A nightmare CTSC problem?

[TURBO2GO]

OK, I am editing this post, this may or may not be CTSC related so if you are looking for specific CTSC issues, you may want to stop reading now.

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So before I bought my NSX, I had 3 cars I kept stock. Why? because before those I had a Supra highly modified, and always had some little bug, something that would go wrong. Well, after a lot of research, I thought to myself a CTSC is as reliable as they come, and I added that to my NSX. I love the power, but now I am really wondering if I should have just kept it stock. I have this PITA misfiring issue that almost cost me a day at the track in NY last time (it did, but it rained so I just went home). Car sometimes just dies with both feet in. Drive down the highway, get to a toll, and watch the idle just drop and die. At the track finally CEL comes on, and I have like 7 codes, "random misfire" and "misfire cylinder 1"... "misfire cylinder 2"... "misfire cylinder 3" and all the way to 6. Took the car to my mechanic he runs all sorts of diagnostics, can't find anything but not quite 100% behavior on the 02 sensors. OK... I but two 02 sensors to the tune of $400, get under my car myself all day today, replace them, clear the codes, drive away, same shit. Car runs perfect for first half hour. I go to the grocery store, buy a few items, get back in the car. As I pull away, the car has no power... sputters... I get into higher RPM's and its a bit better, then just kinda goes away on its own. Cruising at 40... "pop".... runs fine.... "pop".... runs fine... "pop"...

I am Sooooooooooooooooooooo frustrated, I have a track day coming in a week, and still have this issue. I just held off buying a GTR because I thought my CTSC NSX was more fun. But what I didn't think of, is that there is no such thing as a CTSC NSX. There is the NSX, and then there is an aftermarket item you add to it, called a CTSC.

This misfire comes, goes. Comes, goes. I am at a loss. It feels more ignition to me than fuel, I just don't know what this could be. Would a loose wire in the comptech harness feeding the ECU do this? I'm going back to the mechanic, spend another $1000 in diagnostic time, see if I can figure this out. This SUX.

[docjohn]

First off something has to be wrong.Therefor it should be able to be fixed.Through the years I have driven many ct charged cars at xpo schools and problems such as yours were rare,so remember fuel/spark/air +ecu = power.You may have a coil/plug issue.

[EIFFEL]

Try check the factory ground wire at the right engine compartment and around the throttle body. HTH, Eiffel

[WillErickson]

Where are you located? Anywhere close to SOS or another nsxpert that could surely solve the problem?

[Hrant]

Here is what I recommend as I had something similar - perhaps.

Check your battery if it is holding full charge load. Do NOT assume it is. Take it to a battery place. Even then, I recommend you trickle charge it overnight if is still diagnosed as OK. I had a misfire code and we couldn't figure what it was. I went with a new Optima battery and still had similar issues until Shad suggested to trickle charge it overnight before replacing OBD2 connectors since those were acting up too. Don't ask how they can or can't be related but the issue was resolved with the loaner battery trickle charge that he gave me.

Also, when was the last time you replaced or checked if your fuel filter is clean?

[pbassjo]

LarryB installed my CTSC. never a single problem from day 1, March 2006.

Sounds like you have a bad ground, bad connection or a failing part.

Want to end the nightmare? Wake up and take it to the right guy before too many things that are not wrong get messed with and thereby create more problems.

Take the car to LarryB. He'll find what's what, fix it and that will be that.

[AdvansCPAP]

I've been there many times and know how you're feeling. It's one headache and money pit chasing intermittent problems. You can have your mechanic check everything and still come up with nothing because your car has to be in motion for intermittent problems to happen most of the time.

If you want to do it as quickly as possible, go back to stock to rule out the aftermarket stuff. More than likely..at least from my experience, the aftermarket stuff will cause issues way more than OEM parts. It may not be the cheapest way to do things, but its faster than tracing all the wires, sensors and other stuff.

If your car drives good after that, well at least you know now where to start looking to fix the problem. Then you can put the stuff back on once fixed if you like.

[grybrd]

What about the very popular fix-it-all: the main relay?
Just my two cents but every time I read about potential ignition related stuff, someone pipes up with the main relay solder joints cracking. It has repeatedly been described as cheap insurance to swap that out.
I looked at mine under a magnifying glass and it looked great so I put it back. It's a few minutes work as it is located behind the seats on the firewall.
Has to be worth a try! Good luck.

[Alittleboost]

I think it's a boost leak, see my thread here: http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124019

After I found the leak, the car runs perfectly fine....like a ctsc NSX should.


I have a whipple without the comptech black box "thing"....but your symptoms seem like a vacuum leak and your ecu is going nuts.


Easy way to check is get a vacuum tester.

[rsevo6]

With all the CEL codes directing to misfire issues, problem intermittantly, I would advise you to check for a malfunctioning igniter.
The igniter cannot be inspected, there is nothing given in the workshop manual to measure on it. Only way is to exchange it with a known good one.
I had similar misfire problems on my CT NSX, coming and going, giving CEL misfire cil 3.
I checked everything that could be measured and found nothing. Finally as the igniter was the only part that could not be checked, I exchanged it with another one and problem was gone. Later heared from Shad that this is a known fault when misfire problems occur.

[lightguy]

I think it's a boost leak, see my thread here: http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=124019

After I found the leak, the car runs perfectly fine....like a ctsc NSX should.


I have a whipple without the comptech black box "thing"....but your symptoms seem like a vacuum leak and your ecu is going nuts.


Easy way to check is get a vacuum tester.

Sounds exactly like what the OP is experiencing.
FWIW You never mention finding a solution in that thread.
Where was the leak ?

[TURBO2GO]

LarryB installed my CTSC. never a single problem from day 1, March 2006.

Sounds like you have a bad ground, bad connection or a failing part.

Want to end the nightmare? Wake up and take it to the right guy before too many things that are not wrong get messed with and thereby create more problems.

Take the car to LarryB. He'll find what's what, fix it and that will be that.

What about the very popular fix-it-all: the main relay?
Just my two cents but every time I read about potential ignition related stuff, someone pipes up with the main relay solder joints cracking. It has repeatedly been described as cheap insurance to swap that out.
I looked at mine under a magnifying glass and it looked great so I put it back. It's a few minutes work as it is located behind the seats on the firewall.
Has to be worth a try! Good luck.

Thanks guys. I will check the ground wire. I wish Lud wouldn't have moved this thread to FI, this may or may not be FI related for all I know. I do know this. I took off rather hard from a stop the other day, look in my rear view, and see a cloud of dark smoke. That definitely does not seem like normal A/F ratio. Anyone know how much an igniter is? its def not coil/wire as all 6 misfire. I will try to post up a video.

[dynomike]

If you are not running an engine cover you may have had water leak into the rear coils packs causing the miss fires. The engine cover is what seals the rear glass to the car. If this is the case pull the coils and see if they are wet and rusty looking if so replace them

also if you had the car detailed they may have washed the engine getting water into the coils

would recommend throwing it on the Dyno to check AFRs too. Hope this helps

[nsxotic911]

Thanks guys. I will check the ground wire. I wish Lud wouldn't have moved this thread to FI, this may or may not be FI related for all I know. I do know this. I took off rather hard from a stop the other day, look in my rear view, and see a cloud of dark smoke. That definitely does not seem like normal A/F ratio. Anyone know how much an igniter is? its def not coil/wire as all 6 misfire. I will try to post up a video.

T2GO, before you post a "WTB:C32B engine, please have mercy" or "where's a good shop to do an engine rebuild?" post, don't rive the car with black smoke coming out of your arse!

Take it to Larry, DynoMike, Shad. SHIP IT there if you have to but STOP DRIVING IT.

If it helps, I had a couple of misfires and it was what DynoMike said, some water got into the coil packs, but, I did not have black smoke coming out...

Black smoke seems to suggest something more serious than "water, igniter, vacuum leak imo"...

[DrVolkl]

My CTSC doesn't like to run and then stop and then run again either. I get the CEL with misfire on #3 if I do.

It's a tad weird... seems like it just runs a little too rich after sitting for a bit after running. I have to rev it harder for the first few minutes or it bogs down.

If the car is cold, everything works fine... just after short trips.

I just pull the clock fuse and everything is back to normal. I'm going to ditch the piggy back ECU and go with a full tune that hopefully will take care of the issue.

[AR]

If this is the case pull the coils and see if they are wet and rusty looking if so replace them

Sorry but that is not the case teh water gets in from the rear window garnish, independent of engine cover or not. I designed a fix but Mc Daff never got back to me to produce it.

[TURBO2GO]

Guys it can't be coils or water. How can all 6 coils be bad? Car has 14k miles. Ecu reads misfire on all 6. It's not a vacuum leak, because car runs fine most of the time.

[Hrant]

Guys it can't be coils or water. How can all 6 coils be bad? Car has 14k miles. Ecu reads misfire on all 6. It's not a vacuum leak, because car runs fine most of the time.

Why don't you try the basic simple tests that don't cost you a dime first - such as test your battery or as I asked when was the last time you changed the fuel filter? See if those resolve it?

Alternatively to cut the guessing chase that seems to be all over the map, take it to a mechanic for a diagnosis.

To have a heading that states "nightmare CTSC Problem" when most likely the issue is something else is not good "politics" if you get my drift. The problem may be totally irrelevant to the CTSC even if it turns out to be a fuel mixture - that has to do with the tuner not the CTSC.

[AR]

Could t be related to a coolant issue? Temp sensor or MAP???

[TURBO2GO]

Could t be related to a coolant issue? Temp sensor or MAP???

No CELs on any of those. The only CEL codes I get is "random misfire on cylinders" and 6 codes, one for each cyilnder "Misfire on 1, misfire on 2," and so on.

Why don't you try the basic simple tests that don't cost you a dime first - such as test your battery or as I asked when was the last time you changed the fuel filter? See if those resolve it?

Alternatively to cut the guessing chase that seems to be all over the map, take it to a mechanic for a diagnosis.

To have a heading that states "nightmare CTSC Problem" when most likely the issue is something else is not good "politics" if you get my drift. The problem may be totally irrelevant to the CTSC even if it turns out to be a fuel mixture - that has to do with the tuner not the CTSC.

Hrant, yes, you are right. I should have worded it different. If I could change it now, I would, but it's too late. I was just frustrated at the moment, and that was the result. I made a mistake.

The battery is probably not in the best shape, but I don't see how that can be the problem. The car sat all winter last year without the battery on a charger, but after a jump it seems to hold enough juice to start the car even after a few days of sitting. I just fail to see how the battery can cause a misfire? Enlighten me on this please.

I have taken it to my mechanic, he tried to diagnose it, but lots of diagnosis time later, a set of spark plugs later, a set of 02 sensors later, nothing has been resolved and I don't want to keep spending money. I am going back anyway, but sometimes there is a lot of knowledge on this forum and its good to ask. As for the fuel filter... car is fine and strong at high RPM's. A fuel filter would cause the car to bog when more fuel is needed, not less. This entire misfire issue seems to never occur above 4500-5000 RPM's (which again makes me thing it is not the battery or voltage related as more voltage is needed then). My friend Liquid is letting me borrow his igniter for a day so that is what I am going to try next. Bad igniter on an 05 with 14K miles still seems strange to me but makes more sense than other things.

I want to thank everyone for their input and the PM's I have received. Truly appreciated. Hopefully I can get this resolved soon. Once I get this squared away I am going to seriously consider a FIC. The car just runs a bit rich, it is evident by the plugs, the slightly dark smoke out the tailpipes, etc. Other than this on again off again misfire, the car runs really well and strong. Weird thing is I can drive it for 2 hours and have nothing, then it starts and it won't go away. On the track, it misfires on the same friggin' turn, at the same exact spot. Run the back straight and I am fine. Take turn 2 at Monticello and bam... it's like clockwork...

[mystican]

Talk to Vasos at AOB...lately he has seen some FI NSXs with little "gremlins"...he also has a lot of experience with the CT blower...

[NSXRguy]

i have a problem with mine also

its weird... i was doing a 2nd gear pull and i feel some hesitation up top and all of a sudden the engine dies... all the other electronics are still on except the engine...i press on the gas and nothing... i pull over and try starting the car and it doesnt start but it cranks

i disconnect the 2 plugs going to the ignitor and replug them... engine starts up

its a brand new ignitor!!! what could be MY problem?

[nsxinkl]

I had the same problem when i had the CTSC. Could it be the boost cut or the tcs?

[pbassjo]

i have a problem with mine also

its weird... i was doing a 2nd gear pull and i feel some hesitation up top and all of a sudden the engine dies... all the other electronics are still on except the engine...i press on the gas and nothing... i pull over and try starting the car and it doesnt start but it cranks

i disconnect the 2 plugs going to the ignitor and replug them... engine starts up

its a brand new ignitor!!! what could be MY problem?

The way to find out is to get the vehicle to a skilled, knowledgeable, mechanic, leave it, and get the problem properly diagnosed.

[pbassjo]

boost cut or the tcs

coil/plug issue

factory ground wire at the right engine compartment and around the throttle body+

battery

bad ground, bad connection or a failing part.

go back to stock

main relay solder joints cracking

vacuum leak and your ecu is going nuts.

malfunctioning igniter

water leak into the rear coils packs

coolant issue? Temp sensor or MAP???

boost cut or the tcs

WOW. That's some list.