Still Hesitation problems after ECU reflash

[Chad92]

I know this topic has been gone over Thoroughly about three times a week, but I need help. So I went to the dealership and got the ECU reflash. I thought it was fixed but...
I had a small oil leak from the oil cooler gasket and I fixed that along with removing the gasket and replacing it, and removing the oil sender and putting some thread lock on it to get rid of the leak. After this, I found that I was experiencing a stumble in every gear after first only when the engine is warm, and only when entering boost between ~2500-4200 rpms. If I boost over 4200 rpms, it boosts just fine. If I start boosting in the problematic RPM range, then I get a hesitation. The car sounds like it is boosting, but the boost does not increase the engine speed,and the car does not seem to go anywhere and "boggs". I dont have a boost gauge tho, so I cannot confirm this. Also after the engine warms up, the car will die if I am driving and put the car in neutral and/or engage the clutch to cruise in neutral. It also idles rough and jumps between 200-700 rpms idle when stopped, and consistently acts like it is about to die. Any ideas and info would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and I am running a parking break sensor code but that is it...

 

[Chad92]

Anyone?

 

[protege3690]

the jumpy idle is sometimes due to either a vacuum leak, which you would need a boost gauge for to moniter your vacuum and boost. or can also be caused by a faulty MAF and clogged/sticky EGR valve. the hesitation problem is an ongoing issue with MSPs even WITH the reflash. its designed to advance the timing somewhaat to HELP remedy it a bit but not eliminate it. only way to eliminate it 90% of the time is going with a SSAFC or 100% going full standalone which is overkill if your goal is not high HP with a nice big turbo. but for a fun DD i suggest you get a ssafc get it tuned right or a ssftc which controls timing as well. use the search button and you can see this has been going on and recommended over and over again through the years.

 

[Chad92]

I have been trying to avoid that as that is one expensive affair. Ill run to my shop and clean the MAF, change the plugs, and then go from there. I will also rummage through all the intercooler piping bits and see if I can pin point any weak area in the stock plastic tubing.

But the one thing that is really bothering me is the fact that the car dies while coasting. I believe this to be an issue with the MAF, but I replaced it 12 months ago. Do these sensors really go bad that quickly, or should I be looking elsewhere?

 

[protege3690]

the MAF dont go bad often. ive had mine on for 4 years already since when i got my MSP. normally if u cruise in neutral and let the rpms drop quickly itll stall the vehicle somewaht and thats usually due to a vacuum leak or egr valve sticking. at least in my case it was. and def check your piping. but i would rec. getting aluminum piping. plastic piping sucks and crack. also while your at it redo all you vacuum lines with silicone ones if the stock lines are still on since theyre prone to cracking as well.

 

[Becca19MSP]

I had the same problem with the car stalling whenever you press the clutch in once it's warm... What happened with mine is that I didn't have a recirculated blow off valve on it, and the MAF wasn't reading correctly. I'd say the problem has to do with the MAF... I'd try relocating your MAF. I'm going to go through my pictures and see if I can find one with where I relocated mine to. Good Luck!

 

[Becca19MSP]

I can't find a picture for you while I'm here at work :/, but I'll try to get one for you Friday when I go to my garage.

 

[protege3690]

I can't find a picture for you while I'm here at work :/, but I'll try to get one for you Friday when I go to my garage.

he still has the plastic piping seems like. he cant relocate his MAF without upgrading to hard pipes for his car.

 

[Becca19MSP]

he still has the plastic piping seems like. he cant relocate his MAF without upgrading to hard pipes for his car.

Ah gotcha. I just re-read the thread (missed some stuff while scanning it at work- oops!)... I definitely think you're right about aluminum piping and the EGR, not to mention vacuum lines. It's going to be one of those or the MAF but I can't imagine it would go bad in 12 months.

 

[Chad92]

he still has the plastic piping seems like. he cant relocate his MAF without upgrading to hard pipes for his car.

Im thinking about getting a universal CX Racing piping and intercooler kit. I saw that the 719 MSP guy used this kit and he made it work. I am VERY reluctant to buy a $700 kit that is fitted to the MSP. There is a p5 that is being parted out about ten min away from me, so I may just throw $20 his way and see if I can walk out with a different MAF.

 

[protege3690]

you can go the ebay route and make a fmic kit yourself. just make sure you get some good quality couplers. not some cheap ebay crap couplers. but def swap out your vacuum lines with new ones. trust me. and u can either CLEAN or order a canadian EGR valve which should solve your idling issue. which i would recommend first. and take out your plastic pipes inspect them and retighten everything.

 

[ibanezrgplayer]

Try cleaning your EGR valve and make sure your spark plugs are gapped properly. The auto parts store told me to gap mine at .044 which made mine hesitate like crazy. I found out that was the gapping for a normal protege- not the turbo engine. I gapped my plugs to .030, no more hesitation. Period. Even with a non reflashed ECU.

 

[Chad92]

Try cleaning your EGR valve and make sure your spark plugs are gapped properly. The auto parts store told me to gap mine at .044 which made mine hesitate like crazy. I found out that was the gapping for a normal protege- not the turbo engine. I gapped my plugs to .030, no more hesitation. Period. Even with a non reflashed ECU.

Well, I checked the plugs and they seemed to look fine to me. But I replaced them anyways and it seems to run fine-ish now. The only real problem I am having with the car now is the idle problem. I do not understand why the car runs fine when cold at idle, but not when the engine is warm. Is there any ideas on that? And thank yal for your help with he hesitation problem, as it seems that almost every Msp owner has issues with this no matter the mileage on the car....

 

[CHIQLES]

I know the car reads air temp but I dont realy believe it compensates for it very well. I belive it is a window process to where if the air is cold it has sufficient fuel to run and runs well. But as soon as the air heats up the fuel trim may not change and now your air supply is thinner causing the car to drown further in fuel. same reason the car wants to die on hot days. Causing low idle on hot days and stalling out after shifting.
Just a thought.

 

[Chad92]

So would this most likely be fixed with a MAF relocation? I am probably going to take the car to a shop to diagnose the problem, cuz I have no Idea what this could be... (mad)

 

[hornsfan10609]

If you replaced the plugs you MUST re-gap them, they will be set to .44" for a regular protege they absolutely must be gapped to .030" for the MSP.
Do not replace the MAF they hardly ever fail the most you ever do is clean it. Invest in an AFC, unfortunately the reflash is a complete waste of time and money, my car had it when I bought it and it still had horrible hesitation until I got the SSAFC which is probably the best mod I have for the money (~$300).

 

[StealthWyvern]

change your damn plugs and gap them properly.... I have a dynosheet somehwere that shows what bad/fouled out plugs do on the MSP.

Found it!

Red line is new plugs and blue is old plugs

 

[JITB]

Literally saw this and went and checked my gap..and they were 44, re did them at 30... magic! More power! Hesitation gone!