RobH

OK, I've done a bit more reading and it does look like the det sensor only works below 3,500 rpm - but what's the use in that?? Surely det is more likely at higher revs/engine temperatures?? Is a boost leak likely to cause detonation? When off boost I can see that extra air could enter the system but when on boost surely the pressure escaping would keep extra air out and actually make a richer charge!? Anybody any thoughts on the possibility of ignition being retarded during detonation at high revs due to safety boost? I s'pose if det has ocurred at low revs the ignition will be retarded until ignition is cycled (?) Last question - I read that decatted systems should be using LRP rather than super unleaded - is this correct? My pipes are recently decatted... Cheers!! RobH

Hi All, I think I've narrowed down my less than perfect top end performance to boost leaks. I get some detonation when I floor it - more noticable with extra passengers/weight on board - preumably the detting will cause the ecu to switch to safety boost mode and retard my ignition - the boost stays high as I'm using an AVC-R, detonation continues due to high boost (stop me if I'm talking cr*p already..). I'm assuming my leaks are the cause of the initial detonation... I get some whistly hissy noises from one side when boost kicks in and am plagued with a noise like goosehonk which may well be a leak around the intercooler. Can anybody confirm or deny mt suspicions please? Some of the hoses are a real pig to get at - presume an engine out job for some of the turbo hoses?? Thanks a lot! RobH

Hmm...I have yet to locate my leak(s). Had a bash today with a crappy little tyre inflator that struggles to put anything in and by the time I knock the noisy bleeder off all the pressure has escaped. I reckon I must have a couple of real corkers - found a couple recently but I'm going to struggle in those hard to get to places :( I reckon I may have something similar with my Intercooler - as well as a whole lot of honking I get a good whistle from the drivers side wing area when I'm on boost... Thanks to Vijay for the 'dummy' nice piece of handywork.. Cheers! RobH

Hi Mr Duff, The symptoms are *masses of grunt*:) but little top end :( Everything checks out ok - maybe it's just me wanting more power than I deserve in this configuration. It could just be, as I suspect, that the great gobs of torque between 2.5K and 4.5K disguise the top end power... I have noticed that the boost kind of tails off a bit at higher revs - it has a tendency to overboost at lower revs - up to .95 bar (which is hilarious) and drop off to about .89 bar at about 6K. I've adjusted duty cycle to give a bit extra at peak and a bit less low down but it was too wet to try it this morning.:mad: Thanks to all for suggestions. RobH

Oh well...tried that and it's a code '55' - back to the drawing board I guess... One thing I have noticed is the engine 'check' light is on permanently until the car is started - is this normal?? I've removed the autobox control unit - maybe that has something to do with it (?) Cheers! RobH

OK, will have a look at that this evening - thanks for the help. Hope it's not the det sensor :(

ummm... I'm pretty sure it doesn't make .5 bar with the AVC-R off - but then should it anyway with the stock solenoids disconnected? It used to but hasn't since the manual conversion... Either way, what can I do to get it out of safety boost/ignition retard? I'm getting fed up resetting the clock every time I reset the ECU :-( Just a thought, what should happen to the cat temp sensors when the cats are removed - disconnect? just noticed how dumb that looks - I think topgear may have welded the cat sensors into the new pipes... ta! RobH

Oooer! what's this then? - retarded ignition timing in safety boost mode?? I thought it was purely the boost that was cut!! My boost levels are ok - running approx .9 bar most of the time. Will it show up as an error code if I've been or I am running in safety boost mode?? Advice appreciated as ever.. RobH

#2 - senders only last about 60K if you're lucky. Common problem. #4 - is drawing cockpit air over an airconditioning temperature sensor. makes a whirring noise. It should be running permanently but you shouldn't be able to hear it. There's a 'how to' dismantle it and stop it being so noisy somewhere - takes the patience of a saint to silence it - disconnect it if it bothers you that much, doesn't make much difference IMHO. You sure you haven't got your lights on?? That can make your controls illumination dim somewhat (I guess?!) Cheers! RobH

LOL - thanks Andy, must have reset it half a dozen times in the last two weeks, s'pose it's still learning though....probably not done 100 miles as yet... PS I still owe you cash for wheels - not forgotten, just embarrassingly poor (thanks to Mr Boosty!) RobH

Hi Pete, I put a new one of these in last week - didn't help my problem at all (dodgy idle). I can get the code when I get home or can send you my old (good) one to try if you like. LMK Cheers! RobH

Hi All, I've finally freed up what I thought was the last restiction on my Z - had a powerflow stainless sytem grafted on by Topgear Burnley and have to say I'm impressed with it. Sounds cool and looks ridiculous (2x single 6" outlets). 'Problem' now is that I have great gobs of torque between 3K and 5K but it feels a little flat when flooring it. Dunno if it's just that the masses of torque obscure the top end power but it would be nice to have both....how can I increase the top end power now?? I don't want to lose the grunt that the car now has - it's hilarious. I had been driving it round with gaping holes in the mid section of exhaust for a while - dunno if tha altered the power characteristics much.. Car is SE chipped, no cats/freeflowing exhaust, AVC-R, Blitz SUS induction - oh, and it's converted from auto to man. I am aware that the auto cams are ground for torque rather than top end power like the manual cams and that the Auto T25's are smaller than man T28's... Any (sensible) suggestions? Cheers! RobH

Might just be a dodgy connection (not just dirty) - mine did this just before it broke off. S'pose it has a hard life sat directly behind the fan ;) Cheers! RobH

Hi All, The test for the air reg in the manual says to clamp the hose just in front of it and see if the revs drop. Problem is I just can't get at the hose immediately before the air reg/just after the IAA and the run is too short to clamp effectively anyway. I clamped it just before the IAA as this was easier to get at - sure enough revs dropped to zero. My question is: Will the test work when clamped before the IAA or will it give a false reading?? AndyDuff! Surely you must have an opinion! (PS I haven't forgotten I still owe you for wheels). Anyone got a spare Air regulator knocking around? Cheers! RobH

Well I'll be.... I'm amazed - had the car a year and a half and never new the seat had all those planes of movement :eek: Cheers guys - I may find comfort and safety yet!! RobH

LMAO - Mike you have my sympathy. Anyone seen that episode of Mr.Bean when he's sat on an armchair on his roof controlling the steering with two pieces of rope....?;) S'pose it still wouldn't help Mike's speedo problem... I usually end up looking at the speed on the AVC-R - more accurate too. So how would I adjust the height of the seat? Is it obvious on inspection? Cheers! RobH

erm...am I being really dumb. Lower the seat?? I didn't know I could... How is this done? Cheers! RobH

Hi All, Anyone else have problems with getting their knees under the steering wheel? I'm about 6'2" - how do the likes of Herman Munster cope with the cramped conditions which were obviously intended to our little oriental cousins...? I noticed Mac1 has one of those steering wheels that looks like it's been hammerred flat at the bottom - do these help? I only really have a problem when it comes to braking in a hurry - that's the last time you want to have a problems though... It doesn't help that I've just had a hip resurfaced I guess....;) Cheers! RobH

Hmm... Fair point Mr.W, I'll give that a try - should be able to tell without driving the car anyway as it's at idle I get probs. BTW it's a brand new TPS so I'm pretty sure that's ruled out. Can anyone confirm whether TPS should be checked with the car running/warm or just ignition on?? I know it's been discussed before but there seems to be no final verdict. Voltage is way high while idling - (almost 1V :-O) the TPS is adjusted for minimum possible voltage at the mo' - about 0.2V when not running...when the car is started voltage goes right up - any suggestions why? What could making the TPS voltage rise while the car is idling - apart from opening the throttles? Cheers! RobH

Hi All, I have the obligatory Z idling problems (constantly too high - 2000+ rpm) and reckon it's down to a vacuum leak. I've changed and re setup the TPS so I'm pretty sure it's not that. The car has recently had a gearbox swap Auto>Man and hence I have a whole lot more vacuum servo hoses to leak. The idle was always a bit on the high side (1100) and occasionally got stuck a bit higher (1500) Anyone got any advice about locating a vacuum leak? Could I use one of those boost leak dummys Vijay posted about with the TB's held open? Or am I talking cr*p (again)? ;) Any advice appreciated. RobH

LMAO! Fair enough - ta Ben... Been wondering if the converion has anything to do with my current idling probs...lots of extra vacuum hoses etc. Must be a vacuum leak - I've put a new TPS in which made it worse (higher) - and yes it's set up right. I had to knock it right back so that I could get it down to 1200 rpm - full throttle is now about 90% on the AVC-R :-\ thanks to the TPS voltage being set so low :-(. No point adjusting the idle speed as the setting wasn't changed so must be something else. Gonna pu another post on the board about this now.. Cheers! RobH

The IAA unit, air regulator etc?? It's hard enough to get to the three screws I can see - apparently there's another one on the underside out of sight and pretty well out of reach - anyone else removed this unit? Some preparatory disassembly of other components needed? Advice appreciated (as ever). Cheers! RobH

Hi All, Not sure how long the big rubber intake hoses are meant to be but mine don't appear to be long enough to reach right up to the stops on both the throttle bodies and the metal air intake pipes at the front of the car - do they shrink with age? Has my engine rocked backward or something?? It's not causing a major problem but I'm not happy thinking they won't seal as well as they might... Cheers! RobH

Nice to see you back on the board mate. D'you think 7 days is long enough to reset the ecu ;) Good luck with your claim - dodgy b*ggers. Gear box is spot on - shame about the rest of the car at the mo - LOL. Guy in a Celica finally caught up with me at the lights yesterday to ask 'what the f*ck's under the bonnet' - hoho!! Getting the exhaust replaced in custom stainless next week so am leaving any further activities requiring ECU reset until then... Cheers! RobH

i have to admit I've been meaning to do the TB's for a while. I examined the TPS a while ago and it looked OK, checked voltages as good with AVC-R yesterday. Maybe I'll try the TB's and reset the ECU. It should have been reset during auto/man gearbox swap but I couldn't swear to it. That was 400 miles ago so it should have settled down by now... Cheers! RobH