Boober944

Hi folks,

I am trying to figure out just what ECU is in my Cossie clone. The engine and trans are 100% stock MK1 Sierra Cosworth RS installed in an 86' Merkur XR4Ti.
The car is currently going through a complete overhaul/restoration and I will be looking to add a chip/injectors/3 bar MAP to take advantage of the GT3528R turbo I will be installing.

I was led to believe that the ECU in the car was correct for the 2WD Cosworth but now I'm not exactly sure. Here are some pictures I took today when I pulled it out:




The 048/01 would indicate that it could be an L8 case but I have NO idea what might have been done to the guts. The ECU was supposedly modified (fixed) by a gent in Seattle Washington (prior to my purchase of the car) but my attempts to get an explanation from him as to what exactly was performed have yet to yield any answers.
The only info I have from him was a message posted on the car's ad which stated:
"That particular car is a fun one; he had running problems and the wrong TPS so he came down to Seattle and I swapped in the correct for a 2wd ECU and drove it but it is just a YB dropped into a US spec Xratty shell"

Possibly sounds like he might not have touched the ECU, and just swapped out the TPS...but then if the TPS is for a 2WD then the L8 ECU wouldn't be compatible, correct?

Oh, and the seller had told me the car had a stage 1 chip in it, does the 2BL8FR23.044 possibly mean it may be chipped?

ANY help or suggestions here would be VERY welcome. I'm not opposed to completely swapping out ECU's for one that would be compatible (RS500 ECU compatible?) with my engine (assuming it has the 2WD TPS)

Thanks, Rich

boostn_capri

Hi mate,
Looks like a L8 ecu , the casing is definitely L8 as it has no mounting wings like the L6 and has white CO% adjust screw, also the inside looks like an L8 as well with the blue ribbon and additional electrical board.


You should have a look at http://www.bigturbo.co.uk/main1.htm plenty of useful information on it.


As for the chip others will confirm but looks like one from Burtons etc with that sticker. 2B (2 bar map sensor) L8 (L8 ecu) not sure on the FR23 and 044 (might be the injectors?)


For the TPS you need a PF09 they come in both red and black and need to have the two outer wires swapped around the correct way if your using a L6 loom.


Hope this helps,


k

Boober944

Thanks for the info and link, it does indeed appear to be an L8 ECU. I guess the next step is to determine what TPS is installed. I assume that if I have the correct TPS, this ECU should work fine on my 86-89 YB.

Funny thing about the "stage 1" chip... The car felt at stock power to me and the boost never went above 8psi. Are you expected to swap out the actuator to get the correct 15(ish) psi? Or is the culprit the amal valve?

boostn_capri

The TPS has a stamping on them, one that says PF09 is for the L8 and the one that has PF01 is for L6 ecu.


Regarding boost and power, others again can confirm but you will need an a -31 actuator and it will need to have the CO% screw adjusted for the fuelling this should be done by a decent tuner, or on a dyno. Have you got a amal valve and associated wiring and vacuum lines, this will need to be working as well.


Another thing to check is the fuel pressure, for some of the UK tuners like Motorsport Developments the chips are set to run with 3.5 bar at idle, and it pays to check you have correct voltage at the pump.


Hope that helps,


k

Boober944

Thanks again, looks like I will be making another trip to the body shop to identify the TPS installed. I had actually been having issues with the ISCV for a while and was forced to just keep it uplugged as the motor would just race when connected, no matter the temperature; could that be a symptom of an incorrect TPS? Though, I am led to understand that I would be having much more trouble if it were a case of a PF01 TPS connected to an L8 ECU.

I checked Burton for the Ahmed L8 Stage 1 chip and see now that it does call for a -31 actuator; makes total sense now. I had asked the kid if his stage 1 chip required an actuator change and he said he didn't think so. The actuator looks as stock as the turbo it's attached to. None matters anyway as I have a 22-24 psi actuator for my new turbo so will be going for the proper chip, injectors, and MAP sensor. The pump will be upgraded to a 255LPH in-tank and there is a good regulator and gauge on the fuel rail.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

PF01 contains a switch, so yes you need a 09 for an L8, you will also need to invert two wires if you have a 2WD loom.

Assuming this is correct, you probably have a bad TPS calibration...

Martin

Boober944

One more question, from the handy link, it says there are 2 different L8 versions, one pre-cat version "red label" and one cat version "green label". Is that referring to the red or green stickers on the board? If so, looks like mine is the pre-car version (red sticker)?

boostn_capri

Hey mate,
Yes there are 2 types of L8 ECU the green one is catalytic convertor model, and the red is non cat.


They can be identified by the red sticker on the outside housing, not the sticker on the electrical board.


As per the second picture on this forum link:


http://www.turbosport.co.uk/showthread.php?t=452057


Cheers,


K

Boober944

Hmmmm, thanks. I don't have any stickers on the outside of my case.

Paul_RS

iTrader: (4)

Don't worry about the green/red sticker - It doesn't matter. What's important is the map on the chip is correct for your car.

Boober944

Thanks, I'm thinking it's the pre-cat version since the case has 048/01 on it.

Last question, any way I can identify whether I have L6 or L8 loom?

boostn_capri

Others can confirm but the L8 loom will have a knock sensor with it, that the L6 (2wd versions don't), also the injector colours are blue on a 4wd I think instead of yellow on 2wd. I would get a hold of the wiring diagram and check the tps wiring colours, and if not around the correct way , alter them.





Cheers,


K

Boober944

Plot thickens for me.... Injectors are definitely yellow and though I can't confirm 100%, I HIGHLY doubt that there is a knock sensor. So now I'm wondering if the wires were switched on the TPS. It's funny that I'm doing all of this without my car at my house instead of 20 miles away.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

The easiest way is to check the TPS polarity, yours should be 0-5 V scale, i.e. it increases with the throttle opening, 2WD is the inverse.

It doesn't determine what loom you have, but it determines you have a 4x4 loom, or the wires have been inverted.

The only difference between red/green is the software.

Someone could have changed the injectors.

Martin

Boober944

Short update, I stopped by the shop and looked at the TPS, it is red so I know that the correct TPS for the L8 was installed but I don't see that any modifications were done to the loom. Again, I don't know what loom is on the car but I am certain it doesnt have a knock senser, it's possible that the connector was cut off and I wouldn't know it.

So...it it possible to actually drove a car with the L8 ECU and TPS on a 2WD loom where the wires WERE NOT swapped?

boostn_capri

Hi mate,
The colour of the TPS does not mean anything as they come in both red and black.
I suggest you go back to your shop and read the stamp on the side of the TPS. It will say PF09 or PF01, it looks like this http://forum.rsclassics360.co.uk/sho...lters-pf09-etc


And as for the loom at the same time as 'Martysmartie' mentioned put a multimeter on it to check if the wirings are around the right way. They may have swapped the wiring around anywhere and you would not be able to trace it.


Hope that helps,


K

Paul_RS

iTrader: (4)

The pins can be moved inside the plug as well, so it's very hard to 'see' they've been moved.

Boober944

I finally heard back from the guy who wired the car. He said it is a 2WD harness and he did re-pin the plug but he doesn't remember if he left it in the correct orientation. I'll have to just check it with my meter once everything is back together.