New guy. Here is my Cat

[Vovchandr]

Loving the lower headlight mount 

 

Something is making a noise going over bumps though. I think it might be CSR wings flexing and impacting tire. Left in particular. 

 

 

[CBuff]

Where did you source the headlight covers ?

[Vovchandr]

1 hour ago, CBuff said:

Where did you source the headlight covers ?

They were made by a now retired merchant in the UK. Unfortunately I don't have an alternate source. 

 

I knew she was retiring and I couldn't decide on color combo so I got options in case of loss or damage. 

Edited June 12, 2023 by Vovchandr

[MV8]

11 hours ago, Vovchandr said:

Something is making a noise going over bumps though. I think it might be CSR wings flexing and impacting tire. Left in particular. 

 

Can't see mounting detail from your pics. It looks like the mounting bracket stops at the wing outside edge versus extending into the wing above the tire. If that is the case, the wing should have vertical ribs or gussets above the tire at the mounting bracket attachment but I expect they do not. Looks like they just mount to the outside, relying entirely on the flange of the carbon layup. What does it look like inside the wing? I expect a reinforcing strip inside sandwiching the carbon at the mounting point would cure this.

[Vovchandr]

Nice photo somebody took and shared from a local event

 

 

 

Edited June 13, 2023 by Vovchandr

[Vovchandr]

No fixings yet, but did take it to work to enjoy it 

 

 

[Vovchandr]

I've been spotted!

 

Somebody posted on Facebook and tagged me

 

 

[Vovchandr]

@ all

 

Another year, another track day coming up, another emergency on the radar

 

As some of you know I've got careless and was distracted and hooked up the Lithium battery backwards and my car. This was discovered when I went to turn it on and there was no sign of life and then I discovered that the Lithium battery started to go into the run away heating cycle where it was heating up faster than it could cool off..

 

With that danger avoided I didn't have an opportunity to test it with any other battery at the time so I ordered another one.

 

Today a new battery came in so I went to try to start it to see what damage I did, and *drum roll* cranks but no start.

 

I can hear the fuel pump turn on, I plugged into the ECU and the Pectel is at least alive but I've got no spark.

 

Checked the obvious array of fuses under the dash and didn't see anything that could be related to spark other than the ECU fuse which is good.

 

Any ideas what it could be? I have a feeling ECU works but isn't entirely functional? 

 

I'm now in a slight panic trying to get the car ready for this years track day but this seems status quo for every year. 

 

*I should note a disclaimer for the experts as I like to make things difficult. I've also messed with the ECU pigtail and unfound the 20? year old electrical tape that was covering it and unuplugged it to see if I had a spare pin available to wire in the wideband. I found out that I do not, but it's worth mentioning that the wiring loom has been disturbed. 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Vovchandr

[MV8]

Remove the wiring plug on the coil pack. Put an incandescent tester probe on the middle terminal with the tester clip lead to ground. Key on = bright bulb/close to battery voltage. Cranking = flashing tester bulb. Results?

Edited July 22, 2023 by MV8

[Vovchandr]

1 hour ago, MV8 said:

Remove the wiring plug on the coil pack. Put an incandescent tester probe on the middle terminal with the tester clip lead to ground. Key on = bright bulb/close to battery voltage. Cranking = flashing tester bulb. Results?

 

Just tested it. I don't think it's flashing unless the incandescent bulb is just not responding fast enough.

 

 

 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Vovchandr

[Vovchandr]

Tested one injector pigtail. Seems to be doing same thing. Lit up but not blinking 

 

 

[MV8]

I don't know if the pectel uses the earlier ford edis module as a go between to the coils. I see a slighty flicker but I think that is just from the starter load fluctuating. I expect the terminal being tested goes either to an edis module or the pectel. Is and does the tach work during cranking? If not, unplug the crank sensor (CKP) and test each terminal to ground with the key on (good= 1.0-2.0vdc). Measure the resistance of the CKP (good= 250-1k ohms).

 

While you are looking around, the EDIS (if equipped) will have a 12 pin flat connector and the wires to the coil pack will come from it. That would be the next thing to check.

Edited July 22, 2023 by MV8

[Vovchandr]

I believe the flicker/dimming is from the load 

 

My battery voltage is showing 13v on tester but ECU is showing around 10v in the software which is strange 

 

I'm also getting errors in the ECU log when I try to start it with a communication failure. Not a good sign. Posted about it on the Pectel forums. 

 

As I see it now I have about 7 different paths and outcomes

 

1) New Lithium battery is not giving proper voltage to ECU causing problems. Test with regular. 

2) I messed up the wiring by disturbing it when unplugging the ECU, fix wiring as solution 

3) I blew some sort of basic fuse or else, find and replace 

4) I fried the ECU by hooking up terminals backwards. Find another Pectel T2  (impossible) or get it fixed/serviced?

5) I fried the ECU, redo wiring harness and put stock Ford ECU and figure out how to make it work with ITBs

6) I fried stock ECU, commit to a better ECU and do a harness swap quick

7) I friend stock ECU, commit to swapping the Duratec that I have sitting 

 

 

Ill have time to do some of testing above later today or tomorrow 

 

 

[wemtd]

I don’t know if “EDIS Module” is same as the Haltech “ignition module”… what you’re describing sounds similar to mine dying a few years ago.

much searching and one MacGyver’d Noid Light at midnight, and a few tech support headaches: I replaced it & problem solved. 
I also learned it’s a Bosch unit that interchanges to a 25$ VW part.

[MV8]

Wemtd, it makes sense to me (though this is not a normal failure mode). Haltech sells a single channel and dual channel ignition module that is from the vw/audi parts bin. To replace an edis4 (12 pins), it would need to be a dual channel with 7 pins (single channel has 5 pins).

 

Vovchndr, it sounds like you have stopped troubleshooting. It is too early in the process to know what the best options are or if new parts are going to be damaged from when you shorted out the entire car. The alternator regulator is probably ruined as well; maybe the fuel pump too (even if it makes noise). When I get in a hurry, bad things happen so I just don't.

 

 

[Vovchandr]

5 hours ago, MV8 said:

Wemtd, it makes sense to me (though this is not a normal failure mode). Haltech sells a single channel and dual channel ignition module that is from the vw/audi parts bin. To replace an edis4 (12 pins), it would need to be a dual channel with 7 pins (single channel has 5 pins).

 

Vovchndr, it sounds like you have stopped troubleshooting. It is too early in the process to know what the best options are or if new parts are going to be damaged from when you shorted out the entire car. The alternator regulator is probably ruined as well; maybe the fuel pump too (even if it makes noise). When I get in a hurry, bad things happen so I just don't.

 

 

 

I haven't stopped, I just have very limited time to be in the garage with an infant so I try to be on point when I get out there and that happens maybe twice a week at this point. 

 

Do I need alternator to start the car or even try to fire?

 

Fuel pump turns on and I am at 40psi on the gauge on the rail. 

 

Had to look up what EDIS is and I don't think I have it. And if I do I think it's internal to the coil. I have spare coils that I can swap over. 

 

Time is of the essence with the track day coming up. Any easily replaceable part that could be questionable or fried that can't be tested will be replaced immediately. 

 

I'm hoping it's not the ECU but I still havent figured out a good way to test it directly. 

 

Is there a way to test injectors firing without spraying fuel everywhere? If I crank it won't spark plugs I should see wet cylinders right?

 

Is there any fuse on a Caterham thats not part of the main fuse box that I could be overlooking?

 

ECU communicates with DeskPro to start but gives errors 

[MV8]

What are the results of the checks I posted yesterday morning?

[Vovchandr]

5 hours ago, MV8 said:

What are the results of the checks I posted yesterday morning?

 

My cluster works but it's aftermarket and it doesn't really respond instantly to cranking. I checked old videos too, it blanks for a few seconds and then works. 

 

Current 

 

Old start example in the beginning of video. Known good

 

 

 

It doesn't appear I have EDIS, all my coil wires either go to under dash to I believe tech or ECU

 

My crank wire however might have taken the blunt of the short. Voltage going to it is 0.48 on one and 0 on other and the wires look for the worse with the shielding. Crack in one too. Not sure if this is new but i don't believe it's always been like this

 

Haven't tested resistance yet of the crank sensor 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Vovchandr

[MV8]

Looks like the ecu has failed based on dead ignition channels and no EDIS module to check (integral to the ecu). The shielding on the ckp isn't critical and would not be connected / grounded on one end anyway. It is unlikely the ckp has failed.

You probably will need an alternator once it runs again with a new ecu or efi system. Since you are in a hurry, pic an off-the-shelf system with an a conservative tune available for your config.

Before replacing anything, look for overheated wires throughout the car even if a fuse did not blow. These are wires where the insulation is not smooth and uniform should be replaced as they could short or have hidden damage. Lot of cars end up in the junkyard due only to intermittent problems. The cost is not fixing, but finding.

[Vovchandr]

37 minutes ago, MV8 said:

Looks like the ecu has failed based on dead ignition channels and no EDIS module to check (integral to the ecu). The shielding on the ckp isn't critical and would not be connected / grounded on one end anyway. It is unlikely the ckp has failed.

 

You probably will need an alternator once it runs again with a new ecu or efi system. Since you are in a hurry, pic an off-the-shelf system with an a conservative tune available for your config.

 

Before replacing anything, look for overheated wires throughout the car even if a fuse did not blow. These are wires where the insulation is not smooth and uniform should be replaced as they could short or have hidden damage. Lot of cars end up in the junkyard due only to intermittent problems. The cost is not fixing, but finding.

 

Thanks! I think I have a lead on another one of these ancient ECUs. Between time limit and my time investment into this system and software ecosystem I'll likely try to do a plug and play. I have my tunes backed up for this ECU and the current one seems to communicate with computer. Just doesn't run the car. 

 

Noted on the alternator and the wire inspection.