Quamen

iTrader: (14)

Well I found out that my Tial BOV was messing with my idle. The spring they sent me must be wrong because it is acting like a bypass valve and is open at idle. Luckily my friend had his Tial off his car and we swapped it in. Made a difference in the driveability of the car.

However, I am still having some problems as soon as I go into a 10% load site. Could I be in limp home mode? Is there a way to tell?

I had it running great last year with the supercharger. I can accelerate partial throttle at about 2psi in the 0% column all day but as soon as it gets into the 10% it bucks and there is no power anymore. I checked the plugs and they aren't soaking wet and they show no signs of detonation. In fact they look quite good. The timing in the 10% is at about 20 before TDC and the pulse widths I have tried everything.

Has anyone experienced anything where it feels like the throttle body is being shut as soon as you go into the 10% column on the UTEC?

Jtran Studios

iTrader: (3)

might be a number of things. fuel pump, check your base fuel pressure at idle and make sure it hasnt changed. ckp, check and make sure its not damaged or just went dead. utec, might be going south, reflash the DBW on the utec.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

I heard that my symptoms seems like that of the UTEC being in Safe Mode. I will try to reflash the DBW software this week and maybe even the whole UTEC.

I did some more logging today and I found out the problem I am having but not why. Basically any time I get into a load site, the ignition timing is very retarded. Even with the UTEC showing 20 degrees before TDC my actual in the log is like 5 degrees. No knock counts or anything. It just seems to be very low and I don't know why yet.

Jtran Studios

iTrader: (3)

hm.....sounds like the unit is going bad. we have had two units go bad here. both was doing the same thing. pulling timing when not supposed to. it got real bad to the point that the utec started to fry coil packs. we sent them off to turboxs and they said they are not fixable. they offered us two "new" units but we had to pay the warranty price, which i think isnt right.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

It is showing the ignition modification as the value in the load cell it is in but the actual timing under datalog 1 is way lower. I had no problems last year with the same setup but this year the UTEC is acting up and is not reacting to any changes leading me to believe that the UTEC is the cause.

Can a UTEC fall into a "safe mode"?

Jtran Studios

iTrader: (3)

i never knew there was a safe mode in the utec units. if the datalog shows that its not pushing the timing asked for, then its gotta be the unit. as stated, we have had two units in the past three months do the same thing. turned out both units failed. the biggest thing i dont like about utec now is the ignition control. i did a log on a customers car on friday and saw that where i induced 16 degrees of timing it was shooting 14.5. on the next run at the same rpm and load scaled it jumped to 18 degrees. with that much of variation of timing between two runs, we have made the decision not to sell the utec units anymore also due to sub par customer service.

ADMAN

iTrader: (9)

Nice...

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

I hear you on their service. I called them the other day and they were a bunch of dicks as soon as I said it was for a 350z. UTEC for the lose.

rrmedicx

iTrader: (54)

Good Luck getting that issue fixed. Maybe you should be looking into that EMS solution sooner than later.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

That is what I am thinking also.

350Z400rwhp

iTrader: (4)

I bought my Utec used and spoke with Turbo XS on setting my base maps when I first installed it and they were more than helpful. I have also had nothing but good luck with my Utec thus far. So I guess everyone has different experiences.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

I have been doing some more research and came across a couple other things. I have heard of people going into limp mode from some fairly simple problems. An example is someone that went to limp mode from a bad power steering sensor. I have actually removed this sensor (as has Phunk) and I do not have any codes from this. However, would this cause the car to go into limp mode?

The other thing is the knock sensor. I am not recording any knock on the UTEC but I did get a random misfire code. I wonder if this is due to fact that I am running solid motor mounts and the amount of extra noise they create. Will the UTEC over power the stock ECU in regards to knock sensitivity at low rpm's via the knock parameters or will the stock ECU still have control?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

I am also used to working with stand alones on race cars. The big difference is that the UTEC is just not the type of ECU that you put on a car that recieves many changes. It works just fine if you want to do it once and leave it. Unfortunately, my car has now made the progression to a car that gets changed often and I will eventually be upgrading because of it.

DanielW

iTrader: (27)

I'm guessing its like jtran said, the utec sounds like its going bad.

str8dum1

iTrader: (11)

solid state electronics usually just dont go 'bad'
so when you get into the 10% column, your AFR is normal? Before my car was tuned, it did the exact same as your car. get to 10% load and then buck, run like crap etc. But I'm sure you've already looked at the simple tuning stuff already.

I've never had any problems with my UTEC, but i'm sure TXS would could look at it pertty quickly.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

Facing facts, I have not changed anything on the fuel system so my setup is exactly the same as last year. I should easily be able to run my UTEC map from my supercharger and with the exception of being lean in some areas it should run fairly well as a starting point. However, it doesn't which leads me to think it is something else.

As far as my AFR goes, I can't get a good reading because it is so instantaneous. The timing instantly goes to 5 degrees btdc.

I looked up the random misfire code in the service manual. Is this code thrown by the knock sensor detecting noise? What event throws this code?

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

Well I have developed a list of things to check based on the misfire code:
1) Bad Spark Plug
2) Bad Ignition Coil
3) Shorted Ignition Circuit
4) Shorted Injector Circuit
5) Fuel Pump Circuit
6) Supply/Return Lines Swapped (somehow)
7) Bad Injector
8) Damaged Crank Angle Sensor
9) Damaged Camshaft Position Sensor(s)
10) Dropping Fuel Pressure

I will also do a compression test and a leak down test while I have the plugs out. It looks like the multiple cylinder misfire code is generated by anything that creates a significant engine speed fluctuation. Go figure that narrows it down.

If all of the above seem to be in working order I will take my UTEC apart and inspect the board for problems.

Jtran Studios

iTrader: (3)

we never had problems with utec til this year. unit after unit dropping on different cars made us to make the decision not to sell the unit anymore. the inconsistent timing is what kills it. you are talking from the standpoint of your unit that you have had bought. im am talking from a standpoint from customers coming in and are having problems or wants a tune. just trying to help quamen out on his issue

quamen
never had that problem with limp mode or safe mode on the ps switch. also, as far as your random misfire code, pull the plugs and double check the gap. also, have you adjusted your map at all since changing to the turbo kit instead of the supercharger? also, with the lower compression motor of course the VE is gonna change a lil bit. so the only codes is random misfire? if you can just call me bud. 8327444398. always good to have a second opinion.

Chef-J

iTrader: (58)

I couldn't get rid of misfire code. We even regapped the plugs when I was getting second tune. But I don't know, If its utec itself or something other issue gives misfire code.

Quamen

iTrader: (14)

I have tried everything without any success. I tried my old map, modified my old map, tried all the base maps on Turbo XS's website and it is always the same problem. At least it is consistant which means I can eventually weed it out. The thing is that no matter what I do, different maps, different thresholds, high pulse widths or low pulse widths it just keeps retarding the timing a stupid amount.

The only two codes are EVAP System (not sure what code) and Multiple Cylinder Misfire.

I am going to reflash the UTEC and update from 2.8(c) to 2.8(d) and cross my fingers that it makes a difference.

I don't think I am in limp mode because I can still go to 5000rpm's at 30% throttle.