So the other day (just after I finished my piggy-back chip install (TXS Stage 1)) I was heading to work and decided to have some fun with an older fellow in a Porsche 4S, he wanted to go, it was thoroughly enjoyable, but apparently he did not know how to drive or just didn't want to push his vehicle as much as my crazy-*** did. I hit about 105mph and my CEL came on, blinked about 10 times (didn't count exactly) and then turned off after I slowed to about 80mph. I found this quite interesting.
So the day after that, the same thing happened, only this time I was merging at about 70mph, the CEL came on, blinked, and stayed on. I went home, disconnected the battery, ate lunch, reconnected the battery, and the CEL is still lit. What the hell did I do?

The 'mods' if you would call them that, before the txs stage 1 were just the 3/16th, TXS RFL BOV, resonator removal and dropping the exhaust from the downpipe back and installing a turndown tip on the downpipe (mind you these four 'mods' were done about 4 months ago, with no ill effect except a lot of noise. I then slapped the piggyback ecu in, the abc, a boost gauge and an a/f gauge.

According to the boost gauge I'm running 10psi PEAK and the a/f gauge I am running slightly rich.

I was originally thinking maybe the ABC was not set correctly and I need to run more boost to compensate for humidity or something? (I don't know, I'm talking out of my *** on that one). Then I thought maybe it could be something with the TXS BOV, because when I put it on originally, the thing POPPED OFF and the car stalled on the highway (veerrrry interesting).

The only thing that worried me with the chip install was in 2nd gear when I was driving it a little hard, the car seemed to buck a little for 2 seconds, not even, then rip up the rpm range. .

So I was thinking a remedy to my situation might be to adjust the abc to ~15, but the stock bypass valve back on, reset the ecu via a battery pull and maybe a fuse pull as well. If that doesn't solve my issues then I will check the o2 sensors, see if they are disturbingly black or not. Maybe if it is a heat problem I'll pick up a new thermostat, larger tmic and a Co2 kit and just try not to beat on the car as much.

The days the CEL occured were VERY VERY VERY Humid, Muggy AND HOT. (Could that have anything to do with it, I know our vehicles are dogs when the intercooler gets heat soaked).

Two Hours Later (After Lunch Etc):

Alright, I just got back from autozone and some other stuff. Basically the problem was that cylinders 2, 3 and 4 were misfiring :-x. Uhhh, all I did was what i mentioned above.. How the F can this happen? Was I running too low of boost for the TXS Unichip stg 1 or what. I'm reverting everything back to stock and hoping it goes away after i clear it up.. If not, then ill be a lil po'd but not very. Ah well, if it isnt one thing it is another.

BTW the guy at autozone said it could be the plugs.
They were really busy there so I wasn't able to get the codes written down.

An Hour Later:
I uninstalled everything, brought it back to stock + an aftermarket boost and a/f gauge and the CEL went away. However, I took the car for a quick run around the block and it hesitates and bucks like a **** when i bring it above 3 grand. Any ideas? Should I change to colder plugs or what?

30 Minutes Later:
I'm going to throw everything back on, except the BOV, then reset the ecu, go to autozone, pick up a scanner, and just delete the code, etc. etc. According to some research I have done the two chips, unichip and stock 'argue' and get *****y with each other at points. Go figure.

Now:
I took the mods off the car completely back to stock and the car ran beautifully till i hit 4000 rpms and then it bucked back and forth and wouldnt go past 4k in any gear except 1st.

I put the unichip, harness and abc on again. I hooked up my a/f gauge correctly, as well as the boost gauge correctly. I have the stock bypass valve on the car and I am dumping the exhaust straight out of the downpipe. Those are the ONLY mods I have. I am running ~15lbs of boost and thats it. Nothing else.

Any ideas? Should I get a new thermostat to cause the car to run cooler? Should I get the chip reflashed? Maybe they did something wrong with it?

But that doesnt answer why my car ran like poopie when I took all the mods off. Unless it had to readjust itself or something????

I am totally confused, from what everyone I have spoken with before this poopie happened, they all said, yea yeah, 20 minutes to install its all cake. Well.. It took me 4 hours to build my 331 stroker for my mustang.. and this is certainly begining to **** me off and it seems rather complex. BAH

-G

Should I try new packs/sparkplugs? How do I rid myself of this crap, why doesn't my car run smoothly when I take the unichip off. ahhhh

 

I drove the car HARD to work today and HARD home, then I got to the grocery store, stopped, put it in 1st to pull into a space and the car stalled, then it took a good 4 or 5 starts to start it back up again. Mind you this is with the txs stage I installed UNICHIP NOT UTEC, with ABC set ~15psi.
So I disconnected the battery, pulled the ignition fuse, reconnected the battery and reinstalled the fuse and the thing still took time to start up. Once it was started, I couldn't keep it under 3 grand or else I would stall/idle in a horrid manner.

I got home, car stalled as soon as I was about to pull into the driveway. Then I rolled down the driveway after revving it upon ignition, got to the bottom of my driveway, it stalled again. Then some grey smoke came out of the exhaust and it smelled like fuel HARDCORE. So, I ripped the unichip and harness out, I'm going to throw the car back to how I had it when it was running BEAUTIFULLY (TXS RFL, 3/16th, resonator removal) + the boost and a/f gauge.

I have a feeling this is an electrical problem, autozone said it was misfiring in 2,3 and 4. But according to many, that is common with unichips and the stock ecu 'arguing'. I am really at my wits-end with this vehicle. I have done things like this on vws and chevys and NEVER have had a problem. Any ideas? Could it be something to do with the boost solenoid?

I have yet to take the boost controller off and put the 3/16th back in. When I let the car idle outside, it idles for about 5 minutes then dies. Maybe I blew a line somewhere? Maybe my plugs are bad? Maybe I munched my turbo (not likely cause it did spool and push me to that 15psi mark).. Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated, I don't want to talk to the a**holes at my local Suby dealership.

Thanks Much,
G

 

I fixed the problem. Apparently after some hard-offroading a clip on a module/sensor came lose (the module is between the tmic fat pipe and the bov area, sorta clipped so that you have to pull it out going toward the cabin). Anyway point being, after trying everything I could think of, I went over every electrical connection on the vehicle. And wa-la. that one, for some odd-ball reason was completely loose.. I clicked it back in and started the vehicle. Everything is peachy.

Thanks everyone for your help!

-G

P.S. If someone wants pics of what I'm talkin about I'll post em.