I own a Type UK 03 WRX STI which has previously been mapped by a UK based mapper (JGM) using Ecutek software.
I was told that a licence was bought for this and it has been mapped twice.
I recently did a national car test (here in Ireland) and it failed emissions - the "high idle" result was too high and lean he said - he also said he thought there was a lot of misfiring because he couldn't hold the revs steady while testing (it goes up and down - I noticed this myself while attempting idling at around 2-3000rpm).
Speaking to previous owner he says there is a known glitch with Ecutek going into a "closed loop" which requires a reflash and he thinks this will solve the idle unsteadiness problem and emissions.
Anyone know is this correct or heard of this before?
Or do I just have to wait for the UK mapper to come back over? (not till next year apparently).
Just wondering will the mapper have heard of this problem at all and how I can fix it for NCT restest before next month...
p.s. did anyone buy Deltadash and is it worth it for general fault diagnosis?
First thing I would do is contact Simon , that might get you sorted that bit quicker. Have you a decat in the car? If you do it will never pass emmisions
I doubt it's the flash going into "closed loop"...if it was ok at the time of mapping it must be hardware related...software wouldn't rewrite its self...it will have variables set into it for changes of input...
it could be that it has a safety trigger set into it that when it reaches a certain threshold for various inputs that is goes into this "closed loop" mode but again this would be because of a variance of input...ie a hardware failure... that's all just guess work but I would be looking at sensor faults
[quote author=BazGF8 link=topic=32266.msg369952#msg369952 date=1321447195]
First thing I would do is contact Simon , that might get you sorted that bit quicker. Have you a decat in the car? If you do it will never pass emmisions
[/quote]
I did attempt to contact him but no reply - he was over at end of October (allegedly) to do mapping and I thought he was supposed to do my remap but I never heard from him he was over...
It has this Milltek sports exhaust for twin-scroll turbo:
[quote author=STi Brian link=topic=32266.msg369953#msg369953 date=1321447886]
disconnect the lambda sensor & see can you hold the revs steady
Any check engine light on?
[/quote]
Don't know where that is or how to do it. The problem only occurs while attempting to hold idle in the 2500-3500RPM range (like when jump charging other car) - holding your foot steady, the revs will drop up and down 300 or 400rpm from this. ie. impossible to hold RPM steady. This only occurs in idle - it does NOT happen while driving. No check engine light on, no as far as I can tell.
[quote author=Dagnut link=topic=32266.msg369954#msg369954 date=1321448726]
I doubt it's the flash going into "closed loop"...if it was ok at the time of mapping it must be hardware related...software wouldn't rewrite its self...it will have variables set into it for changes of input...
it could be that it has a safety trigger set into it that when it reaches a certain threshold for various inputs that is goes into this "closed loop" mode but again this would be because of a variance of input...ie a hardware failure... that's all just guess work but I would be looking at sensor faults
[/quote]
TBH I have no idea what "closed loop" means in relation to an ECU. I was told it was a "known" glitch with Ecutek that required a reflash. I assume that means a bug in whatever version of the Ecutek EEPROM that was burned on at time of mapping and it needs a newer version of EEPROM to be burned onto chip.
If I had that Deltadash software I might be able to see problems but I probably wouldn't know what I was looking at and see something wrong anyway and can't afford £200 licence for it right now for something I mightn't be able to use...
When I was about to buy this car, I had a bit of research done on the subject but you got their just before me to buy it (things always happen for a reason though and I've now got a spec c so I'm happy out ).
It is apparently an ecutek problem alright and Simon said he should be able to map it out of it as it wasn't noticed at the time of mapping. That might be where Steve got it from. Something to do with changing the parameters to suit the new setup etc or something but i am struggling to remember exactly .. Its not a very common problem but it is a known problem alright
[quote author=Sweetcakes link=topic=32266.msg370000#msg370000 date=1321475006]
When I was about to buy this car, I had a bit of research done on the subject but you got their just before me to buy it (things always happen for a reason though and I've now got a spec c so I'm happy out ).
It is apparently an ecutek problem alright and Simon said he should be able to map it out of it as it wasn't noticed at the time of mapping. That might be where Steve got it from. Something to do with changing the parameters to suit the new setup etc or something but i am struggling to remember exactly .. Its not a very common problem but it is a known problem alright
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[quote author=Dagnut link=topic=32266.msg370002#msg370002 date=1321475518]
Surely something must of changed but?
[/quote]
Been like that since the last time it was mapped apparently. Its not something you would notice at idle, its only when you rev and try to hold around 3k rpm when it hunts up and down about 200revs. The change needed in parameters could be down to the fact that it is a type uk changed to a 400bhp twin scroll setup
lads all closed loop means is that the ecu is controlling the fueling in a closed circuit as in the cars fueling is be controlled by the oxygen sensor
basically an ecu makes decisions based on what it sees in two modes
1.idle and part throttle are whats known as closed loop oxygen sensor and air flow fueling
2.anything more than part throttle is open loop. oxygen sensor is fully rich the ecu makes calculations from the air flow ,air temp,throttle position and engine load from the map sensor
id say you could have a faulty oxygen sensor or air flow meter or it could be a map issue but not thing to do with closed loop
Both maf and o2 sensor had been checked and given the all clear at the time, they were first port of call. The software problem was not the first diagnosis.
Take it to nick in couturevif you don't want to wait
And have him map it
Nice car you got there and well minded by the previous ownerall the best with it
There is no known problem or glitch with EcuTeK regarding going into closed loop.
On the base ignition map there is 8-10 deg of retard at the fast Idle area of the map, this could cause your issue.
I personally have experienced trying to hold the rpm steady and adust maps can improve this.
But there are thousands of other vehilces out there that do pass the emisiions test every year so the vehicles do pass with this factory calibration at fast Idle.
Does the vehicle have an aftermarket Intake fitted ?
It could also be a lasy Lambda sensor that causes this problem.
Hope this helps.
Mervyn
"
Sounds like he is saying he has noticed this too but it shouldn't affect emissions test (maybe UK is set to higher levels though??)
The car currently has a (fairly old/dirty) K&N panel filter in the standard air box, I did clean/oil it with the K&N cleaning kit and it's a bit better now but maybe needs a new one.
I did get one of those HKS green mushroom filters with the car that Steve said he had in it but took out for NCT. Apparently it was mapped with this in car. Would make a major difference to mapping setup now it's back to K&N panel? Worse/better for NCT? Anyone have/use these mushroom filters? Better/worse than K&N?
Would a K&N Typhoon type short ram filter be better than both of them?
Is the Lambda he is talking about the sensor on air intake pipe after air filter? Is this another name for O2 senser previously mentioned?
i would say if it was mapped with the mushroom filter and then removed the MAF scaling will probably be off and could be causing it to run rich now maybe? could always get a replacement mushroom filter and get emissions checked again
[quote author=Altezza-Dan link=topic=32266.msg370171#msg370171 date=1321620168]
i would say if it was mapped with the mushroom filter and then removed the MAF scaling will probably be off and could be causing it to run rich now maybe? could always get a replacement mushroom filter and get emissions checked again
[/quote]
Well I was thinking the same myself...
On NCT the high idle (2687rpm) has lambda limits from 0.97 to 1.03. The result I got was 0.96. The mechanic said this means it is too lean.
Maybe I should stick the mushroom filter back on and redo the NCT with it. Reading reviews I hear they are rubbish filters though and let a lot of dirt into engine... one mechanic said on examining valves of engine that had one it looked like they were sandblasted...
The only other fail was the high idle CO level - it has to be less than 0.20% and I got 1.89%... think this is to do with sports cat in the Milltek exhaust but it is supposed to be designed to pass UK emissions test. Would the 15 minutes they left it sitting with engine off before starting the test have cooled it enough to stop it working at normal efficiency? If so would I be within my rights to ask them to leave it running or warm up for 5 minutes before the exhaust test? Or do they deliberately turn engine off so these cats fail? It appears so...
well they do say to arrive at the center with your car at normal operating temperature so you could say that they left it cool down too much for the cats to work effectively, probably flogging a dead horse thought trying to prove that. HKS filters high flowing but offer very little filtration
). 
.. Its not a very common problem but it is a known problem alright 
