Here's is a interesting one! Any ideas on this fault?? Video

[Mr-Paulio]

A little background before we start. Car is a '89 SC AW11. Has a 3VZ-FE with megasquirt. So this is not a check engine fault. Flickers on and off while driving. But I've just started to realise this appears to happen when Electrical load is applied.
Have a watch of the video.

[The extension mp4 has been deactivated and can no longer be displayed.]

Any ideas? Thoughts? Anyone come across this before?
Alternator tests at 14.3 amps. But this is also not just the charge light.
The battery has given me issues before. It doesn't hold much charge and will quickly drain the battery if left on ACC with the fuel pump running. I will change this at some point. But doubt this is the cause either.
Maybe some iffy wiring somewhere? But where to look first??!!

[Mr-Paulio]

Agh damit! How do you post videos?

[Benckj]

Can't view clip on my phone even if present

Run a data log and have a look at your battery voltage to see if it drops and how that may effect other components such as injectors or MAP. Using the MS datalog is very helpful in diagnosing all sorts of issues. May not pin point where fault is located but may give clues to what is wrong ( battery, alternator, ground.etc)

[mickeyduck]

Agh damit! How do you post videos?

Put it on youtube

Then use the id of the video inside a youtube tag (NOT the entire url)

Our humble little VM on Rackspace is nearly out of space as it is...

Thanks Paul.

[Mr-Paulio]

Yeah sorry guys, massive fail on my part.
Hopefully this works better. (You really need to see the video to get the full gist)


So yeah, basically the dash lights have been flickering on/off lately while driving. But today I associated this with Electrical load on the battery. And custom ECU means it's not a fault code. As per the video see what happens when I flick the windows up/down.
I'm really not sure where to start here!

[Mr-Paulio]

Can't view clip on my phone even if present

Run a data log and have a look at your battery voltage to see if it drops and how that may effect other components such as injectors or MAP. Using the MS datalog is very helpful in diagnosing all sorts of issues. May not pin point where fault is located but may give clues to what is wrong ( battery, alternator, ground.etc)

Ooh sounds interesting! How can I do this? Do I need a special adaptor/software?
I have nothing with it currently. And maybe an older version?
Here's a pic...

[mickeyduck]

I think Jim's onto it regards the likely cause Paul.

I had a very similar thing happen in my bog standard AW when the alternator shat itself (oil from distributor got into it destroying the brushes). All the lights flashing on and off at me. When Isaac's SW had the same problem his radio did it, which seemed kinda bizarre. You have a custom ECU but maybe it's the same basic problem?

If it's triggered when you use the electric window or other things drawing current then I'd say yeah you have a bad earth or some such thing somewhere Paul. I guess maybe start with the simple stuff and check the battery has good charge / the alternator is pumping out good voltage and work into it from there. What wiring has been altered that might be causing it? Actually that could be almost any of it, being a custom build. But maybe start simple with the alternator and its wiring?

Of course being a custom build it could be almost anything so yeah maybe you need a bit more info from Jim?

[Benckj]

you can connect to MS unit via laptop through serial port or USB interface using Tunerstudio. Software is free via MS site.

With TS running the EMS can be tuned and logged then analysed later. Who did the initial tune?

[Gleshlich]

you can connect to MS unit via laptop through serial port or USB interface using Tunerstudio. Software is free via MS site.

With TS running the EMS can be tuned and logged then analysed later. Who did the initial tune?

I've found that TS free version can only log for a very small amount of time. Not anywhere near long enough to be useful, or is there something I'm missing?

[JasonFriday13]

I'd say yeah you have a bad earth or some such thing somewhere Paul.

You beat me to it, sounds like a bad earth.

[Benckj]

I've found that TS free version can only log for a very small amount of time. Not anywhere near long enough to be useful, or is there something I'm missing?

Maybe your using the high speed logging for diagnoising ignition signal & timing. The normal data logging function will log for hours if you want and records all vital functions. No difference between free and paid version.

[Malcolm]

Alternator tests at 14.3 amps.

If your alternator is only supplying 14.3A then you need a new alternator (or to fix the existing one). That is barely enough to run a fuel pump and an electric window motor at the same time.

[Benckj]

I think he means 14.3volts as most people would not have a meter capable of measuring 100+amps DC.

[Mr-Paulio]

I think he means 14.3volts as most people would not have a meter capable of measuring 100+amps DC.

Argh yes, Volts DC. Sorry, baby brain here still!

[Mr-Paulio]

you can connect to MS unit via laptop through serial port or USB interface using Tunerstudio. Software is free via MS site.

With TS running the EMS can be tuned and logged then analysed later. Who did the initial tune?

Cool, thanks I will check that out. I bought a wreck with this engine as a part (unfinished) project. Apparently it was Jared who did the Dyno tuning. But the wiring was shit, so not sure who did the install. I spent plenty of time making it neat and getting rid of dodgy fittings and joins. Everything has worked fine for months before this started. I'm not convinced it actually has anything to do with the ECU though? Perhaps the bad ground idea is worth looking into. Although I haven't had an issue before, as I say