluck figuring it out. im still stumped. cant enjoy boost past 3k rpms....

[themadscientist]

Reset the computer. Pull the battery negative for about 10 minutes. See how it runs after that.

[jdm s13]

Reset the computer. Pull the battery negative for about 10 minutes. See how it runs after that.

Ok I just took it off. I took this time to change both the terminals with some new ones. I also added 5 more grounding straps (cant have enough) From the battery to both sides of the block, one to the intake, one to the head, one to the transmission. I have already got the normal one that goes to the chassis. there is about 0.5~0.8 ohms resistance from where the battery negative terminal is to any point on the engine.

Could the computer have some bad info stored on it to make the engine act up so bad?

[themadscientist]

That is why I suggested the reset. The computer corrects things as the engine is running and even after you fix it sometimes the corrections still leave the thing running goofy. By resetting it it goes back to the defaults and starts to learn again. Kind of like when you get lost going back to the beginning.

[jdm s13]

Cool thanks. Now I just have to wait for someone to come home and drive with me (still on my Learners not quite 18 yet) :P

[Masterdebater]

WELL WHAT IF I HAVE AN SAFC2 AND RESET THE ECU? THE SAFC2 FEATURES A MEMORY OF ALL UR SETTINGS RIGHT?

[themadscientist]

I would record what settings you have dialed in on the SAFC before pulling the power. I doubt it can save them if it loses 12v constant. Daym guy stop yelling

[davidricardo86]

He just wanted to get his point across??

[new200guy]

another big thing is check your timing. make sure that is correct. i checked mine last week and noticed is was off by about 10 degrees and it felt really low on power. now it pulls much better. might want to pull your CAS off (after marking its current location if you dont have a timing light handy) and check the splines on the exhaust cam and the back of the CAS and make sure none of the holes are wollowed out.

hope this helps.

[jdm s13]

another big thing is check your timing. make sure that is correct. i checked mine last week and noticed is was off by about 10 degrees and it felt really low on power. now it pulls much better. might want to pull your CAS off (after marking its current location if you dont have a timing light handy) and check the splines on the exhaust cam and the back of the CAS and make sure none of the holes are wollowed out.

hope this helps.

Good advice but I had already done this since I did the timing belt about 2 months back.

[r34 gtr]

the safc wont forget your settings. it has its own battery somewhere. mine remembered settings for many months with the battery disconnected.

hows the ignitor? sounds like you may have a weak spark that is breaking down under any kind of load.

[Masterdebater]

haha no i had caps lock on for some reason without knowing and i didnt notice it until i was nearly done with the post so i didnt wanna retype it. im lazy.k i figured that cuz i read the safc2 added a memory saver so u dont have to keep redialing in my tuning.time to pull the battery cable woot lol

[jdm s13]

hows the ignitor? sounds like you may have a weak spark that is breaking down under any kind of load.

How can I test the ignitor. I had a feeling it could be this but because the car did run I looked past it.

[Masterdebater]

no luck with pulling the bat. cable, still doesnt like boost......

[jdm s13]

I decided to check the power transistor (ignitor) today. I was testing it as the manual said. The strange thing was i was getting no continuity where I should be and i was getting continuity when i shouldn't be. I checked the connections on the multimeter and I also tried 3 other ones and they all showed up the same thing.



thats how I tested it. when the polarity is reversed and I shouldn't be getting continuity, I am getting continuity.

[jdm s13]

Turns out its got to do something with the ignition. All my plugs have gone black just from driving around the block a few times (under 1km)

[jdm s13]

I fixed the problem. It was the ignitor. Thanks for your help.

[Masterdebater]

k now explain to me how u fixed the ignitor. did it reall make a difference?

[jdm s13]

k now explain to me how u fixed the ignitor. did it reall make a difference?

I stopped by my local wrecker and got a another one. Yeah it made a real difference other wise I wouldn't have said that the problems fixed. I suggest you test your ignitor first from the picture i posted up before you go and get another ignitor because its not hard for me to get one but over in the states im guessing its a real pain in the ***

[Masterdebater]

ya im thinking i forgot to ground my ignitor....ill check it. so it helped but didnt fix ur problem?

[jdm s13]

ya im thinking i forgot to ground my ignitor....ill check it. so it helped but didnt fix ur problem?

I fixed the problem. It was the ignitor. Thanks for your help.

^^^^ Yeah of cause it fixed the problem. Make sure its got a good ground.

[Masterdebater]

where did u ground urs?

[jdm s13]

straight to the firewall

[jdm s13]

If your cars not having small starting trouble then its not the ignitor

[Masterdebater]

yea i did ground it and i took out my cat and cleared it out so everything is flowing right but its still messed up...the best way to describe it is its like hitting the rev limiter at 3200rpms...

[jdm s13]

yea i did ground it and i took out my cat and cleared it out so everything is flowing right but its still messed up...the best way to describe it is its like hitting the rev limiter at 3200rpms...

clean your afm buddy even if it looks clean, spray it with some electronic contact cleaner.

[Masterdebater]

yea ill have to check it in the morning then...just spray it or u think its safe to actually scrub the sensor lightly?