FCD makes a crackling sound?

[Spooled]

I installed my Joe P. FCD last night and took it out for a spin. I recently got my car flashed, but I wanted to be safe. I only have the boost controller set at [~8 - 8.5 psi]., but it has hit cut before at [8.5 - 9 psi].

I did multiple 2nd and 3rd gear pulls, and after the boost levels off at 8-8.5, there is a crackling noise from under the hood. It sounds like it is coming from around where the FCD is installed, but there is no telling for sure. I have the FCD mounted on the strut brace. It scared the sh*t out of me because I thought I was detonating (never heard detonation before). The problem is that it does it at STOCK boost, also.

Is this the sound that the FCD makes? Please tell me that it's normal. Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Spooled]

Also, I have taken off the FCD and left the boost the same. The crackling goes away. I think that I am going to leave it off since I'm not boosting very high since I got flashed. I just really want to know that I'm not gonna pop my engine at 8.5 psi (that would be sad)

 

[ZMN BY U]

I have a question how hard is it to hook up the FCD i have all his products but im interested in the FCD. also you shouldnt have been flashed i was told by a tech at mazda who im friends with that the car doesnt need to be flashed and if you get it flashed you will incounter more problems than un flashed that might be the problem you are hearing. let me know about the FCD i might get one(mspo)

 

[boostisgood]

also you shouldnt have been flashed i was told by a tech at mazda who im friends with that the car doesnt need to be flashed and if you get it flashed you will incounter more problems than un flashed that might be the problem you are hearing.

Care to elaborate ? As far as myself, and everyone else that has been involved with the "get mazda off thier ass" to flash the car, is concerend, the Flash is great from people like Spooled, who does not plan on heavy modding.

 

[ZMN BY U]

Ok im not knocking the flash ecu. im just saying by my car and my set up and future mods i was advised not to get the flash update. He said if the hesitation wasnt a real big issue then you do not need the ECU update. It could lead to problems down the road when modifiing the car. 1 thing was boost not holding, he also said mazda was not going to have a fix for the car this is how its suppose to run and how they developed the car and thats it. he went to a mazda school just to work on this car 2 weeks ago and thats what they told them. So please dont think im knocking the flash it just might not be what you want or what you expect. Because he said once you do the ECU reprogram you cant change it back to where it was thats it you must deal with it. I hope i answered the question you had.

 

[Spooled]

Damn, that was my next question. I was thinking that maybe I would just have them set it back. But to tell you the truth, I really want to get a piggyback engine management system and better fuel delivery sometime. Until then, I will be fine running 8psi. I am taking off the FCD since I don't need it.


ZMN BY U, to answer your question, it's very easy to install the FCD. Just tap one wire into the middle wire coming fro the ECU (green with a black stripe), and ground the other wire. It's not polarized, so it doesn't matter which wire goes where. Then cut the line that your boost gauge is on and insert a T. Run a hose from the T to the FCD, and you are done. The FCD, from what I am guessing, is just a pressure-activated switch that closes at a certain boost level and grounds the MAF, causing it to stop sending air mass data to the ECU. This is just a guess, though.

 

[ZMN BY U]

Hey thanks spooled i might buy one or buy yours if you wanna sell it to me. let me know im me if you wanna chat sometimes about the MSP. Glad i could help you out in some fashion. I saw that turbo xs has a FCD now im looking into this one too.

 

[KyRaceFan]

Spooled, if you take the FCD off would you be interested in selling it?
I might be interested in buying...

 

[Spooled]

I would be willing to part with it for $50 plus the shipping to where you want it. They are $65, but I just don't want to temp myself with it anymore. Boost is addictive. It's brand new and was only in my car for about 20 min. of driving. I never hit cut with it installed (hit 14psi while testing it, and damn that was scary), so I know it's fine. I think I just screwed myself by getting the flash.

PM me if you are interested.

 

[InsidiousMSP]

Spooled, was the sound at a specific rpm range?

KyRaceFan, I'll send you my FCD for $40 shipped.

 

[LinuxRacr]

Dude, does it sound like someone is "rolling dice" under the hood? If so, let us know immediately! It could be knock/ping/detonation!

 

[Spooled]

It sounded like I was driving over a freshly patched road and small rocks were being kicked up under the engine. But I wasn't. It was happening while holding boost at 8 psi at one time. If it's detonation, I will be VERY pissed. I don't want to run a crazy amount of boost, but I would at least like to run 8-9 safely. I read that people were running 9 psi after the flash, but I guess I'm not that fortunate.

One thought: Does our car utilize a knock sensor? If so, does the FCD switch interfer with it? I don't seem to get the knocking when I take it off, and I don't hit spark cut, either.

I guess now I am going to have to get EMS to have any fun.(notcool)

 

[ZMN BY U]

Ok spooled ill buy it from you hit me up on the im at aol its troybravesfan@aol.com or you can use boostnmazdaspeed@aol.com dont sell it i want it dude

 

[LinuxRacr]

Didn't the FCD lean out the fuel mixture more? If that's the case, the newer advanced timing of the flash, and the pulling of fuel may ba a bad combo...

 

[paladin]

i think your thinking aobut the FPR kit (fuel pressure reducer).
i'm pretty sure the FDC is kinda like a piggy back, it just stops the fuel cut, doesn't actually lean it out

hope i helped



ben

 

[boostidazfuk]

Guys I regret to inform you that I am pre-flash and had the same issue with Joes FCD . It caused major DETONATION! I am not hateing on Joe , he is a great guy with great products and he is very helpfull. However I spent an entire night of testing different plugs with the FCD on and off and detonation only occured when the FCD was ON. even at low boosts. I am e-mailing Joe tonight to see what he says but I am 100% sure that the FCD was causing detonation on my car. I just want to keep you guys informed. Once again nothing against Joe, but please be carefull with the FCD.

 

[DaKidd]

I was thinking of getting the FCD but I dont need the headache of detonation! Isnt there some other way to get around this cut? Maybe by removing the stock MAF and replace it with one that reads higher voltage levels? I.E. the Cobra MAF??? Any1 else have any problems with the FCD? Joe, whats up?

 

[Spooled]

ZMN BY U,

I emailed you about the FCD.

 

[kwiktsi]

Guys I regret to inform you that I am pre-flash and had the same issue with Joes FCD . It caused major DETONATION! I am not hateing on Joe , he is a great guy with great products and he is very helpfull. However I spent an entire night of testing different plugs with the FCD on and off and detonation only occured when the FCD was ON. even at low boosts. I am e-mailing Joe tonight to see what he says but I am 100% sure that the FCD was causing detonation on my car. I just want to keep you guys informed. Once again nothing against Joe, but please be carefull with the FCD.

Wow, this is news to me.. I had zero issues with mine.. Do you have an FPR kit also? Did you try to disable that and run the FCD? If it is a leaner mixture causing the detonation, then removing the FPR kit "should" point to that.. However, the car may vary timing maps based on airflow and when the FCD kicks in, it shows the ECU less airflow to prevent the cut, it is possible that it is running a different timing map at the "lower" airflow. If that is the case, then two things- 1) this car is even more of a PITA to tune than I thought and 2) even a larger MAF calibrated to not hit the same voltage would cause the same issues..

This is part of the reason I have said all along that only "experienced" tuners should be going into this territory- if you are describing detonation as "a sound like pebbles hitting the car" and don't know what it is, you can do severe damage messing with your car .. Damn, if it is a timing issue- than ANYTHING that you use (outside of a good piggy back or stand alone) will cause the same problem. An HKS FCD clamps the MAF voltage at a certain point also, so it would cause the same issues.. An AFC (or any similar fuel controller) modifies the MAF signal to adjust the fuel curve. If you used something like that to pull fuel (which is also a mod to reduce fuel cut), you woud have this problem also .. Maybe the FCD should only be used at higher boost levels where you would be nuts to run pump gas anyway (11 psi+) ? Feedback guys?

Also, if anyone is EXPERIENCED in tuning and such wants to kick around ideas with me, shoot me an email at kwiktsi@nycap.rr.com and we can try to work out different ideas. Since I don't have my MSP anymore, I need feedback from someone who knows his s***- not someone who calls himself a tuner because he put an intake and muffler on his buddy's stock Civic Si .. Thanks.
Joe

 

[kwiktsi]

I was thinking of getting the FCD but I dont need the headache of detonation! Isnt there some other way to get around this cut? Maybe by removing the stock MAF and replace it with one that reads higher voltage levels? I.E. the Cobra MAF??? Any1 else have any problems with the FCD? Joe, whats up?

Read my post above- it touches on the MAF idea also..
Joe