Engine Cuts out and stumbles under boost...HELP PLEASE! `

[Nero328]

Ok, my laptop battery died so I wasn't able to get a log however it was the exact same thing so a log won't tell us any more than the other 4 did. Apparently the connections and the MAP wire were not the problem. Interestingly I also got the SOS signal on the SES light again and I haven't seen that since Phoenix. when that happened I grabbed the ECU which sitting on the passenger floor board and I wiggled the plugs just to see if it made a difference in the flashing of the SES light and it didn't seem to affect it at all so that is not where the connection issue is. It has to be an electrical problem at this point, that is the only thing I can think of and the only thing that makes sense. I will start taking the dash apart in order to look for any bad wiring or any gremlins I can find unless anyone has any better ideas.

The only thing I don't understand is that it has never done this before and Nick said that it ran fine during his testing and tuning and he had it all the way up to 18 PSI.

 

[achalmersman]

I would advise getting a terminal kit to drag test all terminals in the sensor connectors, ign module harness, and ecm. Not sure where to buy one id have to google. If you use the wrong size you will stretch the female pins. I would also do voltage drop tests to try to find bad connection / internally broken wires. An old headlamp as a load works very well unplugging both ends of a harness and loading the wires and watching the headlight brightness while manipulating the harness and watching for changes in brightness. Odd though that if it it were this it would be so reproducable and only under those exact conditions....

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message, however, a significant number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

 

[Nero328]

I would advise getting a terminal kit to drag test all terminals in the sensor connectors, ign module harness, and ecm. Not sure where to buy one id have to google. If you use the wrong size you will stretch the female pins. I would also do voltage drop tests to try to find bad connection / internally broken wires. An old headlamp as a load works very well unplugging both ends of a harness and loading the wires and watching the headlight brightness while manipulating the harness and watching for changes in brightness. Odd though that if it it were this it would be so reproducable and only under those exact conditions....

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message, however, a significant number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

At this point I am thinking a match to the gas tank is a lot easier so I am walking away from it today instead of burning it to the ground. Three years later and more money than I care to admit and I still don't have a car that is running and driving. I bought this car from a buddy that was in financial trouble and it was a project that I had dreamed about since High School. After building race cars and some pretty mean street cars I figured "How hard could it be"...maybe this damn thing is just too much for me. As you can tell I am spent today, the frustration with this car has overwhelmed me today.

 

[Ttype6]

At this point I am thinking a match to the gas tank is a lot easier so I am walking away from it today instead of burning it to the ground. Three years later and more money than I care to admit and I still don't have a car that is running and driving. I bought this car from a buddy that was in financial trouble and it was a project that I had dreamed about since High School. After building race cars and some pretty mean street cars I figured "How hard could it be"...maybe this damn thing is just too much for me. As you can tell I am spent today, the frustration with this car has overwhelmed me today.

You did a lot in 3 days. If you hadn't,you'd still be back there. You're farther down the road closer to the solution. Do almost nothing every day and you will solve this. That's not a lot of work when you look at it that way. Do nothing every day and you will never solve this. See how much just a little bit of work can accomplish. This is going to be easy.

 

[Nero328]

Sorry to sound like a little baby guys...I have been going to bed at night dreaming about my trip to Phoenix to finally be able to enjoy this car and I just feel like it will never happen. Not to mention every time I go out and test this thing and have the same problem I risk blowing the head gasket again and having to spend another 12 hours bent over the fender rather than enjoying it and at this point I am just completely dejected.

 

[Nero328]

You did a lot in 3 days. If you hadn't,you'd still be back there. You're farther down the road closer to the solution. Do almost nothing every day and you will solve this. That's not a lot of work when you look at it that way. Do nothing every day and you will never solve this. See how much just a little bit of work can accomplish. This is going to be easy.

I haven't been at it for three days, I have been at it for three years! This is just the most recent thing and the most recent time...I saved for over a year to send my car to Nick. I know I can't just sit and do nothing, we will get there but it is just depressing as hell since I am still in the same position, yes I am further down the road I guess so there is something to look up to. It sounds like a mean beast at idle...maybe I will just run out there and listen to it idle for a while and dream about one day actually being able to drive it!

 

[Nero328]

OK, I just poured a drink...done with my pity party! Sorry about my whining...

 

[Ttype6]

It sounds like a mean beast at idle...maybe I will just run out there and listen to it idle for a while and dream about one day actually being able to drive it!

Mabey blip the throttle a couple of times?

 

[Nero328]

Mabey blip the throttle a couple of times?

LoL, it does sound like a beast when I open the dump valve on the test pipe! I have been very pleased with my decision to buy the electric valve for that! The whoole idea for that was to be able to push the button after someone in a Corvette decided to line up next to me at a light...but I haven't been able to do that yet. One day soon I hope to be able to post in the Kill Forum!

 

[Ttype6]

OK, I just poured a drink...done with my pity party! Sorry about my whining...

I've laid down under my car in the fetal position sucking my thumb. It didn't even ask me what was wrong. You know,now that I think about it,I don't think it even cared.

 

[Ttype6]

I have been very pleased with my decision to buy the electric valve for that!

I don't think I would hate one of those.

 

[Nero328]

I don't think I would hate one of those.

I highly recommend it, I bought one from Summit and it is the Granatelli...I have been very happy with it. A lot of them leak but this one has been solid. it is amazing how loud these cars are when it is open too. Luckily we don't have any emissions testing on cars as old as ours so I don't have to run a cat either. It is wide open when I hit the button. I will post a video one day...

 

[Heskahoka]

Trying to think of free things to check that I did not see in this long thread.
-Did you pull the chip out of the computer and reseat? Check the chip seat prongs for corrosion/bad tension.

It is a longshot, but free, easy and worth checking.

Don't lose hope. Most of us have been where you are. It is solvable.

 

[RmvBfrFlght]

Nick was wondering how the voltage was interrupted to the car because of the starter. It can't be,because the wires with the links are connected directly to the positive wire from the battery. Knowing this,I don't necessarily suspect the links but I am suspicious of the ignition switch. In his explanation,the engine shut off first. It can't be from a bad starter and we've not seen power go away in any logs since. I would,however,bridge the links to test them.

The only fusible link on the battery + is for ECM power. The rest of the vehicle has the fusible links connected to the starter solenoid B+ terminal. They need to be unbolted in order to replace the starter.

RemoveBeforeFlight

 

[achalmersman]

While checking the chip check the cal pak too

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message, however, a significant number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

 

[Nero328]

Trying to think of free things to check that I did not see in this long thread.
-Did you pull the chip out of the computer and reseat? Check the chip seat prongs for corrosion/bad tension.

It is a longshot, but free, easy and worth checking.

Don't lose hope. Most of us have been where you are. It is solvable.

Yeah we did that several days ago. Thanks for the encouragement, I know we will all figure it out...I just got frustrated this afternoon. I appreciate you thinking about it...if another idea pops up in the middle of the night let me know! Ha!

 

[Nero328]

While checking the chip check the cal pak too

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message, however, a significant number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

The cal pak? I am not familiar with that, where is it?

 

[achalmersman]

In the ecm and looks like another chip. Holds the default programing. Long shot but while your right there....

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message, however, a significant number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

 

[achalmersman]

No trees were harmed in the sending of this message, however, a significant number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

 

[Heskahoka]

Yeah we did that several days ago. Thanks for the encouragement, I know we will all figure it out...I just got frustrated this afternoon. I appreciate you thinking about it...if another idea pops up in the middle of the night let me know! Ha!

Did you disconnect the orange ECU wire from the battery before you re-seated the chip?