Crumpler

Hey guys, got some work done tonight.

All vacuum lines and breather hoses check out, all connections looked good. Seven way was intact. I did find the blue check valve was somewhat loose on the line to the valve at break booster, that is now fixed, not sure if it would have any impact. Vacuum reservoir holds vacuum.

In term of adjusting MAF and idle:

Interesting in that my Tach. was in fact 90-100 RPM higher then external RPM sensor.
Using external RPM sensor and adjusting idle and MAF while idle control jumped as per Ken, (post 40) I went back and forth several times. The magic number was in fact 370 ohms on MAF, with idle speed 700 RPM, giving me AFR or 14.7.

With jumper pulled I get AFR 16.2 and idle speed at 680 rpm (with an occasional sweep to 640 rpm).

I was trying to get readings with warm, and not hot, engine -- but that is not easy, especially when 100 degrees outside in St. Louis garage.

I did not have time to button up and take her out tonight.
I will do the next test run and let you guys know.
Not sure what my next move would be if same performance issues.

Certainly as Fixer said, I could have damaged the board or the chipset during my install.
It's hard for me to think actual chip failure. I don't work with computers but I assume it would be all or nothing -- if it's wiped, then it's shot, and car wouldn't run period.
Vacuum leak still possible by proxy.
Running stock chips again could be a way to trouble shoot if needed.
We will see.

Regards, Dave.

Crumpler

Test drive tonight was worse and not better.

Random bucks and surges with intermittent engine dying.

Luckily, I was able to get her back to my garage.

Feeling like I needed to know what was going on, I pulled computers and changed chips back to stock.
I took her back out and she drove fine.
So that's where I'm at, unfortunately.

Related question is that at present I'm running on the 87 FPR and WR5DC plugs, with stock chips. Detrimental?

rexpontius

Stock chips + 87 FPR is a no-no... Way too much fuel, only use 87 FPR with porken chip, or standard FPR with standard chips.

Crumpler

Thanks Rex, appreciate the help.
Unfortunately, I "slightly crumpled" the standard FPR while pulling it.
I can't go back to stock right now even if I wanted to.
It's kinda like the old military strategy of burning the ships behind you.
LOL.

BUT

Mr. Porken is sending me a set of chips to see if first set got compromised during shipping or install.
Thanks, Ken.

Crumpler

Ugh.
I'm slipping into a ugly funk.


So you guys I ran ok with stock chips, '87 FPR and the WR5DC plugs two days ago.


I replaced my O rings on MAF because they were not fresh.
After that, I noticed she was running richer overall. Took her out and got a huge backfire and engine cut out. Restarted and took her home.


I then tried to double check idle speed and MAF settings thinking I had fixed a vacuum leak and needed to adjust again.
At that point, I couldn't hold idle long to get a jumper into the idle control port. Then got a no start situation.

I charged battery to full, no start.
I switched to a "know good" relay for fuel pump, got a start and died at idle.

About this time, I got replacement chips from Mr. Porken (thanks again Ken). I was not sure if I was getting too much fuel from the '87 FPR for the stock chips, so... I very carefully put in the new Porken chips.
MAF is currently set at stock 380, in order to repeat tuning process.

With the new chip set, no start...

I remembered a trick, and did a WOT start this morning...start and ran for 60 sec. Idle was rough without foot on gas, but I turned it off to get set up to adjust MAF, etc.

Next start the car ran, I was holding it at around 1500 rpm and it would periodically drop rpm, lean out, and die.

I was able to get one more high RPM start but backfired and died.


A lot of variables in play, looking for advice.


I was going to trouble shoot with a set off "know good" stock computers. I'm sure the new chips are fine, but maybe I ham-fisted my computer boards somehow?

ISV, CPS, MAF, TPS, spark plugs, '87 FPR all new.

Fuel pump is not new, I've heard of some really strange problems when one is failing?

Crumpler

Wow.
I'm guessing a few people wanted to hear about the final act of this drama.

I chased down some "backfire" leads and double checked everything.
Dadddio brought over a set of "know good" stock computers to help a guy out of a jam.

My car did fine with his computers.
I was able to eliminate things one at a time, until I was left with my EZF computer board as the culprit.
There's no evidence to see, but I must have damaged it somehow the first day of this thread.
What is amazing is that I was able to drive it at all with a bad ECU.

The first chipset was probably fine, but it's on it's way back to Ken to look at.
I have a replacement computer on it's way.

SMTCapeCod

I'm hopeful that one of the experts with tech knowledge will pipe up about suspected failure in the LH.

PorKen

Mostly I have had problems with a cold solder joint at the EPROM holder on the EZF board. I think all of the EZFs could use a reflowing of the solder. (Possibly the main connector pins to the board, too.) No problems with the 2.2 LH.


IIRC, John Speake has mentioned possible problems with the MAP sensor and the RPM pickup circuit, but these are rare.

Crumpler

Ok.
New computer got here and I'm back in business.

Just got back from the first drive with real Porkenization:



Gotta say gentlemen.... it's a pretty big bump. I got on it and the hair on my neck was standing up and my pupils were dilated by third gear.

Darien

Glad you got it worked out Dave...lov'in those chips

bureau13

This is on my list of things to do in the next year, for sure.

The Fixer

Awesome news Dave

SMTCapeCod

Congrats!

Sorting the MAF tune may have helped some with your driving results- but I agree the chips are a nice value.

Ken- thanks for the clear info.
Most threads seem to indicate that the ecu is pretty reliable, and that failure is binary. I'm wondering about more progressive failures, and/or slight degradation in performance that isn't always flagged as an ECU failure.
It's easy to imagine...

One further question....seems like most TPS are found full of oil. Does that oil normally indicate failure, or only sometimes?

SMTCapeCod

Now, lessons learned- always baseline ;-) and never provoke the furies by invoking future problems!

Crumpler

Thanks you guys, and thanks for the help along the way.
Thank you Mr. Meyer, Mr. Byrd, and Mr. Porken as well.

I would say indeed faster revs and response.
Mid-range, and pulls, a lot stronger.
X-pipe barks more. I'm without cats, sorry Cape Cod, don't think less of me...




No Blue Velvet references?