KF-DE to KF-ZE - not running too smooth

[RedLineResident]

Hi guys,

To start at the beginning;
The old motor went pop just prior to Christmas. The timing belt slipped for the 2nd time as the timing belt tensioner thread was all stuffed and couldn’t be tightened properly.
As a result we sourced another BA motor, which when it arrived turned out to be a KFZE (I was stoked)
It’s been installed since then and the mechanic had some difficulties with the air intake piping due to the different manifolds, the accelerator cable and a few other bits and pieces.

Anyhow, when we picked it up it was running fine. I drove it home and it wasn’t too bad. Felt like it had a few flat spots in the rev range but they weren’t too bad. It felt almost as if the car was running lean and not getting enough fuel and as a result just loosing the smooth acceleration throughout the revrange.
Since, however, what’s been happening is the idle has been getting a bit more unstable and the car’s prone to stalling. If you sit there idling – sometimes (more progressively now) it would just clonk out. Also if you rev it, and back off when the revs come down it stalls almost always.

The important things to note are;
We are running the same loom and ECU which was in the car before... Also the knock sensor isn’t connected as there’s no wiring on the existing car to accommodate for it.
Also the intake pipe leading from the AFM to the throttle body has been improvised and made out of 2 pieces to allow for the 90 degree bend needed to lead from the straight neck manifold to the air box.
So 2 pipes have been used, cut and taped together in the appropriate position to make everything fit and align...

I am assuming that the glue and the tape has started letting go as a result of the heat in the engine bay and thus probably leading to a vacuum leak along the way somewhere.

Does anyone know whether that would cause the idle issues and the unstable and unpredictable issues.
also what else might be doing it?
Anything else I need to look at?

Also I do have an KFZE ECU which doesn’t seem to run the car at all... stalls immediately with that plugged in. How would I go about making that work?

Any suggestions and ideas would be much appreciated in;
1. Making it work properly
2. Getting the ZE ECU involved to unlock a pinch more power.

Thanks,
Miki

[70NYD]

I would start like this
1st get a intake made up from some elbows and straights (both alu and silicone) for intercooler piping, this should make the air delivery more reliable.
2nd get new leads, plugs and if required coils
3rd source a ze ecu and loom so everything is working as it should
I know it might be a little over the top, BUT it will be better in the end and ofcourse last much longer. The knock sensor will help you out heaps too

[project.r.racing]

Originally Posted by RedLineResident

We are running the same loom and ECU which was in the car before... Also the knock sensor isn’t connected as there’s no wiring on the existing car to accommodate for it.

We have a winner!!!

[Cosmo Dude]

The Lantis KFZE inlet manifold is the same as the KFDE and probably better if you put the original one on the new engine. To run a KFZE ECU you'd need the correct wiring loom.

[RedLineResident]

Ok... so back to the old manifold we go then?

I did assume the knock sensor was causing the flat spots, but I am a bit puzzled by what's got it stalling so consistently as of late.
It ran fine for about a week and a half.

[mikey_something]

From my own experience, flat spots and random stalling is intake or vacuum leak

[rodhog]

The knock sensor just tells the ECU if it can advance the timming. all it does on the K series delivered here.

I'm guessing air leak some where. Remember these are sealed system so any air leak will effect idle and running.

[RedLineResident]

Sweet, thanks guys

[RedLineResident]

OK, I've changed the manifold back to the curved neck, and returned all the stock intake hoses and vacuums etc.
Car runs very nicely now.
Haven't yet driven it to look for flat spots, but if that continues I will look at sparks, cables and air/fuel filters.

Thanks for you input. It is much appreciated.

[mikey_something]

I did a bit of reading for you on club323f, but I can't find them in my history so I can't link you, but apparently someone had the same thong with your "flat spots" and apparently it's cause of the wrong ECU

[Drakh]

Haha, could have been me, maybe, i was over there having a cry about it some months ago, but my issues all stem from a klze running off the kfze ecu...... Or was it sum1 else?

[RedLineResident]

Ah ok...

Yeah i've still got a KF ECU so i'd hope that isn't it.
I've got another KFDE ECU in the wrecked astina so I may switch them around and give that one ago...

It almost feels like the engine is being starved of fuel. So may have to check the fuel filter and run some injector cleaner through it...

[mikey_something]

yeh dunno man just tryin to give ya options

[Rupewrecht]

Originally Posted by RedLineResident

It almost feels like the engine is being starved of fuel.

Stick an RRFPR on it and see what it does - they're adjustable so you should be able to find a happy medium between power and economy. But it is a little bit of a bandaid measure.

[RedLineResident]

What in the world is RRFPR?

[Rupewrecht]

Rising Rate Fuel Pressure Regulator.

[RedLineResident]

Ah ok.
Would I need to look for anything specific or is that a fairly universal part that I can just install and adjust it accordingly?

[Rupewrecht]

They're pretty universal.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/FSE-POWER-BOO...item20b662fbd8

Or Malpassi make the same thing

http://shop.ebay.com.au/i.html?_nkw=....c0.m270.l1313

[RedLineResident]

Ah sweet.

Thanks.