S13 Losing power under boost?! Help!

[jackmcinally]

Finally got a chance to check the car again. Took the afm trunk off and had a feel of the Turbo, it feels perfect, no noticeable play at all, and spins freely with no sound of rubbing! so if that seems like the Turbo is fine, then that's my biggest worry gone haha had a wee look for a lambda sensor at where the Turbo meets the exhaust, and I can't see anything. So I'm guessing there's not one there. Is there a chance this could just be caused by the exhaust leak coming off the Turbo? Because that'd be sweet haha. Got new genuine gaskets on the way.

I'm not sure how to check timing, but I'll try and do some research

[Dastardly]

You need a timing light to check it and a HT lead. You want plug the spark plug end on the spark plug and cut open the other end so it will sit in your coil pack. Then put your timing gun on it and point it at the crank pulley. There is some little cut outs on it and a pointer arrow. You'll have to look up which cut out you want because I can't remember lol.

[pointz]

You need a timing light to check it and a HT lead. You want plug the spark plug end on the spark plug and cut open the other end so it will sit in your coil pack. Then put your timing gun on it and point it at the crank pulley. There is some little cut outs on it and a pointer arrow. You'll have to look up which cut out you want because I can't remember lol.

2nd from the right


If i was in your position i would get the gaskets changed, pressure test all the intake pipework from turbo to throttle body (inc intercooler)

Then if the problem persists get the timing checked. Probably worth investing in a timing light anyway tbh i have used mine 100's of times!

[pointz]

Some guides for you that you can find in the "useful threads" section at the top of the tech s13 section!

Timing

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.p...highlight=cam=

http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&postid=707106

Ecu diagnostics
http://www.sxoc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?t=90347

[skyshack]

Simple check for timing.

Are the CAS bolts at about the middle of the slots?

Yes - probably OK +/- 2 degree.

No - Something very wrong and the list is long but means stripping the timing down until it's found.
Top belt cover not fitted on dowels correctly.
Broken 1/2 moon peg in cam nose (due to above)
CAS splines worn (ditto usually).
Cam splines worn (ditto).
Belt 1 tooth off.
Crank cam belt and accessory pulley key-way worn due to lose pulley.

(I usually forget one!)

[jackmcinally]

Awesome thanks guys. I'll have a look for a timing light tomorrow! And I'll check the rest of your suggestions :P

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Regards the lambda/non-lambda thing...

Prefacelift in the UK generally are non-lambda. Facelift are generally lambda. Anything in a 12 month period around the change over can be either.

You can spot a non-lambda because it has

- a 4-pin AFM
- an ecu stamped 23710-44Fxy where x is 0 for manual and 1 for auto and y is 0,1 or 2 denoting the software version. 0/1/2 are interchangeable. Some Euro cars have y as 7.
- no lambda
- a non-lambda wiring loom
- Copper plugs - BCPR6ES-11

You can spot a lambda because it has
- a 3-pin AFM
- an ecu stamped 23710-39Fx5 where x is 0 for manual and 1 for auto
- lambda fitted in exhaust elbow
- a lambda wiring loom
- a catalytic converter
- platinum plugs (FPR6A)

Converting between the two is not easy and not particularly valuable. You can remove the cat and the platinum plugs on their own and it just makes it a bit more difficult to get an MOT at some places.

So, about the chip. If its a genuine HD Stage 2 chip and its not been fried, it will be swappable into your ECU as long as the chip is for an auto and your car is an auto or both chip and car are manual.

To swap them, if the chipped ECU has been socketted, you just need to note which way round it is fitted (with the notch aligned) and pull out the chip. If its not socketted, you will need to get it unsoldered.

To do your ECU, its best to get the ECU socketted. Buy a 28-pin EPROM socket from Maplins for 99p and get your local TV repair man to remove the existing chip and solder in the socket. This should cost around £15.

You can then press in the chip, making sure you fit it the right way round.

Getting the ECU out is just a matter of removing the trim below the passenger door, removing the kick panel on the passenger side and unscrewing two 10mm bolts then undoing the 10mm screw holding the big blue connector on.

All of this has been covered before in old threads.

[skyshack]

unscrewing two 10mm bolts

Then using lots of profane language as the top bolt jumps down the A pillar and into the sill below.

[jackmcinally]

Cheers for all that Jonny Wilkinson. I think I'll just buy an H-Dev Stage 2 chip to be safe, as I inspected the one from the 'stage 2 ecu' today, and it just looks like an eBay job. Doesn't say Horsham anywhere, just says Turbo-something (the sticker is half ripped off). As for making sure I get the chip in the right way - how do I determine what the right way is? and if it's put in the wrong way, will it cause huge problems? or can I just take it out and swap it round the other way?

Sorry for all the questions, I just don't have a clue about this stuff yet haha.

[pointz]

Turbonoz???

They are good chips tbh mate. If you fit the chip around the wrong way it will damage the chip. On one end of the chip there is a semi-circular indentation that has to correspond with the semi-circular indent on the print on the circuit board in the ecu!

Its pretty obvious when you look.

[jackmcinally]

That might be it ! I'll have another look and see if I can make it out any better. Ah cool, thats helpful! Cheers!

[jackmcinally]

It is Turbonoz is there different ones for auto/manual? Not sure where this ecu came from, all I can gather is that it's from a lambda model

[Jonny Wilkinson]

What is the number stamped on the ECU starting 23710 ?

Sent from my XT1032 using Tapatalk

[jackmcinally]

Ah, my bad! should have read your previous comment more closely! it's 23710 39F05, so facelift manual

[jackmcinally]

Hey guys, wee update on this - turns out the Turbo was ****ed, ceased up pretty soon after I posted this. Looking at buying a new Garrett GT2560R tomorrow and I'm just wondering if anyone knows how well this will work with the Turbonoz stage 2 chip that I have? Would it be alright sticking with that, or would it be worth the extra pennies to get nistune in there and get a proper map? I'm not looking for massive power, somewhere around 250bhp would keep me entertained for now

[pointz]

I ran a gt2560r (t28r) on a turbonoz stage2 and made good power.
Might be worth doing a rr day to get fuelling checked but mine was fine.

[jackmcinally]

Awesome! thanks man!

[Jonny Wilkinson]

Make sure the turbo is getting oil. Even a brand new turbo will become a ****ed one very quickly if run without a supply of oil.

[jackmcinally]

The turbo was getting oil, but the previous owner put a restrictor on it because he thought it was BB, but it was just a journal bearing.. hence why it ceased ah well, new turbo ordered, I'll have it set up properly!