Duratec (R500) misfire..
Discussion
Car lacks any real urgency until 4500 revs, then accelerates fairly well upto 7000 and then trails of again, yet peak power is not realised until 8500...Oh and an occasional misfire. I am going to contact Caterham today for their thoughts but wondered if anyone had any ideas, unfortunatly I have never driven any othere Caterham so I can not compare, at Oulton Park yesterday as long as I kept it between 4500 and 7000 I was getting round in 1.55 best, but I would have expected better... Thanks. 2009 car 3500 miles, needs a service..
BertBert said:
Impressive method of measuring power output...Oulton lap times. When my lap times are crap (which they usually are), I put it down to the driver 
Sorry for the hijack, can't help with the specific problem!
Did you actually read the post sir??? The car to me appears to have an engine/electrical issue, I through the Oulton park in as a positive to the car itself,which I enjoyed driving and not as proof that car is not very good. I was looking for help from Caterham owners who I thought, would have more knowledge of their cars than the average owner/driver... Called Caterham yesterday they asked me to send them the cars brain which I shall do today, so they can check for issues there.Sorry for the hijack, can't help with the specific problem!
Some Gump said:
Have a quick call to Caterham - your issue sounds very similar to the one we had, which was that the original spec wiring loom was a bit weedy, and caused missfire issues high up the range. A new, thicker part loom for the engine bay (supplied FOC, fitted by me) solved the problem.
Thanks for that, Caterham will have my ECU with them tomorrow hopefully hat will reveal some issues but I will pass on your thoughts too.PHOENIXUK said:
Car lacks any real urgency until 4500 revs, then accelerates fairly well upto 7000 and then trails of again, yet peak power is not realised until 8500...Oh and an occasional misfire. I am going to contact Caterham today for their thoughts but wondered if anyone had any ideas, unfortunatly I have never driven any othere Caterham so I can not compare, at Oulton Park yesterday as long as I kept it between 4500 and 7000 I was getting round in 1.55 best, but I would have expected better... Thanks. 2009 car 3500 miles, needs a service..
I presume this is my old White R500?I did not have any misfire issues when I built it and owned it.
As previously mentioned it could really have benefited from a full rolling road mapping session, I am not sure of the gut who bought it off me had that done?
The other thing to look at is the balance of the throttle bodies, it can be mis matched and go out of sync quite easily.
Hope you get it sorted, it was a great car for me!!
nigelpugh7 said:
I presume this is my old White R500?
I did not have any misfire issues when I built it and owned it.
As previously mentioned it could really have benefited from a full rolling road mapping session, I am not sure of the gut who bought it off me had that done?
The other thing to look at is the balance of the throttle bodies, it can be mis matched and go out of sync quite easily.
Hope you get it sorted, it was a great car for me!!
Hi Nigel, thought I had bothered you enough hence I asked here for any ideas.... I sent the ECU to Caterham yesterday so they could check for updates/faults but as you say I think it wants a good service and a rolling road mapping session, shall speak with Caterham Monday hopefully they will have some ideas......I did not have any misfire issues when I built it and owned it.
As previously mentioned it could really have benefited from a full rolling road mapping session, I am not sure of the gut who bought it off me had that done?
The other thing to look at is the balance of the throttle bodies, it can be mis matched and go out of sync quite easily.
Hope you get it sorted, it was a great car for me!!
PHOENIXUK said:
Hi Nigel, thought I had bothered you enough hence I asked here for any ideas.... I sent the ECU to Caterham yesterday so they could check for updates/faults but as you say I think it wants a good service and a rolling road mapping session, shall speak with Caterham Monday hopefully they will have some ideas......
No problems, as I said it had no misfire when I owned it, so it either has a ignition problem, or its fuelling related.Not sure if the MBE ECU can hold a lot of info on faults, it would be interesting to hear what Caterham report back on.
It would be nice if they put the latest and greatest map on it too, but I am sure there would be a charge for that knowing CC!!
Let us know the outcome.
Cheers,
Nige.
mic said:
"latest and greatest map"
Is there one..... I don't think there has been any change in maps.
I dont know Mic, if anyone would know, I should think it would be you!Is there one..... I don't think there has been any change in maps.
The only reason I made the comment, was Nick mentioned they we're going to change the map on my current car when it went back to CC.
Not sure if that was related to the emissions for the IVA though?
Nige.
Missed this as away on hols. My R400 with RTB conversion had the very same problem. The answer as Nigel suggested above was that the throttle bodies had been set up wrongly or had got out of alignment allowing too much air into the engine. Once they were rebalanced the car was much smoother and could run on part throttle without misfiring and hunting. It didn't take long to rectify and made a huge difference. Let us know the result.
Brain back from Caterham, no issues and only one map for R500.
Changed plugs, first time I have done that in donkeys and coil packs miss-fire sorted, learning how to drive it now, it is a totally diferent power delivery than I am used too, hence why I didn't rate it at first, I am learning.... Bumpy back roads are hysterical!!
Changed plugs, first time I have done that in donkeys and coil packs miss-fire sorted, learning how to drive it now, it is a totally diferent power delivery than I am used too, hence why I didn't rate it at first, I am learning.... Bumpy back roads are hysterical!!
PHOENIXUK said:
Brain back from Caterham, no issues and only one map for R500.
Changed plugs, first time I have done that in donkeys and coil packs miss-fire sorted, learning how to drive it now, it is a totally diferent power delivery than I am used too, hence why I didn't rate it at first, I am learning.... Bumpy back roads are hysterical!!
Glad my old steed is back to its original self.Changed plugs, first time I have done that in donkeys and coil packs miss-fire sorted, learning how to drive it now, it is a totally diferent power delivery than I am used too, hence why I didn't rate it at first, I am learning.... Bumpy back roads are hysterical!!
Did you replace all the plugs and coil packs too?
Also did you check the throttle body balance, it can make quite a difference.
Hope you have chance to enjoy the sun in it today too!
nigelpugh7 said:
Glad my old steed is back to its original self.
Did you replace all the plugs and coil packs too?
Also did you check the throttle body balance, it can make quite a difference.
Hope you have chance to enjoy the sun in it today too!
Had a pre-footy ride out last night onto the Wolds Nigel, good fun.Did you replace all the plugs and coil packs too?
Also did you check the throttle body balance, it can make quite a difference.
Hope you have chance to enjoy the sun in it today too!
Throttle body balance is that something I can check?
PHOENIXUK said:
Had a pre-footy ride out last night onto the Wolds Nigel, good fun.
Throttle body balance is that something I can check?
Glad you are starting to bond now!Throttle body balance is that something I can check?
It's quite easy to see if the left hand and right hand bodies are balanced.
You need to take the air filter off, and operate the throttle, ideally from the actual pedal in the cockpit.
Both left and right should open at the same time, and when they return to the rest position the opening should be the same.
To get an accurate setting of course you need a proper air flow meter.
Istr the adjustment screw is the middle one to get the two bodies balanced, but check first as its been some time since I did it?
If they are only out by a small amount it makes a big difference!
Get them flowing and the throttle response is electric, and makes for much smoother running too!
You can check it if you have one of these:
http://www.sevenspeed.co.uk/products/synchrometer-...
and no, I'm not on commission, just happened to notice they sell them.
http://www.sevenspeed.co.uk/products/synchrometer-...
and no, I'm not on commission, just happened to notice they sell them.
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