Bugs

[anupaum]

The rubber insulator between the blower manifold and the heater fan worked like a charm! (Thank you! Bless you!) Not only did the arcing stop, I now have a functional heater fan again, and THAT'S nice when it's -10 outside . . .

I'm going to have to re-route the intercooler tubing because when I slam the hood shut, the bypass valve sticks open and the truck won't go into more than 1 psi of boost. That's absolutely maddening, but there's nothing else I can think of to do about that problem.

Also, I'm UNABLE to adjust my TPS sensor. It gives me a ridiculously low reading (like 24), then climbs every time I touch the screw--no matter WHICH direction I turn it. I can shut off the truck and try again, but I'm always returning to these really LOW readings.

Now, what's worse, is that I'm getting no info from my O2 sensor. I calibrated it a couple of months ago (and with forced induction, it's supposed to be calibrated every three months), but it's ALSO possible that my electrical problems have fried the controller . . .

Do any of you know how to check for this?

So now I can get the idle down, but it's "hunting" like it does when there's a vacuum leak. My vacuum gauge is reading 19 inches at idle, which is normal for my truck, and I notice that my injectors shut off right away when I take my foot out of the throttle. (This may be due to the TPS issue, as that's the only thing Megasquirt uses the TPS value for.)

I can drive the truck, but it's a little irritating to do so. Also, I'm getting a LOT of vibration through the firewall now because that little bit of rubber I installed essentially connects the blower to the heater fan and allows the engine vibration to pass through.

 

[TireIron]

For the blower touching the fan, looking at your pictures, can modify the mounting a little to slide the blower closer to the engine some, getting it away from both the fan, fender lining, and hood bracket? or even twist one side of it up to raise the TB end which would keep the pulley in line still, but of course that wouldnt help with clearance of the hood so maybe lower one side to get the same twist up effect? as long as you would have enough room for the TB to come up some. Otherwise maybe moving it a little closer to the engine may work well...

 

[anupaum]

The problem with moving the blower is that I've got it spaced up as high as I can get it, which is partially why I'm now having a problem with the intercooler tubing. It can't move any closer to the engine without completely re-designing the bracketry. Because it's mounted with three bolts, if one of the back bolts is raised, it tends to twist the blower out of alignment.

I'm not sure how to solve this right now . . .

 

[TireIron]

i would think for moving closer to the engine you could bolt some plates onto the existing bracketry so you can move the 3 bolt holes over some. this could allow you a little clearance on the passengerside and still keep the pulley lined up.

 

[anupaum]

i would think for moving closer to the engine you could bolt some plates onto the existing bracketry so you can move the 3 bolt holes over some. this could allow you a little clearance on the passengerside and still keep the pulley lined up.

The solution I'm leaning toward is having the intercooler tubing run BENEATH the supercharger and THEN up to the intake manifold. It would be a bit longer of a run and I'd have to insulate the tubing to prevent it from picking up header heat, but that would solve the hood problem entirely.

Today I'm going to check the TPS voltage. It's supposed to be 1 volt, right?

I'll also recalibrate the O2 sensor and see if that helps. I sure hope I didn't short out the controller!

 

[anupaum]

Ok, I've got NO power to the LC-1 . . . Sigh . . . I guess I get to take everything apart tomorrow!

Some holiday!

 

[TireIron]

i believe the TPS is supposed to be between .85 and .95 volts when closed. oh yea, did getting a different screw allow the TB to be closed all the way and idle properly?

 

[anupaum]

i believe the TPS is supposed to be between .85 and .95 volts when closed. oh yea, did getting a different screw allow the TB to be closed all the way and idle properly?

Yes, that worked. It's got a bit of a "hunting" idle right now, which may be caused by a number of things. I'm a bit disheartened by the O2 sensor issue. I picked up another TPS in case I need one, but electrical problems scare me to death . . .

I had a Chevelle once upon a time that was a great car, except for an intermittent electrical problem that NO ONE could find. I've grown rather leery of electrical issues since then!

 

[anupaum]

I pulled the intake system apart again this morning. I've got NO voltage to my LC-1, and I don't know why. Also, the TPS voltage reads 4.8 no matter what I do with the throttle. I guess that means I need a new sensor?

The TPS doesn't worry me nearly as much as the O2 controller. I went over to the Innovate forums this morning and it looks like LOTS of people have this problem. I'm tempted to swap the wide band for a narrow band sensor, since I've got the fuel map tuned already . . .

 

[anupaum]

I pulled out the LC - 1, and the cable that leads into the truck's harness had apparently been resting against the header and burned all the way through. Because they're so much stuff in the way, I had no clue that this was a problem.

NOW what?

 

[Davis]

Well, I guess you repair the harness with a soldering iron and some heat shrink tubing, and re-route it so that it doesnt touch the header again. I thought you had header wrap?

It sounds like your TPS just needs replacement, probably one of those stupid coincidences. I feel your pain, Robert. I had the same sort of thing happen to me a couple months ago.

 

[anupaum]

Well, I guess you repair the harness with a soldering iron and some heat shrink tubing, and re-route it so that it doesnt touch the header again. I thought you had header wrap?

A friend of mine (the guy who built my Megasquirt) is over right now and we're in the midst of repairing the harness. The LC-1 forums are full of advice about proper grounding as the cause of many woes, so I guess burning through the harness (actually, it was the adapter we put together to clip into the factory wiring) would qualify . . .

I just hope it works afterward!

Now, I DO have header wrap, but the rest of my exhaust system is UNwrapped. It's clear that I'll have to secure the wiring to the frame with a zip tie or something of that nature in order to avoid this problem in the future.

It sounds like your TPS just needs replacement, probably one of those stupid coincidences. I feel your pain, Robert. I had the same sort of thing happen to me a couple months ago.

My longsuffering sweetheart has been really good about this so far, but I need to have this truck on the road before school resumes on the 5th of January. If the LC-1 works after being repaired, I'll feel MUCH better.

It looks like running the lower intercooler tube beneath the blower bracket will solve the hood closing problem, too. I've got a new TPS ordered . . . We'll see what happens from here.

 

[TireIron]

Sounds like you're getting there. I'm routing for you on the LC-1 issue, hopefully a little soldering will take care of it.

Good luck with getting the tube re-routed. What did you end up doing with the elbows at the intercooler?

 

[anupaum]

Sounds like you're getting there. I'm routing for you on the LC-1 issue, hopefully a little soldering will take care of it.

The Innovate forums are Full of complaints about the LC-1 "dying," and a lot of the tech people repeat the mantra that proper grounding is essential. Well, MY LC-1 is wired directly into the truck's harness, so it shares the same ground with the Megasquirt, which is still working.

All I can say is that I hope the fried wires didn't ALSO fry the controller.

We've got more snow on the way (though Seattle got hit way harder than we did) and it's been unseasonably cold here. I broke one of the plastic connectors yesterday because it was so brittle, and handling cold tools on the cold ground is no fun either. I'd really like to get this truck back on the road in a permanent way, you know?

Good luck with getting the tube re-routed. What did you end up doing with the elbows at the intercooler?

I cut the radiator support out of the way with a Dremel tool. That gave me just enough room to get them in there!

 

[anupaum]

Major Setback!!!

The LC-1 is dead. I re-installed it with the repaired pigtail this morning, but NOTHING works . . .

Bad words! Bad words! Bad words!