Chips

[ErnieHillard]

I have been having some trouble with my 93SE, previews owner said he had the car boosted to 330hp. I think from reading that means it has a chip in it. Question is can i remove the chip and run the car to see if fixes my problem or will i have to take one chip out and replace it with a stock chip? I did not get a stock chip with the car.

Ernie

[Bibs]

You should run freescan and see if it offers you any error codes. Changing the chip may work, but it could be a multitude of other problems and you're wasting your cash unless you would prefer the stock chip anyway.

[Paul C]

Question is can i remove the chip and run the car to see if fixes my problem or

will i have to take one chip out and replace it with a stock chip?

ECU memcal needs a chip to work, so you will need either the one you have

or one to replace it. If you have a 300bhp chip then it replaced the original chip

so your only option to run without it is to find an original chip to take it's place.

Without a chip, the ECU (engine management) is an old GM Oldsmobile unit with

no brains to make it work, the chip alone makes it a Lotus Esprit ECU.

Try the scrapyards?

[Artie]

ECU memcal needs a chip to work, so you will need either the one you have

or one to replace it. If you have a 300bhp chip then it replaced the original chip

so your only option to run without it is to find an original chip to take it's place.

Without a chip, the ECU (engine management) is an old GM Oldsmobile unit with

no brains to make it work, the chip alone makes it a Lotus Esprit ECU.

Try the scrapyards?

What is the problem with the car? Replacing the chip with a stock chip may fix the problem but if it's a CEL then it's probably a component problem, ie map sensor, knock sensor, TPS etc.

ARtie

[Vulcan Grey]

If you can, find another Lotus SE owner nearby (try a club) and see if you can do a quick swap of the whole black ECU box. Or send your chip to Sanj to verify the memcal checksum.

The EEPROM (chip) is soldered into the MEMCAL (cartridge), which is plugged into the ECU (black box). You would have to get it unsoldered to replace it. Though you can swap MEMCAL cartridges easily, or the whole ECU box.

Did you ever check your plug wires? I have had to replace mine twice in 6 years of ownership... The heat and removing them from the plugs will damage them quickly.

I was away on a business trip, so I hadn't yet replied to your email, but I've looked a little at your Freescan data.

It looks like you are very lean at times around and after 100% Throttle. See O2 range on Dermots page

http://users.ox.ac.uk/~ohare/freescan.htm

SO you've said that you are smelling unburnt gas, but your O2 reading is very lean...

At partial throttle you are rich, and full throttle you are off the charts lean (@.004). I would not drive it until you get it figured out.

MAP looks to be working through the whole range

You have a highish knock count of 149, but it doesn't increase and doesn't trip a knock retard. I wouldn't worry about it, these engines do trip the knock sensor a bit.

I would focus on your coils, ECU MEMCAL, and spark wires. Try troubleshooting the injector driver circuit per the EMH manual, not too hard to do with a multimeter and a test light probe.

[ErnieHillard]

If you can, find another Lotus SE owner nearby (try a club) and see if you can do a quick swap of the whole black ECU box. Or send your chip to Sanj to verify the memcal checksum.

The EEPROM (chip) is soldered into the MEMCAL (cartridge), which is plugged into the ECU (black box). You would have to get it unsoldered to replace it. Though you can swap MEMCAL cartridges easily, or the whole ECU box.

Did you ever check your plug wires? I have had to replace mine twice in 6 years of ownership... The heat and removing them from the plugs will damage them quickly.

I was away on a business trip, so I hadn't yet replied to your email, but I've looked a little at your Freescan data.

It looks like you are very lean at times around and after 100% Throttle. See O2 range on Dermots page

http://users.ox.ac.uk/~ohare/freescan.htm

SO you've said that you are smelling unburnt gas, but your O2 reading is very lean...

At partial throttle you are rich, and full throttle you are off the charts lean (@.004). I would not drive it until you get it figured out.

MAP looks to be working through the whole range

You have a highish knock count of 149, but it doesn't increase and doesn't trip a knock retard. I wouldn't worry about it, these engines do trip the knock sensor a bit.

I would focus on your coils, ECU MEMCAL, and spark wires. Try troubleshooting the injector driver circuit per the EMH manual, not too hard to do with a multimeter and a test light probe.

I went to my local parts house looking for some plug wires with no luck. Anyone know what they cross reference to? I tried a quad4 HO with no luck.

[ErnieHillard]

Artie

SE is fouling spark plugs. It will run fine for a little while, then seems to go really rich with fuel and foul spark plugs. Not sure if it is going into a safe mode on the ecu and fouling plugs or what. I have changed MAP sensor, 02 sensor, fuel psi regulator, battery, and a ton of spark plugs. I will change coils and plug wires soon. Where is the best place to get wires, or who's to get? Anyone think of anything else to check?

Ernie

PS: Travis EMH manual??

[rens914]

I went to my local parts house looking for some plug wires with no luck. Anyone know what they cross reference to? I tried a quad4 HO with no luck.

Bought mine from a company called www.magnecor.co.uk

nice price top goods

have you checked your spark plugs. what colour are they. you can read a lot on the colour they are

i once changed the wires,coils and spark plugs and only at the end found the problem.

ended up with changing the fuel pressure valve wich is on top of the fuel rail.

rens

Edited December 3, 2006 by rens914

[ErnieHillard]

Bought mine from a company called www.magnecor.co.uk

nice price top goods

have you checked your spark plugs. what colour are they. you can read a lot on the colour they are

i once changed the wires,coils and spark plugs and only at the end found the problem.

ended up with changing the fuel pressure valve wich is on top of the fuel rail.

rens

Plugs are Black

[rens914]

Plugs are Black

all 4 of them ?

thats definitly not to lean

the coil pack is devided in 2

so if a coil is bad you should have 2 black spark plugs

both coils bad at the same time must be a wiring problem (not the leads)

Dont go changing the leads without checking first

you can have your leads tested at the coil and at the spark plug (it may drop a bit but not much)

have a check on your fuelpressure valve (on the end of your fuel rail)

there is a black drain coming out of the valve (runs to a T piece connection in the cilinderhead)

when you pull it of there shouldent be fuel coming out of it

If so change the valve.

car runs bad, black plugs ect.

welcome to the Klotus owners

greets Rens

[Vulcan Grey]

all 4 of them ?

thats definitly not to lean

the coil pack is devided in 2

so if a coil is bad you should have 2 black spark plugs

both coils bad at the same time must be a wiring problem (not the leads)

Dont go changing the leads without checking first

you can have your leads tested at the coil and at the spark plug (it may drop a bit but not much)

have a check on your fuelpressure valve (on the end of your fuel rail)

there is a black drain coming out of the valve (runs to a T piece connection in the cilinderhead)

when you pull it of there shouldent be fuel coming out of it

If so change the valve.

car runs bad, black plugs ect.

welcome to the Klotus owners

greets Rens

Woah! Of course fuel comes out of the return line to the fuel tank! That return line constantly flows fuel back to the tank to actively cool the fuel, keeps the heat from building too much in the rail. The regulator only maintains a set fuel pressure which rises with boost via the pressure feed on the other side of the fule pressure regulator membrane.

ALways depressurise the fuel system when working on any part of it, that includes running the fuel rail dry by unlugging the fuel pump fuse (while the car is running) and opening the fuel filler caps.

In Ernie's case he has rich fuel, but his ECU is indicating a lean condition upon full throttle.

IMO he needs to check the condition of his spark plug wires anyways (he has already seen that there is some spark, but I believe it is not enough). In my experience the wires do not last long.

Next he should see about checking his car with another ECU or MEMCAL. He has already replaced some of the sensors, such as the MAP and O2. Then last he should check the injector driver circuit and wiring...

[sanj]

Woah! Of course fuel comes out of the return line to the fuel tank! That return line constantly flows fuel back to the tank to actively cool the fuel, keeps the heat from building too much in the rail. The regulator only maintains a set fuel pressure which rises with boost via the pressure feed on the other side of the fule pressure regulator membrane.

I suspect he is referring to the pressure control hose (vacuum/boost) which controls the fuel pressure regulator.

Ernie, this is the small rubber hose which goes from the top of the fuel pressure regulator to a small tee on the intake manifold. If fuel comes out of this hose it means the regulator is shot. Even more commonly, this hose often gets a hole in it from being pinched between the fuel rail and the chargecooler. Without an intact hose, or with a leaky regulator, the engine will run rich at idle and lean under boost.

[sanj]

nm duplicate post

Edited December 4, 2006 by sanj

[Vulcan Grey]

I suspect he is referring to the pressure control hose (vacuum/boost) which controls the fuel pressure regulator.

Ernie, this is the small rubber hose which goes from the top of the fuel pressure regulator to a small tee on the intake manifold. If fuel comes out of this hose it means the regulator is shot. Even more commonly, this hose often gets a hole in it from being pinched between the fuel rail and the chargecooler. Without an intact hose, or with a leaky regulator, the engine will run rich at idle and lean under boost.

Ah I see Sanj. I've got to work on my reading comprehension.

[rens914]

Thats exactly what i ment

cost me a new coilpack new leads new sparkplugs befor i checked this out

greets Rens

[ErnieHillard]

I suspect he is referring to the pressure control hose (vacuum/boost) which controls the fuel pressure regulator.

Ernie, this is the small rubber hose which goes from the top of the fuel pressure regulator to a small tee on the intake manifold. If fuel comes out of this hose it means the regulator is shot. Even more commonly, this hose often gets a hole in it from being pinched between the fuel rail and the chargecooler. Without an intact hose, or with a leaky regulator, the engine will run rich at idle and lean under boost.

Sanj

I replaced the fuel pressure regulator and the line to the T over the weekend. I even took the sharter valve out of the fuel PSI regulator and hooked a gage to it. Looks like 45 to 47 psi idling. All 4 plugs are fouled black every time i try to drive it. Next i will get new coils and wires.

Ernie

Edited December 5, 2006 by ErnieHillard

[ErnieHillard]

Sanj

I replaced the fuel pressure regulator and the line to the T over the weekend. I even took the sharter valve out of the fuel PSI regulator and hooked a gage to it. Looks like 45 to 47 psi idling. All 4 plugs are fouled black every time i try to drive it. Next i will get new coils and wires.

Ernie

[/quote

Update!! Changed coils and plug wires this weekend with no luck my girl is still sick. I will be looking for a ECU (computer) to try next anyone have a spar I can try or can i send mine anywhere to have it tested?

Ernie

[Vulcan Grey]

Did you ever do a compression test or leak down?

[ErnieHillard]

Did you ever do a compression test or leak down?

I haven't checked compression or leak down, I will do this as soon as i can. How much compression should it have? I will open the throttle and let it pump the gage 4 hits or until it stops building pressure? I know everyone does it different. Thanks for the help! Should i get some more freescan info for you and anyone else who wants to look, I've made a ton of changes to the car trying to fix this maybe something will show up?

Ernie

PS what are some opinion's on me trading my 93SE in on a V8 Esprit??

[Vulcan Grey]

I haven't checked compression or leak down, I will do this as soon as i can. How much compression should it have? I will open the throttle and let it pump the gage 4 hits or until it stops building pressure? I know everyone does it different. Thanks for the help! Should i get some more freescan info for you and anyone else who wants to look, I've made a ton of changes to the car trying to fix this maybe something will show up?

Ernie

PS what are some opinion's on me trading my 93SE in on a V8 Esprit??

4-7 revolutions will usually build all the pressure., make sure you remove all the plugs to make it easier on the starter.

140psi minimum, though this goes down as you go up in altitude. so if you are above sealevel, you will need to adjust this. And yes, throttle open, ideally with a warm engine. If your engine is cold, you will get a little less. and if you want to isolate rings vs. valves you should do a leakdown test and you can add a teaspoon of oil to seal the rings to isolate the valves.

Yeah, you can always send freescan files.