Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Catchers and half throttle power?????

[Walt-L]

May be Im grabing at straws with this, But I noticed on page 19 of the new TDR mag#49 BD has an ad there for a "Speed Eliminator". Is it possible that the speed limiter values in the ECM are some how interveining in the very fast rise in pump fueling values and holds the "speed" or Torque untill the fueling values go down, then the speed/torque restiction drops out? Now I know this should not be a factor untill top end but as marco said, his fueling values at half throttle is what the speed/torque limiter is used to seeing at WOT. Thoughts any one?

 

[Walt-L]

If you too have the problem with your Catcher as stated above, chime in !! And if you have a Auto and you Don't, Post and let us know. Could this be just us with 00/01 Auto trucks? Bad ECM reflashes?

 

[Marco]

Could this be just us with 00/01 Auto trucks? Bad ECM reflashes?

Nope, not bad ECM flashes. First of all, the 00/01 trucks use two totally different stock softwares. If bad flashes was the cause then also the 98. 5's or 99's would exhibit that problem since the 99/00 sw's are almost identical. Never heard of one... Second, not all trucks have that surge at half throttle.



The real questions are, what causes that surge? Which MY's are affected? Why do most trucks not develop that problem? Mostly,what causes the half throttle surge in those "few" ( Dunno how many are affected. The only thing I know for sure now is that "most" trucks do not have it. )



Marco

 

[BarryG]

Not knowing a darn thing about ECM's and their programming so just thinking out loud. Could it have anything to do with the ecm that was flashed. Mine for example- I did not have my stock ecm flashed. I kept it and just paid for the core. It is from a 99 MY truck or so it says on the ecm. I would think memory is memory and will hold whatever is put in it but dont know if you totally erase the existing ecm software or just selectively erase and rewrite/reload certain parts.



PS:

Anyone in the Denver area with an 01 with rear disks, auto trans and fed emissions want try my ecm for a few minutes and see if the symptom follows the ecm or is truck specific.

 

[Marco]

Yup, that COULD be BUT a lot of others have core ECM's and not all do report that problem. There's about every combination of ECM MFR date with any truck MY out there but only a few have that problem. One would have to think that the half throttle thing has nothing to do with the ECM hardware.



Doing the CaTCHER thing to the ECM's I wipe out ALL the SW that's stored in the ECM and replace it with mine.



I'm



Marco

 

[rivercat]

I took out my junky brass boost fitting and put in a 1/8 plug instead and that smoothed mine out seems like the wastgate opens when it gets 22 on the actuator and all the elbow does is delay that so you get like 29 peak and then it drops back to 21-22 as the pressure bleeds through the elbow. With no way to build pressure on the actuator with the hole plugged and the hose dangled my truck now spools up past 29 to 32 and will hold at 30 as long as I countinue to stay at least half throttle. I seems to smooth acceleration considerably and less surging without the peakthandownthenletoffthanpeakagain deal and less smoke as the boost is continuous. CAN'T WAIT FOR BIGGER STICKS TO PLAY WITH. Marco what about thishttps://www.turbodieselregistry.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138076

 

[Walt-L]

BarryG, I did the same as you, I still have my original 01. 5 ECM and have a 00 Catcher. But as Marco has said in the past, the ECM build date shouldn't matter. I just ordered the DTT noise filter that goes on the APPS to solve a small lock/unlock problem Im having with the TC. Im hoping this filter will somehow be the silver bullet. IF not, Ill try a new APPS and if that doesent do it ... . maybe Bob will swap mine for another? I cant tell you how profound the surge is at let off is on this truck with the RV275's

 

[BarryG]

Walt:

Dont expect too much from the filter as far as fixing the problem. I had one before my catcher and well I am on this thread. It should fix your tc lock/unlock issue though. I also have thought about the apps but I think someone already tried changing theirs and it made no difference. However if you do swap it let me know how it works out.



I know what you mean about the surge with the 275's I have those too.



I am in the process of trying to find a local person with the same type of truck that would use the same catcher and swap it. Just to find out if it follows the ecm or if it is something with my truck. No luck yet just too busy with work. There is a dyno day coming up next month and if not by then hopefully I can find someone there able and willing.

 

[Marco]

BarryG,

I guess that swapping the CaTCHER into a different truck could be a very good test.



Now we have to start from somewhere finally. I could build a new CaTCHER with a different ECM for one of you and ship it over. That way we should find out if that half throttle surge is in some way ECM hardware related.



What about this idea?



Marco

 

[BarryG]

Marco:

Really appreciate your effort in trying to solve this issue some would just say oh well most work so sorry. At least you are thinking about possiblities/options.



PM Sent to you

 

[BRI7070]

Hey Marco,,



If you want I would offer my truck as a test bed.



Brian

 

[BarryG]

This may or may not be related to the issue at all.

I remember that when these first came out one needed to make sure the "wait to start" light worked properly.



This weekend my wait to start light quit working. It was only 30 deg where I was at and it should have come on. If I recall it should come on every time you turn the key and temp determines the amount of time it is on. I have checked to make sure it wasnt a one time thing. It has definitely quit working. Not sure what all controls that light besides the ecm and it may very well be just a bad bulb. Anyone know how to check a bad bulb in the instrument cluster?



Another thing on that same morning. It was 30 deg so the grids should have cycled. My volt gauge showed a drop but not a rise and fall cycle like normal. I also recall that the grids should stop working after you hit 23mph. My volt gauge did not show this to be the case that morning. It stayed low for about 15 miles and speeds up to 55mph. It then came slowly back up and seemed to be fine after that. The following day (33deg) no light but volt gauge showed grids to be working as one would expect. This morning back home no light and no grids though it may have been warm enough not to need the grids.

 

[BarryG]

Grids seem to be wroking fine just no wait to start light. Guess I better figure out how to pull the cluster and check for a bad bulb.



Any updates on the real issue?

 

[Bob Wagner]

Barry try resetting the ecm. Disconnect the positive battery terminals and then turn the key to the on position and then reinstall the positive cables.



this should reset the ecm.



Fox is testing a different ecm and I am going to get another flashed for walt

 

[BarryG]

Bob:

Thanks for the info.



Will give it a try tonight when I get home. Not to sound or be stupid but the procedure unhook postive terminal, turn on key, reinstall positive terminals. Sounds like reinstall +terms while the key is still on and no need to wait hours like the apps reset procedure is that correct?





Will report back after I get it done.

 

[Bob Wagner]

the key needs to be ON and you need to remove the positive cables

 

[BRI7070]

Well, I finally got a chance to tow my 5th wheel in the foothills with the catcher and I did not have a very good experience. I found myself almost always trying to find the right spot on the pedal. This became very annoying especally when climbing a steep hill from a stop or slow speed.



I like my catcher and I don't know what else to look for. I have tried 5 different methods of APPS resetting, 2 other APPS's, and 2 Versions of CATCHERS.



I just reread Bobs Post about leaving the key on then remove the battery cables. So I will try that method also.



While I am not a software engineer, I think that this is inherent issue in the CATCHER and only effects a few of us.



Somebody HELP... ...



Thanks Brian

 

[fox]

My truck had the issue BEFORE the catcher, but the ECM brought it out.

I am currently watching the MAP to read parallel with the boost gauge and it looks ok so far.

With my truck the surge is very common when the temp is above 85*.

I will look at the IAT sensor also.

May just go buy replacements to compare readings.

Te service manual I am using is for a 01, and it says the MAP should be in a range on . 5 to 4. 5 volts.

When I turn the key on, It reads 1. 05 or higher. When running in neutral/idle it is 1. 1. Could this be related?

The highest I"ve seen it is 3. 85 with 33 lbs boost.

More later.

 

[BRI7070]

I did not feel the surge before the catcher, but that does not mean that it wasnt there. I do not know enough about what sensors effect what operations. so I wouldnt know where to start. I guess I wil check mty IAT and MAP for soot build up.



Also What tells the catcher that the pedal is being depressed? Is it soley the voltage thru the APPS? or does it recieve other input as well?

 

[fox]

The ECM looks at the rpm, iat, map and throttle request, to add the fuel needed. The issue we are having could be as simple as an introduces voltage from another wire ( noise ). This is why we are sharing info. Is yours temp sensitive?