IMRC deletes in!

[bumsoil]

Car idles great! Runs terrible at WOT and weird below 3k(getting better though).
It is sputtering and cutting out extremely badly above 4500 RPM and feels bad below 2k. The more quickly it revs the worse this is. In first gear sometimes it sputters and pops so badly I can’t rev it out. I haven’t driven the car much (bad ball joint) but it seems to be getting better the more I drive it. Will it learn and tune itself somewhat? Or will it run like this until I get it tuned?
I unplugged the IMRC actuator completely. My plan is to make a relay to simulate the box until I get a tune, but I haven’t had time yet.
It has no vacuum leaks. It ran great before the deletes (aside from a vac leak) and pulled hard.

 

[mwolson]

How do you know you don't have a vacuum leak? Unless you do a smoke test, it is very hard to know for sure. I am not sure what the PCM thinks if the controller is unplugged. I'd also suggest you check for DTCs and datalog your idle and part throttle fuel trims if you can.

 

[bumsoil]

my IMRC bearings have been leaking for well over a year now, and this is the first time I have heard my car idle normally in a while. im 99.9999% sure its not a vac leak.
could it be the ECU is not adding timing because the controller is unplugged?

 

[mwolson]

Pulling spark advance would only cause you to lose power. It would not cause you to have the symptoms you are reporting.

 

[Cowtown]

From what I read to really get your car to run decent and make up some losses when you do the deletes in whatever form you want to use a tuner to fix it. I'd be looking at doing that ASAP.

 

[cbrown9064]

Like Mark said, how do you know you don't have a vacuum leak? You need to smoke test it.

Deleting and unplugging the IMRCs will throw codes, but not make the car run like you described. Start the troubleshooting over and double check everything mechanical. Fuel injector leak? Bad injector, bad coil, bad wire, etc...

Do you still have the stock hard vacuum lines? I looked at one sideways the other day while removing stuff for my blower and it snapped. Could have a cracked one.

Basics, basics, basics. And don't replace parts until proven bad.

 

[bumsoil]

Did a smoke test tonight. No leaks.
All the research I did said it should run ok. Not like this. I talked to someone who's having the same issue as I am. So I'm thinking some cars don't like having them removed.
Who all has run imrc deletes on a stock tune?

 

[mwolson]

You have to fix any mechanical issues before you do the tuning. If you try to tune with mechanical issues like this, things will really get screwed up. You need to figure this problem out prior to trying to tune it.

If you don't have a vacuum leak, something else has gone wrong. Deleting the IMRCs will not cause these kinds of problems, even without a tune. To prove it, it is fast and easy to make the relay circuit.

 

[me32]

Did you check the plugs to see if they got fouled when you did the delete plates? Fluid can get in to the chamber when doing this stuff.

 

[bumsoil]

I will check my plugs Saturday. When I have light....
I have everything I need to make the circuit, except a 75ohm resistor. Going to check a couple of electronic stores tomorrow. Radio shack does not have it.

 

[mwolson]

If you can find 150 ohm resistors, wire two in parallel.

 

[bumsoil]

if I can find a 150!!!! seriously RadioShack! lol.
there is a much more comprehensive store that will have them, ill make the circuit tonight and test it. ill report back.

 

[mwolson]

I guess I am spoiled here in Silicon Valley. Need a microwave waveguide? Just run down to the store. :rolling:

 

[bumsoil]

you think it would be that way in Redmond WA, you know where Microsoft is. lol.

 

[mwolson]

You can probably go down to the store and buy a software subroutine.

 

[bumsoil]

I work at Microsoft so I can just wonder over to the company store. lol.

 

[bumsoil]

made the delete circuit on my lunch today. ghettoed it together with no solder or crimping. shrunk-wraped it all though. jammed the wires into the connector and drove home from work. my god. the car runs so much better then it has in longer then i can remember.

there ya go, unplug the controller and all goes to hell. lol.

 

[mwolson]

Who'd have thought. Not me.

Glad the circuit worked for you.

You better solder it together this weekend...