SimonR

Sorted. My own fault. Last year, the wires to the rear Cam Angle Sensor broke. Being lazy, I reattached them with connectors rather than a proper fix. My bodge came undone during the re-assembly after the HG replacement but I re-attached the wires the wrong way round! My fault for being lazy. In my defence, the ECU didn’t think there was anything wrong with it either. Anyway, this turned out to be an ignition problem rather than fuel or air. Very misleading. Thanks for the replies – appreciated.

Yes, that was what I meant by the "Fp/+B override".

Fuel flows while cranking. Half a litre in a couple of seconds. This was without the Fp/+B override. Yes, when I said “1” I mean ignition on but not cranking, as in positions 0, 1 and 2. Yes, they are wet with fuel and black. I inspected them when the head was off and they were light brown with no deposits so it seems that I’m now getting fuel into the cylinders that isn’t being burned – which suggests to me that fuel is still squirting as the engine stalls. Incidentally, the boost gauge shows -12 when the engine does idle for a few seconds. This suggests a vacuum leak to me but I can't find any.

Just replaced the head gasket and now the engine starts, idles erratically for 2-3 seconds and then dies. HG was replaced due to overheat when a radiator hose came adrift. I’m guessing that this is a fuel flow or pressure problem, but I would welcome any ideas. Here’s what I’ve checked: Idle control check valve is the right way round. Sensors (MAP, Greddy MAP, air temp, coolant temp, O2, cam angle) appear to be connected OK . Vacuum hoses appear OK (inc to the FPR). Battery is fully charged (according the Halfords charger). With ignition at “1”, I get fuel from the Fuel Return line (out from the FPR) with the Fp/B+ override, but not without. ECU says that everything is hunky-dory (constant flashing). Coolant, engine oil and tranny oil at correct levels, with no visible leaks. All coil packs connected. When the HG was replaced, no damage to block or head was visible. I’m not hearing a priming sound from the Fuel Pump (Walbro) on the ignition key, but if the fuel ECU were knacked, the Fp/B+ override should overcome that, I believe. There were no problems of this nature before the HG blew. I replaced the radiator, cam belt and rad hoses when replacing the HG. It’s a 1.5JZ-GTE with a GT-3040 and 800cc Sards. I’ve had it apart many times and I’m pretty sure that everything is back where it should be Any ideas? If it is a fuelling problem, any suggestions for the next steps?

This had sort or worked itself out and I'd forgotten about it. Now that I know that I had a blown head gasket between 5 and 6 (caused emissions failure) but I don't know how long it has been there, I'm guessing that this problem was because the ECU had reset during the cambelt chnage and the rich reading was becasue of the resulting misfire. I'm also guessing that the ECU had then corrected which masked the problem. Shame there isn't an ECU error code for "something bad has happened but I'm adjusted your mixture to compensate"

Compression test revealed that it was the head gasket. A hole between cylinders 5 and 6, so no coolant or oil loss. Thanks.

It’s a misfire on number 6 (found by unplugging the connector when idling – no change in engine note). I’ve swapped plugs with another cylinder (no change) and swapped the coil packs between 5 and 6 (no change). The resistance on the plug wires for number 6 is the same as for the other cylinders. Having eliminated plug and coil pack, I’m guessing that it’s got to be either the signal to the coil pack or something horrible going on the chamber, but the plug looks ok. Any more suggestions welcome please.

Emissions failure: Hydrocarbons = 1,680 ppm ( Lambda = 1.04 (0.97-1.03 required) I was under the impression that Hydrocarbons = unburned fuel. If that’s the case, why is 7 times the hydrocarbon limit only .01 above the required ARF (Lambda)? Also, the AEM AFR gauge shows that AFRs are normal. I flooded my engine badly a few weeks ago and I’ve read that this can fark the o2 sensor. Sound like a starting point? No cat, but that hasn't been a problem before.

Everything was working hunky-dory until I changed my cambelt a week ago. Now it is running pig rich and isn’t going into closed loop (no wavy behavior on the AFR gauge) once warm. The Emanage (blue) confirms that the ECU is throwing fuel in at three times the normal rate. My understanding is that the switch from initial open loop to closed loop is based on engine (ie coolant) temp. I did have the rad out to change the belt so I’ve checked the temp sensor on the rad and it seems to be properly seated – but I honestly can’t remember whether it’s the sensor on the rad or at the top of the engine that feeds the ECU (as opposed to the dash gauge) edit - it's the top one. The top sensor looks OK as well, in any case it wasn’t removed for the belt change. An ECU reset hasn’t made any difference. Any ideas what else I should be checking please? Earthing problem? Air bubbles? (It's a Soarer, but most of the parts involved are the same as the MKIV).

Jon, I don't know anything about the EMU but I did have some wierdness on the EMB when I started out - fixed by making sure that the I had the correct firmware version for the client I was using. Are there any such issues with the EMU perhaps?

Thanks, 'sealing flange' took me in a different direction and it seems that HKS made these as separate items so that they can be replaced when necessary. I reckon it's the 'inlet base plate' part no 1499-RA052 in this catalogue http://www.hksusa.com/content/pdf1581.pdf. Can anyone confirm? It's defo the 50mm version of the wastegate btw.

I’m pretty sure that I have a leak between my wastegate and exhaust manifold. It sounds like a blowy exhaust would and I’m losing boost (leak test seems to show no other leaks). Making up terminology as I go along, the ‘plunger’ thing in the wastegate doesn’t seal against the interface to the manifold (it clearly isn’t designed to, there is a large gap between the plunger and the wastegate housing) and when the system was put together we improvised with a metal gasket which was modified to create a seal. I recently had to take the manifold off to have a crack welded and it’s clear that the gasket has bent and cracked (not surprising, it was bearing the force of the wastegate spring). In the piccy there is a flange/seal thing which looks as though it is intended to do the job I need. Unfortunately, the wastegate never came with one which was why we had to improvise. Here’s the question – what exactly is the thing in the pic called? I’m going to need to order one over the interweb and if I don’t have the correct name it’s going to be difficult ordering the right thing. Also, do these HKS wastegates come in different sizes – ie once I know what this thing is called will there be different sizes to choose from?

Thank you.

440s, are they the same as a non-VVTi? Thanks.

No probs, thanks for the input. TRAC only on the decent cars - I got the poverty version No ABS either

Hi folks, My usual MOT garage is being a bit picky this year about passing my old LS400 (new bloke doing the testing). Does anyone know a place close to me which isn't particularly rigourous? I'm not looking for a dodgy ticket, just the kind of place that understands that my engine needs to be hot before testing emissions etc. Ta.

Many thanks for that. Any idea how I would diagnose this? Presumably the same limitation to the funcitonality that you describe on my Wideband would also apply to other Wideband sensors? Is it time for a proper gas analyser?

Why do you think that Chris? The injector duty cycles don't appear to be increasing drastically. I can't think where else the additional fuel would come from to make it run rich. Mind you, I don't see why it would run lean either

Hi Folks, I’m a little confused about some fuelling behaviour during auto gear changes and wonder if anyone can shed any light. In the attached log sample (from the Pod – 12.5@118) I’ve noticed that my AFR goes peculiar during gear shifts. My car is an auto so there’s no backing off the throttle, so the butterfly stays open and fact that the boost remains fairly constant seems to confirm this. Injector duty cycle and pulse width also don’t change drastically but the AFR during the shifts (in this case 2-3) goes super-lean. The only other variable that I can think of is retarded timing from the ECU to make the shifts smoother. Timing changes wouldn’t account for those lean AFRs, would they? And no – my map isn’t pulling fuel in the relevant cells!

Those in positions of power who are deliberately subverting existing institutions (including traditional values) are only going to stop when they are removed from those positions of power. It always makes me laugh when people complain about the state of modern society and then every five years vote for more of the same. Society is falling apart for one reason and one reason only - because people continue to vote Labour and Conservative, neither of whom have any interest in addressing the problem except in sound bites.

That did occur to me and it does get pretty hot under that bonnet but the cracked part is next to the turbo blanket so I'm guessing that it doesn't get as hot as the bit that's close to the manifold.

Indeed. Halfway down the track at Rotorstock wouldn't have been a good time.

This'll be it then (pics). Any idea what would have caused this? Cheap water pipes? What are the correct ones to buy and where are you guys buying them from?

Just got back from a quick trip to Tesco and when I switched off the engine I got a significant billow of smoke/steam from the engine bay. Grabbed the fire extinguisher (which I carry ever since Joe’s Soarer was cooked) and jumped out ready for action. No smell of smoke and the billowing stops as I (tentatively) open the bonnet. No sign of fire – just an ominous gurgling coming from the area of the turbo. Started the engine again to see what would happen and immediately got steam from the turbo area again. I didn’t leave the engine running long enough to pinpoint the precise area it was coming from (perhaps I should have) but as soon as I switched off the engine the steam stopped and this time so did the gurgling noise. I’m hoping it’s just a question of low coolant (I had this last winter but not again since I replace the rad cap) but I wasn’t going to check it with a hot engine of course. The top pipe to the rad was tight though, if it was low coolant that pipe would be sqidgy I believe. Anyone been here before? NB: It’s a single turbo (GT3040) on a 1.5JZ-GTE. The engine was built last October and the only trouble I’ve had with it was dodgy rad cap. It’s had plenty of runs at the Pod since then so it isn’t as though I was over-working the engine tonight.

I've heard this before. When I had a set of wheels refurbed years ago I asked the guy how I should take care of them and he said "don't use alloy wheel cleaner". This particular problem looks as though it was because I was letting the lacquer 'puddle' when I was applying it. I've been trying different lacquers, paints and primers on these wheels and I've learned two things so far: 1/ Use German paint. 2/ Don't apply too much of anything in one go. I love journeys of discovery like this!