help i'm going nuts trying to find the problem

[skookumchuck]

guys, i've had suggestions from other sites but this has got me stuffed. my VL started to chug along when it got to top gear. i'd go up a hill and ease off on the accelerator and it would change into top gear before i would turn the corner and as i drove into my shed as it was stationary it would rev up then die , rev up and die. as if someone was pumping the accelerator, it would do this for a while then stop. i've replaced the injectors, fuel pump, filter, oxygen sensor, distributor, throttle position sensor, checked and sprayed all the electrical plugs with contact cleaner, checked the hoses etc. etc. i'm going nuts trying to find the problem. it can't be much as when i put my foot down she goes fine. it's only when i ease off the accelerator. any ideas ??

[black as]

Have you checked your fuel

[skookumchuck]

yes, i've used all the fuel in the tank trying to find put the problem. even ran out then changed the pump and filter and filled it up, still the same. i wish it was the fuel ! would have saved me a lot of time.
i've been weeks trying to sort this problem out. i am getting the fuel sensor system replaced behind the speedo next week. i have to do that as the odometer doesn't work so i can do two jobs at the same time. after that it's the ecu. after that it's a box of matches !!

[Panama]

maybe the fuel regualtor vac line is rooted. i know that twhen you coast or ease off accelerator, you create more vacuum, so if the vac line to your fuel regulator or the regulator itself is rooted it might cause this. otherwise i'd say your air flow meter.

[skookumchuck]

yeah could be. i'll check that line and reg. how can you tell if the air flow meter is stuffed ?

[detox_nath83]

To Test AFM
You can start your car and pull of the plug to the AFM if she idles still your afm is stuffed
Or unplug AFM and try start your car if it starts AFM is Knackered
Even try somebody elses AFM on your car just to make sure your afm is working.
When you replaced the Dizzy did u change over the Crank Angle Sensor from your car to other dizzy or is it a different one?
CAS can play up very eradically.
Goodluck

[social]

i may be way off but when i had my vl, simply the airflow piping kept coming off after puttting it thru its paces which told the Airflow sensor that not enough air was goin into the engine = the battery light came up and the car shuddered reved up died so pretty much automatically shut itself down. give that a shot.

[skookumchuck]

To Test AFM
You can start your car and pull of the plug to the AFM if she idles still your afm is stuffed
Or unplug AFM and try start your car if it starts AFM is Knackered
Even try somebody elses AFM on your car just to make sure your afm is working.
When you replaced the Dizzy did u change over the Crank Angle Sensor from your car to other dizzy or is it a different one?
CAS can play up very eradically.
Goodluck

Pulled the plug off the AFM and it seemed to die but picked up and kept going. didn't idle as fast. when i took the whole afm off i couldn't start it. i looked through it and could see a thin blade type sticking up about half way from the middle of it. with the plug off and trying to accelerate it was intermittent , not smooth. what do you reckon ? with the dizzy i just replaced the whole thing. didn't make any difference from my other one.

[detox_nath83]

thats another way to test your afm is Visual like u did making sure the thin wire (Hot Wire) is intact and not broken( A simple backfire through the intake can blow them out)
if u put a whole complete Dizzy in it shouldnt be the CAS unless it was stuffed as well.
With plug unplugged on AFM as soon as you give it slight throttle it will stall. it should not rev at all.
try and put another afm on if u can and try rule out if it the AFM or not. i have gone through 3 in the 8 years i have had vl commos
Check for any air leaks and tighten all hose clamps in intake piping between AFM and throttlebody.
check for cracks in the corrigated rubber piece as well.
Goodluck

[treezey]

yea i had my airflow stuff up on me the other day and it was doing the same thing as yours (reving up and dying) but wen i unplugged it it still didnt start so fuigure that out then? but i changed it and it and then she was fine

[skookumchuck]

yea i had my airflow stuff up on me the other day and it was doing the same thing as yours (reving up and dying) but wen i unplugged it it still didnt start so fuigure that out then? but i changed it and it and then she was fine

yeah well i hope that's all that's wrong with mine. i've just about replaced everything else. i've a feeling it's something elase small like a sensor as well.

[skookumchuck]

thats another way to test your afm is Visual like u did making sure the thin wire (Hot Wire) is intact and not broken( A simple backfire through the intake can blow them out)
if u put a whole complete Dizzy in it shouldnt be the CAS unless it was stuffed as well.
With plug unplugged on AFM as soon as you give it slight throttle it will stall. it should not rev at all.
try and put another afm on if u can and try rule out if it the AFM or not. i have gone through 3 in the 8 years i have had vl commos
Check for any air leaks and tighten all hose clamps in intake piping between AFM and throttlebody.
check for cracks in the corrigated rubber piece as well.
Goodluck

okay if it backfires and blows the heat wires out can they be fixed or do you need to replace the whole AFM ?

[detox_nath83]

im pretty sure they can be serviced/ Recoed but it would probably cost the same as a second hand one.
Me personally i would get another one from wreckers. keep your receipt just incase it is stuffed to begin with.

[skookumchuck]

im pretty sure they can be serviced/ Recoed but it would probably cost the same as a second hand one.
Me personally i would get another one from wreckers. keep your receipt just incase it is stuffed to begin with.

yeah tried that and the one at the wreckers was also stuffed so i am getting one posted from SA should be here by now. have been waiting a week ! keep you posted.

[woodyotoad]

make sure there is no inlet manifold leaks 2

[skookumchuck]

make sure there is no inlet manifold leaks 2

not sure. would you hear it if there was ? i though about that but couldn't hear any hissing like a leak. is there a way to test ? besides would it affect the way it would change to top gear when i ease off the accelerator going up a hill ?
i'll soon find out when i replace the AFM. thanks

[Goon]

You checked ur timing when u replaced ur dizzy?? if u did then cool if u havent, then u might wanna try ..

[skookumchuck]

You checked ur timing when u replaced ur dizzy?? if u did then cool if u havent, then u might wanna try ..

yeah checked timing about 10 times ! have put the afm on and now it's running like a chaff cutter. blowing huge amounts of fuel out he exhaust. filled the shed up with fumes and we had to get out, just couldn't breath. now i need to trce back along the fuel system. i'll get it yet before i go crackers !!

[skookumchuck]

i'm taking it to the mechanic today. maybe he will find the problem on his equipment. it just blows heaps of black smoke. seems to start fairly well now as long as i keep pumping the accelerator. should be able to make it down the road !! once i've found the problem i'm selling it. in the heat of the moment on the weekend we bought a '03 vy s commodore. keep you posted.

[skookumchuck]

well i thought the problem was solved with another AFM!! but still won't run and idle properly. coughs and farts and pops. can't seem to get the timing right. i think that it has to be the timing belt. i did put another one in and it wasn't running right so i put it one tooth on. seemed to run okay for a while until the dist. electrode wore out then my troubles began as you know. not sure what to do now. getting the battery charged at the moment. give me time to think.

[skookumchuck]

i did a check on the cas 4 pin plug and found that the efi relay pin wasn't working. should have had a reading of 12v but nothing. so i'll replace or take the pin apart. any ideas how to take the pins out ? do they pull out ? or do you need a pin to push a stopper out of the way ?
hope this is my problem solved !
wrong wire. it was the earth and should read 0v !!

[detox_nath83]

exactly take em out i used a pop Rivet shank was stong and small enough.
check these voltages while you go

CAS PLUG VALUES

Approx Values
Ignition On/Engine Off.................................................Idle
Earth (Black).................................0V .............................. 0V
Power Supply (Orange Wire).......12v................................13. 5V
1degree Signal (White Wire).........5V.................................. 2.5V
120Degree Signal (Yellow Wire).....5V...................................0.3 V

[skookumchuck]

exactly take em out i used a pop Rivet shank was stong and small enough.
check these voltages while you go

CAS PLUG VALUES

Approx Values
Ignition On/Engine Off.................................................Idle
Earth (Black).................................0V .............................. 0V
Power Supply (Orange Wire).......12v................................13. 5V
1degree Signal (White Wire).........5V.................................. 2.5V
120Degree Signal (Yellow Wire).....5V...................................0.3 V

yes did all that and all okay. checked all the wiring going to the tps, afm, coolant sensor etc. etc. even did a continuity test on all the wiring to the cpu. all okay. today i took the cam belt cover off and counted the belt teeth to the timing mark on the bottom pully and 53 teeth to the top mark on the cam. put it carefully back and lined up the dizzy and timed it and it idles and starts okay but still pops and burbles which makes me think there could be water in the fuel. put a cup of metho in and gave it a run and see if that makes any difference. did that still no difference. starts and idles a lot better although when cold i need to crank it a couple of times and it pops and blows a bit till it runs. after that starting is okay. seems to have to put my foot right down for any response and cruising at 60/70 kms it's starting to chug as if it's missing, and going up a hill it acts as if it's retarding but the timing is spot on.
today , 3rd april, took off the fuel pump and filter and checked them , both okay. took it for a drive and still the same . although i noticed going up a hill it wouldn't change gear even if i put my foot flat down. it just slowly went up the hill. usually it just kicks down a gear and zooms up. can't think why it wouldn't accelerate under load ! running out of options ??

[delcowizzid]

you checked for error codes using the led's in the ecu.

[detox_nath83]

check the steel bodied relay down near battery expecially the plug/wires under the plug as well as the spade connectors no corrosion.
Im sure its the injector relay mine was intermittent and ran bad(Check my Thread on "Vl Not starting Tried the obvious") till i cleaned that up
as for kickdown it could be trans ecu/switch above throttle (Near Cable pull) or simply the ecu recognising that the system is not well and not letting it change

Codes for ecu are

11 - CAS
12 - AFM
13 - Coolant Temp Sensor
14 - Vehicle speed Sensor....drive car above 10kmh to cancel code
21 - Ignition Signal
23 - Throttle Switch....Press throttle too floor to cancel code
24 - Neutral Switch Circuit.... Move Car to Drive then too Park to cance code
31 - Satisfactory Operation (Non air con model) Or Air con Circuit (Aircon Model)
32 - Starter Signal
34 - Detonation Sensor Circuit
44 - Satifactory Operation(Air Con Model)