Why is my car loosing power? software or hardware issue?

dbsharp · Post by **dbsharp** » Sun Jul 25, 2010 11:34 pm

I am experiencing a temporary loose of power followed by the car running real rich. I managed to capture the event in a data log. some things seem to be acting normal while other things are cutting out. I am going to attach the tune, log, and a screen shot. This has been going on for about a week now and its slowly getting more frequent.

dbsharp · Post by **dbsharp** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 12:27 pm

I switched out the ecu and I'm still having the problem. The only reason I think it might be a software issue is because I did not have this problem until I got ectune working on my new laptop. I was using crome and had been using ectune before that without any issues. I am going to try it with crome and see if it does it.

David974 · Post by **David974** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:29 pm

it seems like you have a drop in your battery voltage so did you tune your battery compensation table? what would cause your battery to have a drop like this? did you put an accessorie, heater, light wipper, AC when dattalogging?

David974 · Post by **David974** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 3:30 pm

it seems like you have a drop in your battery voltage so did you tune your battery compensation table? what would cause your battery to have a drop like this? did you put an accessorie, heater, light wipper, AC when dattalogging? check you alternator and ground

JaredKaragen · Post by **JaredKaragen** » Mon Jul 26, 2010 7:00 pm

Look @ the vss.... You must be shorting/loosing power at some point (electrical power). The only reason you should see a zero vss blip like that is if the vss looses power, or the ecu has a reset condition...

dbsharp · Post by **dbsharp** » Tue Jul 27, 2010 5:12 pm

battery voltage drops because of the alt control not being active. I have been unable to reproduce this problem with crome. I have been driving on it for a few hours. On ectune, this problem happened at least every 20 min. Has anyone had issues with calibrations becoming corrupt? I am going to start from scratch and make a new cal to replicate my old one and see what happens.

dbsharp · Post by **dbsharp** » Tue Jul 27, 2010 9:33 pm

I made a new calibration and copied all the values out of my old one. I have not had the same issue since then. I am wondering if my problem could be associated with licensing. I did not have the problem with my calibration file until I got a new license for my new laptop. I have noticed what I think is a new problem though. I don't know if it could be related though. Mostly under light throttle while cruising, the engine will run rich for no apparent reason. Further investigation shows a slight increase in injector duration, and spikes of reduced ignition timing during this event. Has any one seen this before?

dbsharp · Post by **dbsharp** » Fri Jul 30, 2010 9:44 pm

I looked at my older data log and I can ignition spikes there too. I am thinking that this is a software issue. As far as I know the file on the ostrich is what controls the final timing as read by data logging. I am going to look for ignition spikes with another ecu to see if that could have something to do with it. I could be wrong, but I think my ecu reset itself again this morning. The problem might not have been the calibration. I have been using ectune for a a while now and I have not had these issues with it until recently. I use non-resistor spark plugs and bosh wires. This is the same as I used to run with no issues. All the grounds are solid. I am running out of ideas at this point other than to start \"throwing parts\" at the problem. I would appreciate any input or help from the more experienced ectune users.

David974 · Post by **David974** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 12:59 am

Hi just some idea it could be a dying coil in the dizzy How old are your ostrich's battery? also check your ostrich ribbon cable for loose pin on ecu side plug did you have CEL when the car lost his power?

dbsharp · Post by **dbsharp** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 11:44 am

coil is a pretty new msd blaster ss. The ostrich is about 2-3 years old. The CEL light flashed on the first data log I posted but since i made a new calibration, I have not seen it do it. If you look at post fuel, you will see that it is active in the first data log. I know the ecu was resetting itself. In the second data log post fuel was not active. One of the connectors on the coil is on its last legs. I am going to replace that and see if it helps. I will also switch to a resistor spark plug to see if there is any interference from that.

JaredKaragen · Post by **JaredKaragen** » Sat Jul 31, 2010 1:31 pm

Msd.... Where is it mounted? Anywhere near the dizzy?? (hint)

dbsharp · Post by **dbsharp** » Mon Aug 02, 2010 9:53 pm

Not really. Its a couple feet away.

Bindegal · Post by **Bindegal** » Sat Aug 07, 2010 5:23 am

Try looking for ECU resets... Look for \"Post Fuel\" active, this will indicate an ECU reset. MSD + non-resistor plugs even? Could be causing all sorts of havoc... From memory I think others have called out \"software problem\" in similar cases where the carÂ´s electrics and especially ignition system was at fault. /Allan

Post by **nate** » Sat Aug 07, 2010 11:09 am

Like Allan said, try watching your logs. I remember long ago when troubleshooting we would look for the MIL to blip on the datalog for a split second and that indicates the ecu did a full reset.

dbsharp · Post by **dbsharp** » Sat Aug 07, 2010 9:04 pm

Post fuel is active, the occasions that I have logged do not show MIL in the data log, but I have seen it flash a few times while this had happened. I have been using the msd coil and non resistor plugs for a couple of years and I have never had this issue. I am going to test the coil and check for other ignition issues.