sponghead

Hi all

Hope someone can help, I have a sapphire 2wd, up till today it was almost standard except for exhaust, air filter etc.

Today I fitted a stage 3 chip, greens, 3 bar and actuator.

Now this is where some of you may cringe but I like to do my own work and mechanically I am quite adept but when it comes to the voodoo art of turbo and electronic set up I am a complete beginner.

My thoughts were Buy kit, fit and adjust boost then all should be hunky dori. However it does not seem to be the case.

At first major over boost, so I lengthened the actuator arm the point where the cut out stopped. Now it is as flat as a pancake.

In standard form it was loads faster so Something is deffo wrong.

Does the mixture need adjusting, or am I confusing it with my carb fed cooper engined mini. I would have thought that all would be automatically controlled by the sensors and ecu.

Hope someone can help.

Craig

oldford

Ditch the chip and get a live mapping for your car from someone who knows what he is doing.

cossiedrift

iTrader: (3)

What boost are you know running? have you checked fuel pressure etc?

james kiely

iTrader: (5)

you need to get it mapped properly ,or you could melt your engine mate

you need to check your fuel pressure ,maybe change your pump or at least rewire if it aint getting enough volts ,new fuel filter aswell.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

The CO needs setting accordingly to what the chip author has specified, however you need a exhaust gas analyzer to do so, something which most don't have.

When you fitted the actuator did you pre load it first?

The trouble is fitting the stuff is easy enough to do you need to get the fuelling checked out after to make sure it's running ok despite it being an 'off the shelf chip'.

You are kind of right the ECU will manage the engine's fuelling requirements etc, however it can only do as it has been told hence why you need to change the 'Mapping' when you make a change to the engine so it is calibrated for that spec.

I guess it feels flat as it's probably not making any boost.

How do you know it was overboosting?


Martin

sponghead

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I totally agree, my Plan is to get it drivable then get it set up professionally. I Have no specialist local and I'm aware seriously damage could occur so was looking to get a good base setting before taking it more than a couple of miles.

None by the feel of it lol. I don't have a gauge and when I first put the kit on it kept cutting out like a standard car over boosting so I backed it off until it stopped, Not checked fuel pressure but problems were occurring really early in the boost cycle so I assume that we have not reached fuel Pressure issues yet.

Thanks for your help, please see above replies.

I can get my hands on an analyser, but I think you'll see from these answers that I have something setup way out, backwards or just plain not working.

How do you preload the actuator? I fitted it, then attached the arm to the wastegate holding it shut but not under any tension. This is when I got what I suspected to be overboost, the minute the power should start cutting in and you get that fantastic turbo kick the ecu cut the engine so I went up the road in a series of backfires and kangaroo jumps.

Then I lengthened the actuator arm until it stopped, so I guess you're right when you say I have no boost that is why it is flat.

My plan was to always get it set up professionally, probably by Graham Goode in Leicester but that is nearly 20 miles away so wanted to at least get it running somewhere near to ok before I took it up the M69.

All help greatly appreciated.
Craig

oldford

You have several choices.
One of them is getting the car to run somewhat normal with a chip that at the very least is doubtful. 20 miles with this chip could be too much. Without equipment and tools that will be difficult.

You can try to get a car trailer and transport the car on that (beg/borrow/steal).

You could also put back the original injectors, 2-bar map-sensor and eprom. That is the safest thing to do. Leave the actuator, but disconnect the electrical wires to the amal valve and drive carefully to avoid high boosts. Then at the tuner's location swap the injectors and map-sensor.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

What plugs do you have and what are the gaps? The ignition system on these cars are terrible and it needs to be 100% fit, you are running alot more boost than you were before and the ignition systems needs to be man enough for it.

The CO is critical and checking comes hand in hand with the new setup.

You shoulden't have to change the fuel pressure unless the new software requires it to be changed, pretty sure all chips of this spec are written for standard, but check the instructions to confirm.

What makes you think you experienced overboost protection and you just wern't misfiring up the road?

Martin

sponghead

Thanks for the reply, plugs were fitted new by Graham Goode about 3000 miles ago, I remember they threw the NGKs away saying they were no good but I don't know what they replaced them with. I have not checked the gaps but will do tomorrow. I have put all the standard kit back in for now and it is flying again. However Since it was running 220BHP on standard equipment set up a long time ago it has always cut out for what I have been thinking is overboost protection when driven really hard but we are taking holding it at about 4500 rpm and dropping the clutch type of driving. (doesn't get driven like that very often though).

I had a Renault 5 Turbo years ago and when I bought it, it had been overboosted so went off like a kangaroo down the road, The old fashioned Severn Valley Motorsport guys sorted it by turning boost down and it was great after that and this feels the same.

In this situation it cuts out so early the turbo has not really started working. which makes me suspect it is not ignition but I am a novice at these sort of things so I appreciate all your help.

Is there a way of checking the integrity of the ignition system?

This car has been a daily drive for the last 12 years and still is. It's just I have hit an age and financial situation that I can up the spec of it (without going stupid). However, I cannot afford to replace loads of other stuff to get this kit working so it may have to sit on the shelf for another few months before I can get it working.

Trouble is when you take it to a specialist you are somewhat committed.

Many thanks for your help so far Martin and 'Oldford' that sound like a good plan if I am going to take it there ignition system dependant.

Craig

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

220HP is not unusual for a standard car even when new many had over the quoted 204HP so this in reality was the minimum power, the ignition system is ok it's just an old fasioned setup for the car, the ignition system needs to be in good order so good plugs leads and rotor arm and of course the coil.

This is how the standard software operates:

A boost pressure of 0.9 BAR (13.5 PSI) will cut fuel injection completely.

Above 6,800 RPM every second fuel injection pulse is missed and turbo boost pressure reduced by 0.3 BAR (4.5 PSI)

Fuel injection is totally cut at 7000 RPM (Hard cut)

What is the exact spec of your chip?

I am just thinking you do have a T3 spec and not a T34 don't you?

Also whats your fuel pump wiring like?

Martin

KSA-Cossie

iTrader: (4)

Best get it set up by a pro m8.

Staffi

iTrader: (1)

Hi Craig,

Take it to NMS in Alfreton Derby for a live map, you'll NOT regret it trust me...

KSA-Cossie

iTrader: (4)

Live map hardly needed at that spec though uncle pete ?

sponghead

Martin

That's really interesting information, I don't know what the spec of the stage 3 I have is however, I have asked the guy for it. You can see the kit I bought here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...:X:RTQ:GB:1123

Funnily enough the guy who sold it to me said it could be ignition. I have emailed him today so hopefully he will give me the spec in his reply.

KSA and Pete, thanks for your input and reply.

Martin Thanks again for your time.

martysmartie

iTrader: (1)

No problem, just a little advise I would be careful with that chip as from the description the guy says 'he can provide a chip for any ECU' that says to me that he either writes them himself or gets them from somewhere else, by looking at the markings in that pic it is at least for a L6 ECU but doesen't tell you alot else.

You simply cannot afford to take a risk in such a crucial area as it could cause complete catastrophe to your engine, ideally you want a chip from a reputable tuner it may be he is but generally he would be selling under a company name etc.

Martin

sponghead

That's what I am thinking, Graham Goode is a reputable fast Ford specialist so I will take it there, Alistair the main mechanic there knows his stuff, I will do what oldford suggested. It takes 20 Mins to change all the bits and then I can get one of their chips put in and set up.

I'll let you know the results.

Thanks for your help.