Sputtering problem in high RPMs with ECT power button on??

[suprafanatic]

I have a 7mgte with the auto tranny. The motor is mostly stock, has HKS metal head gasket, ARP studs, K&N filter, NGK wires and plugs gapped to .028. Also a 3inch cat back exhaust. The car sputters and has a loss of power at around 4.5-5k RPMs whenever I have the ECT power button pushed on for the tranny. If I dont have the ECT power on the car runs just fine. It has new plugs and wires and I cleaned the AFM electronics with the proper cleaner. The problem is still there and im not sure what to check next. Any ideas? Also no codes.

 

[suprafanatic]

Anyone?

 

[Turbo Habanero]

Try and locate and borrow a ECT Computer for the tranny and see if it helps

If it's only doing it when the button is on then it's definitely not AFM or plugs...

 

[suprafanatic]

Well for an update, Just found out its doing it regardless of the ECT button. So not tranny related. I didn't allow the RPM's to go high enough while in normal mode I guess, just noticed it mainly in ECT power because the RPM's jump up alot faster. So its sputtering no matter what mode in high RPM's. So its engine related. Sine the plugs and wires are new I'm looking more towards fuel or air. Should I try some fuel injector cleaner?

 

[Turbo Habanero]

In that case check engine codes if nothing i would start looking into tps sensor and AFM first by replacing them or using a buddy's

 

[suprafanatic]

I will check codes again when Im off work see if its giving me anything yet. As for borrowing an AFM or TPS no luck there. Not any supra owners around my area.

 

[Supracentral]

Don't automatically assume your plugs and wires aren't the cause.... I've seen brand new plugs cause misfires. Did it do it BEFORE you changed the plugs and wires?

 

[suprafanatic]

I can't remember now if it was sputtering before I changed the plugs or not :S It was a little while ago. I changed the plugs because it had a random misfire at idle and low speeds. Maybe I should use different plugs? I got the NGK BRK6E or 7E which ever is the colder plug is what I got.
I just put in some fuel injector cleaner since i needed to fill up on gas. Just to see if it would do anything. The car over all runs better and accelerates a little better, but the sputtering is still happening around 5k rpms. Im going to wait till day light tomorrow to check codes again.

 

[Nick M]

It isn't your transmission. With the ECT button off, you are shifting before the break up. 28 is too small, but not so small to cause a misfire. And yes, new plugs and wires can be bad.

 

[suprafanatic]

well I know its not the wires, so I guess i'll look into different plugs. Any suggestion? The car is mostly stock running around 10psi.

 

[Supracentral]

well I know its not the wires, so I guess i'll look into different plugs. Any suggestion? The car is mostly stock running around 10psi.

If the car is mostly stock running nearly stock boost, why are you running gapped down like you're running 18-20 psi?

Here's a little info on plugs that might help:

http://www.supramania.com/forums/showthread.php?34596-Spark-plug-Question&p=471693#post471693

My suggestion would be to try a set of NGK BCPR6E's or Bosch 4001's at the stock gap.

 

[IndigoMKII]

Check your coils for cracks. My coil had a slight crack in it so I swapped it out with a different coil. My break up went away for the most part but still happens 'sometimes' so I need to check the other 2 coils.

 

[3p141592654]

What was the cleaner you used on the AFM? The only allowable cleaner is freon based, and its pretty hard to come by these days.

 

[suprafanatic]

The brand is CRC i believe. Designed for afms, mafs, bla bla bla. Anyway, came across something interesting today. I found a weird wire loom behind my CD player. Doesnt look stock at all and it was cut. Looks like the loom from a SAFC or Maft pro set up or something. I followed the wires and found a black box or computer looking object under the carpet thats up under the glove box. It has several connectors for wires going to and from it. one of the plug-ins looks like something you would see on the back of your desktop computer, it has 2 screws on each side of the plug to hold it in. This isn't the tranny ecu is it? If not I have no clue what it is and why some of the wires are cut. Any ideas?

 

[Supracentral]

one of the plug-ins looks like something you would see on the back of your desktop computer, it has 2 screws on each side of the plug to hold it in.

You talking about an RS-232 DB9 serial port?

If so, that's definitely not anything from the factory...

I'd like to see a picture of that box and details about any markings on it - we can probably tell you what it is.

 

[Supracentral]

one of the plug-ins looks like something you would see on the back of your desktop computer, it has 2 screws on each side of the plug to hold it in.

You talking about an RS-232 DB9 serial port?

If so, that's definitely not anything from the factory...

I'd like to see a picture of that box and details about any markings on it - we can probably tell you what it is.

 

[suprafanatic]

Yes I'm pretty sure it had a connector on it like that or one very similar. I will take a better look at it tomorrow when I have better lighting and try and snap a picture of it. It was hard to get to and it was velcro'd down under the carpet. Does not look factory to me at all. I've never seen anything like it on a supra before, and does not look like something that was made in 1990 lol. Its a thin black rectangle, kinda textured. about 1/2 inch thick, maybe 6 or 7 inches in length and maybe 4 inches tall. Had wires going toward the dash and other wires going toward the stock ecu. Didn't trace it any futher to see if it actually connected to the ecu or not, ran out of time. Also, didn't notice any words on it.

 

[suprafanatic]

Ok I got restless and had to go take another look at it. Cant take a picture at night all lost my camera a while back and only have a cheap cell phone. SO anyway, found some weird things on closer inspection. No words or anything on it. It does have the RS-232 DB9 serial port looking thing with 2 screws. Also, has what looks like a phone line or internet cable line plugged into it. And it has another line that screws into it with a little metal pin in the middle. Kinda like what you would plug into the back of a TV for cable or an antenna. So maybe some sort of car phone or something??

Did mk3's ever come with car phones from the factory? Just remembered the guy I got the car from mentioned it had one and it was hooked up through the factory head unit. But when I got the car the stock head unit was already replaced with an aftermarket cd player. Also, there is a microphone of sorts on the top of the drivers side pillar.

 

[Turbo Habanero]

don't trust those cleaners they do not work with our AFM's i would try a spare for sure if i was you

 

[Supracentral]

Ok I got restless and had to go take another look at it. Cant take a picture at night all lost my camera a while back and only have a cheap cell phone. SO anyway, found some weird things on closer inspection. No words or anything on it. It does have the RS-232 DB9 serial port looking thing with 2 screws. Also, has what looks like a phone line or internet cable line plugged into it. And it has another line that screws into it with a little metal pin in the middle. Kinda like what you would plug into the back of a TV for cable or an antenna. So maybe some sort of car phone or something??

Honestly sounds like an aftermarket alarm system/remote start system.

Did mk3's ever come with car phones from the factory? Just remembered the guy I got the car from mentioned it had one and it was hooked up through the factory head unit. But when I got the car the stock head unit was already replaced with an aftermarket cd player. Also, there is a microphone of sorts on the top of the drivers side pillar.

They are all either dealer installed or aftermarket installed. Either way they were 3rd party and not Toyota items.

Again, without pics and details of any markings on the box, it's just wild assed guesses at this point.