Thanks to Groover and those who responded to my questions regarding earthing out the ecu wire to the neutral switch on my manual gearbox. I decided to take onboard the advice given and went down the path of checking my engine timing and setting to 25 degrees btdc. It was actually set at 27-28 degrees meaning that it was too advanced. It seems a little less fumey now, however it still smells like it's running rich still. Obviously my idle speed has dropped as I have retarded the ignition a few degrees, but still purrs nicely.

 

ANY IDEAS ON WHAT MY NEXT MOVES SHOULD BE WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATED ????????

doesnt the timing have to be 15degrees as show in the manual?

 

could check your air filter sensor is clean

 

lamda sensors could also need replacing

It's 15 degrees in neutral when fully warmed up, but only if the neutral switch is connected, then when you put it in gear it advances to 25 degrees, so if you do not have the switch connected, you set it to 25...

 

Have you done a boost leak test?

Apollogies for the hijack but I am confused...I thought the neutral switch was to not allow the starter to operate when in gear. Why is the timing affected by this swich? I have done a manual conversion on my auto and my timing I have set to 15 degrees, should it be set to 25 as you stated?

Thank you

its 15 degrees btdc on a auto and manual where did 25 come from? engine needs to be warm and up to temp so its not being advanced by the ecu.

think its 15* @ idle and then once in drive/gear its 25*

 

or if the neutral switch as been by passed 25*

 

i may be getting it the wrong way round ...

I'm sure mines sits about 7 or 8 in neutral then fires upto 15 in gear

think its 15* @ idle and then once in drive/gear its 25*

 

or if the neutral switch as been by passed 25*

 

i may be getting it the wrong way round ...

 

That is correct mate.

Apollogies for the hijack but I am confused...I thought the neutral switch was to not allow the starter to operate when in gear. Why is the timing affected by this swich? I have done a manual conversion on my auto and my timing I have set to 15 degrees, should it be set to 25 as you stated?

Thank you

 

You are thinking of the starter inhibitor, which prevents the car from starting unless it is park with your foot on the brake, this is normally bypassed when doing the manual conversion, but some people still leave it on the brake pedal as a safety/anti-theft measure. The neutral switch retards the timing when in neutral, just for the tick over, then when the car is placed in gear, or rather when it is taken out of neutral, the base timing is then advanced to 25 on tick over (obviously changes when revved), if the switch is not connected or used at all, then the timing in neutral should be set to 25 as it would be advanced to when put in gear, otherwise the engine will always be set to 15 degrees as it always thinks it is in neutral.

 

If the neutral switch is connected as it would be OEM (pin 44 on the ECU) or the car is an auto, then the timing should be set to 15BTDC in neutral when warmed up...

Edited April 13, 201213 yr by Tudor...

so this is because its still got an auto ECU, is it?

 

if you replace the ecu with a manual one is it then the same as a regular manual or is there still a difference because of cams for an auto engine and do they need any difference in timing?

Why not just connect the neutral switch to the ecu pin 44 set the timing at 15 and let the ECU advance it as required, the way god intended?

 

Saves a lot of faffing about with your timing :)

yep that's what i did and i think all most every one that does auto to manual conversion ..

 

the manual ECU has the same timing adjustment with the neutral switch

Thats how ive wired my conversion !

 

yep that's what i did and i think all most every one that does auto to manual conversion ..

 

the manual ECU has the same timing adjustment with the neutral switch

I fitted a brand new engine wiring loom at the same time, didn't want to splice into it, and it saved time, effort and running more wires about as changing the timing is only a 5 minute job, and I had to set it after the rebuild, but also had heard from quite a few folks that they didn't like the change of revs when they put it into gear when setting off. Each to their own really, I was just explaining the (possibly unnecessary) logic behind it :)

I fitted a brand new engine wiring loom at the same time, didn't want to splice into it, and it saved time, effort and running more wires about as changing the timing is only a 5 minute job, and I had to set it after the rebuild, but also had heard from quite a few folks that they didn't like the change of revs when they put it into gear when setting off. Each to their own really, I was just explaining the (possibly unnecessary) logic behind it :)

 

Not having a go mate, honest lol. Just think it's a lot easier to connect upto to the ecu. Can't say I've really noticed the engine revs change when I put it in gear.

If you install a auto ECU in a manual gearbox car you just earth out the pin on the ECU so when hot you set the timing to 15 BTDC @ idle and when you put it into gear it stays @ 15 BTDC until you start to excellerate. An Auto ECU in a auto gearbox car the pin is wired up through the switch to stop the car from stalling and to give it some power when you put the car into drive because the timing is advanced from 15BTDC idle to 25BTDC to over come the torque converter braking effect.

Not having a go mate, honest lol. Just think it's a lot easier to connect upto to the ecu. Can't say I've really noticed the engine revs change when I put it in gear.

 

I know matey, neither was I :)

 

And to be fair, I needed to do a HICAS diagnostic, and I couldn't, because it needs to think it's in neutral :lol:

Hi guys, please tell me if I understand this correctly....

I have a auto TT (running auto TT ECU)

5 speed manual conversion.

 

a) If I get the motor to running temp, in neutral and check timing it should read 15 BTDC and then select any gear and timing should go to 25 BTDC (only if neutral swith is connected and working properly.)

b) if I dont have the switch connected I set the timing to 25 BTDC.

Thanks

I would say yes !

 

 

 

Hi guys, please tell me if I understand this correctly....

I have a auto TT (running auto TT ECU)

5 speed manual conversion.

 

a) If I get the motor to running temp, in neutral and check timing it should read 15 BTDC and then select any gear and timing should go to 25 BTDC (only if neutral swith is connected and working properly.)

b) if I dont have the switch connected I set the timing to 25 BTDC.

Thanks

yes that is correct ...

Thankyou gentlemen.