CEL Code 44. Not as easy as you think (long)

[Forced4]

Ok, Here goes... I have a '91 GSX 5spd. It is dropping ignition at random. No actual misfire, in fact no fire at all. It will do this at any time, any speed. It will sometimes stop if I accelerate or decelerate, but sometimes, no. It usually kicks in if I am at a cruise speed(any mph) but not under harder accel. Sometimes it kicks in when I coast up to a light. This is when I seem to get the CEL most often. Again, code is 44 (ign signal failure) books say igniter, coils, plugs or plug wires. Ok, did that, all replaced with known working parts. Also replaced CAS and MAS with known working parts. I replaced the small wire harness on the coil pack and the O2 sensor. A small bit of history... 1 Coil had a hole burned through it. The harness on the coil pack had a cut in the insulation. The plug that connects to the igniter cracked and was replaced. The O2 was found bad when checking with MUT II tool (at Mitsu). Replaced, set all base idle/timing. The MAS was just a "had so lets try it thing", Oddly enough, I had about 700miles before it started up again(the longest yet). All other repairs lasted about 1 day then the car was back to it's old games. I pulled the ECU out and looked it over. No leaking capacitors(not EPROM anyway, so who cares) but sall connections, all wires, all items would appear to be just fine. Car starts fine, Idles fine, runs fine in every way untill the random chug. It feels like a old carburated car with low float levels when it bogs down from loss of fuel. ECU says code 44 is not fuel, Can a fuel issue cause the system to drop ignition? What else should I check? The damn thing won't act up with the MUT II plugged in, so I find no odd sensor readings. HEEELLLLP, PLEASE

 

[na90dsm]

try this if you didnt. other then that im clueless


http://www.slowboyracing.com/more.php?id=1917&

 

[Forced4]

I have put in 2 of those. That is the igniter according to the shop manual. But yes, it is the transistor pack, which I was going to call it in my post. Thanks for the input.

Rich
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[na90dsm]

are any pluygs loose, figured id ask. im stumped on this.

 

[Forced4]

I had the car running for about 20 minutes and I pushed / pulled, wiggled, and checked every plug I could get my hands on.

Thank you
Rich
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[Attack Eagle]

rich: is it pulling ignition on all 4 cylinders or just the center 2?

if just the center two, have you leak checked it...


I don't know if you remember but my car started going nuts after i got rid of some of the leaks but still had one big one. would do the same thing.

 

[Forced4]

I can't tell if it is all 4 cyl's. It just cuts out then goes again. It's like a series of burps in the engine. It doesn't die. but it's almost like flipping a light switch on/off/on/off/on/off/on then fine for a while.

By leak check, do you mean vac/boost leaks? Or are you talking about compression leakdown. I can tell you, since I started posting this issue, I noticed that the factory boost guage bobbles in vac when cruiising some times. I haven't been able to see if there is anything related to the CEL or the actual problem. I fear a vac leak is possible. I found one but I think I may have made it just before I found it. I think I'll go get a million feet of vac line and replace ALL of the hoses. FUN FUN FUN. Thanks for the help guys.

Rich
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[eclipsedriver]

i had the same problem tried replacing everything coil pack,powertrasistor,ISC,spark plugs,wires

looked at my ecu the CAPS looked fine until i pryed one up just a little and it had a smudge of gew leaking out put in new caps,problem went away,make absolutly sure its not your caps. i tried 2 different ecus both had leaking caps same probs i managed to fix the one ecu that didnt leak as much the other one i coudnt fix.when you caps go bad it will throw code 44 hope this helps.

 

[steve]

Problems with the capacitors doesn't always stick out like a sore thumb.

If you have original caps in your ECU you have a problem, period.

They all fail it's just a matter of time. Some leak and you can see it, some leak and the coating holds it under the caps until you remove them, some short and explode taking the rest of the ECU with them. The leaking ones are slowly eating the metal circuit traces and solder joints until they hit something that you'll notice because it doesn't work anymore.

Steve

 

[Forced4]

So I went out and searched around, Radio Shaq (haha) Does NOT have the right capacitors. They only have the 100mfd. So I go to Frye's Electronics, yeay, they have 2 of them and they are out of the third. About half the price of Radio Shed (I know still not funny). On the way home I did notice something, if you leave the windows rolledup too long after farting in your car, you get light headed. Sorry, Wrong Forum... Seriously, It started to cut out and I backed slightly off the throttle. It went from a rapid succession of "misses" to a slower paced succession. Now I wonder if throttle position is related to the issue. Can it be?

I am still gonna replace the caps, but Iwanted to post this info and see if that was any relation or if this is still what you guys experienced with the caps.

Thanks
Rich
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[defrag010]

Problems with the capacitors doesn't always stick out like a sore thumb.

If you have original caps in your ECU you have a problem, period.

They all fail it's just a matter of time. Some leak and you can see it, soem leak and the coating holds it under the caps until you remove them, some short and explode taking the rest of the ECU with them. The leaking ones are slowly eating the metal circuit traces and solder joints until they hit something that you'll notice because it doesn't work anymore.

Steve

forced4, I'd be willing to bet your problem will go away if you replace your ECU with a rebuilt or perfectly working one.

 

[Forced4]

I put in new caps last night and cleaned the hell out of it. Oh yea, it looked ok the first time I took it out, but last night it was OH SO OBVIOUS. Anyway, I replaced the caps and put it back in. Not feeling to confident after all the other things that didn't work, but were DEFINITE problems, I turned the key... It started, WOO-HOO! So I drive to work today, no sign of problem. I drive home, again, no sign of problem. Other things appeared to work for a day or so and I only hope I am done with this so I can put money where I need it.

Thanks to all that helped.

Rich
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Update:
This morning the car is back to her old self again. Once again, the repair worked for 2 days. Everything works for 2 days. Do I have to jsut rip into it every FRIGGIN 2 days so I can drive thie F'N thing?!

Any other Ideas?

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[The Avengence]

i have the same problem. i replaced all the ignition stuff and i just replaced the caps on the ecu, but that didnt solve my problem either. in this thread (http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156884&highlight=CEL+code) theyre talking about the crank angle sensor being the possible suspect of the problem. check it out man

Later,
Josh

 

[AndrewD5418]

I have the same problem sort of like this. There are NO drivability issues as I can see. However I do not get the code 44... I get 36, which is supposedly only for the 1.8 liter.. WTF?

 

[EGLTAWLN]

okay now it's my turn to deal with cel 44.
when the sputter/studder happens, my wideband goes to 20-22.
and it won't go back to 14 until the random problem cures itself.
if i rev the engine a few times in neutral, it seems to help clear up the stutter.
but if it's stuttering and i rev it, it just sounds sick like there barely any spark or fuel.
when it's been doing it at idle for a long time, i got under the hood and wiggled the plug going to the power transistor and IMMEDIATLEY it stopped chugging.
so i replace the power transistor and that fixed it for a couple days.
i'm starting to think this problem may lie in the wiring harness. like maybe a corroded connector that needs to be cleaned or replaced.
i havent' checked my computer caps yet, but they were replaced and seemed to work fine after.
i am planning to cut off the plug that goes to the power transistor and put a newer one back on it.
i'll let you know if it works.
cel 44 is like chasing a ghost.