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ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 10:26 pm
by cynner
This issue has been haunting me for a while...

For a number of months my ECU data scan would drop into negative learned ignition timing off throttle... initially around -1.5. Then a while later it was showing -3 off throttle, then very occasionally -3 under light throttle.

Since replacing my fuel pump and turbo with a TD05-18g (maybe coincidence), I found a few times it dropped into -6 and later -11 degrees of timing at light throttle (at this point the car was not driveable). I had to reset the ECU and things would be OK for a while (not ideal I know).

I then replaced the ECU data scan and got a BtSsm - gives me a little bit more data to log.

I was noticing FKC at around -3psi, light accelleration, 0.97 load, 2000rpm. I could bring on the knock by changing gears a little early into 3rd and increasing the throttle to try and get it up to atmosphere/0psi.

So I started troubleshooting the knock:
- mechanic confirmed it's actual knock/pinging with knock ears on the block
- Matt (tuner) tried pulling heaps of timing out, made no difference
- vacuum leaks checked (turbo inlet pipe a little loose - fixed)
- found a cracked breather hose - replaced
- inspected PCV valve - functions ok
- boost leak tested system - all good
- pressure tested exhaust system (turbo up-pipe gasket leaking - fixed)
- cleaned MAF sensor
- checked and cleaned o2 sensors
- had rear o2 sensor disabled in test tune - made no difference
- had wastegate set to 0 in tune to rule out wastegate chatter
- had fuel pressure tested (DW65C fuel pump relatively new - all ok)
- had turbo fitment checked (Blouch TD05 18g fitted recently - all ok)
- had heaps of timing pulled from the tune - made no difference

After all this was done, not a bit of difference :(

However, Matt (tuner) noticed that pretty much every time the knock occurred – the "time (ms)" in the log file hung for sometimes up to 1.8 seconds. Matt suspects the ECU is hanging, maybe due to something shorting out, who knows. And this hang would cause timing and fuelling to lag, which would cause the knock.

Here's a log with knock in a few places - http://www.datazap.me/u/cynner/ecu-drop ... 5-21-23-24 (you'll need to view time(ms) separately as the values are so high it flattens the graph).

Has anyone seen this kind of thing before? Would the ECU be hanging because it is processing the knock and working to correct? Or would it be hanging because of an electrical issue, which is then causing the knock? (which comes first?)

My next step is to check the spark plugs...

Just posting here hoping someone might have some bright ideas? :?

Kim

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 9:11 am
by bigBADbenny
I know you've ruled it out, but my Pierburg on the custom bracket rattled like mad!

I made a 360 x 360 soft rubber isolation mount for it and loosely ziptied it to the custom mount, making sure none of the plugs or leads were touching either.

I'm extremely careful to have absolutely everything in the engine bay rattle and resonance free.
Especially any covers.
Its a tinfoil hat thing for sure but it works for me.

As per my PM I'll post over my Listen-Up remote mic so you can listen to the noises yourself.

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:07 pm
by KiDo_Tuning
Here we go. Notice how it randomly drops out, then when spark resumes, its instantly starting to pull timing

15.4 AFR's on resume is 1.3 AFR leaner than it was before it dropped out

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:34 pm
by dr20t
Matt remember my ecu was having the same problems with the feedback dropout?

Any chance this has to do with calculated engine torque patch?

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:46 pm
by KiDo_Tuning
dr20t wrote:Matt remember my ecu was having the same problems with the feedback dropout?

Any chance this has to do with calculated engine torque patch?


Its stock values. I ahve also seen it in 3 stock cars(never been tuned and they still are untuned, they were that bad) and Kekotic also had it. I dont remember what he did to fix it but from memory, he had an OBD2 port issue

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:49 pm
by Robbks
Can you patch the ECU to flash a dash light when it knocks?
so that you can monitor it without anything in the OBD port?

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:51 pm
by cynner
Did you end up working out what was causing this in yours dr20t?

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 4:01 pm
by THE SpecB
Robbks wrote:Can you patch the ECU to flash a dash light when it knocks?
so that you can monitor it without anything in the OBD port?


Matt can do this I'm sure ..

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 4:28 pm
by bigBADbenny
OT but btSsm has an auto knock logging feature.
The intent for the feature has been refined.
I'll post some examples soon :)

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 3:56 pm
by cynner
Just an update...

I'm suspecting that the ECU is not actually dropping out... it is simply lagging a little when the extra knock "data" is sent to the ODB - probably because I'm logging too many fields. I've tried lowering the monitoring to just boost and KCA and the ECU/logging drops out far less.

I've also replaced the knock sensor and spark plugs, which made no difference. As well as testing another MAF sensor and o2 sensor, which also made no difference.

Not sure where to go from here... :(

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 10:40 pm
by norbs
Could be a comms. issue. Have you tried a laptop with cable? Also have you tried a stock or last known working tune? Or is this happening even on the stock tune? I once had a strange issue where I wasn't getting any values in learning view and car was just running odd. Somehow my ROM was corrupted. So I used original stock map and copied/pasted all the modified tables from the latest tune into the original and flashed it. Voila, car ran perfect and LV was back. I'm sure Matt can check this though.

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 9:00 pm
by cynner
Loaded a stock tune (Matt tweaked it slightly to accommodate for the 3-port and bigger TMIC). IAM dropped to 0.5 very quickly, and I was still able to get it to knock at roughly the same spots (a bit harder to knock due to the IAM). So I think that confirms it's not a tune issue...

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 10:33 pm
by dr20t
Check your ocv and avcs cam gears for noise?

Perhaps worth smoke testing it for air leak somewhere in the inlet tract (maybe a crack in inlet manifold or one of the pipes etc that may be causing it to run lean then knock)

Throttle body? Throttle tip in? Fuel regulator? Fuel dampener?

Dirty fuel filter or fuel leak at the cradle (missing o-ring)??

Throwing ideas your way to try to assist

Mick

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 11:22 pm
by cynner
Thanks for the ideas. Hmm, had fuel pressure tested - that would rule out regulator/o-ring leak...?

Had the car tested for boost leaks (not smoke test though, pressure test) - that would find crack in the inlet manifold?

Might get the fuel pump/filter inspected, just in case the filter sock has fallen off or something...

Re: ECU hangs then knocks

PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 6:16 am
by dr20t
Worth a look to see if its impeding flow

And yes smoke test will reveal any intake tract leaks

Do you have a wideband gauge and can log what's happening with afr's properly when you roll on the throttle

Check other things too like loose heat shield (unlikely due to the knock being replicatable and constant but worth a look)

Check fuel injectors. Good way to check is use the jack handle in your boot (underside of the boot tray). Put the flat end on the injector and the round end to your ear. Check each injector seperately. You should hear slight wooshing and faint ticking being the injector pulsating. If you hear one or more being noisier than another then could be a dead injector causing lean out and knock. Injector cleaner may work to unstick it if its just stuck but otherwise may need to be replaced

Good luck

Mick