I checked the MAP sensor...but it looked to be all connected. I agree the Stage III ECU is overkill now, but I didn't see the harm in running rich, and I didn't want to run lean (colder temperatures here have me boosting around 12 psi).

I am not sure yet how bad it is...I will probably know by middle of next week.

I know that the engine was shaking violently when i looked under the hood, and smoke was pouring out from where the catalytic converter is.

I don't know - maybe I should just give up on this dream. I always wanted one, and now that I have it I can barely keep it running - something's always going wrong. I just don't know. Anyone want to give me a ballpark of what this thing is worth?
Info at www.cardomain.com/id/sprockettfd
Please check out the list of mods I have and everything - and please let me know roughly how much I could sell it for 1) in current state and 2) with the engine working 100%. Thanks guys

 

I'll give you 6k for it.

 

Sprockett,

Next time you get into modding a turbo car with higher rated ECUs I highly recommend you take the car to a reputable tuner and have them use a wide-band O2 on it before you go buck-wild.

I don't know if I'm going to side with the rest of the people here and say it's the "motor's fault" when you just installed a different ECU, pumped it, and it blew.

 

he is fine using the M2 stage III!!!!!

they don't even have staged ones anymore!

i had a M2 stage III and it worked stupendous with all the mods my car originally had

 

vosko,

Then let's throw out some speculation.

Why did the car detonate?

 

I don't believe I have seen any post stating the car detonated. You're making an assumption.

jds

 

It is an assumption, obviously.

But cmon, he checked the MAP sensor already. He put in a new ECU, boosted to 12 and the engine is now pouring smoke and vibrating heavily?

Ive blown my own apex seals to know what it looks and feels like when you detonate.

 

Sorry, but there's no reason an M2 Stage 3 should cause him to detonate. I suppose the ECU could conceivably have been bad, or something else in his fuel system could have gone, but...he didn't report hearing detonation. If it were that bad I would have expected him to hear it. Bottom line, I don't think anyone knows yet what happened, but unless there is something wrong with it, the ECU he was using should make him less prone to detonation, not more. The programs they use are not good for a particular set of mods and bad for everything else, contrary to popular belief.

jds

 

So what's to stop you from bolting back on stock ecu and exhaust, and whatever else, letting the dealer see that the engine is shot, and requiring a new replacement under warranty?

 

people reading this thread

 

At least you werent boosting 18psi like that subaru guy trying to take his back... hehe.

 

exactly what i was referring to

 

I have been through this before, when I didnt know any better than to take it to the dealer. I blew my mazda reman a few months after the dealer replaced it. Before I towed it back into the dealer, I removed all the mods and put back the stock exhaust, computer, intake, etc. They covered the engine and labor under the warranty and replaced it again for me. I agree the dealer really sucks at working on these cars. After they put in the motor(2 months later), I had to tow it home and finish it myself, since they wanted over $2000 to fix several problems that the car didnt even have, such as bad turbos, radiator, etc. I was able to get it running myself after a fixing a few simple mistakes they had made during the installation. I will never take it back there again since they are so incompetent, and tried to rip me off. Now that I have much more experience with the car, anything that goes wrong will be fixed myself or by a trusted mechanic.

Anyhow my advice is do a compression test, and make sure its done correctly. If it turns out the motor is gone, I would call them and tell them the motor is blown, and that you want to get the motor replaced under warranty. Make sure you put your car back to stock if they ask you to take the car in. See if you can just bring in the motor and have it exchanged. You should either do the work yourself, or have a good rx-7 shop do the install, even if you have to pay for it. I doubt they will pay another shop to do the install, but they will cover the labor if they do it. I really recommend that you not let them do it though. It would be worth the money to have it done by a reputable mechanic. Hope everything turns out ok. Btw, dont sell it, once its running again you will be glad you didnt.

 

First I would like to say "sorry to hear about your motor"
Second I would like to say "good thing you were in town and close to home"

I say these things because I wish we could have been in each others shoes. I was coming home from Vegas on Wed. 10/15/03 and my motor popped about 58miles outside of Baker @ 10oclock pm. Needless to say I was showing off to this brand new Lexus. I would let him follow me for a little while @ about 110mph and then I'd putch it and he just could not follow. I got up to 155mph and then the trafic up ahead would get to dinse for me to keep going. I did this 2 times and the 3 was not my lucky number. I slowly creeped up to 110mph and then putched it for the last time. The front end lifted and then she took a mean *** nose dive. WOT my air/fuel meeter read LEAN and I could only get 4lbs of boost but there was no power. That Lexus left me out there to rot.

 

It's quite possible that the ECU was not the direct cause, but allowed the problem to come to front (i.e. running higher boost levels with an improperly functioning fuel system).

Where as the ECU isn't the "direct" result of the problem, however the problem wouldn't have come up with the stock ECU.

Regardless, he needs to put back the stock ECU. Hell, it won't really matter if the dealership gets smart and comes out here and reads the thread..... That has happened on more than one occasion.

 

I don't think my dealership can use the intranet....seriously - that stupid.

It is going back to them on Monday (or Tuesday) and they are going to check the compression. I didn't hear any sort of explosion...it just kind of lost power.

Thanks for your replies...I'll keep you updated

 

You'd be surprised at the number of shops that browse this forum. Not necessarily to check for messages about warranty claims but for help in their diagnoses for their customers' cars. I've had more than one local shop PM here about help for clients' vehicles.

Generally, you don't hear detonation especially while in the cockpit. It's not a loud BOOM like you might think.

Honestly, right now you don't know exactly that the engine is toast. The compression test is the best step for you at this point. Good luck!

 

I have this strong feeling that it isn't the engine. Are you sure you checked BOTH sides of MAP sensor connection ?

Can you start your car up ? Does it idle on its own, but the idle is hunting ? How fast can you get it to go ?

Don't jump conclusions. Take a day off and start working on the car. I think the problem lies outside of motor.

 

Possible, but I don't believe the stage 3 program messes with the boost solenoid duty cycle at all. If he's seeing higher boost with the open exhaust, he's seeing it with and without the ECU...in that case the ECU should actually be safer.

Of course the fuel cut on overboost is not there, so if his boost was getting too crazy I suppose removal of the fuel cut could allow it to get too high...

 

From my past research with project Rx7 "Sport Compact Car" mag, the stage 3 ecu runs a 12psi with full intake and exhaust(minus the midpipe). His ecu did boost to 12psi like it was suppose to. But he has the stock intake.

 

I have a Blitz intake

I started the car again today...it started right up with little cranking, but it is still really rough...it wasn't shaking as hard as it was yesterday. It was pumping out a lot of blue smoke. I disconnected the MAP sensor while the car was on and it went a little worse, but not much worse. I reconnected it and the idle went up a bit, and smoothed out a little, but again - not much. I can rev the engine, but it takes a while to rev up. The turbos were still boosting like they normally do (according to boost gauge).

It's being towed to :sigh: the dealership :sigh: to have a compression check done on it tomorrow I believe. I am at school right now, so it's kind of out of my hands. I told them NOT to do anything until I give them permission to, and if they say that something is wrong, I am not going to give them permission until they show me first hand what it is and prove that it is causing the problem. And after they do that, I'll probably just tell them I don't want them to do it, and have it towed to Chris or do it myself.

On a side note, the engine was pulling around 12 psi of vacuum at idle...wouldn't a blown engine pull less? I don't know. Definitely not getting my hopes up, that's for sure. It was pulling 18-20 psi when it was running normally.

 

That engine was installed in March 2003 and it has 6,000 miles on it.

 

Tyler that was one of the worst wake-up calls I've gotten. "yeah I won't be able to make it down today cuz I just blew my engine"

Guys, he has an Pettit DP, cat-back, and an intake. Seeing as the cold weather he was hitting 12psi, now we all know the possibilities of running those mods with a stock ECU at that psi. I don't think the ECU caused him to detonate. I initially thought that he threw a apex seal from detonation. Given the vacuum fluctuating at idle and the ruff idle. An injector could have decided to crap out on him, if they are original they'll have about 120K on them so its a possibility.

Pending the compression test we'll see what route can be taken. The only issues is getting a vehicle to tow the 7 around. But I am going to do my best to help out.

Tyler don't worry about work, if need be I'll drive you or you can take the Fox.

I think almost every FD owner has been in a similar situation. We've all been at a point where we are unsure of what do to with our car, and feel completely overwhelmed by the situation. Hell I am at a crossroads with my 7 right now. I know its hard not to think about it, believe me. And being at school just ***** with things even more, if you need anything just let me know. We'll get this sorted out.

 

It isn't the motor. You see when you get your compression checked

I bet its one of those hoses...

 

Hi,

Have you checked the belt?

When the belt is teared, the alt. can't make enough juice for all the sensors and make them report wrong values. Hence, the car ideled bad w/ a lot of smoke....that's my case a year ago! The airpump went shot and not turning make the belt teared.

I think you might have checked that , but it's not a bad idea to ask.

POM HB