Problem With 33

[KerrodR33]

I just installed a JJR pro stealth intercooler and 100cpi cat on my 33 gtst. Car was running perfect before these mods but now when I put the foot down I boost up until about 4000rpm and then the car feels like it just looses oomph for the rest of the rev range.

It's not the most noticeable feeling (mostly for passengers) but I can definitely notice it's loosing power. I also don't know wether it's me but it also sounds like the car makes a different noise when I hit this spot in the rev range.

I have racked my brain trying to think off possibilities such as slipping clutch but the revs don't suddenly climb when I start to loose power. Coilpacks have recently been upgraded too as it was missfiring bad around this spot in the revs previously so I don't think it is the coilpacks.

Other mods on the car include HKS silent power exhaust, pod and manual boost controller set to 9psi.

Any ideas guys? Cheers

[75coupe]

vacuum leak??? check hose clamps

watch boost guage to see what psi the problem starts? maybe an indication

[KerrodR33]

I have checked all hose clamps that go from turbo to intercooler and to engine and they are all fine. Checked the hoses to boost controller and they are all fine. It seems to happen at about 7psi when the problem occurs. Any other hoses I should check?

[75coupe]

hmmm 7psi eh... isnt that a key point in regards to the stock ecu...???

I wouldnt know Ive never had a std ecu in a r33

[KerrodR33]

Yea 7 psi is what the standard boost solenoid on the car delivers to the wastegate above I think 5000rpm but I have bypassed that with a turbotech boost tee and have been running on 9psi for a couple of months now no dramas until I installed the intercooler and cat yesterday. So I believe it's not the ecu. (I hope any way cos I'm a little strapped for cash lol)

[DVS JEZ]

its very possible that now you have installed the highflow cat letting the engine breath easier and reaching higher load points in the ecu causing rich and retard,

try backing the boost right down to 7 and see if the issue is still there

[Rolls]

You are probably pushing the limits of the stock map and it is richening up and retarding the mixture, take the boost controller off and see if it fixes it, if it does then you need a remap or aftermarket ECU, if it is still broken must be an air leak or something somewhere.

[KerrodR33]

Ok I'll try running standard boost tomorrow and see if that fixes it. Cheers guys

[tridentt150v]

next mod is an ECU

[KiwiRS4T]

Ok I'll try running standard boost tomorrow and see if that fixes it. Cheers guys

Not juist standard boost maybe even less - you will be flowing more air at the same boost levels - you may be the victim of your success - time for a Nistune or other ecu.

[KerrodR33]

Ok it seems the car likes 5psi and that's it. Any higher and it hits r&r. Bit of a bummer really cos there is no one in my area who can tune my car. How do I go about getting a Nistune as I have heard they don't like r33's?

[Mayuri Krab]

How do I go about getting a Nistune as I have heard they don't like r33's?

Nistune doesn't work with R33 ECUs (last time I read about it anyway...), most people's recommendations seem to be either get a R32 GTS-T ECU + separate controller for VCT (or what ever it is called) or a Z32 ECU & nistune that.

Are you going to mod the car further in terms of power? As in different turbo (or highflow stock one) + all the supporting mods?

If not, you can get away by just using a piggy back interceptor unit like the SAFC 2 to get rid of the R&R when you set the boost to 10 - 12 psi.

This is what I have got in my car atm & it works fine.

[KerrodR33]

I'm planning on highflowing the turbo in 6 month+ depending on when I get posted back up to qld (army). My plan is to get about 250rwkw so I'd say a nistune would be the way to go. I'm located about 3 1/2 hours away from Melbourne so it's a bit of a hassle to get my car tuned as of now unless there is a tuner closer to Albury that I am not aware of

[Mayuri Krab]

I'm planning on highflowing the turbo in 6 month+ depending on when I get posted back up to qld (army). My plan is to get about 250rwkw so I'd say a nistune would be the way to go.

In that case, yeah go for a full aftermarket ECU solution such as Nistune or PFC.

Edited July 9, 2011 by Mayuri Krab

[KerrodR33]

Ok update. The car misfired once last night at about 4500rpm and again this afternoon at about the same revs so could the problem I'm having be related to the coilpacks? The coilpacks I originally put in the car where out of my n/a r33 so maybe they are beginning to fail? This is running about 8-9psi of boost.

[Mayuri Krab]

Could be, also how old are your spark plugs?

[erderr]

+1 for plugs, also check on how they are gapped and the heat range etc.

Look at all of the basic stuff before spending time and money on something that may or may not solve the issue.

I'm having issues as well because of the colder weather, however turning the boost down seems to have done the trick. I'm thinking my iridum plugs aren't liking the colder weather.

[SargeRX8]

You are running rich. since installing these mods more air is going into the engine and it responds by dumping fuel in. your plugs are fouling from the rich fuel mixture. You need an aftermarket ecu or find a boost level which works right which may be lower than stock but I don't know if this is possible as the actuator is 7psi so you can't really go lower. Get a power fc and tune.

[KerrodR33]

I never thought of the plugs. Didn't think it would happen so suddenly if it was the plugs and the car was running fine until the intercooler and cat were installed. I'll check the plugs tho as I suspect they might have some age about them lol

[zoidbergmerc]

plugs could be sad from all the richness, pop em out and have a look.