lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

After 12 months of pulling my hair out and changing virtually every part for new ignition side after fitting wasted spark I thought I'd cured it. Car was running great, turned it off tried to start it 10 minutes later and nothing! Did all the usual checks and found to have a good spark on number one and very poor spark on 2,3 and 4. The little spark that is there is bouncing from the electrode to the side of the plug. If u change the lead from 1 to 2 on coilpack still weak spark so the problem appears to be coilpack. Change coilpack for another and same fault!
Any ideas? Could this point to faulty ecu? Or possibly chip.
Bear in mind the car ran perfect 30 mins previous and nothing has changed!

costina

iTrader: (1)

Try a different ignition amp Lee. Did you put heatsink paste on the back of ign amps cos if they get hot they fook up.


Paul

costina

iTrader: (1)

Also thinking did you put any copperslip/grease on the threads when you fitted plugs
?


Remember plugs need a good earth so check with a meter.

ulash

i dont think so faulty ecu. because you checked every usual terms. you know ecu s have a 2 ignition output .. 1. one is 2&3 cylinder 2. one is 1&4 cylinder... if your ecu burned will not spark.... you said that number one is okey the others little or poor spark... number 1 and number 4 works together if number one is ok and number 4 will be ok. ..... i think maybe poor earth connection...

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Paul, both amps are new with heat sink, didn't try coper slip on the plugs but will give it a go. What's confusing is only cylinder 1 has a decent spark, the other 3 are very weak. Iv lent another ecu now which is the last thing before I go back to coil.

costina

iTrader: (1)

You have had nothing but probs Lee shame you wasn't closer I'd give you a hand


Ive had no problems with wasted spark on 2 cars. I feel for ya it can be a pain to get them right.


Paul

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Will check the earths again but iv run a few additional earths just to be sure and I have a good earth from ecu plug to the loom earth have checked that.

costina

iTrader: (1)

Check earths on plenum and battery to body and engine to body. check resistance between spark plug threads and battery with meter in ohms position and let me know.

costina

iTrader: (1)

Don't plug another ecu unless that has wasted spark driver too.


Fizzle smoke= expence

ulash

when you try to start engine can you check rev/rpm gauge ? or how does it works your tachometer ? with mod or original tacho with diodes ?

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the help paul, much apreciated! It's been a total nightmare so far an I'm not getting any where, iv had a master ford technician look at it too and even he was stumped!
The spare ecu iv got is a l8 with wasted spark board and a pectel board it's the only component I havnt changed yet!
Il try what u just suggested and let u know. What's annoying is that it was running perfect when I turned it off then for some reason it's dead again!

costina

iTrader: (1)

I will have a think about it. But when your checking resistance check your phase sensor and plug.


Paul

costina

iTrader: (1)

Phase sensor is 0.6 to 1.0 mm gap reduce that 0.3.
Also its worth checking all 4 crank sensor lugs against the sensor also if there is any paint or powder coat on them can reduce the efficiency.

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

When turning engine over I havnt noticed the rev counter it's a stack st200 rev counter and it works fine when the engine runs.

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Thanks il check the resistance of the leads and let u know. Iv been through the sensor gaps and checked the teeth on the pully. They are all set as per manual but I will try closing the gap by 0.3. What's confusing is that it seems to clear and run perfect then fault return! Iv even changed the loom for a good second hand loom and the fault is still there!

Nash

iTrader: (3)

Lee change the TPS if you have a spare and just swap the plugs around on the 2 ign amps or even try some old ones you know to be good. Even new amps can be funny on wasted spark some people have found.

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Ok thanks iv got a spare tps il try. Iv swapped the leads on the amps and altogether 6 different amps that all work ok on a non wasted spark car!

jamie956

I had loads of problems getting mine going swapped every thing sent the ecu back to MSD to be tested but nothing, took it to SCS to figure out turned out to be the map sensor it was a brand new one out of the box swapped it for one off the dyno fired straight up, might be worth a try if you can borrow one to try.

costina

iTrader: (1)

Lee, Don't get confused its a spark related issue lets stay on that and the things that control the spark. crank and phase ignition amps, earth cables and connections. TPS and map are sensors which control fuel and crank and phase control spark.


So to recap it started and ran got upto temp and now it don't start and has poor spark on 234 and 1 being ok?


So if number 1 is ok what is near it? plenum earth on throttle bracket?


Has one of the 2 ecu connectors come out?
Is the wasted spark on a sub loom or do you have a new loom? If on sub check plug and socket.
I said about copper grease if you have not done it DON'T. there are pages of info on the internet about this..


Crank pulley lugs are used as the start point for the countdown time to ignition. Their heights should also be exactly the same as at very low rpm the amplitude of the signal is low and a larger gap could cause a loss of a pulse.

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Paul, it's been running for a few weeks now odd hiccup here and there but been ok, had it running drove it out the garage went to put it back in and dead! It has a good spark on number 1, tries to fire on that but 2,3 and 4 very weak. If I take lead number 1 and the plug used and connect to 2,3 and 4 still have a weak spark, which says the leads and plugs are ok. This is what doesn't make sense and obviously it fires 1 and 4 together and 2 and 3 together. Iv got a sub loom added to the original loom, iv changed the loom to a used better condition one. When earthing the plugs out, I use the same point, a turbo damper bolt.

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Iv got a spare map sensor that I could try but the one fitted to my car I recently lent to my mate as he broke his and it run perfect on his car.

costina

iTrader: (1)

jamie956

Worth a try, why don't you get it in to someone I spent weeks trying to get mine going, took Harvey 15mins to figure it out sometimes it just needs a fresh pair of eyes.

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Bit of an update. Swapped the ecu today for one with a pectel board but used the same chip, cleaned plugs and it run fine again. Turned engine off and checked the plugs and they were black, dropped the oil and it's like water with a whiff of petrol! I'm starting to think maybe I got a fuel issue also ? Any ideas. All sensors are new and fuel pressure is 50 psi.
Last attempt before it take it to a specialist .

jamie956

Did you try that map sensor I have a cheapie of ebay that I brought to get my car going whilst waiting for a real one to come up, Pm me if you want to do a deal on it.

James @ M Developments.

iTrader: (2)

you can't swap chips from board to board as they won't work, if the chip you have is written for a std board it won't run on pectel and vice versa.

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Havnt got round to trying the map sensor yet, but have 2 spares here, thanks anyway.

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

The chip was in a super chips board I put it into a different ecu with a pectel board fitted and it starts and runs ok so far? The plugs seem to be getting fuel contaminated very quickly and are then no good, the fuel pressure is correct, any other ideas?

costina

iTrader: (1)

Coolant temp sensor as it runs ok ish when cold shut off then it overfuels hence not starting and flooding fooking plugs and is why you have contaminated oil due to bore wash.
Just a thought.

lee2cossies

iTrader: (2)

Thanks paul that has crossed my mind but again it's a new one! Unless of course it's a dodgy new one, iv got a few here il try another one.

costina

iTrader: (1)

Worth a try mate.

Good luck