I still have a theory that my ecu is faulty and thats why I'm having intermittent performance issues. But I'm not sure. It wouldnt be so hard to get another ecu and put it in, if theres a difference or not I will know. But I wonder if there are ways one could damage the ECU? I've done a lot of experimenting but never thought I couldve damaged the ECU.

Also, can there be ECU issues without a complete malfunctioning of the car or a cel?

 

A damaged ECM should throw the check-engine light. Sometimes it throws a CEL that doesn't make sense, or a CEL code that isn't related to the type of problem you're seeing.

There's ways to damage the ECM, for example if you mess with the OBD-2 connector. There's a couple combinations of pins that you can jumper & send un-fused power (short circuit) through the ECM. That can burn up some components on the circuit boards inside. Besides, circuit components can fail anyway.

 

In addition to what was mentioned above, you may have damaged a wire or connector, bent a pin, etc. Also, it's a good idea to check/clean your grounds. These are frequently overlooked. Don't go by the looks of the ground. Remove the grounding screw and clean up the ground.

 

Im currently working on the grounds. Ive just had the theory of the ECU being faulty. I can think of a few mistakes I've made that could have risked the ECU but the only related cel ive had was the 1297. that went away after cleaning some grounds and wiggling the ELD wires.
You guys think that could be a possibility? While monitoring my battery voltage its pretty consistent so Im not too sure about the grounds. The circuit is being completed ok. 14.1 or 0 volts consistently in a trip.

 

Where are you reading this volage from?

 

Well I just got a new obd2 reader so while driving I was getting the voltages from my computer.
Using an actually ammeter on the battery terminals is appears about the same as well.

 

short answer;

Electricity and/or water

 

The volts dropping to zero has me worried.

 

Oh, no, sorry that was a typo. Its ranging from 14.0 to 14.1 volts. However I just ran some tests. Heres what I get. You can see where I turn everything on. Here are the values recorded during an idle. I revved the engine a little at first, then idle, then turned on high beams, a/c, radio, hazards and rear defroster. Then I let it idle. I can tell when the car is acting especially funny cuz the exhaust will rattle against the heat shield meaning that the engine behavior has changed. On a good day theres no exhaust rattle and a nice sound deep and smooth sound coming from it. Towards the end where the rpms go to 699 is when the rattling really starts. Its not a loose rattling, its a shaking exhaust muffler rattling. Hope you guys can make sense of these readings. Let me know if you need more.

Battery
Time(seconds) Volts
5.997282 14.1
11.428214 14.1
16.470890 14.1
21.675770 14.1
26.750520 14.1
31.975686 14.1
37.231145 14.1
42.683460 14.1
47.652967 14.1
52.442358 14.1
56.877603 14.1
61.022916 14.1
64.851678 14.1
68.306096 14.1
72.225936 14.1
75.672856 14.1
79.066324 12.7
82.332788 12.8
85.771717 12.9
89.170983 12.6
92.516202 12.5
95.882672 12.4
99.361067 13.9
102.759472 14.1
106.132946 14.1
109.533715 14.1
112.908612 14.1
116.322677 14.1
119.613610 14.1
123.005277 14.1
126.459216 14.1
129.832741 14.1
133.203385 14.1

At the same time here are my rpms (I revved the engine a lil at 18 seconds)
Time(seconds) rpm
2.448508 697
8.215018 696
13.421576 764
18.532101 1630
23.703783 680
28.828844 682
34.109839 702
39.352358 704
44.699753 697
49.388105 704
54.149016 691
58.550535 701
62.758271 682
66.608184 708
69.962330 701
74.030712 703
77.399529 709
80.738376 742
84.153800 759
87.509380 776
90.875482 779
94.243496 781
97.670850 777
101.107722 768
104.446242 752
107.913459 695
111.282016 694
114.594193 677
118.037183 703
121.394458 694
124.778205 699
128.167646 693
131.532149 699
134.982052 699

Timing advance:
Time(seconds) relative to #1 cylinder
3.234721 15
8.929452 14
14.084521 34
19.214055 33
24.352838 16
29.490086 15
34.774836 14
40.318197 14
45.298622 15
50.017272 14
54.475131 14
58.882236 14
63.082280 14
66.935437 14
70.941517 14
74.364036 14
77.729949 14
81.045255 14
84.477693 15
87.840576 13
91.207251 14
94.568271 13
98.000712 14
101.431957 11
104.777388 13
108.221201 15
111.605548 14
114.927559 14
118.359934 14
121.698636 15
125.112817 14
128.496122 14
131.870760 14
135.307788 14

Upstream sensor voltages
Time(seconds) Volts, %
4.799804 0.155, -5.47
10.326264 0.835, -7.03
15.404645 0.135, 7.81
20.558779 0.955, 8.59
25.658182 0.935, -7.03
30.830250 0.195, -8.59
36.099494 0.875, -7.03
41.608622 0.585, -3.91
46.575056 0.680, -8.59
51.301157 0.780, -3.91
55.756079 0.740, -7.81
59.874365 0.250, -4.69
63.729599 0.820, -7.03
67.591670 0.175, -5.47
71.604762 0.875, -7.03
75.002044 0.155, -6.25
78.394162 0.895, -5.47
81.684476 0.155, -5.47
85.134137 0.505, -2.34
88.499887 0.195, -1.56
91.870322 0.820, -2.34
95.191731 0.800, -2.34
98.661432 0.780, -2.34
102.065373 0.895, -2.34
105.437516 0.955, -2.34
108.860197 0.935, -5.47
112.267641 0.895, -8.59
115.621818 0.230, -7.81
119.001287 0.740, -6.25
122.360124 0.410, -7.81
125.764457 0.895, -5.47
129.139503 0.800, -8.59
132.513555 0.390, -6.25

Percent Load
Time(seconds) % Percent
0.440799 24.31
6.461805 23.53
11.798366 23.53
16.914282 27.84
22.064195 23.53
27.168049 23.14
32.420472 23.53
37.699677 23.53
43.055334 23.53
48.071659 24.31
52.805476 24.31
57.294306 24.31
61.437388 24.31
65.295293 24.31
68.673149 23.53
72.674735 23.53
76.070201 23.53
79.439250 32.16
82.806106 34.12
86.185793 35.69
89.545481 34.90
92.939987 34.90
96.326358 33.73
99.810194 32.16
103.175070 24.31
106.555616 23.53
109.933148 24.31
113.298296 24.31
116.732403 23.53
120.060446 24.31
123.424182 24.31
126.834206 23.53
130.308993 25.10
133.681524 24.31

and absolute manifold pressure
Time(seconds) kPa
2.039279 24.0 (Absolute)
7.882281 24.0 (Absolute)
13.091476 24.0 (Absolute)
18.201645 30.0 (Absolute)
23.357996 24.0 (Absolute)
28.530283 25.0 (Absolute)
33.775267 25.0 (Absolute)
39.022407 25.0 (Absolute)
44.375607 25.0 (Absolute)
49.054661 24.0 (Absolute)
53.798419 24.0 (Absolute)
58.242169 24.0 (Absolute)
62.424291 25.0 (Absolute)
66.281258 24.0 (Absolute)
69.632951 25.0 (Absolute)
73.698709 25.0 (Absolute)
77.067580 24.0 (Absolute)
80.406224 37.0 (Absolute)
83.830033 37.0 (Absolute)
87.178772 37.0 (Absolute)
90.542626 35.0 (Absolute)
93.911201 34.0 (Absolute)
97.339888 34.0 (Absolute)
100.782064 34.0 (Absolute)
104.113873 24.0 (Absolute)
107.581799 24.0 (Absolute)
110.947386 24.0 (Absolute)
114.265784 24.0 (Absolute)
117.704282 24.0 (Absolute)
121.064243 24.0 (Absolute)
124.446635 25.0 (Absolute)
127.844372 25.0 (Absolute)
131.216302 24.0 (Absolute)
134.653875 24.0 (Absolute)

 

A suggestion on another forum was the fuel filter. Anyone see that in this data? I have a gauged fuel pressure regulator I was gonna put it once all my issues got better but I think the gauge may be useful. I could get the regulator to behave like the stock one ok right? Or am I risking more problems?

-----

Just put in the grounding kit. On the same trip my data shows battery voltage remaining within .1 volts of deviance. Huge difference. But the computer still acts a bit funny. Throttle response has improved and no, its not a placebo affect. The lights are in fact a bit brighter too. Theres still the idle issue but I still think theres an IAC issue. Ill post a thread on that and the coolant...