Sudden 1Gt failure, horrible miss, code 44

[rdeis]

Hey, guys. On the way home from work I suddenly picked up a terrible miss out of nowhere and the Check Engine light came on. It was running great one second, and like crap the next.

After I limped it off the road, I found that I had some debris lodged up under the radiator and I was able to check the ECU code with a blinking light.

Code is 44, which is ignition coil/power transformer. I don't know if the failure is related to the debris or not.

It will run, but acts like it has about 6 horsepower. )-:

What's the quick diagnostic- could a connector have come loose, or am I buying new parts? If the latter, what and from where?

[matthewdesigns]

Have you checked all the intake pipes? A missing or extremely loose coupler can create a leak large enough to cause this. Perhaps this debris knocked your LICP loose?

I don't know how that could relate to the code, though. Swap different coils into the car to see if the problem goes away, provided you don't have a massive air leak. Maybe a leaking cap on the ECU?

[JSMCPN]

If it's throwing a Spark error code, then check the parts that generate the sparks: Transistor Pack, Coil Pack, related wiring and connectors.

Is your car modified? Is the transistor pack still bolted to it's bracket on the intake manifold?

[rdeis]

My mods are light- intake, exhaust, boost control, instrumentation. Spark system is unmodified.

Does the vfaq or the shop manual have a check procedure for the transistor and coils, or do I have to swap parts to test it?

[drcustom]

It's something like .o11 ohms...I could be way off though, I just remember it's supposed to be something like that when you read it - if the coils are very different, or one is open, then you know that's your problem.

As for the Power Transistor, could also be a problem. I'm thinking maybe CAS as well.

I have all parts above if you want to try and swap a few.

[burnett03]

To test he CAS, unbolt it from the head, turn the key on and spin the cas by hand.. You should hear the injectors/fuel pump, and the wires should spark..

[rdeis]

Got a new coil from Mile High Mitsubishi for well under $150, shipped to my door in COS.

Installed it a few minutes ago, and looks like I'm back up and running.

Thanks, all.

[dsm_gsx97]

Got a new coil from Mile High Mitsubishi for well under $150, shipped to my door in COS.

Installed it a few minutes ago, and looks like I'm back up and running.

Thanks, all.

Who kicked the way back machine!!!!

...holy cow I haven't seen a post from you in a while. Did I say post? I think last time was still an email list. Good to see you're still around.

[rdeis]

heh.. Good to hear from you, too, Chris.

I'm still down here plugging along wishing I could race more, but other priorities are taking over for now. (Nothing new there, either! (-: )

I have a new house with some land and the beginnings of a nice shop area, though, so there's hope. And I still have a collection of stroker parts that will eventually become my motor, but in the mean time I've been doing just fine with the used short block I got from James in Boulder.

[rdeis]

Still code 44, but now it's horrible spark on all four instead of no spark on two and reasonable spark the other two.

I pulled the Power Transistor and ran the check procedure in my recently excavated shop manual, and I get 500Ohms when I should have "No Connectivity" and -340Ohms (!!) whne I should have "Connectivity"

That sounds like a failed test to me, so I have a new transistor coming. The guy at Checker says that a failed coil often leads to a failed transistor. <shrug>

Also, the plug wires measure 4.8-5.8kOhms, which he thinks it high but within spec.

Anyone disagree?