Continual Lack Of Power Problem

[NighEve]

HI guys - sorry about the length.....

I have about exhausted all options to diagnose and fix a problem I have with my ute. Problem is basically that it intermittedly feels like there is no boost and you have to press the accelerator through the firewall to get the car to build rpm (sometimes if it does get onto boost, almost instantly after this is breaks down as if ignition is drastically retarded).

Mods are - Edit, exhaust, CAI, 968s, Walbro pump, moded acutator, Nizpro springs, Mal Wood T56.

I had the same problem prior to changing the actuator, at such time a generic CAPA map suited to the 968s was sourced due to significant problems the tuner was having with erratic boost. On this map (about 270 rwkw) I drove to Adeliade and back in a matter of a few days and the car did not miss a beat. Came back had the springs put in and immediately the problem was back. After a rather longwinded process of diagnosis with the removal and replacement of most parts it was suggested there was a problem with the TPS (however upon reinstallation of the old one the problem disappeared).

More tuning was done and the result was 3 maps; the generic CAPA one, 275rwkw (more mid range boost), and 290rwkw (same again with aggressive timing). Worked great for about 2 weeks - only problem being a slipping clutch at peak boost in the high power map (to compliment my buggered LSD!). I even got talked into going to Willowbank; babied it off the line in fear of a dying clucth, ran 2.6 60ft, 13.8@109 (only just getting into 4th gear before the line - hence very poor use of the earlier gears).

Reloaded the 275 map and had no trouble for a couple of days and then the problem returned sporadically for a moment here and there over a couple of days and started to get worse and finally got that bad that now it is almost always off boost the whole time (this escalation effect also happened during the 2 weeks they tried fixing it).

In the last two days I have tried the following things:

- disconnected battery for 30mins and reloaded the CAPA map

- replaced old TPS with new one [Ford tech admitted the old ones had been superceded due to significant faults]

- pulled apart and cleaned the throttle body [had read these were the root of trouble sometimes]

- removed air filter and tried without

- checked the actuator arm to ensure it had tension

All of these things were useless. I have started speculating all sorts of things, with faulty O2 and/or knock sensors, and feel that there is possibly an ECU issue (ie the PCM is picking up some kind of read off a sensor and telling the motor to retard ignition and/or is unable to regulate boost with the actuator - whether this be a fault in the tuning parameters or a component I am not sure). Of interest, when I was testing the throttle body, in full accessories when placing your foot on the accelerator the boost solenoid is opening and closing like crazy even though the engine is not running.

It would be highly useful to have the ECU read in real time to see what the hell is going on and what errors are occuring. For now it would be very useful to understand a little more about the CAPA tuning parametres to know if something may be inputted that is incompatiable with a safety feature (if this is what the root of the problem is).

When this problem occured last time the tuner advised me that he had attempted to contact CAPA (Street Tuner) to gain some insight into possible ECU/tuning issues and yet it would appear that advice has not been forthcoming in view of the inconclusive fix employed the first time and the end result now being I have a dud of a vehicle to drive.

I really need some help/information and cannot afford to have my car sitting at a shop for weeks when no-one seems to know for sure what the problem is. Aside from the ECU side of things I am confident to remove and replace parts on my own. I am nearly thinking of driving to VIC or SA again in the hope someone there knows what the hell to do!

Joel.

[Adam]

I'm wondering if you've got a problem with the VCT system.

Has it had a full custom tune or is it just adjusted versions of the generic tunes?

If you've got the clicking boost solenoid issue then you don't have the latest tunes.

[kawerx]

maybe try an efi expert.it may take a couple of days.you need to take the car to them when it plays up.

does it play up on factory tune?

describe more about when it does it and what happens,how does it feel?

[Adam]

He couldn't try the factory tune with the bigger injectors.

[kawerx]

yeah your right.but I dont think its in the tune if it comes and goes?

when does it happen?

[NighEve]

It does it almost all the time now. That is, VERY unresponsive pedal (even in vacuum before boost comes in you need like 3/4 throttle just to move), then either very little or no boost, with occassional boost kicking in but then instantly breaking down with what seems to be like ignition dying (maybe).

[Adam]

Have you re-gapped the plugs?

[NighEve]

I am not sugesting the actual tune is a dud in terms of basic air/boost, fuel and ignition - I am more talking about some parametre perhaps that has been manipulated or one that has not been manipulated to be compatiable with these mods without cutting into some kind of error/fault (purely speculative ofcourse)

[kawerx]

How many kays?

what plugs?plug gap?

another member just han a similar problem with hid T.it would break down at about 2500-3000rpm as it came on boost.

ford diagnosed fuel pump,changed it,no differant.

turned out to be a coil pack.

check for damadged wires going to the coil packs.

[NighEve]

Yes plusg were regapped when I first got the Edit in december 2004. Since replaced the plugs again and regapped again (tuner checked these again to ensure this was out of the question)