magnacharger sc installation problems

[flh2fan]

i installed a magnacharger sc kit on my 2003 h2 and it seems i opened pandorras box. i can not get the thing to run anymore. i have been troubleshooting it for a while but i am starting to loose my wits.
here is the problem: the engine will not run on all cylinders anymore. no 3 & 4 on the passengers side bank will not run and the engine light blinks all the time. i tried already the following with no success:
1. checked for spark / moved plugs around; the miss stays
2. checked the coils / moved coils around; the miss stays
3. checked the fuel injectors/ moved injectors around; the miss stays
4. had the dealership re-flash the computer
5. got a new computer
6. verified mechanical installation of kit.
7. wired open boost valve put, stock injectors back in, stoc pcm
All those measures were done with the help and advice of ASE, GM certified mechanics, magnacharger, and the hummer dealership / service department.
i am pretty desperate right now. does anybody have any ideas? any kind of help is deeply appreciated. THANKS!

[flh2fan]

i installed a magnacharger sc kit on my 2003 h2 and it seems i opened pandorras box. i can not get the thing to run anymore. i have been troubleshooting it for a while but i am starting to loose my wits.
here is the problem: the engine will not run on all cylinders anymore. no 3 & 4 on the passengers side bank will not run and the engine light blinks all the time. i tried already the following with no success:
1. checked for spark / moved plugs around; the miss stays
2. checked the coils / moved coils around; the miss stays
3. checked the fuel injectors/ moved injectors around; the miss stays
4. had the dealership re-flash the computer
5. got a new computer
6. verified mechanical installation of kit.
7. wired open boost valve put, stock injectors back in, stoc pcm
All those measures were done with the help and advice of ASE, GM certified mechanics, magnacharger, and the hummer dealership / service department.
i am pretty desperate right now. does anybody have any ideas? any kind of help is deeply appreciated. THANKS!

[flh2fan]

i installed a magnacharger sc kit on my 2003 h2 and it seems i opened pandorras box. i can not get the thing to run anymore. i have been troubleshooting it for a while but i am starting to loose my wits.
here is the problem: the engine will not run on all cylinders anymore. no 3 & 4 on the passengers side bank will not run and the engine light blinks all the time. i tried already the following with no success:
1. checked for spark / moved plugs around; the miss stays
2. checked the coils / moved coils around; the miss stays
3. checked the fuel injectors/ moved injectors around; the miss stays
4. had the dealership re-flash the computer
5. got a new computer
6. verified mechanical installation of kit.
7. wired open boost valve put, stock injectors back in, stoc pcm
All those measures were done with the help and advice of ASE, GM certified mechanics, magnacharger, and the hummer dealership / service department.
i am pretty desperate right now. does anybody have any ideas? any kind of help is deeply appreciated. THANKS!

[Klaus]

One common mistake is that one of the O-rings are missing on the fuel pressure regulator.

[intimidator]

put a node light on the injector harness at the misfiring cylinders and see if you have injector pulse.next step do a compression test.

[flh2fan]

intimidator, I did a compression test on the missfiering cylinders as well as on the healthy ones.; all of them check in at around 180.
I also did the pulse light and the injectors are fine. eberything checked out fine including the ignition system. strange but true!?!?! it seems that the air fuel charge is not getting into the combustion chamber.... i also tried new sparkplugs.

[flh2fan]

klaus, thanks for your pointer; i will double check that. i checked the fuelpreassure which checks in at 60psi, but i did not chek the fuel preassure regulator yet. if you have any other ideas....please!

[Circuitguy]

Sounds like Klaus is right, the O-rings might be missing on the fuel pressure regulator. You woll still have pressure in the rail but not the correct pressure at all injectors. Remove it relube the O-rings and carfully reinstall it. We have installed a few of the Magnachargers and have had this problem one time. BIG-C http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Klaus]

Have you connected a diagnostic scanner to check for error codes?

Did you program the computer with the Superchips programmer?

What about a vacuum leak? There is a vacuum tap on the back of the SC for power brakes, but is not used on the H2. Is it possible the rubber cap was knocked off while installing?

[flh2fan]

Klaus, Circuitguy; i will defenitely check the o-rings on monday. that at least gives me hope again that i did not screw it up totally.
Klaus, i will also check for the vacuum leak on the back of the sc. i checked in general but not in that location yet. THANKS!!!

[Circuitguy]

It should run without the new program. Vacuum leak? Could be! BIG-C http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[flh2fan]

Klaus, regarding the error codes, it did at one point spit out some codes, but neither me nor magnusson who i was on the phone with at the time could make something out of it. at initial installation, when the mechanicals were done, i programmed it with the superchips. then i tried to run it and the problems started. before the installation of the kit the engine was running great. i then got on the phone with magnacharger (magnusson) and we did all the mechanical tests and swaps i described. when that was done they told me to have the dealership re-flash the pcm. then magnacharger told me to tie the boostvalve open and try the stock pcm with the stock injectors and then with the kit injectors. no change. that's when i got a new pcm and it seems ther is no change either. that is where i am now.
anyways, you guys are great, at least i have a couple new pointers (keep em' coming though)! I started to feel as if people were starting to give up on me (dealer, magnacharger( although those guys have been good so far)
THANKS AGAIN!

[flh2fan]

Circuitguy, it sounded logical to me that there was a problem with the pcm; that's why i got a new one from the dealership. the dealer put it in and ran it but the problem is not gone away yet.

[HGW]

I am confused as to why, with a check engine light, your dianostic tool does not spit out specific error codes?

Did your tool read and report specific codes?

During my install, I crimped a wire to a fuel injector and the cylinder did not fire and the engine ran rough. It ws quickly diagnosed---new wire--no check engine light and it runs great.

If you want, I will go over some troubleshooting on the phone with you--just PM me with your number. I also know the guys at Mag and together we can fix this.

[flh2fan]

H2mildandwild,
thanks for your offer; imight take you up on it. i have been talking to the people at magna and so far they have been quite helpful.
a few days ago i found out that something has gone horribly wrong because no the engine has no compression. we are currently tearing it down to get it fixed (i hope it is just the headgasket; don't know yet...). as soon as that is done i will verify everything with the stock set-up and then i will put the kit back on. so that might when i will be taking you up on your offer. thanks a bunch!

[flh2fan]

H2mildandwild,
in your signature you are saying that you programmed your h2 with the predator but you are running the sc. does diabolo have a program for the sc or what did you program, if you don't mind me asking?

[HGW]

flh2fan:
I am happy to answer your question. We are all here to learn as well as share.

I have the stock magneson sc tune in my H2 for now. I use the predator for adjusting shift points, shift pressure, tire size, etc. The adjustments make my H2 run well by shifting at the right time with a firmer shift.

When you buy a predator, the first thing you do is download your "stock" tune. It is saved so you can put your pcm back to the point BEFORE you installed the predator. In my case, my "stock" tune was the tune for the sc using the superchips installed as part of the sc install.

In reality, you download the tune that exists when you install the predator.

Next season, I will use the predator tuning features to adjust my sc tune--in effect customizing it from that provided by superchips. I will collect data on the track using software that will read my pcm data after each 1/4 mile pass. Only then will I experiment with adjusting the tune using the predator. And, I will do it using small adjustments.

I will nvere install the tune that comes with the predator. It does improve performance BUT it is not to be installed on sc'd machines.

BTW. I highly recommend at a minimum that you have a boost guage and a fuel pressure guage installed. Knowing at all times what these reading are will help monitor sc performance. I also recommend and exhaust temperature guage if you run the 1/4 mile or tow. A lot of sc's fail due to excessive heat. What happens is that a client runs the sc hard and then turns the engine off. The heat at that time cannot be disapated and valves or pistons fail. If exhaust temps are high, leaving the engine running while the temp comes down, will usually save an engine.

I will be curious to know the reason you have no compression in two cylinders. It could be the head gasket or screwed up valves, or even worse, bad pistons. In most cases, heat would be the cause. Hopefully your install was correct and this is just a simple problem. Please keep us posted.

[KenP]

My curiosity is piqued. Fuel pressure is something I am very interested in. I have a Kenne Bell Boost-a-Pump. I wonder what I am running and was it affected when my truck went for a few high speed swims at Paragon. Maybe I should visit you. http://www.elcova.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_confused.gif

[HGW]

Ken--it may be a good idea next spring--would love to see you---you need to get a fuel pressure guage--autometer are my fav----will answer your PM soon.

My issue with fuel pressure relates to the 15 second stomp in the 1/4 mile. The magenson was designed for street use and I am meeting with the magneson people eye to eye at SEMA Nov 2-6 to discuss the situation. I may need a better aux pump (or just a bigger one in the tank) and a fuel pressure regulator--most likely just a fuel pump and bigger injectors that will give me the optimum fuel after 10-14 seconds of WOT----you and I both want to get over 100 MPH in the 1/4 and my team and I feel fuel delivery after 10 sec. =/- is one of the issues (as is gearing, transmison gear ratios, boost, a/f etc, etc.) They will only talk off the record and tell me what thier fule delivery system was designed for since any change voids their waranty. My warranty was toast before I even installed it because I took the blower off the manifold to have the manifold polished, see pic below. It is no big deal to do this but mag will not waranty anything modified.

I am also meeting with anyone at SEMA who deals with this issue to avoid undo experimentation and cost. If I have to, I will do the experiments but fuel injectors and fuel pumps get expensive if I only use them once for each experiment.

I am also going to contact Ed Potter at LPE after SEMA to see if LPE has done research in this area. They do have the fastest stock (meaning no change in cubic inches) H2 in the US of A.

More in my PM to you later

[Klaus]

It wold be nice if someone built a high performance fuel pump to replace the factory in-tank unit. I'm not crazy about that extra pump.

[HGW]

Klaus---they do make one--many companies do----the key is to get the one that works best with the mag---I am not at all happy with the aux pump.

Hence, at SEMA, one of my team members will focus on this.

[KenP]

The KB boost a pump, as I understand it, merely increases voltage to the stock pump in order to increase it's output.

[HGW]

Ken:

Please check on that pump you have. I will be surprised if LPE did not put on an aux pump.

[HGW]

flh2fan:

How is it going??? Did you find a cause yet????

[Patriot]

H2mildandwild,

I have a whipple SC and they use the predator programer just fine??? Why do you say the predator and SC is a no no?

[HGW]

Patriot:

A predator programmer can be used to tune a SC. If Whipple uses the predator to install a tune for their sc, that is fine.

What I was saying is that my Magneson was tuned using a Superchips programmer that came with a specific tune for the Magneson.

When I bought my predator, I did not install their tune because the predator tune that came with my predator was intended for a non supercharged engine. I have just used the predator for other changes thus far.

However, a predator programmer can be used to install/modify a tune on a supercharged vehicle. The person doing it has to know what the hell they are doing. The Whipple folks may just be using the predator to install their standard sc tune on vehicles that have their sc installed. I am not that familiar with what comes with the Whipple to tune he vehicle after installation.

So, what I was trying to convey is that if you have had a Magneson installed, the proper tune for that specific sc would have been done using the Superchips tuner provided as part of the Magneson kit. Then if you buy a predator off the shelf, do not install that tune because it may conflict with specific sc tune already installed by the Magneson installer using Superchips. Certainly, anyone can use the predator to modify the Magneson sc tune already installed but you have to know what you are doing. Magneson will not warranty a tune that is different from the tune they provided via Superchips.

Please feel free to provide more info and I will answer more questions for you.

I will be away for the week of Nov 1-6.