KB Boost-A-Spark Installed

RRRoamer

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When I was having stalling issues with my car, we eventually hit the "it must be the PCM" stage as every single pin point test said "if all else fails, replace the PCM". We did (thankfully, under the emmisions warranty!). And the car STILL had the problem.

The reason I bring this up is both my own experience with electronics (I am an electronics hobbies going back since I was kid as well as some formal BSEE schooling as well) and the lead techs experience both pointed to the simple fact that PCMs VARY rarely have intermittent failures. Usually, the work for they don't. Something that works some times and doesn't other times usually points to something else.

I wouldn't replace the PCM until it truly is the last resort.

Oh, and I did eventually find the cause of my car's problems: One of the connector blocks on the bottom of the BEC wasn't seated 100% correctly. Under the "right" circumstances, it could cause an intermittent failure to the fuel pump relay. After reseating and torquing it down, the car hasn't had a single failure.

Good luck getting to the bottom of your car's issues. These sort of things can really drive you nuts!
 

05bluestang

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When I was having stalling issues with my car, we eventually hit the "it must be the PCM" stage as every single pin point test said "if all else fails, replace the PCM". We did (thankfully, under the emmisions warranty!). And the car STILL had the problem.

The reason I bring this up is both my own experience with electronics (I am an electronics hobbies going back since I was kid as well as some formal BSEE schooling as well) and the lead techs experience both pointed to the simple fact that PCMs VARY rarely have intermittent failures. Usually, the work for they don't. Something that works some times and doesn't other times usually points to something else.

I wouldn't replace the PCM until it truly is the last resort.

Oh, and I did eventually find the cause of my car's problems: One of the connector blocks on the bottom of the BEC wasn't seated 100% correctly. Under the "right" circumstances, it could cause an intermittent failure to the fuel pump relay. After reseating and torquing it down, the car hasn't had a single failure.

Good luck getting to the bottom of your car's issues. These sort of things can really drive you nuts!

Thanks.
I agree, at $550.00 plus $100 some bucks for the core deposit the ECM will be the last thing getting replaced. Now that you mention it we did have the BEC connectors off to wire the BAS in. The car has been running much better, stronger and smoother since, but that maybe because of the stronger spark not the dconnectors, who the hell knows. Hey at this point I won't rule anything out........:damnit:
 

05mustang_TT_charged

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Check behind the fender guard on the front passenger wheel well. I ran into a problem with 18x9.5 wheels and 1.25" drop it actually rubbed the inside the fender guard and through a couple wires that are in the main ECM harness. I had problems that would come and go as the wires would arc on each other from time to time. It took me a couple weeks to figure it out as I would have never thought of it but after I got them fixed and the harness moved up 3" it never rubbed again.

It is just a thought from my experience.
 

05bluestang

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Check behind the fender guard on the front passenger wheel well. I ran into a problem with 18x9.5 wheels and 1.25" drop it actually rubbed the inside the fender guard and through a couple wires that are in the main ECM harness. I had problems that would come and go as the wires would arc on each other from time to time. It took me a couple weeks to figure it out as I would have never thought of it but after I got them fixed and the harness moved up 3" it never rubbed again.

It is just a thought from my experience.

Thanks, I'll check that...............
 

tillman speed

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Check behind the fender guard on the front passenger wheel well. I ran into a problem with 18x9.5 wheels and 1.25" drop it actually rubbed the inside the fender guard and through a couple wires that are in the main ECM harness. I had problems that would come and go as the wires would arc on each other from time to time. It took me a couple weeks to figure it out as I would have never thought of it but after I got them fixed and the harness moved up 3" it never rubbed again.

It is just a thought from my experience.

That's crazy!
 

05mustang_TT_charged

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Yeah it was one of the most frustrating times of my life, it would happen a couple times in one day then not happen for a couple days then a couple times in one day and so on....I actually found it after I had purchased a new ECU and installed it. Then later that day I was going to swap brakes out and seen what it was. It was a set of Steeda Ultralite wheels and Steeda Ultralite Springs that it happened with.
 

one eyed willy

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Yeah it was one of the most frustrating times of my life, it would happen a couple times in one day then not happen for a couple days then a couple times in one day and so on....I actually found it after I had purchased a new ECU and installed it. Then later that day I was going to swap brakes out and seen what it was. It was a set of Steeda Ultralite wheels and Steeda Ultralite Springs that it happened with.

did it actually rub through the plastic fender liner first?
 

05bluestang

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Well we put it on the dyno today, it made 420whp, what the fuck! With all readings we got the car should at a minimum be putting 460hp to the rollers. We are stumped, CR suggested changing the engine harness to see if it fixes a possible voltage problem that may cause the timing to retard too much and then if that does not work to change the ECM.
The BAS is doing what it's supposed to do, which is raise the input voltage at the coils, with just battery voltage (engine off) the input voltage ranged from 12 v to 17.5 v which is what it is supposed to do. I swear the fucking thing feels and behaves different from before but the dynno proofed me wrong, I guess it's in my head :dunce:. Anyway, back to the drawing board. I'm sure CR will chime in as soon as ha recovers from the bad cold he has :yuck:........................
 

JeremyH

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Man this sucks bro! Hopefully u can find your problem. Im sure the BAS helped with driveability which is probably what the butt dyno is feeling. I see harnesses in the sale section from time to time.
 

05bluestang

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Man this sucks bro! Hopefully u can find your problem. Im sure the BAS helped with driveability which is probably what the butt dyno is feeling. I see harnesses in the sale section from time to time.

Yea man it blows:damnit:, good thing is I can get a brand new harness from Ford for my model run for around $250.00. Just need to sell some stuff I got laying around in the basement...............
 

MikeVistaBlue06

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Well we put it on the dyno today, it made 420whp, what the fuck! With all readings we got the car should at a minimum be putting 460hp to the rollers. We are stumped, CR suggested changing the engine harness to see if it fixes a possible voltage problem that may cause the timing to retard too much and then if that does not work to change the ECM.
The BAS is doing what it's supposed to do, which is raise the input voltage at the coils, with just battery voltage (engine off) the input voltage ranged from 12 v to 17.5 v which is what it is supposed to do. I swear the fucking thing feels and behaves different from before but the dynno proofed me wrong, I guess it's in my head :dunce:. Anyway, back to the drawing board. I'm sure CR will chime in as soon as ha recovers from the bad cold he has :yuck:........................

Just to look at the problem from a different angle, what if your problem isn't electrical?

Have you done a dyno pull with the exhaust disconnected (put some straight pipes right off of the manifolds or just let the headers dump if you have them--no cats)?

If you have a clogged cat that could be a reason for your issues and it can kill your engine (ask Don!).

HTH

Mike
 

shanec

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Oh, and I did eventually find the cause of my car's problems: One of the connector blocks on the bottom of the BEC wasn't seated 100% correctly. Under the "right" circumstances, it could cause an intermittent failure to the fuel pump relay. After reseating and torquing it down, the car hasn't had a single failure.

Good luck getting to the bottom of your car's issues. These sort of things can really drive you nuts!

What's a "BEC"?
 

05bluestang

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Just to look at the problem from a different angle, what if your problem isn't electrical?

Have you done a dyno pull with the exhaust disconnected (put some straight pipes right off of the manifolds or just let the headers dump if you have them--no cats)?

If you have a clogged cat that could be a reason for your issues and it can kill your engine (ask Don!).

HTH

Mike

I mentioned that to CR yesterday, he said he does not think so based on the data logs . I guess anything is possible. Maybe I can pick up an off road x somewhere............
At this point I am about ready to try just about anything (within reason). I know the engine is healthy based on the compression and leakdown test we did, it has to be something stupid but finding it is a different story:sigh1:
 

one eyed willy

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I mentioned that to CR yesterday, he said he does not think so based on the data logs . I guess anything is possible. Maybe I can pick up an off road x somewhere............
At this point I am about ready to try just about anything (within reason). I know the engine is healthy based on the compression and leakdown test we did, it has to be something stupid but finding it is a different story:sigh1:


in another car,i had a chunk of the honeycomb come loose in the cat,so it would drive like normal,but then when i got on the gas the exhaust pressure would cause the chunk to rock back and seal off the exhaust,once i removed the cats it was like i put a 100 shot of nitrous on the car.
 

tillman speed

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We welded in a wideband o2 sensor, and used a bore-scope to look in the cats a while back. They looks fine, but maybe we'll give that a shot. I really think we got something electrical going on, but I'll try anything at all at this point.

3 tuners, a million sets of plugs, new COPs, compression/leakdown test, hundreds of datalogs, different widebands.... I'll try anything :)
 

Nickoli

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cats are for crazy old ladys anyway. good luck man. i have been following this thread since i just put a bas on my car a while back. i havent hat it tuned yet but i will post my results with it then.
 

05bluestang

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cats are for crazy old ladys anyway. good luck man. i have been following this thread since i just put a bas on my car a while back. i havent hat it tuned yet but i will post my results with it then.

Yea but the Nanny State (NJ) requires them to pass inspection, I guess I'll switch out every two years. Fucking Jersey, you need a permit to take a shit in the State...........
 

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