Reported Fault Codes from ECU - typical?

[marches]

Greetings All!

Have noticed a number of errors in Event Log recently. So I set up a timeline to get a better understanding of what is happening as reported by the Fault Codes channel.  Through time, there is a periodic display of Fault Codes.  Hmmm periodic, independent of what the motor is doing...   

Examining the steps in the Fault Codes 'wave' the lowest step is 'Analog Voltage 1 above Error High value'

AnVolt1 is connected to the Lambda sensor and AnVolt1 ErrHigh is set to 4.95V.  At this point AnVolt1 is registering 1.13V, which is well below the 4.95V Error High setting.  

The next step in the Fault Codes graph complains AnVolt1 Below Error Low (0.01V) value while AnVolt1 is 1.64V. Nope!

Next step laments AnVolt4 (1.00V) Above Error High (2.75V).  Again, nope.  

Next, AnVolt4 (1.00V) below Error Low value (0.75V.)  Fake news.  

Lambda1 Signal Error.  From Help, we see:

If Lambda 1 is connected via an Analog Voltage input (It is!) the voltage has gone out of range and there should be an accompanying Error Low or Error High code from the Analog Voltage input.

If Lambda 1 is connected via CAN the the CAN device has reported an error.

Sensor or wiring may be faulty or disconnected. If Lambda 1 is connected via an An Volt input refer to the matching An Volt Error for more information, if it is connected via CAN refer to the Lambda 

TPS Signal Error.  How to get a deeper understanding?  TPS is AnVolt4 and reading 1.00V, which is between ErrHigh and ErrLow, so what is the Error?

The peak of the Fault Code wave is 'Analog 5V Supply Error' where the 5V Analog Supply status evaluates to 'OK'

Also noticed Database Error evaluates to 'Settings Overflow' which remains constant in time.  A quick search reveals the suggestion to update firmware, currently the ECU is here:

Would it be reasonable to conclude an update to latest firmware may squash some of the buggieness or are there other issues afoot this writer does not understand.  Attaching pclx and log referred to in images above.  Screen grabs have been culled from the 'Power Stats' view; layout included here -> https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1q27tYSZgvhU6hZcWKhawgHICn8ZOVAhr?usp=sharing

[Confused]

As far as I'm aware, the fault codes are created when they occur, but "read out" in this case I'm a sequential manner (hence the "staircase" which then resets and repeats) when looking at the runtime value like you are here in the log, so the "fault" you're looking at isn't "live" with the current values.

 

For most analogue inputs for lambda that I've seen vary from 0.00v for as rich as the controller can report to 5.00v for as lean as the controller can report, so setting anything other than 0.00v for Error Low and 5.00v for Error High, would, as you've found, trigger those fault codes with normal use. (Which does make it difficult to detect an actual fault, such as a disconnected wire...)

If you've got a controller that can reprogram the output, such as an Innovate, you might be able to leave yourself a bit of leeway on either extreme of the voltage range so you can see any faults...

[Adamw]

If there is more than one fault code then the live display and the log will cycle through all of them, displaying each for 2 sec.  They will remain until you manually clear them.  If we didnt do this and you ever had a momentary fault you would never know it occurred.  

These are likely not actually faults but have been caused by some maintenance like unplugging part of a loom or a sensor or ground etc.  If you clear them and they come back on their own then there is definitely an issue.  

As confused mentioned, for your lambda you will have to set the error low to 0 and error high to 5 since your controller uses the full 5V range fault monitoring is not possible. 

The database error is nothing to worry about, this is only used for our internal diagnostics.  

[marches]

Thanks Confused and Adamw!

Will clear the event log and error codes with a better understanding of how the ECU behaves.  

The Lambda sensor is an Innovate, so I will endeavor to adjust the output settings for a margin at the extreme ends of the output values.

Cheers!!

[koracing]

I believe the Innovate Lambda controller instructions should read as follows:

Step 1: Remove from vehicle
Step 2: Throw in trash
Step 3: Install any other lambda controller

Kidding/not kidding.  If you don't have a viable way to replace the lambda controller then it is what it is, but innovate controllers are known to have issues with failing sensors extremely quickly.  I would keep spare sensors on hand.

[marches]

@KoRacing  - That would have been valuable intel when I had to replace the first Innovate controller with the second Innovate controller, then sensor #2, sensor #3, and for good measure, sensor #4  All within 700 miles on a new motor! Still picking up skills on projects of this scale and trying to keep number of changing variables through the process at a minimum, and assumed the failure of 02 sensors were due to over rich startups, and whatever other rational the Innovate rep relayed.  A quick search reveals plenty of woes related to this kit.  WOW!  Any recommendations for a solid platform for step 3?

[essb00]

@marches
Highly recommended - CAN Bus Lambda controllers:
- Link CAN Lambda (of course top of the list)
- 14Point7 Spartan 3 (Or Spartan 3 ADV)

Analog only
- 14Point7 Spartan 3 Lite or Spartan 2

[koracing]

One of the biggest killers of the Bosch LSU 4.9 sensors is thermal shock - sitting with the key on and o2 getting hot on a cold motor - then motor starts and splashes cold fuel and water onto the sensor.  The way to avoid this is to not have the wideband power up until after the engine is running. 

The Link CAN Lambda does this via built in function over CAN.  I think the Spartan 3 also does this over CAN, but I've never used the Spartan 3.

I use the AEM X-Series in-line controller which has CAN or Analog output if I'm not using the Link CAN Lambda.  On the plus side, it's about half the cost of the Link unit, but on the negative side I usually have to add a relay to give the ecu control of when to turn the controller on/off via a spare output. 

[marches]

RE Thermal shock: Before installing sensor #4, I configured a relay to be energized after the motor starts via an output of the ECU.  So far, this sensor still works.  

Again, thanks to all for the replies.  It takes a village... 

[Adamw]

With innovate controllers the sensor usually hasnt failed, they just refuse to work when the frequency response gets slower.  If you get error 2 or error 8 the sensor is likely still perfectly fine and will work with any other wideband controller, if you haven't thrown away already, save them as spares for when you have a decent controller.   

Innovate determine oxygen content by driving the sensor completely differently than they were ever designed to be, rather than measuring the actual pump current required to keep the nerst cell near stoich they instead drive the pump at full current all the time, continuously bouncing current backward and forwards, then use the resulting duty cycle to derive how rich or lean it was.  This can give very fast response and works fine when the sensor is new, clean, and its temperature is relatively stable, but age, temperature and deposits effect the timing a lot so the controller then justs reports the sensor has failed if it takes too long to see the response it expects.