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Hard restarting VR...1 hour wait.

Hotblooded_VR

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Funny you should mention the fan Delco. The car can only be running from cold for a few minutes and the darn electric fan kicks in and the temp gauge doesnt even register past the first mark..it usually stays on 5 mins, then goes off till i find a set of traffic lights to idle at and comes on as normal about 1/4 temp gauge...if that is normal!
I better find someone who know what their doing as far as this memcal and ecu stuff though cause i'm an old Holden man..you know the ones without computers in them..just ya shopping calculator..lol
 

delcowizzid

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im an old holden man myself LOL but have been forced to move on to newer models,dont be scared of the ecu its pretty basic stuff.its located in the front passenger kick panel where your feet go under the plastic panel on the left pull that off and hope there isnt a metal security panel over the ecu.drop the ecu out will be held in with 2 screws into the plastic carrier under the ecu where the wires plug in then take the 2 screws out the side of the ecu and remove the metal cover and you will see a blue plastic memcal which holds the chip with the tune on it.from the symptoms of the fan and the black fuel smoke ide say a driver has gone in the ecu.the vn ecu does in the coolant sensor one and it causes just the same symptoms.plus with weird eratic error codes as well points more to the ecu too.TPS is cheap and easy to replace or test if you want to dig deeper before finding an ecu to use.someone on here in your erea might pipe up and lend you there ecu for half an hour to see if it is that
 

Hotblooded_VR

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Ok Delco. Thanks heaps for that instuction on the ecu. i knew where it was years ago but just didnt wanna fool around with it. I'd say i have no choice now so its worth a gentle poke around and check out what youve told me to do. Darn i better buy some printer ink if this keeps up with all these instructive lessons..lol..Cheers matie..i'll get to it on the weekend and see what i can see. that false 61 error code makes sense now if the ecu is playing up and giving weird codes etc. If replacing it gives my fan a rest and doesnt choke any more shoppers in clouds of black smoke its worth the cost....i'll let you know what i find out then. if it needs replacing i know where to scream out for help...we poor battling bass musicians dont know much about cars other than is the boot big enough to hold my amp and fit 2 chicks in the back seat..sorry girls...front seat is for my geetar..lol Cheers! Adelaide out for now.
 

delcowizzid

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haha im on the bass too and a bit of lead as well.
 

OzJD

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Yeh, I checked in the Gregory's as well mate, just in-case the code was missing from the site.
Anyhow, 61 definitely doesn't exist, sure you had your glasses on? :p
 

NickVR

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This sounds exactly like what I had. The idler stepper motor needed changing and a coolant temp sensor also. But can't remember the cost of it.

I remember filling up my car at a servo and I went to go start it but it wouldn't kick over. Then I would use the throttle to get it started (like a carby equipped car) and it would blow out black smoke. I got the above fixed and it has been no trouble since.
 

vr_shart

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hi again i asked mechanic and he said about my fuel pressure regulator leaking as i said , and he said some leak some dont , mine did cause it was completely gone like probably had the insides blown out of it , ,so some leak some dont i guess if u hav a mate with same engine it would pay to swap the FPR over anyway its only one allen key bolt holding it in , and when u take it out petol will squirt out ,possibly about half a litre if your quick and then start your car and she should be fine if no difference then its got me baffled lol, :)
 

VrWagz1

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Though its unlikely, possibly a failed TPS(throttle position sensor) sensor may have spiked the ecu and partially killed it.
My first call would be to replace the TPS on the throttle body, just check the wiring too it first to make sure its not unplugged or somthing silly. You can buy new or go to a wreckers for it, but like anything from a wreckers you cant garuntee it works, just way up the prices.

After that clear and re-check codes, and hope that it takes the code 51 (prom) code with it. If not then grab a ecu from the wreckers and swap it out, or swap with a mates vr auto if you know someone. I paid $30 for a vr ecu off ebay, beware just because its got chips and resistors and magic stuff in it dont let a dodgy wrecker try and rip you off a small fortune for it. I'd post you my spare but it has no memecal.

See how you go from there and post up again
 

Hotblooded_VR

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Hey Oz..not only did I have my glasses on I was marking the flashes with a pen on paper and using an abacus..lol...I think Delco might have been right if the ecu is a bit screwy it's likely to give weird error codes also.

Nick..thats exactly what happened to me last time I filled up at the servo. I had to push the car into a parking bay and try for an hour pumping the gas just like an old petrol starved carby to get her going, so I'll check out your suggestion definately too. Thanks.

Shart..I'll also definately change over the FPR as well as VRWagz suggestion of the TPS and like he said, hopefully after resetting the codes I might get a 12 only instead of a maths lesson.
Heck it's the opposite to school exams...the lower the score..the better..lol

Thanks for all your suggestions guys cause i'm sure one of those is the answer, if not maybe all of them. Now all I need is to scratch up the money to get the darn thing fixed. I live only 10 minutes from Holdens at Elizabeth so maybe if i'm quick I could replace the whole car from the stockpile on Phillip Highway and hope nobody notices a slightly sick VR amongst the newbies..lol

I'll keep you all notified as to what ive tried and how it all goes. Cheers lads, the beers are on me.
 

delcowizzid

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VR auto ecu's on ebay for $15 right now never know what sort of condition they are in though
 
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