hi, since i have had my apexi power fc fitted the check engine light flashes on between 6 and 7k revs under full acceleration in every gear. Obviously i was very concerned about this thinking it was detting but after 2 re visits to have the map checked on the rollers (where the problem doesnt occur at all) and on the road the only explanation my tuner could offer was the injectors are running 100% at some points setting off the warning light and it definatley wasnt detting so not to worry. Does this sound right and has anyone experienced the same problem.

My car is a '96 v3 type RA decatted full 3 inch system, in wing green cotton filter and apexi remap run on Octane booster. It made 304bhp @ 1.25 bar on dyno dynamics rollers. I have been following project RA in jap performance mag and in an older v2 with identical mods it made 338bhp at tracktive solutions, which i was a bit gutted about. Are my figures low or are their figures optimistic on our small TMIC's and std turbos.

Any thoughts/advice much appreciated.

Rob.

 

Rob, can you not set your hand controler for the apexi to inj duty cycle and see if they are maxing out?

I have a 93 type ra running 550cc injectors and they run at 80% @ 1.4 bar under full load/boost.

You could do with some det cans when running on the road under normal condtions and see if you are getting any det.

 

Rob my STI 3 with decat, uppipe, fuel pump and induction kit did the same thing running the standard 440cc injectors at 1.3 bar.
Once you get up to 97% idc you will get a warning cel from the ecu. It stopped me from enjoying the car, so i turned it off from the commander menu.

banny

 

Last map tweek was with mapper in passenger seat, getting no det at all just injectors hitting 97-100% in some areas aparently setting the cel off. did you uprate your fuel rail with the injectors? what kind of out put figures do you get with the 1.4 bar on the 550's?

cheers, Rob.

 

I know what you mean its really distracting, is turning it off much of a job?

 

Strange it didn't happen on the rollers as they normally run richer on the rollers.
You may though be getting better airflow on the road, so the ECU is having to compensate more to achieve your target AFR. Hence the increase in IDC.

You may be able to run it a bit leaner which would drop the IDC down and increase the power. But this needs to be sorted by your mapper. He would know if a leaner mixture was viable.

You can't turn the warning off on the commander, only via the datalogit laptop S/W.

 

Scott if you go into the ETC menu and under function select, you can switch it off.

banny

 

I have a standard 1998 STI type R with Power FC and my duty cycle was up as high as 92%. I have it mapped for 1.35BAR on 95 octane.

 

Doh! must remember to look in the etc.... menu more often.

Cheers...

P.S I run 97% 440cc at 1.35bar, standard pump pressure.

 

Might be talking out of my **** here, but surely if your injectors are running 100% quite regularly then that's a sign that your injectors are too small? The CEL is there to tell you that it's bad news. That flashing CEL is only the annoying in the same way that say a 'wet paint' notice is just before you sit down on a freshly-painted park bench! It's there for a reason...

 

Rob, I have not done anything with fuel rail as yet just used a fitting kit, I'm running a front mount, ported headers, H. Smith up-pipe, 255 pump, 3" decat from turbo, AVC-R and induction kit etc. Been reading same artical as you in jap mag so i'm guessing it's appox around 320/300, maybe more not sure. Andy F mapped it so it's never been near a RR as yet.

 

100% IDC on the Apexi isn't really 100% from what I've heard.
It's thought that 100% in an Apexi is set slightly low.
I beleive Simon (aka Jolly green monster) runs more then 100% in his own car quite regular.

 

nope.. currently at 3.5bar fuel pressure and hitting 82% on my 740s..

I have run 100% on previous injectors and noticed that increasing fuelling and monitoring on the wideband it continues to richen up..
So I think the Apexi response of 100% is a little premature..

Ultimately the thread starter need to monitor the IDC on the commander and check that this is why it is flashing the CEL..

Simon

 

Could the injectors reaching 100% regularly pose any risk to the engine?

 

I agree and my next step is bigger injectors, i keep watering my money tree but unfortunatley it's not due for harvesting yet so until then....

 

Which settings in the Apexi PFC are set to flash the CEL light? IIRC there are 4 items that can flash the CEL, det and injector IDC being 2 ... and air flow level I think - exceeding MAF measurement leel.

Each of these ( I think all can be ) turned off or on, so maybe worth turning each one off and checking to see if it stops the CEL flashing, so you know which item is causing it, i.e. where a problem may lie.
The setitng lives in the ETC. menu.


From apexi manual ...
① When lit...
・If lit, there is a possibility that either the map sensor, throttle position sensor, intake air temp
sensor, or water temp sensor is damaged.Turn the engine OFF immediately and have your
local Power Excel shop inspect the vehicle.
② When flashing...
・If flashing in 0.1second intervals for 3 times,
the vehicle may be detonating
Detonation causes severe damage to the engine
Release the accelerator pedal immediately if detonation occurs.
・If flashing for 0.5 second intervals,
the injectors may be at maximum capacity.
If the injectors are at maximum capacity the injectors may not be able to deliver the required
amount of fuel to the engine. Increase the fuel pressure or change to larger injectors.

 

You are asking a number of questions which imho should have been or should be answered by who mapped it.. if it was tweaked on the road the last time and the problem observed by the mapper and he said it was the injectors hitting max then you could look into bigger injectors once the money tree sprouts a bit more or an adjustable fuel pressure regulator if you haven't already got one..
However, really if the CEL is being illuminated due to injectors hitting the max regular then it needs accessing to decide whether it is safe to remove the warning, up the warning point or if the boost / power needs dropping slightly to keep it from illuminating.. all of which cannot really be answered from sitting here at a computer, having not seen the car.

The other problem you may see is if you are gunning it from cold (not advisable anyway but some people do this) then if the injectors are close to max when the engine is hot then you will hit the 100% when cold far more.

Simon

 

Agree with the cold running statement.
If you are running in the 90's then if you gun it from cold/luke warm it's quite easy to hit 100%.

 

cars booked in at Zen performance on monday to get it running to its full potential, i'll let you know how it all goes.

Rob.

 

Took a trip down to zen yesterday to get my map sorted and my eboost2 set up. What a difference it has made the car is smooth and feels considerably quicker pulling and holding right through the rev range. no warning lights and all mapped on shell v-power so no more messing around with octane booster.

I also got some good advice form Paul and Derek about the tuning route to take my car for getting the best performance on the hills over the winter break, and for considerably less than i was expecting to pay out.

Thanks to all at Zen especially to Paul who has tansformed my car, the service was professional, freindly, helpful, cost effective and has secured my future business as a result.

Rob.