Diagnostic readings expert needed...or somebody with a clue!

[TimJM]

I have finally managed to get my laptop talking to the ECU - that was a mission.

For anyone out there wanting to try this you will need to follow these steps to achieve success:

• Get a laptop running Windows 7 or earlier and 32 bit. Windows 8 will have non of it now will a 64 bit OS. I had to use an older laptop running 32bit Windows 7.
• Buy this lead - there are other cheaper ones but from my research this one works cheap ebay ones don't. http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/usb-to-serial-9-pin-male...
• Cut off the lead securing screws things either side of the 9 pin connector on the lead. They don't screw in like they should nor will they pull out so just cut them off.
• Install the driver software that comes with the lead. I have never had to install driver software for a lead before but you will need to for this one. If like me you don't have a CD rom drive in your laptop I have a copy of the software on one of my servers I can share with you if needed.
• Connect the lead to the ecu, plug it into your laptop.
• Launch the ECU diags software - it won't connect and it will complain about not being able to open a serial port/device or something but don't worry.
• On your laptop go to device manager and find the ports listing then find the usb lead (probably the only thing listed).
• Go into properties then advanced and change the COM port form COM3 (as mine was) to COM1. Press OK/apply.
• Go back to the ECU diags software and chose to retry the connection, it that screen has gone click on the ECU tools menu and select reconnect to the ECU.
• It will then all magically spring to life.

OK - back to my issue.

I have started a new topic as my last one was coil pack focussed and now I want to talk about ECU diags. Looking at my two screens I think I can see an obvious problem that would explain my issue - no lambda voltage. But why? Why would both fail together? Is this a symptom of something else?

Here are the readings, can somebody cast their eyes over this to see if any other issues are present:



Any help or suggestions greatly received.

[gruffalo]

I have had both Lambdas fail at then same time.

Yours should be switching but seem not to be, that could be caused by them both being maxed out due to a very rich mixture on both banks but the sort of thing that would cause that would be a faulty fuel regulator but they are really very reliable.

You could try the low tension connectors to the coil packs, just give them a wiggle and see if it runs better after, otherwise I would replace both Lambdas.

I am no expert by the way just been there and done that with Lambdas more time than I care to mention, so much that mine are now programmed to be turned off and the car relies on the map alone.

[TimJM]

I am wondering if I still have a fuelling/coil pack issue that has led to the lambda failure. The exhaust is very sooty now and I imaging the lambda probes will be worse. If they are caked in black soot would them make them read 0v anyway?

[ukkid35]

gruffalo said:

otherwise I would replace both Lambdas.

I would flinch at that advice, since they're £70 a pop. Perhaps others are more flexible.

On the plus side you have a car idling at 750rpm, I dream of that.

[waveydavey1000]

I'm no expert as I.m just getting into the Cerb scene but the timing advance seems excessive at 28.9 degrees?

[ridds]

Idle is too low for a start. Bring it up to 950 and have another go.

I run my throttle pots around 17%.

[LincsCerb]

Both banks are running lean as a positive adaptive is the ecu trying to increase fueling.
I am setting mine up now to try and get it something like before taking it to jools, I have noticed that if you increase the throttle % then it will lower the adaptives.
I would try and increase the throttle % to 17% and increase the idle to 950-1000rpm.
The idle is where I'm struggling at the moment 950 when cold but 1200 when hot.

[LincsCerb]

Just noticed engine is cold so best get it hot before trying anything.

[K4TRV]

As above, get the engine up to full temp. Balance the throttles, get rpm during the balance to 850/900.

I would also charge your battery,or at least look for 13 + volts when you have 850/900 rpm?

Then take a screen shot?

Good luck.

T

[TimJM]

OK, I will have a go tomorrow with a hot engine. I didn't want to run it too long as my neighbours have young children (as I do) and it is past their bedtime.

The comment about it running lean doesn't sound right (unless it's the numbers causing confusion) I would say the car is running excessively rich. It has sooted up the exhausts, stinks of fuel (makes your eyes sting just standing by it when the engine is running) and has put soot marks over my driveway from the exhausts just at idle.

I will start it back up in the morning and let it run up to temp. The lambdas may be a clue as form my other post when I suspected coil packs I mentioned that the car is virtually undrivable between 2-3k RPM. Push it up to 3k+ RPM and it runs fine again - isn't this where the ECU falls back on its fuel map and ignores the lambdas?

[spitfire4v8]

ukkid35 said:

I would flinch at that advice, since they're £70 a pop. Perhaps others are more flexible.

On the plus side you have a car idling at 750rpm, I dream of that.

dream or worst nightmare? ajp water pump/s are horribly inefficient at low revs ..

[spitfire4v8]

TimJM said:

The comment about it running lean doesn't sound right (unless it's the numbers causing confusion) I would say the car is running excessively rich. It has sooted up the exhausts, stinks of fuel (makes your eyes sting just standing by it when the engine is running) and has put soot marks over my driveway from the exhausts just at idle.

could all be red herrings at this point. exhausts are sooty anyway these days, symptom of modern fuels.
stinging eyes is unburnt hydrocarbons .. either you're decatted, or your cats are shot, or they're not up to temperature.
soot marks on drive may be just condensation in the exhaust spitting out of the back and picking up carbon from inside the exhaust.
Don't read too much into those symptoms right now.

TimJM said:

I will start it back up in the morning and let it run up to temp. The lambdas may be a clue as form my other post when I suspected coil packs I mentioned that the car is virtually undrivable between 2-3k RPM. Push it up to 3k+ RPM and it runs fine again - isn't this where the ECU falls back on its fuel map and ignores the lambdas?

Lambdas are disabled over throttle site 10 and 4000rpm ..

[TimJM]

spitfire4v8 said:

Lambdas are disabled over throttle site 10 and 4000rpm ..

Hi Joolz - well I asked for somebody with a clue, good to see you on here!

I was going to PM you offline to ask about short induction on 4.7 AJPs and if it was worth switching. I currently have carbon fibre versions of the long purple pipes. Oh - and to see if you knew anything about NOS!

I will try and sort this issue first though.

[spitfire4v8]

just sent you a pm through your profile.

[gruffalo]

spitfire4v8 said:

ukkid35 said:

I would flinch at that advice, since they're £70 a pop. Perhaps others are more flexible.

On the plus side you have a car idling at 750rpm, I dream of that.

dream or worst nightmare? ajp water pump/s are horribly inefficient at low revs ..

Yep, I have mine tick over at 1000rpm because of this nod still often raise the revs when sat in traffic to keek the water flowing.

[ridds]

spitfire4v8 said:

ukkid35 said:

I would flinch at that advice, since they're £70 a pop. Perhaps others are more flexible.

On the plus side you have a car idling at 750rpm, I dream of that.

dream or worst nightmare? ajp water pump/s are horribly inefficient at low revs ..

Not to mention the alternator too. Confirmed by the ECU voltage.

[EvoOlli]

Tim,

to make it easier next time to run the diagnostics, look at this thread, maybe helpful :-)

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Mr Cerbera]

I had a similar problem which plagued me for a year.
Turned out to be a crap, new Lambda that I had fitted.
Get two new ones from a reputable source and throw the problem in the bin.

[gruffalo]

ukkid35 said:

gruffalo said:

otherwise I would replace both Lambdas.

I would flinch at that advice, since they're £70 a pop. Perhaps others are more flexible.

On the plus side you have a car idling at 750rpm, I dream of that.

That is why when I had the car mapped it was agreed to leave the Lambda control turned off, my car had a habit of eating lambda sensors, now I don't have them.

[TimJM]

gruffalo said:

That is why when I had the car mapped it was agreed to leave the Lambda control turned off, my car had a habit of eating lambda sensors, now I don't have them.

That's very interesting. How does it behave at low (sub 4k) rpm? So your ECU is just using the fuel map vs RPM settings and nothing else? Are you still running an MBE ECU and if so how did you "de-program" the lambda sensor alterations?