Engine Performance This section is for discussion on all engine building related questions.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: KPower

New build, motor starts but won't stay running

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-01-2013, 07:43 PM
  #1  
Newb
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
frumby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 26
Total Cats: -1
Default New build, motor starts but won't stay running

Sorry for the nubular thread. With three little kids running around, and a full time job etc I'm lucky to get out to the garage let alone trouble shoot!

New build. Eagle rods, weisco pistons. FM2. New DIYPNP from a member here. He was running well with ID1000's, and most stuff basically the same as me, so it should at least run a bit.

It primes, starts, and then leans out and dies. It dies more quickly if I'm on the throttle at all. The only way to keep it going or build any revs is to pump the gas pedal.

Gas has been in the tank a while, I'm sure it's not great, but I don't think that can be the problem. Could be a fuel filter, but why would it start like that and the accelerator 'pump' seems to supply fuel.

Any ideas?

Happy 2013!
frumby is offline  
Old 01-01-2013, 09:10 PM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
Miater's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Arl. Texas
Posts: 936
Total Cats: 27
Default

Your goin to have to pull the laptop out and do some sort of tunning. I'm sure the cranking tune is good enough but the after start and idle tune is made for a differant motor. Plug and play is very relative when u buy it from another Miata owner.
Miater is offline  
Old 01-01-2013, 09:58 PM
  #3  
Newb
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
frumby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 26
Total Cats: -1
Default

Ok, thanks. I'm absolutely new to tuning. The way it's acting is so extreme. Almost like its getting no fuel at all other than starting prime (and when I pump the pedal). I'll go in and richen up some values and see.
frumby is offline  
Old 01-01-2013, 10:27 PM
  #4  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,026
Total Cats: 6,592
Default

Either:

The req fuel value you have entered is inappropriate for your injectors,

Your VE table is way too lean in the idle region,

Your afterstart enrichment / warmup values are too low, or

Your timing is way off.

First start with a new ECU always takes a bit of coarse fidgeting to get it stable.
Joe Perez is offline  
Old 01-01-2013, 10:37 PM
  #5  
Elite Member
iTrader: (11)
 
miatauser884's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,959
Total Cats: 11
Default

Also check the IAC startup table. You may have to increase the initial step value since your setup will be slightly different, and it may have been tuned for warmer weather. I'm assuming you are running closed loop.
miatauser884 is offline  
Old 01-01-2013, 10:56 PM
  #6  
Boost Pope
iTrader: (8)
 
Joe Perez's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Chicago. (The less-murder part.)
Posts: 33,026
Total Cats: 6,592
Default

Good point- until everything else is at least close to being correct, it can be helpful to change the idle mode to "PWM Warmup" and just key in some duty cycles in the neighborhood of 40-50%, just to get the IAC valve stable while you work on everything else. Closed-loop idle will get wacky if the fuel and ignition are way off.
Joe Perez is offline  
Old 01-02-2013, 03:19 AM
  #7  
Cpt. Slow
iTrader: (25)
 
curly's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Oregon City, OR
Posts: 14,181
Total Cats: 1,131
Default

Can you jump FP and GND and see if that changes anything?

Also, check the vacuum lines to the fuel pressure regulator. If you place your MAP line there, make sure it's t'd, and not stealing all the FPR's vacuum
curly is offline  
Old 01-03-2013, 04:37 PM
  #8  
Newb
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
frumby's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 26
Total Cats: -1
Default

Alright, I'm also going to throw this in the MS EMS part of the forum. With the addition of a proper AIT sensor (GM), getting it running enough to get an initial time on it (10deg), and going to PWM warmup mode for the idle, I've managed to keep the car running long enough to warmup completely. It idles.. sort of.
If I step on the accelerator at all (just a bit or all the way or anywhere inbetween) it richens up and revs for just a moment, then the WB shows it running to full lean and it dies (like two seconds). It reacts the same no matter what the coolant temperature is.
My goal here is to get it to work even just a little bit. And I'm at the 'completely new and pretty much clueless' stage of tuning. I have a little bit of sense though, so here's what I tried: 1/ Could it be reading incorrect manifold pressure? Unplug the vacuum hose, engine quits. Apparently that's working, and it should be since the ecu came off a working car. 2/ Add fuel to VE1. I selected all and increased in increments of 10. The mixture richened, and now it 'idles' at 2000 rpm and 12.0 AFR. Didn't make a difference when I tried to rev the motor. AFR goes to 18+ and it dies. You can feel it take the acceleration enrichment and right after that the pedal feels dead (motor doesn't react to it).

Thoughts: The VE table certainly will need tuning for this car, but I don't think that's the problem. Likewise with timing and IAT temperature. TPS has been calibrated. I probably need to mess with that again as I turned the screw on the throttle body, but it works. Probably not the problem. Fuel filter: Could be, but it runs and gets gas. A clogged filter might mess with things, but it would be more likely under load. Plus, the motor reacts the same if I even just crack the throttle.

Fuel pressure: I'm a little unclear how this is working. It's a 94 with a 99 engine, so I'm using the 99 rail and the 94 fuel pressure thing turned upside down on the end of the rail. Should work.

This whole damn thing is complicated by a military move that is taking me to HI (from Washington state)... Sunday. It will suck to leave this car parked for years.

Anyone know anyone in Seattle that knows miatas and how to deal with MS?
frumby is offline  
Old 01-03-2013, 05:00 PM
  #9  
Supporting Vendor
iTrader: (1)
 
turbofan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Lake Forest, CA
Posts: 7,951
Total Cats: 1,004
Default

I don't have anything to add other than sympathy for your frustration with suddenly having to move. Good luck!!
__________________
Ed@949Racing/Supermiata
www.949racing.com
www.supermiata.com
turbofan is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
elesjuan
Build Threads
9
11-14-2018 12:18 PM
chrisn
Race Prep
27
10-16-2015 05:12 PM
whinin
MEGAsquirt
0
09-15-2015 08:37 PM
eunosgippa
MEGAsquirt
0
09-09-2015 05:19 PM
ProjectDDoS
Build Threads
1
09-09-2015 01:52 PM



Quick Reply: New build, motor starts but won't stay running



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:10 AM.