HELP! VN 5L Has Shat Itself

[CALAIS5LITRE]

Hi,

Heres the problems.

Driving around on a rainy day, then stopped for an hour or two. Went to start it again and it wont run without your foot flat to the floor, its blowing heaps of black smoke, and it wont rev over 3000rpm.

Have Checked and seem ok:
Coil
Dizzy Cap and Rotor
All 8 Leads
All 8 Spark Plugs
Checked for Vacuum Leaks


The car doesnt seem to change when spraying aerostart into the TB, so would it be fuel?

Also, i have tried and tried to get a fault code, but all the light does is stay illuminated, and nothing else.

The car has a big cam, a rising rate reg, pacemaker extractors with twin hi flow cats and exhaust. It has ran fine until the other day.

Car runs a slight bit better with map sensor disconnected???

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[CAM05L]

hi mate i know it sounds a bit stupid but it hasnt run out of fuel? maybe ignition module aswell? is the fuel pump noisy?

[CALAIS5LITRE]

That was the first thought mate. Topped it up with 10L of fuel. Same again

Can only hear fuel pump prime on start up. The rising rate pressure reg says 40 when its running

[roger05]

Sounds like its flooding, maybe the fuel reg is stuffed and letting to much through and giving you a false reading. You could try clamping the fuel hose a lil to stop as much juice goin through. Also make sure the map hose hasn't come off the manifold.

[CALAIS5LITRE]

Might go and try the stock regulator. Cheers.

Map hose has been checked a few times.

Another thing, If i keep it reving for half a minute or so, all of a sudden the oil light comes on and the thing just stops. Also, the oil has Fuel?? (Its not milky like water) in it? Smells of fuel and is also quite a bit higher on the dipstick than it was?

Its been a F*(&@# Dud since i got the thing. Wiring, Cam lobes, Ign modules, AC, Exhaust, Oil Pump... All in the space of a year. At least its led to some mods, but no fun when driving it is impossible.

Might also add that its had a memcal installed for about 6 months now. Could that be the reason the diagnostic mode isnt working?

[88GreenVN]

Oxy sensor, Temp sensor & TPS have you checked them? The ECU can also be a prob. What type of Memcal?

[CALAIS5LITRE]

Seems like its the fuel pump. Not overly sure but it doesnt really want to run at all now, unless i put a bit of fuel in the TB.

Ill keep you posted when we have a look tomorrow.

Cheers mate.

[defa]

if it is floody, fuel could be passing through the rings and into your oil. that could be why your oil smells. it does sound like flooding..

[CALAIS5LITRE]

Seems like there was about 3 litres of fuel in the sump. drained it and it was like water.

Fuel pump seems to be working, not as strong but there is still pressure there.

It is now not even firing even with aerostart down its guts.

What the hell is wrong with it. Been searching all day.

Does it have anything to do with the fact that the diagnostic mode is not working? The light only stays illuminated the whole time. Nothing else

Have tried a different memcal... no luck.

Still to go is map sensor, and the other sensors....

o2 sensor? Temp Sensor? tps? Which of these would cause this shit? Or could it be the entire ecu?

Since the cam has gone in a few months ago, the Eng light occasionally comes on, but nothing happens. Drove it one day, stopped for an hour and then it wouldnt run.

No fun at all..

[nsladden]

At work, there is a VL Commodore that came in running like shit. Would hardly idle, and when you tryed to rev it it would miss fire EXTREMLY bad, it was barely driveable, you could only idle around the place. So the car sat around for a couple of years as no one could figure out what was wrong with it. We tryed heaps of things including a new computer etc. It turns out it was ONE loose wire off the AFM. Pushed it back in and now it runs well & revs hard. So I suggust you make sure all sensors, wiring connecting to sensors etc is all ok, connected & in good conditon.

[88GreenVN]

Could well be the ECU. Oxy sensor and temp sensor have a lot to do with the amount of fuel/air mix.

[statomatic]

have you tried to put another oxygen sensor on

[bush_basha]

have you checked compression?

[Tree cutter]

It probably wont start now because the spark plugs are fowled up from running too rich. Black smoke out the exhaust means it is running rich. Have you checked to make sure nothing is blocking the air intake or air cleaner. I would be checking the MAP sensor and fuel pressure regulator. The big cam will cause lower vacuum at idle which will make the fuel pressure regulator raise fuel pressure at idle, which can cause your engine light to come on because the oxygen sensors sense it is running rich. you really need to get a chip to suit the cam. I remember reading somewhere that the VN computers had a problem where the circuit boards would crack the solder joints because they were mounted too firmly and could not expand and contract as they got hot or cold, so they would distort and crack the solder joints. I would hope all the crook ones have been tossed out by now and replaced with new improved ones.

[CALAIS5LITRE]

Cheers fellas.

We will definately get compression tested, and also check all the sensors.

Thing is, I individually disconnected all the sensors one at a time and it ran the same.

The car has been running great with the cam and memcal for a good 6 months now, it wont run at all with the stock memcal which is understandable.

Would be great if the self diagnosis would work. Would narrow it down a lot.

ill keep you guys posted. Cheers.

[5speedcalais]

i had the same prob with my v6. i brought new sensors tried everything put new fuel pump reg and plugs
ran fine except on cold start but then put new coolant temp sensor in never had a problem since ay m8.

[VP Wagon]

Could be stuffed injector staying open allow fuel to always pour into a cylinder or a couple

[xcop5l]

imo its the map sensor not reading any vaccume causing it to think its at wide open throttle and just dumping loads of fuel in, cranking it over will just fill the cylinders with fuel wich will seap down into the sump causing your fuel in the sump

[5speedcalais]

yer thats wat i thought was wrong with mine brought new map sensor and as i said didnt help but could be that but im just sayin dont just think its always a sensor

[88GreenVN]

A small backfire will blow a MAP sensor........

[CALAIS5LITRE]

I have a running v6 here, and i was just wondering what sensors are interchangable?

I heard the ecu is, along with the sensor which goes into the manifold? If this is true it would help save the budget as i could simply just swap and so forth?

Any ideas?

Cheers.

[peter65]

sorry cant help with the main problem but to get the "check engine" lamp on the dash to flash fault codes you need to bridge two of the terminals (A & B) on the diagnostic plug (on the vp it is in the front passengers footwell, on the left hand side above/behind the plastic kick panel. this website has the codes & connector layouts. http://www.techedge.com.au/vehicle/aldl160/vn_aldl.htm

[88GreenVN]

Some of the sensors are the same - The MAP is. Others duno. Sorry.

[immortality]

with the engine check light staying on but not doing anything else i'd suggest that there is a fault in the ECU. not 100% sure however if they are interchangable. i beleive they are from memory, you just need to fit your memcal

[5speedcalais]

yer engine light wont just give u a code u have to turn ur ignition to on but dont start and bridge out the diagnostic port and the earth wire port on the plug under the glove box(thats where it should be) i'll make a rough drawing of the plug ports