Ask the EX-Holden Technician

[midnight_serenade]

Suspected Voltage Problem

Hi Rob,
I have a VS international Statesman. After installing a new stereo, with subs and amps I have a few problems come up. I have lost my variable power steering at low revs making the car real heavy instead of the other way round, I have lost all power, ( foot has to go almost flat to get the car moving) and have a awhiring noise show up. Just wondering because everything is so electrical on the car could it be linked to the voltage drop with all the extra stuff im running? It about the only thing I can think of that would cause so many problems and it about the only thing I have changed on the car.
If is a new alternator be enough to solve the problem or would I have to go a higher grade battery as well

 

[candy74]

hoping someone can help!!! i brought a vz about 2 mths ago and i have had a error code come up about 8 times since then. It has been towed once and they told me it was a gasket in the air box, but a week later it did the same thing. Since then it has been in 4 different holden dealers and no one seems to know what it is.. the last codes were (p 2188 and p2190 ) any ideas.the error thing tells me check powertrain, but only seems to happen on a long trip , is fine around town.... but is hard to start everytime i fill up ???????

 

[capitalgainz]

i have a vn v8 engine running the vn v8 dizzy it has a blue plug.
im converting my vr v6 to a vr v8 so im using a vr v8 loom but it has a different plug.
are the two dizzys the same and i can just swap the plugs on the loom over to fit
cheers

 

[Jiddy]

VP commodore intermitent not starting/occasional stall

Hey Mate,

I've been having intermittent issues with my VP either occasionally stalling, or sometimes just not starting. When it stalls it usually starts up fine again straight away.

When it doesn't start there is no spark from any of the coil packs. I've tried replacing the dfi, and packs, and it makes no difference (all the packs have the right resistances as well so I doubt its them). A few times its miss-fired and died on me too, then restarts but keeps miss-firing. I've also use the immobilizer kill switch to turn it off completely (I think it by-passes it totally), in case it was something weird with that.

I'm thinking it could be the CAS, but it certainly isn't the typical issue of when the car is hot, because it also happens when its cold. Can a dodgy CAS still be the issue? Does the ECU have no other way of getting the timing right, and just doesn't trigger a spark if the CAS is faulting?

Many Thanks

 

[sixshooter]

Cruise Contrrol & Integrated LPG ?

Hi Bob,

I have just purchased an old VS Berlina with integrated IMPCO LPG.

However I find the cruise doesn't work.

I traced one fault to a broken wire on the stalk so I swapped the stalk off my Calais to see if that fixed the problem. After that I can hear the BCM clicking when I press the button to activate the cruise, however the light does not light up on the dash and the cruise is still inoperative.
The car still has all the control box and cables hooked up to the throttle body.

I'm wondering is the cruise control deactivated when the LPG systems are installed ? It has had factory LPG since it was new !

Regs,
Mike

 

[Doctor Bob]

Hi Rob,
I have a VS international Statesman. After installing a new stereo, with subs and amps I have a few problems come up. I have lost my variable power steering at low revs making the car real heavy instead of the other way round, I have lost all power, ( foot has to go almost flat to get the car moving) and have a awhiring noise show up. Just wondering because everything is so electrical on the car could it be linked to the voltage drop with all the extra stuff im running? It about the only thing I can think of that would cause so many problems and it about the only thing I have changed on the car.
If is a new alternator be enough to solve the problem or would I have to go a higher grade battery as well

it sounds like you have unplugged something or blown a fuse, get it checked by a professional.
extra electrical load wont cause the issues you have

 

[Doctor Bob]

hoping someone can help!!! i brought a vz about 2 mths ago and i have had a error code come up about 8 times since then. It has been towed once and they told me it was a gasket in the air box, but a week later it did the same thing. Since then it has been in 4 different holden dealers and no one seems to know what it is.. the last codes were (p 2188 and p2190 ) any ideas.the error thing tells me check powertrain, but only seems to happen on a long trip , is fine around town.... but is hard to start everytime i fill up ???????

Both these codes indicate an oxy sensor issue , it probably needs new sensors

 

[Doctor Bob]

i have a vn v8 engine running the vn v8 dizzy it has a blue plug.
im converting my vr v6 to a vr v8 so im using a vr v8 loom but it has a different plug.
are the two dizzys the same and i can just swap the plugs on the loom over to fit
cheers

yes the plug is the only difference

 

[Doctor Bob]

Hey Mate,

I've been having intermittent issues with my VP either occasionally stalling, or sometimes just not starting. When it stalls it usually starts up fine again straight away.

When it doesn't start there is no spark from any of the coil packs. I've tried replacing the dfi, and packs, and it makes no difference (all the packs have the right resistances as well so I doubt its them). A few times its miss-fired and died on me too, then restarts but keeps miss-firing. I've also use the immobilizer kill switch to turn it off completely (I think it by-passes it totally), in case it was something weird with that.

I'm thinking it could be the CAS, but it certainly isn't the typical issue of when the car is hot, because it also happens when its cold. Can a dodgy CAS still be the issue? Does the ECU have no other way of getting the timing right, and just doesn't trigger a spark if the CAS is faulting?

Many Thanks

its more likely a bad connection at either the CAS or DFI, make sure all the terminals are clean & tight.

 

[Doctor Bob]

Hi Bob,

I have just purchased an old VS Berlina with integrated IMPCO LPG.

However I find the cruise doesn't work.

I traced one fault to a broken wire on the stalk so I swapped the stalk off my Calais to see if that fixed the problem. After that I can hear the BCM clicking when I press the button to activate the cruise, however the light does not light up on the dash and the cruise is still inoperative.
The car still has all the control box and cables hooked up to the throttle body.

I'm wondering is the cruise control deactivated when the LPG systems are installed ? It has had factory LPG since it was new !

Regs,
Mike

Hi Mike as far as i know theres no reason to disable it with LPG, are the globes ok in the dash?