Down on power

[Doc007]

I'm pretty sure I'm down on power. 2015 Duratec on throttle bodies. Feels like a 420 rather than R500. Usually a smooth take up of throttle with very occasional "p-p-p-p" before taking off when you stamp on the throttle. Everything else feels smooth, but slower.

The oil temp seems to settle at around 90 rather than 80 where it was a couple of months ago. Otherwise the oil pressure/level/water temperature is as it was.

And there a probably a few more pops from the exhaust but this is by no means a regular feature.

So what might it be?

[Tom_Arundel]

E10?..........Temp. it was cold a month ago............Check coolant level.........Check throttle is fully open.........Check air filter element....etc......etc.

[Doc007]

Never use E10. Coolant level normal. Air filter almost new. Temp was 80 all last year- not just an ambient temperature related phenomenon. 
I have been told my lambda sensor is not working normally, but, one again, this has been the case for 2yrs and, as I understand it, the lambda sensor only really affects low rpm running? Correct?

[ChrisC]

It's used to adapt the map with the long and short term fuel trims.  With a reading outside the acceptable values an assumed perfect mixture will be used, I.e no adaptation needed. 

[Doc007]

Throttle opening fully...

[John Vine]

To see what's really going on, you need to use Easimap.  Of course, that also means you'll need the MBE985 interface cable to connect your diagnostic socket to Easimap (on a laptop).    There are (were?) a few on the Equipment for Loan Register.  I have one but I'm using it currently to debug a misfire!

JV 

[Doc007]

I've got one of the interface cables.

I'll plug it in and see what's what. 

[Doc007]

What do you think of the EasyMap pics? Anything out of order? Throttle voltage goes up from 0.47 to 4.09. Does the rad fan relay error mean anything or is it a peculiarity of using the software with a Caterham? The fan comes on, as expected, at 100c.

[Doc007]

[Doc007]

[Doc007]

[John Vine]

What throttle site do you get on 4.09v?  WOT should get you to site 15.1 or thereabouts.

JV

[aerobod - near CYYC]

Also, what do the values look like when over 60C? It is worth adding the Lambda panels to the logging page too see if the status and oscillation between lean and rich occurs correctly. Right click on the background to add panels.

If you are in "Basic User" mode (shown in the bottom righ of the page), click on that text and a selection box will come up that allows you to select "Advanced User" mode, allowing more detailed panel selection.

[Doc007]

Thanks aerobod. I have made myself an "Advanced" user (ha ha). When I click on the background there are a number of options for the lambda sensor (see photo). Is the Lambda window (which shows 1.03) I've opened the correct one? 
1. How should the "status and oscillation" vary and how can I tell?

2. Can a malfunctioning Lambda affect power, even at the top end?

3. Why over 60c?

Thanks

[John Vine]

And don't forget the throttle-site check I mentioned in #12.

JV

[aerobod - near CYYC]

There is a Short Term Lambda Control Status panel, it will show whether it is active, the 60C water temp is typically used to start using the Lambda value for fuel trim control. You should see the Lambda value oscillate either side of 1.0, but this is better viewed by logging the Easimap data and graphing the results, typically the oscillation should be between 0.5 and 2Hz if the status is "All Conditions OK".

Besides the Lambda status panel, it is also worth bringing up the Target Lambda and Short Term Trim panels (under Short Term Lambda Control), that gives an indication of whether the actual Lambda value is tracking the target value correctly.

Although Lambda control is normally disabled at full throttle, if it is not functioning properly at other times you may be getting fouled plugs and/or misfires that would affect the running at full throttle. Often an increase in fuel consumption is an indicator of faulty Lambda control.