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Zetec startup issue - going lean after closed loop

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#21 ·
Well a vacuum leak would be unmetered air, lol.


I wonder if it'd be possible to make a vacuum tester, like the DSM guys do (sure others but that's the one most like to I think) ... http://www.vfaq.com/mods/ICtester.html
In our case a guy'd have to use larger parts, but same concept applies.



And I though you put a stock Ford tune on it already, read that wrong I guess. But $45 for a stock tune isn't bad at all. Least you have one now.
 
Discussion starter · #22 ·
lol - you say vacuum leak, I say unmetered air. :lol:

My current 'stock tune' is a FS tune I used a couple years back on another Focus. It's not 100% stock, but I've purchased a 100% stock tune from FS for only $35 (that'll be here hopefully tomorrow via email), so I can't complain. :thumbup:

I don't see why a 'vacuum tester' wouldn't work. It doesn't have to be put under a vacuum, rather you could just pressurize the whole intake tract with ~5psi of shop air and listen for leaks. I have a boost gauge so the pressure drop could be watched as well. The only issue would be leaks past the exhaust valves.
 
Discussion starter · #23 · (Edited)
I installed the 100% stock tune, but still the same crap. Starts clean, idles 5-10 secs, timing goes up, afr goes lean, idle starts stumbling, engine dies................ :mad:

I tried unplugging the IAC as well, but that just made it worse. So, I guess I can conclude the IAC is good.
 
Discussion starter · #25 ·
I've made zero progress with this problem over the past few weeks. I resorted to basically throwing all my spare racing parts at the issue. I've replaced the intake, throttle body, TPS, IAC, fuel rail, injectors, maf, reflashed the stock tune dozens of times. Nothing makes any difference.

I've even pulled the valve cover and double checked the cam timing. Thinking maybe a cam gear slipped, but no such luck.

I rarely receive any codes, but when I do it's P0000, P0443, P1401 & P1409. Most of these are EGR and/or DPFE related which makes sense because all that crap was removed years ago. The stock tune isn't happy with that I guess.

FSWerksVP said:
Try this. Flash the car again with the stock file. Start the car and right away hold the revs to 3k for around a minute. Get that sensor nice and hot and then let it come down to idle on it's own. See what that does.
Click to expand...
I tried this but I can't get it run long enough to get anything hot. I can get it to run for 15-20 secs and the whole time the AFR it bouncing between 13 - off the gauge lean, then eventually it dies.

I'm beyond frustrated and really am at a loss. It's probably something simple/stupid....
 
#28 · (Edited)
Didn't expect to hear that.


Honestly, I'm just out of ideas. I can make my car act as yours does, but yours can't seem to recover as mine does. Granted some of that is coming from it not running long enough to adjust. But still you'd think that back to stock it would know whats going on very quickly and come back to life.


Hopefully Randy knows but,
Could it be something Crankshaft Position Sensor related? Like the ECU isn't learning the profile or something ... or can you 'clock' the FW and mess up the location of TDC #1? (I assume there is a key/dowel but I haven't seen one in person)



*edit


Searched and found you ran a BAP. Could there be a wiring/resistance issue because of removing it? Maybe a loose wire or missed ground?
 
Discussion starter · #29 ·
FordFociSHO said:
Didn't expect to hear that.

Honestly, I'm just out of ideas. I can make my car act as yours does, but yours can't seem to recover as mine does. Granted some of that is coming from it not running long enough to adjust. But still you'd think that back to stock it would know whats going on very quickly and come back to life.

Hopefully Randy knows but,
Could it be something Crankshaft Position Sensor related? Like the ECU isn't learning the profile or something ... or can you 'clock' the FW and mess up the location of TDC #1? (I assume there is a key/dowel but I haven't seen one in person)
Click to expand...
If I remember correctly the FW can only be installed one way. There's no dowel but one of the holes is offset so the holes only line up one way. Maybe someone can verify if this is fact/fiction.

Along those same lines, my crank position sensor did get a little toasty from the turbo. Hot enough to melt the wiring and connector (which I have replaced with a OEM pigtail). I wonder if maybe the CPS was negatively affected as well?

FordFociSHO said:
*edit
Searched and found you ran a BAP. Could there be a wiring/resistance issue because of removing it? Maybe a loose wire or missed ground?
Click to expand...
To install the BAP I cut one single wire, then wired the BAP into the 'middle' of that connection. When I removed the BAP I just re-spliced the original wire. However, I'll check my connection just to be sure. When I turn on the key I'm getting ~40psi to the fuel rail and the pump 'sounds' fine.

I'm starting to think maybe it's a fuel pressure sensor issue (located on the feed side of the fuel rail). If that sensor was bad, do you think it could cause this??
 
#30 ·
i think my engine is doing the same thing here. intial start up its fine then after a min or to starts bogging down. I've replaced vac hoses sprayed carb cleaner looking for leaks and got nothing. i haven't tried this yet cause im doubt full but someone i work with said their car did the same thing and they changed a temp sensor.
 
Discussion starter · #31 ·
Well today I'm pretty sure I hit on the problem this afternoon. I had my son start the car and keep it running while I tried unplugging every sensor I could get my hands on. All of them made things worse EXCEPT when I unplugged the fuel pressure sensor on the fuel rail. With that unplugged the AFR went back to normal and she idles/runs like a dream. I'll be replacing that sensor and hopefully that'll be the end of the problem.
 
#33 ·
Cars been sitting for a few days, pulled the electrical connector to the FRPS, car wouldn't start. So I plugged it back in, started the car then unplugged it. Idled high for quite a while longer than normal, re-learning something I assume. Then I went for a spirited drive, runs a lot leaner but was more responsive, though kinda slower I think. Normally WOT I run around high 10:1 AFR and lean out to about 11.7:1. With it unplugged WOT I didn't go below 12:1 and top end I was almost Stoich.

I have to do some logging to see what changed though. Somethings goofy though for sure. I don't get why applying vacuum doesn't change the fuel pressure, it should. I don't get why it can't maintain the target Lambda set in the ECU for WOT (even on stock injectors I had a hard time).

All around I just don't like this dead head system.
Wondering though if the FRPS could be gummed up? You'd think injector cleaner would free it up some, but doesn't seem to be the case.

But my other though is the fuel pump and controller grounds. Maybe they need to be bigger or cleaned. Have to take a look later.
 
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SVT Mike
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