38mpg and idling issues

[sjrobinson]

I got back from a 225mile drive. The way back was 116 country/highway driving and I got 38mpg. But that could be off due to varying factors. I have questions about my idling issues though.

It seems that before I even have a loss in power I have a loss in RPMs. If I turn on the AC while in neutral the RPMs fluctuate and then the car stalls. This is after changing the voltages from what I stating in an earlier post to a slightly richer mixture. So I'm not too sure where to go from here. I will turn on the AC and change the o2 voltages accordingly.

However another issue is that I keep getting a P0130 code which is the upstream o2 sensor. While their voltages at the EFIE read 350 and 225 respectively, the ultragauge reads around 1.2 and .25. Why is my upstream sensor so much higher? And how do I solve the idling problems?

[myoldyourgold]

Turn everything off at idle solves this problem. One of the reasons you are getting the code is there is a large imbalance at idle. If that is not there you should have no problem. This varies vehicle to vehicle though and will depend on where you set your EFIE. Have you made changes to the MAP, IAT, or CTS?

[sjrobinson]

I did use a map sensor enhancer but it took it out. Turn everything off as in shut off my cell? and what about the EFIE? It seems I cannot run my cell and AC at the same time at idle. I'm worried the EFIE may have damaged something though.

[myoldyourgold]

I did use a map sensor enhancer but it took it out. Turn everything off as in shut off my cell? and what about the EFIE? It seems I cannot run my cell and AC at the same time at idle. I'm worried the EFIE may have damaged something though

Yes shut off everything EFIE and your reactor. You do not need any HHO at idle. You also do not need to lean things at idle. A lean idle is a very small savings if there is any measurable savings but because it confuses the computer it dose not save a thing but just the opposite.

I doubt the EFIE will have caused any damage. Just reset the computer by disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes and hold the disconnected cables together for a bit and start all over. Everything should revert to normal.

You might be drawing to many amps from your system. Lower the amp draw to your reactor. This should also help. Do not worry about making less HHO you are not leaning things out enough to worry about that.

[sjrobinson]

Ok, great. I got it.
Remember I drive a stick-
I notice that if I'm on the highway and I pop it into neutral, with the AC on it doesn't do anything. The EFIE and HHO combination are drawing too many amps I see. What do you recommend as a set up for that- would a relay for the EFIE work or something? Can the O2 sensors bypass the EFIE when it is not on? And would this be turning it off when I'm cruising down a hill on the highway or just when I'm doing city driving? I would really like to figure out how to get city driving gains without stalling all the time.

But as far as the digital EFIE for the upstream sensor- on my ultragauge it still shows 1.275 volts (not moving at all) and Im getting the p0130 code. Is it possible that the EFIE is defective? I have it connected to the ignition source and grounded and am able to read it at the test points with an ammeter but the car doesnt recognize it. Or is that all part of resetting the computer?

[myoldyourgold]

First when the EFIE is off it by passes all the signals just like it was stock. You can control both the EFIE and the reactor through a relay and switch. A lever switch can be attached to the throttle linkage in such away that it turns off the relay at idle. At idle both are off. Think about it if you are going down hill and using the engine as a brake you do not want or need HHO. Anytime you are over idle everything is on. Just controlling the O2's might not do much for you but give it a good try. In my experience you need to keep all the sensors in balance or the computer will eventually figure it out and do its own thing which will defeat what you are trying to do.

Once you start altering the signal your ultragauge might not be accurate. I would not trust it. I would go by the meter using the test points. What EFIE do you have?

[sjrobinson]

narrowband from this guy

http://myworld.ebay.com/bestefie/&_t...84.m1439.l2754

The ammeter is actually close to what the ultragauge says for the downstream sensor. However, the ammeter says theres 350mv coming from the upstream yet its static at 1.275 volts on the gauge... although it did say that the p0130 was a pending code yet with 200+ miles of driving I didnt get a check engine light. Would that suggest that the o2 sensor is in fact working with the EFIE?
All this would be solved by resetting the ECU then?

And I was wondering about a relay for the EFIE to reduce the load on the battery. Would that work? If I understand relays correctly.

I'm also curious about making changes while the computer is bypassed just like if I were to advance the timing- which is another thing I have to do yet again I'm afraid of stalling. Would that be of benefit though- bypassing the ECU for an O2 voltage change?

[myoldyourgold]

narrowband from this guy

http://myworld.ebay.com/bestefie/&_t...84.m1439.l2754

The ammeter is actually close to what the ultragauge says for the downstream sensor. However, the ammeter says theres 350mv coming from the upstream yet its static at 1.275 volts on the gauge... although it did say that the p0130 was a pending code yet with 200+ miles of driving I didnt get a check engine light. Would that suggest that the o2 sensor is in fact working with the EFIE?
All this would be solved by resetting the ECU then?

And I was wondering about a relay for the EFIE to reduce the load on the battery. Would that work? If I understand relays correctly.

I'm also curious about making changes while the computer is bypassed just like if I were to advance the timing- which is another thing I have to do yet again I'm afraid of stalling. Would that be of benefit though- bypassing the ECU for an O2 voltage change?

The EFIE is one of the most stable ones in the market even though it is one of his older models it works just like it should. It will not be the EFIE's fault. The ultragauge has not detected the EFIE signal or you need to go through its setup while the EFIE is on. It still might not be able to detect it and will not give you accurate readings. All bets are off when you are using a scangauge with an EFIE in regards to the accuracy of the gauge. The EFIE uses almost no current so it will not help to put it on a relay. You need to check you alternator and see what it is rated at. I have found that many old alternators do not put out what they are rated at and fail with an extra 20 amp continuous draw of the reactor and just can not keep up.

You will solve a number of problems by resetting the ECU. You should have done that right at the start. It will give you better gains by doing that. Have you tried to clear the code using the ultragauge to see if it comes back?

Why do you want to advance the timing? It should work fine with the amount of HHO you are injecting at the stock setting. If everything was working with the HHO reactor not running then it is just the extra amp draw that is the problem. More HHO only works when you can lean out the engine more and that requires you controlling all the sensors. I would still suggest you cut back the amp draw of the reactor unless you want to replace your alternator with a 140 amp one or larger. I do not think that would be worth it.

[sjrobinson]

I reset the ECU and I am still having issues. Thing is, none of this happened until after I put in the EFIE. When I turn on the A/C with the EFIE on and the cell on the car will idle funny and eventually stall. With the EFIE off (but the o2 wires still running through it) The RPMs will idle funny but then go back to normal. But none of this has happened before.
I double checked to see if everything was all connected right and it appears so. When I test the points for the analog and digital potentiometers they read as they should. I had to change the upstream to 400mv and downstream to 150mv and the idling is still causing issues. On the highway everything is fine unless I hit a bump. Then I can feel the engine struggling for a moment.

So basically the biggest thing is that the car threatens to stall when I stop and idle. And its a relatively violent stall. And its something to do with the connections at the EFIE or the current traveling through it. Or maybe my car just does not like to be messed with like that. The map sensor enhancer didn't even work right.
It is possible its just defective? They seem like they're good quality but I could've just gotten a bad one.

Ill reset the Ultragauge to see if I can get the upstream readings though.

[myoldyourgold]

Does all this happen with the EFIE off but hooked up?