More PowerFC setup woes

[campbellju]

After falling out with my PFC pro during the MOT, I 've tried again. After I installed a new Lambda sensor for the MOT, the old ECU works perfectly.

The last time I tried involved many lengthy posts to other members but ultimately to no avail:

http://bb.gtiroc.com/viewtopic.php?t=31665&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

This time I plugged in and from experience learnt fast.
Reset all settings
Switch off boost control kit
Set idle settings according to Ross in post above.
Switch off and on ignition to save settings.
Start Engine, idle for 10mins no load.
Idle for 10 mins electrical load.
No AC.

The car still has its 2500rpm fuel(Ignition) cut problem :roll: :x

I was able to take the car for a drive last night on a long straight road and monitor what's happening. The mpa tracer shows that it deosn't matter at what load the car is at, come 2500rpm it fuel cuts on/off. I tried cheating by doing 2000rpm in 5th then droppping down to 3rd but then the accelerator did nothing at all until it got close to 2800rpm and then fuel cuts on/off again down to 2500rpm. :x.

If I vary load/accelerator up to 2500rpm then the air flow/load/map reads as expected. I've searched the forum and web but found nothing similar.

There is something here the PFC doesn't like but the Nissan ECU ignores.

I'm going to do a fault code check tonight to tick that issue but
I'm wondering if there is a setting programmed in by a Datalogit that could cause these strange going on and are not changed to default by the reset option. The ECU was 2nd hand from Dee1 so I'll contact him to see if he has any ideas but does anyone else have any ideas. Any people in the NW with a datalogit I could borrow for and hour?

Cheers,
Jim

 

[campbellju]

:x Just been out with the car again. :x

How long does it take to self learn?? I've not reset or disconnected anything and yet it seems to have forgotten how to idle?

Something is definately not right. Anyone help?

Jim

 

[Keira]

you done the obvious and checked for airleaks ?

 

[AJ4]

If you can get a hold of a datalogit, do a 'dump' of all the settings and maps and post it so you can compare it to everyone elses.

Failing that, can you read all the values off the hand controller ?

V important check, if your using the Apexi boost module, you have to select it, or unselect it if you don't, I had a few problems with that..

 

[campbellju]

Thanks for your support Ross. I've read all your previous posts on this and it has improved my knowledge no end. The settings are standard still a part from your previously posted idle/fuel cut settings.

One thing I have noticed is the EXTM (Exhaust gas temperature sensor) in the ETC/SENSOR/SW menu is reading 5.0V

I realise I don't have an EGT but would expect it to read 0v, not 5V.

The other thing is I just tried to do a fault code check but couldn't get it to start. Can you do a fault code check on a PFC???

Cheers,
Jim

 

[campbellju]

UPDATE:

Checked for any obvious leaks but nothing I could see.
For the record, you can't do a fault code check on a PFC.
Plugged in the old ECU again and did the fault code check. Came up 55 8)
Started the engine up and it immediately fired up and idled solidly at 1400rpm (Didn't bother waiting for it to drop to its usual 1200)
Switched off.
Talked to Darren who I bought the PFC off and he confirmed he'd neve had anything similar and the PFC had never been near a Datalogit.

With the PFC, sensors and engine given a rough tick, I turned my attention to the wiring. I pulled the wiring loom right out and will post a (poor) photo tomorrow but I found a big green Nissan relay wired in about 6" up the ECU loom.

Suspicion aroused, I pulled back the tape surrounding the wiring to find about 8 wires that have been spliced. Couldn't tell you which ones at the mo but this is the prime suspect. I've got a boost controller in the car (That I've never quite understood), the tunable ECU and 2 immobilisers so plenty to go out.

Looks like I've got a busy time a head
At least Electonice are more my area.

Any other ideas, keep em coming.

Jim

 

[AJ4]

Sounds a bit odd that the standard ECU works but the PFC doesn't, makes it look more like an ECU fault than a wiring fault :?

When I get home tonight, I'll take some pictures of the settings on my hand controller and you can compare them, see if anything is majorly different.

 

[campbellju]

Thanks for the offer Ross but all the settings are default (Except for your idle control settings etc 8) ) and I've previously checked everything else with Paul R who has his on a standard setup too.

Here's the image of my old ECU/controller that came with the car. The big green relay looks like an after thought so I'd be interested to know what its doing and if its normal.

I guess a good test would be to try a totally standard ECU and see if it struggles too.

The black hole behind the ECU is either where my money keeps going into or the centre of the torch light
Jim

 

[AJ4]

That relay looks like the standard ECCS relay, its normally stuck on the side of the ECU.

I think I'd try a completely standard ecu then, see what it does.. :shock: :?

 

[AJ4]

The black hole behind the ECU is either where my money keeps going into

lmao ! I've got the same money 'black hole' on mine, always wondered what it looked like

 

[campbellju]

That relay looks like the standard ECCS relay, its normally stuck on the side of the ECU.

I think I'd try a completely standard ecu then, see what it does.. :shock: :?

Thanks for that Ross, slowly ticking the question marks off. One thing you could help with is a piccie of your sensor/sw screen at off, idle and at 2500rpm.

Altrnativley I'll check mine tonight too and post up.

My other ideas are the air/fuel controller attached to the ECU required some wires to be modified. I know when I've disconnected it in the past it ran badly but I wonder if it is identically badly.

Finally, I might try disconnecting the MAF with Each ECU and see whether the symptoms are similar.

 

[campbellju]

We're getting somewhere now.

I tried removing the blue fuel controller you can see wired to the CPU (It has a plug/socket at one end)

The car started though it idled a little rough. Press the accelerator and it will not go past 2500rpm on the nose. Plug it back in again, no prblem.

The other thing I noticed is on the old ECU, the power gets cut everytime you switch the engine off. Is that normal?

It might be my immobilisers cutting power to the ECU which if it cuts all power irt would be like when Ross disconnects the battery so everytime it has to re-learn how to idle.

I think I need to go through all the wires with a fine tooth comb and see what's changed.

Jim

 

[AJ4]

There should be a constant live on the ECU all the time, even with the ignition off. On the standard ECU its so it can store the fault codes etc. Looking at the diagram, it should be always live on pins 46 & 109, with the ignition switching power onto pin 38 through the ECCS relay once the car is started. I've only got access to a crappy old diagram on this pc, so the pin numbers might be wrong, i can hardly read them

Anyway, here is the switch printouts you asked about.

Igntion on -

Idle -

2500 rpm -

3500 rpm -

 

[AJ4]

also, here is my revs table, just to be sure -

I have piccies of all the other tables as well if you need them.

Ross.

 

[campbellju]

You're a star Ross 8)

Getting a bit late to disturb the neighbours now so I'll have a play tomorrow. Hopefully making the subframe for the driver's seat tomorrow so I might have a play at something else but will keep you informed.

Cheers,
Jim