Timing is off
 

I recently made several modifications (all at once) to my 97. Used AD injectors, turbo rebuild, adrenaline HPOP, Beans tunes. I am currently waiting for an ICP sensor and trying to resolve a number of issues. While I'm waiting, I'm looking into the possibility that my mechanic-buddy may have damaged my ecu by forgetfully messing with the chip while the batteries were connected. I did this myself several years ago and just bought a new ecu because the timing was knocked off. I'd like to avoid it this time. Will reflashing do any good? Is there a way to have the ecu checked? Thanks.

There is no way to "mess" the timing up on your PCM from messing with the chip, it will work or it will be cooked.

So long as the keys were out of the ignition there is little chance of any damage to the PCM. Did you JUST install the new PCM, or has it been in there for a while?

What issues are you working thru?

It was several years ago that I replaced the ecu (or pcm). With the chip removed, It ran very poorly- no top end power. Ford could find nothing and said it was fine. We pulled a head off and found trouble. We put in a new engine. The new engine acted the same way as the old one. Before doing any more damage, we again pulled the head and foud evidence of the same thing. We brough pictures to the local diesel guru. He took one glance and said our timing was off. I told him that was impossible because the timing was computer controlled. He said he didn't care what controlled it - the timing was off. We replaced the computer - and only the computer - and put it back together. Problem solved. I sure hope you are right about it being O.K., but I'd still like to have it checked.

The other issues were a no start. Seemed to have trouble with the HPO system. It would fire immediately, but briefly, then crank and crank. The longer we left it sit, the more likely it was to fire a bit. We could start and run it on ether only. The next day, it fired and ran. When taking it for a test drive, it stalled and quit. I had forgotten to put a washer behind the o-ring at the HPOP and it blew the o-ring. We towed it back and fixed the problem, refilled the reservoir (as always) and got it started. It would run fine for a while, then stall out. 1211 code was common - always restarted. Drove it to someone elses shop and installed a new ipr valve --no difference. Cylinder contribution came up #5 repeatedly. Buzz test passed with his snap-on scan tool. Swapped #3 & #5 injector. Still came up #5. His NEW snap-on scan tool detected an open circuit in #5 (even though it buzzed normally). Traced that to a poor connection at valve cover. On the 150 mile drive home it ran fine bit would throw 1211 several second after erasing it(over and over again). Next day it started throwing a 1211 and stalling out. The throttle would get slugish but the egt's would respond like it was getting fuel until it went slower and slower and the torque converter kicked out and it would stall. Turn key off and restart- everything normal till next time- usually when getting on the throttle. I tried wiggling the icp sensor's connection/wiring while idling, but it wouldn't stall or set a code. I'm thinking maybe the icp sensor is intermittently sending bad information.

It has proven to be difficult to diagnose with so many problems. The chip seems to have less power than stock except on the highest setting. Next day even that had less. Chip is out. Trying to resolve one issue at a time- thus waiting for the icp sensor. After that the ecu/chip/timing issue. Hope you can help.

get the new sensor in yet?

Hoping to get it by saturday. 140$ on ebay, 320$ at napa... I'll wait for shipping. I'll post what happens (and probably beg for more help).

alot of your symptoms sound like a bad CPS... or a going bad CPS....

I replaced the cps at one point during this fiasco with the one in my glove box. It was a new one replaced by Ford under recall. (Since it was still new, I made them give it back to me as a spare.) It didn't seem to make much difference at the time, but maybe I had too many other issues to properly evaluate the swap. I will swap it back.

In the morning, pull the plug and see if the HPO res is full. BEFORE cranking. Then install a oil pressure gauge at the top of the HPO res and see what kind of oil pressure your getting there.

Then you need to get a scanner and see what kind of ICP pressures you are getting when cranking and when its running. and at what Duty cycle.

I swapped the cps back... no difference. Only acts up with the new chip. Stock or the old diablo run fine. Will call programmer.

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Called beans and they had apparently tuned the chip for larger single shot injectors. New chip shipping on Monday...

i was thinking somethin along the lines of having single shot tuning but i never said anything so i FAIL... LOL

glad you found the problem!