Cast a beady eye

[Gjk]

Please can I ask all the gifted people on this forum to have a look at the freescan download from my 1991 turbo SE.

I am lead to believe that the car may have possibly been chipped by a PO but I have no evidence to prove this within the cars history. The wastegate actuation is a little late and the MAP is at max voltage and the vehicle is running a little lean at high boost.

I am a complete novice when it comes to this area of esprit ownership, so all comments are great fully appreciated and thanks in advance.

cheers

grahame.

data number two.csv

P.s it all starts to happen around the 2900 count.

[Chillidoggy]

I’m pretty sure that Freescan will reveal what kind of code is fitted, but you’d have to look at the instruction manual as I can’t remember how it’s done, unless someone comes along who knows.

[jonwat]

6 hours ago, Gjk said:

I am lead to believe that the car may have possibly been chipped by a PO but I have no evidence to prove this within the cars history. 

Lotus place a seal on the back of the chip so if it's been disturbed then there's a good chance it's been chipped 

[Gjk]

Thanks Ian, the only thing I could find in the freescan was the EPROM ID. Firstly I’m not sure if this is what you meant and secondly I don’t know if this would suggest a chip has been fitted.

Thanks John, I will do a bit of investigation tomorrow.

I have been informed that if I run espritmon I will be able to interrogate the ecu and get a more in-depth picture of what is going on. As I’m a complete novice to this it should be very interesting.

[Chillidoggy]

Yes, that's what I meant. I suspect the chip to which you refer might be the EPROM. I know there are different number codes for different ones.

Regarding the log, there's some knock retard going on that I haven't seen on any of my own scans, and as the boost should be around 0.8 or so maximum for an SE (I'm guessing), there are also quite a few MAP readings at 100% throttle which exceed that figure (2.24 absolute). Unless something else in the boost control department is not working, it's possible someone has replaced the original EPROM. The only way to be sure is to take the lid off the ECU and have a butchers.

[drdoom]

By way of recollection I believe the SE was set up to boost levels in the vicinity of 1 BAR for up to 30-odd seconds, or until charge cooler temps rose to the safe maximum. Outcome was 280 BHP in bursts, 264 at stable maximum at which point boost was perhaps stabilised at 0.8?

 

[tomcattom]

If you post the EEPROM ID on here @sailorbob can probably tell you if its the OE code or a modified (PUK?) chip running in it. Not sure if the Freescan allows you to dump the EEPROM code, but if you use Espritmon you can certainly dump the code and he can probably even tell you what the differences from stock are, assuming he has a copy of the OE EEPROM.

[Gjk]

I will run a freescan and get the EPROM ID and post. If my spine lets me I’ll take the cover off the ecu and have a look.

I did read somewhere that the SE ecu did allow overboost for approximately 30 seconds or so resulting in brief periods of approx 280bhp - apparently for overtaking! Having said that if knock was also detected then something is amiss.

I will try espritmon if I can get it up and running.

thank you for all your responses guys 🙏

[Gjk]

 

I found this in the service notes. It doesn’t actually say that 280bhp will be reached but higher boost pressure for a short period plus the ecu will control if knock is sensed.

(wish I knew how to crop the page)

[jonwat]

Performance Chips for 4-Cylinder GM Fuel-Injection Esprits

As well as detailing what's available gives info on boost & power outputs 

[Gjk]

Cheers John.

I found the service manual extract with rooting around waiting for the rain to stop!

I’m going to go and get the EPROM ID from freescan and I’ll post it here.

like @Chillidoggy said, I need to have a butchers at the ecu, to probably be sure as to what chip is fitted.

as the roads are now wet here I am going to chicken out of any high boost, wide open throttle runs today (TBS) too bloody scary!

[Chillidoggy]

When dabbling in Chipland, be aware of the limitation of the Lotus MAP sensor to read boost pressure above 1 bar.

[Gjk]

Cheers, noted. Don’t suppose there’s a higher rated map sensor available that will plug and play?

I have the EPROM ID from freescan, it is

0D29 (zero Delta two nine)

I'm thinking this is not a lotus I.d?

[jonwat]

1 hour ago, Gjk said:

like @Chillidoggy said, I need to have a butchers at the ecu, to probably be sure as to what chip is fitted.

Not necessarily, if new instructions have been burnt into the original chip that's what it'll say it is 

[Chillidoggy]

2 hours ago, Gjk said:

Cheers, noted. Don’t suppose there’s a higher rated map sensor available that will plug and play?

I have the EPROM ID from freescan, it is

0D29 (zero Delta two nine)

I'm thinking this is not a lotus I.d?

The ECU cannot read MAP higher than 1 bar.

I was sure there was a list of numbers on here somewhere, but I can’t find it. I don’t know what 0D29 is, sorry.

[Gjk]

Didn’t realise the ecu couldn’t read map higher than 1bar, bit of a short fall in the ecu I reckon!

I hoping @sailorbob can shed some light on the EPROM ID code.

Not having any luck with espritmon either.

[fjmuurling]

EPROM ID Code 0D29 (3369 in decimal) is one of the version Lotus used for the Turbo SE.

 

[Chillidoggy]

5 hours ago, Gjk said:

Didn’t realise the ecu couldn’t read map higher than 1bar, bit of a short fall in the ecu I reckon!

I hoping @sailorbob can shed some light on the EPROM ID code.

Not having any luck with espritmon either.

I wonder whether Lotus never intended higher boosts to be used to prevent engine damage. 

[Gjk]

There could be some truth in that. I think that when launched the SE beat both Porsche and Ferrari’s offerings at the time. So maybe the thoughts were why make it any more powerful!

[Chillidoggy]

Just now, Gjk said:

There could be some truth in that. I think that when launched the SE beat both Porsche and Ferrari’s offerings at the time. So maybe the thoughts were why make it any more powerful!

Could be.

1 bar of boost is high for an engine that was designed so long ago, a testament to Lotus that they manage to stay in one piece.

[Gjk]

All the esprit series of engines are (what I truly believe to be) good engine’s. They were derived from race knowledge. Yes, for sure there will be limitations but most engine’s should be able to handle a lot more than when it left the factory (at the cost of reliability sometimes) in terms of modification. Obviously the limits can be exceeded, but sensible modification should be well within the engine’s capability.

this is only a personal view on modifying and not gospel!