Where do I start? Well, to begin with I bought this car from a guy in New York back in March. When I first got the car, it seemed to run great except for an exhaust leak at the manifold that I fixed.

About a month after I had the car, a service engine light came on and the car went into limp mode. I checked the code and it was a TPS code. I found a slightly cut wire that was grounding and after the repair cleared the code and everything was fine.

At the time I also noticed that with the twincharge installation the remaining portion of the air box holding the ECM was a little loose in the engine compartment and I decided to fix it better. In the process I took the ecm out of the box and flipped it 270 degrees and layed it on the shock tower, leaving the harness plugged in. I also unplugged the harness connector to the twincharge powerpaq that is piggybacked into the factory wire harness.

After completing my modifications to the box, I put everything back and plugged in the powerpaq. Soon after this I began to have problems. The Helix TC system has the Turbosmart eBoost that limits max boost to about 20-21psi. At 15-20psi boost and sustained rpm between 4-6k the service engine light and EML come on and all power is gone. After letting up on the throttle, the light would go out and power would return. If you repetitively continued high boost the Service engine and EML would stay on and the engine would die. The codes would have to be reset and the powerpaq module unplugged and plugged in again before it would restart. Then it would run without any problems until you run the high boost again.

I next talked with Eric at Helix multiple times telling him that the code that it would throw was consistently the P0335 or P0336 which is the crank sensor. Intermitently, extra random codes would come with it P0172, P1688 once in awhile. We discussed the problem and I couldn't see how the the cranks sensor was bad since once it is reset, it runs great at lower rpm and boost.

I ordered a new Powerpaq computer from them and it took 2 months to get it. After the wait, I plugged in took it for a drive and it seemed to be okay without any codes. So now I am feeling good, until a few days later the codes started again with the consistent code of P0335 crank sensor.

I installed a new crank sensor today and it still throws the same code, P0335. As long as you let up on the throttle briefly, the power returns and the service engine/EML lights go off. I have checked all the wiring to the piggyback computer and it is good.

I am at a loss as to what is causing the problem. I am about ready to sell this car! I have talked to mechanics and people in the turbo business and nowbody seems to know what it is. It would be nice to have Helix look at the car, but I live in New Mexico and it would cost me $2000.00 to ship the car back and forth. The new computer cost $300 and $100 for the sensor.

Please help!!!! Sorry this is so long, but I wanted to explain as much as possible. :impatient

 

Any thoughts?

 

Did you call Eric again?
From my experience he is the guy you need to talk to.

 

Eric is out of the shop for the next two weeks. I know we have tried to help you out before, its just hard to diagnose a car over the phone sometimes. I will let Eric know and see if we can help you out when he gets back.

 

Thanks iggy. I was just posting to see if anyone else had any thoughts as well. I did send an email to Ralph and Eric this last week. I wish I could get it to Philly, but the shipping both ways would kill me.

I am going to try to and replace the wiring harness for the powerpaq and see if that helps at all.

 

When you replace the wiring harness, just make sure you take your time and it gets done right. Not implying that you wouldnt do that already, just dont want to see you rush through it and have a small problem come back to *** you in the butt.


Anyone else have any thoughts on this? Maybe some of the other guys that have twincharged cars can chime in. Lets try to help him out and get his car back to 100% asap

 

hmmnn... I don't have my book on me... but 0335 is the coil pack no? you still have the stock one? I run the MSD ignition coil and wires... also... have you checked your plugs as of late?

 

According to Bently P0335 is crankshaft position sensor circuit "A". I have put in a new sensor and it still throws the same code.
I recently about 2 weeks ago put in new Iridium plugs wich didn't change anything.
I will just keep working on it and I may put in the new powerpaq harness, but am reluctant to do this as so far the current harness is checking out with continuity and resistance.

 

sounds good... what I meant by check your plugs is how do they look.... are you getting detonation...

What heat range plugs are you running?

also.. I know some other minis who had similar issues and it was the engine wire harness...

I'll keep rackin my brain... if I think of anything... I'll let you know..

 

Is there anyway to take your piggy-back computer out of the system. The crank sensor input on most cars is the one that is intercepted in order to modify timing. This doesn't work on the Mini. Most piggy-backs can be removed quite easily for diagnostic purposes. With the type of criteria that is specified for each code most of the time the answer is right there if you know what you're looking at. You'll need more info than that which is available with a generic scan tool. Start with the crank sensor circuit and investigate anything that affects this first. It is very rare to have the crank trigger ring come loose from the crankshaft. Engine wiring harnesses are a common replacement item especially on a car that has been "modded".

 

You need a fuel cut defender:
http://www.fastwrx.com/tufucutde.html


The ECU cuts the fuel to Lambda 1 when the boost exceeds 18 PSI, there is no way to solve this problem with a custom tune.
The only way is to manipulate the signal from the pressure sensor with a fuel cut defender.

 

good point MADMICK though I didn't think this would show up as a crank sensor issue...ussually an "over boost" code... and missfire to boot... LOL

I think adding more to the equation is not the answer at this point... the ECU only cuts the fuel if you are NOT running a fuel manangement type pigy back... say an AFC... I am assuming that MCSfan has one as it would be silly not to... at which point the fuel is pulled by fooling the map sensor... it's a voltage clamp... doing the same thing as the fuel defender above...

so MCSfan.. do you have some kinda fuel management? like a APEXi AFC II

 

From my understanding, the twincharge system from Helix uses a programmed piggyback module that controls fuel and timing. The wiring for this module interupts the signal from the Crank sensor and then goes through the powerpaq, then back out to the factory ECU.

From what has been previously described, it definately feels like the fuel is completely cut off. A couple of times out of the many times the shut down has occured I have gotten a misfire code. The consistent code is theP0335.

Eventhough the Piggybacked setup is interrupting the crank sensor dignal, do you think it is possible that the factory ECU is trying to work around this piggyback?

When I first got the car back in March, it didn't shut down like this, although I did get a P0172 rich code once in awhile.

 

well you could deffinetly have an issue with the piggy back then.... you could also just be hitting boost cut... unfortunetly I am not familar with the powerpaq....

sorry mang... this throws alot of questions into it... I would wait for the man himsself to get back... since he is most familiar with his set up... as much as I can give you ideas... he may already know the answer... and I personally hate when I set something up.. and then someone goes to ten people and screws it up worse...LOL.. just makes more work for me...

 

So now after putting the old crank sensor back in, I fire it up and it seems fine. Then I put the front end back together and check all the connections at the ECM again. This time when I go to start the car, the EML, DSC, and Tire indicator won't shut off and the car is in limp mode. I check for any codes and there are none.

I disconnected the battery for 24 hours and still no change. These three lights will not turn off, no codes and it will not come out of limp mode. I rechecked all the connections and still no change.

Now I am wondering if the whole wiring harness for the car/engine is bad, as I have heard that this can be a problem with the 02/03's.

Any thoughts? The nearest dealer is 200 miles away and I really don't want to take it too them anyway. With all the modifications on it, I'm sure they would blame that.

 

I guess the mini has a MAF sensor couldnt be that as a friend of mine with a 200SX, sylvia to you Americans an that caused a simlar problem when the car came on boost, we tried intercooler leaks all sorts but was MAF

 

Your most recent problem does indeed sound just like problems I had stemming from a bad engine wiring harness. Have the dealer sort out the EML limp mode problem. They will probably replace the harness. However, if the high rpm/boost issue still persists thereafter, find a way to get the car to Helix. It's their TC, and they are best qualified to resolve the issue. (Good folks, too). The trip from NM to Philly can be great if you take the southern route. So take a nice vacation and come out to visit us on the east coast. Gas, lodging and food will be far less than $2k.

 

I tuned the twincharge kits for Helix and it definitely sounds like you have a wiring issue. I flashed the powerpaq for you and it was perfect when it went out. I'll talk w/ eric but before shipping a car check the powerpaq wiring harness and all the solder joints. when you were moving things I bet you pulled apart a solder joint. Check all the connections first. One alternative may be to get it up to randy webb(colorado) he's installed a few kits and have him go over it w/ eric on the phone. Under proper working conditions there should be no CE lights or issues with the kit.

 

Great idea !

 

I was talking w/ eric about this, I bet when you moved the ecu's around that you pulled the green ground wire out of its ringlet thats grounded to the chassis, check this wire first and then go on to all the other solder connections. The green wire is the ground for the PWM injector circuit that is implemented on the twincharged kit, if this ground is not connected it can damage the pwm circuit and possibly other circuits in the powerpaq.

 

*cough* *cough* *cough*

 

The first time that I moved the ECU, I took the ground wire(green) from the powerpaq off from the ground post before I moved it.

I will check it again hopefully tomorrow night and let you know. What has me confused this time is that after changing back to the original Cranksensor, I disconnected the ECU from the factory harness and pulled the box out to make sure there wasn't anything that had been messed with underneath.
After I reconnected the ECU and the powerpaq, the limp mode occured with the EML, DSC, and tire light staying on.

I really appreciate all who are trying to help me with this problem and thinking of possible solutions.

 

Talked to Eric at Helix and he agrees that it has an electrical issue, probably something in the factory system. The generic OBDII from vagcom is probably not giving me the right codes and currently, no codes and still limp mode.

I purchased the Autoenginuity scan tool with the BMW/Mini enhancement and hopefully should be able to get more information on what the real problem is within a week.

I'll keep everyone posted as to the outcome.

 

Sounds like you are starting to work through it all. I agree that it is probably an electrical issue given the lack of scan codes and having a christmas tree on your dashlights. Had a similar issue with a turbo VR6 nad it ended up being a bad afterrun pump wire causing an overvoltage and shorting out the engine wiring harness. Not directly related, but just goes to show on complicated mods like this a little, unrelated issue can have serious implications to overall function.

Keep us updated on if you are making any progress.

-Joel

 

Should no more next week with new scan tool.