FAO TAME TECHNICIAN

[Jas Lad]

I have travelled far and wide and understand you know your $hit when it comes to the BLB engine.

I have an issue with mine in that it is hard to start with the coolant sensor pluged in, when out, it must be in cold start mode and starts up fine.

With the sensor in it takes 10 secs of cranking and will run off cylinder for maybe a minute then clears.

Plug a new sensor in and its the same, so not the sensor!!

It will start easier though after running say 5 minutes, fires up no problem.

Ecu has been wiped as there was a ropey remap on it and is now back to factory, still no different.

New injectors
New Tandem
New Cyl Head
New injector Seals and bolts
Original tank unit, tried bypassing fuel filter etc no different. Delivery fuel pressure looks fine.

Current faults are: MAF and Engine Mount stabliser which is probably due to all this cranking to get it going.

Possibly faulty ECU?


HELP before I burn this thing!

Edited by Jas Lad on Thursday 27th November 15:44

Edited by Jas Lad on Thursday 27th November 15:45

Edited by Jas Lad on Thursday 27th November 15:47

[Jas Lad]

I'll have to double check the code for MAF, out of interest why do you think the EGR would be related to the coolant sensor issue?

And i'll agree it probably is fuel but the ecu is obviously not telling it to get enough when the coolant sensor is plugged in?

[Jas Lad]

So today...

Tried a new maf, no difference fault code still comes up, not that bothered about it because the driving of it is fine.

HOWEVER, all 4x Heater plugs are coming up as a error only when the car is cold

Took all 4 out and tested, all duff.... could this be my mystery issue when cold??? Im going to get some this evening and put the coolant sensor in and try first thing in morning see how it starts.

[Jas Lad]

Car is currently spluttering into life for the first start and sharp as a button any start after (quite smokey first start (grey coloured)

the EML is currently on with the following fault code - Simply will not clear. (tried another MAF same)

16486 Mass Air Flow Signal (G70)
P0102 - 000 - Signal Too Low
Freeze Frame:

RPM 840/min
Torque 68
Speed 0
Load 0%
Duty Cycle 99.6%
Bin Bits 11000100
Mass Air 675 mg/str
Mass Air 0.0 mg/str



Tried blanking off the EGR made no difference

[Jas Lad]

Tame Technician said:

You have got to get that fault code to clear before anything else, even if it isnt the cause if the poor starting.

As the EGR blank made no difference we can asume the ECU is not logging a low signal because there is low flow though the maf due to exess EGR.

Looking at the live data you have with the fault code looks like the specified MAF value is 680 and the actual is 0.

Most likel cause of it being zero is broken wire between maf and ecu, or an internall faulty ECU.

You need to do continuety checks from MAF to the relevant ECU pins.

Edited by Tame Technician on Wednesday 3rd December 00:59

Any point trying another ERG valve (have access to one)?

It does look like a wiring issue to the MAF, but will that be my starting issue?

[Jas Lad]

No the car drives compeltely fine with the MAF fault, runs full power no major smoke and idles fine.

Looked at its wiring and its a bit messy with exposed wires in some parts, but still cant see it being the main issue here :/

EGR made no difference also fitted a non return to the fuel supply made no difference

Totally Stumped

[Jas Lad]

Just checked tonight car was hard to start cold, runs off a cyl and is smokey untill idle clears.

Checked injector values (cyl 1 showing up and over 2.1 mg/str, am i looking at a duff injector or a dodgy loom since it clears?

I am thinking on moving injector 1 to another cylinder but would rather not waste time

[Jas Lad]

Yes replaced all 4 heater plugs no more issues with those.

I'll try moving injectors around and see if fault moves, new seals and bolts in it from the last time i changed all 4.

[Jas Lad]

Ok another update, went to move the injectors and on removing the loom noticed some exposed wiring on injector 1's connection, thought great, theres my issue.

Then noticed some remains of a valve rockers bearings floating around beneath the cam assembly, the car had suffered a broken pulley stud and broke the timing belt a couple of months back (we found 2 broken rockers and replaced them, rest looked ok.

So we discovered 2 of the rockers on the inlet side have had no pins in them, would this upset the timing and cause my hard to start issue? Even though the car was driving 100%!

In order to repair and get the rod out that holds the assembly together the heads going to have to come off again!! :@

I found most of the roller bearings with a magnet but fear some have went down the oil galleries, where are these likely to be stuck (sump pan?)

[Jas Lad]

No damage at all to the Pistons or bores, my concern now is where to find all the other pins or parts of them!?

Cyl head is off now

Edited by Jas Lad on Thursday 11th December 22:36

[Jas Lad]

Good shout, will check that too.