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Thread: 16V ignition fault, at regular intervals

  1. #1
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    Default 16V ignition fault, at regular intervals

    howdy folks, this has me at my whits end!

    right the setup:

    16V 4age, jap apparently
    jap ecu (orange label)
    stock as a rock

    the problem:

    ok, motor runs great when first started drives great full power. however. drive for around 20-25 mins and it just goes stupid. it starts misfiring very badly, idles like its missing cylinders. in capable of driving at all.

    here is a video of what it is doin. i know the sound is a bit out of sync, but just listen to the noise. sounds like the timing is right out:



    (that video sais something about it not being processed yet....i only just put it up so hopefully it comes good)

    now the funny part is, if i turn off the engine for about say 5-10mins or so. it goes back to normal working, 100% power all systems go.

    however this only lasts for around 20-25mins. and then you have to wait 5-10mins...and the cycle goes on and on.

    how long has this been happening? im not entirely sure. in the last few months i have not driven that much at all. i only drive locally under 15mins and thus have not noticed problem. though a few weeks ago i drove out to QR, and on the way home it happend for the first time. but only once. and i thought my fuel pump was dead (it makes funny noises, you may remember my question about that a few weeks ago). so i replaced it thinking it was done. though it wasnt...

    i have done the following since:

    -changed distributer to a jap one (with the cap/roter that was on it)
    -put back on original ae82 dizzy, with a new rotor and cap
    -tried a different coil and igniter

    i am yet to check the leads and spark plugs, as it runs so good 90% of the time i don't think they would be the issue. the leads were brand new ~9 months ago, and the spark plugs are prolly 3months old.

    after the cool down period of 5-10mins, the engine is considerably more difficult to start. just crank and cranks and cranks. then eventually fires. once its going it runs fine though.

    it also seems that the distributer cap contacts are coroding themselves. its brand new and already there is a build up of white crap on each of the contacts, im not sure if its normal for there to be a little bit. (this is brand new cap, and brand new rotor)

    and......go tech heads!
    In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
    - Blaise Pascal

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    You know what to do.

    Eliminate all sensors from the ECU except MAP and crank position sensor. If it still does it, blame the components which are still working, coil, dizzy, etc, not the sensors.

    How hot does the surge tank/fuel tank get at the point in time it does this?

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    yer i know what to do...and ive done it! and its still not fixed! haha

    the problem is its a pain in the ass to "make it do it" since i need to drive for half an hour...then im prolly stuck in the middle of know where. i did it to get that video, and i was stuck on the side of some random road, and needed to push the car off the road!

    and i have changed the coil and dizzy like i said, and it still does it it seems.

    as for surge tank temperature... i have no idea.....you think the fuel might be getting hot or something? what on earth can i do about that....fuel cooler?
    In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
    - Blaise Pascal

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    haha, fuel cooler would be funny.

    Return into main tank, not surge tank.

    If the AIT isn't triggering it then it's CTS and if it's neither then something's breaking down over time/from heat. I'd say it's not spark related unless you have your coil mounted to the extractors, (normal spot on strut tower, yeah?). Have heatshield on distributor?

    Otherwise it's fuel. I know you got a small surge tank tucked up high. and surge tanks can heat fuel. I dunno if it affects engine running aside from decreasing knock resistance but just throwing it out there.

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    haha i have seen some dude using a fuel cooler



    kinda just a heatsink in the form of a pipe...

    what do you mean by AIT and CTS? i assume they are inputs on the ecu?

    and yer i have the coil/ignitor mounted on the "front" of the strut tower. between strut tower and battery.

    and yer the ae82 dizzy (one on there now) has a little head shield on it.

    ive noticed that there is a fair bit of oil inside the dizzy, the stupid seal is leaking. but i wouldn't think it would account for the problems. especially the time involved..

    the heated fuel thing is an interesting idea. though i wouldn't think it would cool down that much in 5-10 mins?

    the small "cool down" time, to me suggest a component that heats up relatively slowly, but can cool down relatively fast.....
    In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
    - Blaise Pascal

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    when my lift pump packed it in my 4a started loosing power and coughing and shit. Also popping back up through the quads. Wasn't cool.
    Basically the lift pump shat itself and the surge was running dry.
    So I would check to make sure you are getting full pressure fuel. Obviously firs thing to check is fuel filter.
    Launceston = Home of the surprise sodomist!!

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    AIT = air inlet temp
    CTS = Coolant temp sensor

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    i had somthing simpilar on the way to work. i removed all the plugs going into the ecu then put them back in and away we went. im assuming there is some dodgy wires that i will check out soon. so maybe check that there is nothing earthing out on your loom and causing the ecu to freak out. Also i rember reading an issue some guys had with the capacitors in the ecu failing and this would normally happen on a hot day. so whip off the ecu cover and check that nothing is leaking? also look for dry joints, may not be the problem but it only takes 5 min to check?
    JJ
    "my mind demands side pipes out of hear, now to command my hands to make them"

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    hmm it better not be a stuffed ecu. i just sold my spare!!

    ill open it up and see if i can see anything fried. and do what you suggest.

    im starting to think it may not be ignition, as skylar has said....
    In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
    - Blaise Pascal

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    ok a new spanner in the works.

    i hooked up my check engine light (nice little bezel in the dash permanent like)

    and i get a error code of 3

    now from this website



    it seems that is an "ignition signal" error.

    ive checked the wiring from the igniter, and the wires are all in good order.

    where does the "ignition signal" come from?

    Edit: it seems that the igf and igt terminals are what it is referring too. and these appear to come from the igniter.

    starting to think my ecu is the problem..
    Last edited by ke70dave; 7th November 2009 at 04:47 PM.
    In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't.
    - Blaise Pascal

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