1990 Talon TSI Code 0044

[Strobe]

Code 0044 Ignition Circuit Malfunction


Hi, have been reasearching my issues for some time now, and the threads related to mine havn't had many resolutions, or the same symptons as far as I can tell. When I'm driving, the car will be running fine, usually after about a half hour it will bog out on power. When in neutral and idling (at about 500rpm at this point) if I step on the gas it won't want to rev any more that about 3500 and it builds boost in neutral with no load. When it is running like this, my AFR guage shows 18 (max) Then I shut my car off for 10 mins or so, it will fire back up run normally again while driving for say another 10 minutes. I thought I had it fixed today, found my number 4 on coil was corroded, so cleaned it out and tested the primary and secondary for resistance, was in spec, also someone had wires all in backwards.... WTF instead of 4-1-2-3 they were wired in 1-4-3-2, I have been driving it like that for a couple months with no problems until now. So I changed to MSD 8.5mm wires as my old ones are shot, checked and gapped ngkbrp6es plugs to .26mil. I pulled my ECU to look at it, it was sent to ecmlink for the ecmlink chip less than a year ago, it all looks shiny brand new... Have done BLT, found a small leak on BOV above 10psi (new one on the way). Am fairly frustrated at this point but don't want to just start changing lots of parts that don't need changing. Have 2 logs from today if this helps. In the breakdown one you can see everything falls on its face halfway through log. I'm new to tuning and trying to learn.
Thanks in advance

 

[92AWDHX40]

Well what code is that anyway?

 

[Strobe]

^^ Wrote it up top now, thanks for the reminder haha whoops...

 

[92AWDHX40]

So you have a igniton switch problem, from the code, i never had one of those, the hole still may cause a problem in the bov area.

 

[Strobe]

You really think a boost least will cause intermittent problems like that? That would be an easy fix...

 

[92AWDHX40]

I would fix it anyway, i fix all my bl and it elminated some problems.

 

[pauleyman]

That code is not the ignition switch, it's a code for the coil. It also happens to be a common code recorded when an ecu goes bad. Not saying you have a bad ecu, just a point of reference. Given you just fixed a coil issue why don't you try clearing the code and see if it returns. For what it's worth your old spark plug sequence wasn't wrong. 1/4 and 2/3 are pairs of the same coil so either way it's the same. any combination of the first pair and the 2nd pair will work fine. If you want the wires to loom pretty it's 4123.
Given it won't rev go after that ignition circuit. I'm assuming when it malfunctions it idles poorly also. Give us some more feedback here. No that mild leak shouldn't cause these intermittent problems.

 

[Strobe]

Yes, it idles at about 500 rpm and it's rough. I will clear the code and take it for a drive later to see if maybe that's all it is. What I found very strange is that it builds like 7psi when I rev it, but it shows 18 on my afr guage so I don't want to wreck anything.

 

[Strobe]

Update, car has not broke down as of yet, but I have not taken it on a highway cruise yet, which is where I seem to have issues. I am going tonight to pick up a coil and a power transistor. Got my new BOV installed last night, no boost leaks now. I unbolted my muffler this morning just to see what would happen, and it gave me an extra 1.5 psi, just shows how restrictive that stock exhaust system really is. What I plan for my exhaust is tubular exhaust mani, 3" downpipe and a side exit exhaust on passenger side.