Backfire Issue - ECU+ settings the issue?

[TSi96drvr]

I bought this car off of someone who apparently knew their stuff. However, this thing backfires almost every time the car is at idle and I give it some gas and get off it. I know it's running rich, and that could be the issue, buut I'd like to get some ideas on what to adjust on my ECU+, if anything.

No, I do not have a wideband. I ordered it yesterday and it will be installed by next week. I have an A/F gauge and it's almost always reading rich.

Thanks for your opinions.

<a href="http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n235/TheAbortioner/?action=view&current=screen1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n235/TheAbortioner/screen1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n235/TheAbortioner/?action=view&current=screen2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n235/TheAbortioner/screen2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
<a href="http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n235/TheAbortioner/?action=view&current=screen3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n235/TheAbortioner/screen3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
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you can see the backfire in this shot...
<a href="http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n235/TheAbortioner/?action=view&current=backfireecuplus.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n235/TheAbortioner/backfireecuplus.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[We're on Boost]

Hmm, well it looks very strange that your timing is at dead flat 0 for the first second or so in the window. I've never seen mine drop below about 7 or 8 degrees and it's always jogging around a little, not a perfectly smooth line. Then around 12 seconds the injector duty cycle jumps to 100%, that can't be right, and it doesn't jive with pulse width or anything else shown there.

Then I see the firmware version is 0.98 and I know the latest black box software was called 0.99
It could be that your ecu+ windows and firmware versions are out of sync. That could happen because they are separate installs. When you go help, about, to see the software version, what does it say?

Is this a loud backfire or just more of a stumble?

Gary

 

[TSi96drvr]

This software is .99 on my laptop ..

Oh, the backfire is incredibly loud... very obnoxious.

 

[ndsti]

sent you a PM

 

[Barracuda]

The timing window seems very odd. It shouldn't reach 25 degrees at idle. As I look at it, it seems more like an electrical problem than mechanical. If I were you I'd check few things.

Update ECU+ Firmware
Check ECU+ wire connections one by one (this is PITA, i know)
Check your fuel trims in ECU+ (OBD -> Information) STFT and LTFT should be (or close) 0%

 

[TSi96drvr]

The odd timing would explain why at cooler temps and during start-up it would backfire... loudly...

How do I upgrade the firmware to the box (I have black, not silver).. I updated my software on this laptop, but the firmware on the machine??

I don't think the black box has OBD -> Information.. maybe that's only for silver box?

 

[We're on Boost]

Actually the 25 degree timing at that cursor position is just about right because the engine rpm is 1839 and the load is Low. I just checked one of my logs to see what my timing is under the same conditions and it was about 25 degrees or even a few degrees more. And whaddya know my coolant temp at that time was 147 degrees so I was warming up, about 240 seconds after a 71 degree cold start, probably similar to what you were doing. Love that engine monitor window kuz you can tell everything that's going on at the cursor position without having every single other window up. If you were warmed up and idling down at 800rpm or so, then your timing should be about 8 degrees, or at least that's what I see on mine.
The timing that looks wrong is the dead flat 0 degrees. I guess I should volunteer to look at your whole log. I'll pm you my email adress so you can email me back 1 or 2 of your log files. I can install v0.99 on my desktop computer and run your logs.
Here is the web page where you download the zip file that has everything for your black box and computer, and the manual.
The ECU+ [Black Box ECU+ Downloads]

I actually looked in the zip file and read parts of the manual and read the "changelog.txt" which is a record of all the changes that made 99 different from the previous version. If you want to read the changelog use "open with" and open it with Wordpad. Otherwise, in Notepad it just looks like a mess. This is all real good stuff, I love the manuals and documentation that Tom Collins does. One thing that was not clear though, was if the firmware changed for 99. I think you should email Tom Collins and ask him if the firmware version 98 is the correct firmware for the final black box release 99 or if he thinks you should re-install the firmware.
There are other possibilities - check out 10.1.2 (glitches) for example in the manual. You could try it once just to see if it makes any difference. Oh, hey, does it backfire and act stupid only when you are logging? or does it do the same stuff when you are not logging? The 0 degree timing and the 100% injector duty cycle look like glitches to me. Another thing they could be, since they are such short duration, is spikes in the output of something or other. I say something or other because it's probably not the ecuplus. I am getting strange spikes in some of my data right now and it's from a bad ecu, not the ecuplus. I have one ecu that works perfect and another ecu that puts out spikes after it gets warm.

Tom Collins is at [email protected]
He's got several email addresses so if that one doesn't work, let me know and I'll give you a different one!

If you are using a serial to USB adapter going into your laptop, there is a particular one that Tom says works the best - another possibility. If your laptop actually has a serial port on it, it is probably a little old and might be slow - glitch possibilities there.

Gary

 

[TSi96drvr]

Thanks, Boost...

Update: I have been emailing Tom back and for regarding a few things ...

1. He is helping me upgrade the firmware..
2. The usb to serial adapater is great, but he gave me new drivers, so that should fix bluescreens.
3. He noticed that my screenshot with the CAS was set for 95-96... I have in my mods that I have the 1g conversion for the CAS done, and this was never changed in the tool - and I didn't even notice it.. Thanks tom, once again...


It does backfire all the time, regardless of logging...

I still get the P1105 code even though I have tested it by doing a vacuum test with car running then running power to it to see if it stops...

Boost, i will email you a newer log after I switch the sensor settings, upgrade the firmware and actually be able to make a change without a bluescreen.

Thanks for the help - I really appreciate it.

 

[We're on Boost]

Hey that sounds great. I'm glad you are getting help from Tom.
What is the deal with the firmware anyway? I looked in the manual for instructions on how to update the firmware and I couldn't find it in there! Did he say that your firmware version should be 0.99?

I'll pm you my email address later today if I get a chance.

Gary

 

[TSi96drvr]

yeah, there isn't anything in the manual as far as upgrading the firmware ... It's best to go directly to Tom for that.. he was very helpful and I jsut got inside after upgrading the drivers for the cable (I was getting blue screens) .. and after updating the firmware ... Oh, and I also changed the setting to 90-94 CAS setting instead of the 95-96...

I have my downpipe off and am looking to get the wideband installed either today or tomorrow, so after that's back on, i'll turn her over and get some better readings.

and if none of this helps

 

[We're on Boost]

Wow, I didn't notice the 1g CAS conversion. That could be just about the whole enchilada right there!
Is the firmware in the zip file that you download? Was it just the install instructions for it that you needed from Tom?
From the manual, it kinda looks like the black box doesn't have OBD logging, so I guess you won't be able to log the mitsubishi knock sum number. BUT, I think you have a couple of high impedence analog inputs that are available for 0 to 5 volt devices. One of them you might use to log your wideband. But the other one, I bet you could tap into the wire in the harness that comes from the knock sensor and log the knock sensor voltage. You should check with Tom when you get a chance, ask him if that will work. If you do that, I can send you some logs where I logged knock sensor voltage and knock sum simultaneously - that way you can get a handle on how sensor voltage translates into knock sum. Otherwise you won't know how much voltage is bad. Or else look into one of the inexpensive loggers that will log knock sum and all the other OBD stuff too, like ISC steps, O2 trim, get trouble codes, clear trouble codes, all that stuff. I think. I haven't looked at those for a while.

Gary

 

[TSi96drvr]

The silverbox has OBD logging - black does not

I got the files and instructions from Tom... The files downloaded from his site were for the software, and not the firmware.

I installed the bung yesterday, and if it stops raining, I will finish the wideband install today and tie it into the ECU+...

I was thinking about getting an OBDII logger - just need to get the OBD > USB converter and download some software for it...

 

[Barracuda]

Just remember that ECU+ "steals" the OBD signal. You'll have to make some wiring if you want to use a logger connected to obd port.

Then again, I'm not sure about the black box Ask Tom!

 

[TSi96drvr]

Ok, I think I got the backfiring issue worked out... I switched the setting on for the CAS and that worked... at least for now.... I will do more testing when I have time.. Just have to do a few runs, get some data and see what needs to be edited.

 

[We're on Boost]

Very good!