Sudden running troubles after long distance shipping
05-28-2007, 04:27 PM
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Sudden running troubles after long distance shipping
Well.., 2200kms/1367miles by train... it's a finely tuned (recently rebuilt) 1998 A4 with a stroker kit, SDS tuning, SDS EIC controller, SDS LCD programmer, PRofec Over Take Booster... plus lots of fun extra bits...
The car arrived here (Winnipeg, Canada) from Vacouver, BC and it ran roughly at first, but it ran... it was fairly warm outside when I picked it up from the train. I drove it for a day or two after... just after work and close to home. The temp gauge always showed fairly cool... and the car seemed to run fine. There was one thing.. the revs when at idle, would surge a little by about 200 or 300 rpms. Kind of like someone was tapping the gas every couple seconds.
So, by day 2, I go and fill the tank with Shell super unleaded... drive around for a bit.. park it for the night. Next morning, had to drive it in for the safety inspection. It needs some things attended to, but nothing motor related...
Go to pick it up from the garage and it turns over and idles... fairly smoothly... the a/f gauge is showing rich. Just tap the gas and it stalls. You can smell the extra fuel smell in the exhuast. Try to drive, nope.. not going to happen. After a cpl tries, won't even idle.. turns and turns, but no.
Next day I go in.. mech says it is running and he drove it around the block... I took it out.. got it a cpl blocks away... started sounding very rough... right at the light in the middle of one of the busiest intersections in the city.. dead. Won't even idle. Flat bed comes and rescues me.
I am right in the middle of acquiring details from the 1st owner and am in touch with SDS, but I thought I would ask any of you if you might have an idea??
It would seem that too much fuel is being dumped into the engine. Is it because the car was built/tuned at Sea Level? I am not at Sea Level.. it's a little colder here, maybe the system is set to dump more fuel in an attempt to warm up more?
I have a lot of work to do and am up for any reading if anyone has any good reading. The car is supposed to be good to go and is completely drivable... the shipping company had no problem with it...
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I searched for SDS... but it doesn't look like it's a popular setup... it's pretty old school. But their systems are still used today in a lot of applications.
If I try to start it right now, it sounds horrible.
BR.
The car arrived here (Winnipeg, Canada) from Vacouver, BC and it ran roughly at first, but it ran... it was fairly warm outside when I picked it up from the train. I drove it for a day or two after... just after work and close to home. The temp gauge always showed fairly cool... and the car seemed to run fine. There was one thing.. the revs when at idle, would surge a little by about 200 or 300 rpms. Kind of like someone was tapping the gas every couple seconds.
So, by day 2, I go and fill the tank with Shell super unleaded... drive around for a bit.. park it for the night. Next morning, had to drive it in for the safety inspection. It needs some things attended to, but nothing motor related...
Go to pick it up from the garage and it turns over and idles... fairly smoothly... the a/f gauge is showing rich. Just tap the gas and it stalls. You can smell the extra fuel smell in the exhuast. Try to drive, nope.. not going to happen. After a cpl tries, won't even idle.. turns and turns, but no.
Next day I go in.. mech says it is running and he drove it around the block... I took it out.. got it a cpl blocks away... started sounding very rough... right at the light in the middle of one of the busiest intersections in the city.. dead. Won't even idle. Flat bed comes and rescues me.
I am right in the middle of acquiring details from the 1st owner and am in touch with SDS, but I thought I would ask any of you if you might have an idea??
It would seem that too much fuel is being dumped into the engine. Is it because the car was built/tuned at Sea Level? I am not at Sea Level.. it's a little colder here, maybe the system is set to dump more fuel in an attempt to warm up more?
I have a lot of work to do and am up for any reading if anyone has any good reading. The car is supposed to be good to go and is completely drivable... the shipping company had no problem with it...
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I searched for SDS... but it doesn't look like it's a popular setup... it's pretty old school. But their systems are still used today in a lot of applications.
If I try to start it right now, it sounds horrible.
BR.
05-29-2007, 09:54 AM
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how much gas was in the tank while it was on the train? how long was it in transit?...
they may have drained the tank for shipment and then put whatever gas they had at the station to get you on the road. whatever i'd put in a can of FI cleaner in now. techron is my favorite.
05-29-2007, 03:13 PM
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half a tank and it was in transit for about 21 days.
Spoke to original owner today... looks like when he shipped it, it had 1/2 a tank of 94 octane (the supreme in BC) in it... the supreme in my province is 91. Our eth blend gas is 94, but I don't think it is the same... different BTU's and stuff....
Looks like tank drainage for me!
Thanks for the feedback guys.
B
Looks like tank drainage for me!
Thanks for the feedback guys.
B
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06-04-2007, 07:37 AM
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You need a tuner or someone who knows what 2 do, and can understand/work W/ program
Doesnt sound like you are up to tuning a standalone. Get someone who understands the program and has a basic tuning knolkedge and have them pull some gas. Less air should equal less fuel. Get some help from someone who understands your ECU. I dont think you will find much help here. People I know only know Motec/Autronics/ learning 034.
Rod
Rod
06-04-2007, 06:07 PM
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AFAIK, Winnipeg is only 232 meters above sealevel. There are hills in Vancouver BC way taller ...
If the car (standalone) can't adapt to a delta of 800 feet sufficient to at least run ....
Have you looked at a set of fresh plugs ... done a TBA if the SDS allows/wants? Checked the Coolant Temp Sensor, etc.?
Have you looked at a set of fresh plugs ... done a TBA if the SDS allows/wants? Checked the Coolant Temp Sensor, etc.?
06-09-2007, 09:25 AM
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Thank you very much for the feed back guys!!
The only strange thing of all this is that it drove pretty much fine for a cpl days when it landed here. The trouble started quite literally the day i tried to drive it from the mechanic who did the govt safety inspection. I filled it with a tank of 91 the day before it went to the garage... he mentioned a "little" water in the gas.... said not enough to be worried about.
I have been in discussion with SDS and with Specialty Engineering in New West, BC to get to the bottom of things. The pro at SDS said my code looked fine for the most part.... will be pulling plugs and trying some things, it is summer, I need to get this honey running!
Thank you again everyong.
B
I have been in discussion with SDS and with Specialty Engineering in New West, BC to get to the bottom of things. The pro at SDS said my code looked fine for the most part.... will be pulling plugs and trying some things, it is summer, I need to get this honey running!
Thank you again everyong.
B