Replacing RV8 idle stepper motor with something better...?
Replacing RV8 idle stepper motor with something better...?
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Discussion

domV8

Original Poster:

1,408 posts

210 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
As part of my next set of upgrades (45mm trumpets/manifold, 72mm plenum) I am looking to get rid of the idle stepper motor.

Current stepper motor regularly idles very high (after cleaning, 1500-1900rpm) and the stepper motor "restrictor" tube made by a company-not-to-be-mentioned has had absolutely no effect on it whatsoever mad

4.6l RV8 running Emerald K6 aftermarket management - so able to use a number of different solutions if removing the stepper...

What have people replaced theirs with? Is there a tried-and-tested replacement that lots of people use when upgrading..?

Many thanks,


Dom

Ant.

5,254 posts

310 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
The K6 runs the Lucas stepper motor then???


On my K3 I run a Bosch IACM from a BMW.

domV8

Original Poster:

1,408 posts

210 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
Ant. said:
The K6 runs the Lucas stepper motor then???
Yes. Handy for keeping costs down at the point of conversion, but now feel it's time to upgrade to a more advanced solution...

Does the BMW IACV work well..?

Anyone got any other suggestions..?

Graham

16,381 posts

313 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
When we put an emerald on mine, (pre K3) I just binned the stepper and used a ramp in the map

G


Ant.

5,254 posts

310 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
domV8 said:
Ant. said:
The K6 runs the Lucas stepper motor then???
Yes. Handy for keeping costs down at the point of conversion, but now feel it's time to upgrade to a more advanced solution...

Does the BMW IACV work well..?

Anyone got any other suggestions..?
Mine works fine, Dave Walker tweeked it a bit for me, had to use some bigger numbers in the settings than I had tried to get away with, but does the job.
It tucks under behind the plenum in the engine bay.

dnb

3,330 posts

271 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
How about calibrating the stepper? I forget what options Emerald give you, but there has to be something...

Also, investigate using ignition advanced based idle control. I think this is also available on an Emerald ECU, but it's been a couple of years since I played with one.

hiltonig

3,153 posts

237 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
I had the emerald and could not get a good idle from cold; having swapped to the motec the idle is spot on without the stepper. The motec can control the stepper but its so good I am tempted to not bother.

Have you tried perfecting the Emerald map ? I have a new bosch ivac valve that would work.

lwt

314 posts

313 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
Mine has a KMS ecu and that happily drives a Ford ICV. Sorry, don't know the model number. Put a small fuel filter in-line if it gets a bit noisy (whistles).

Ian.

Simon says

19,440 posts

250 months

Monday 10th January 2011
quotequote all
I know this is a link to one of Phil's pages and Megasquirt but the same idea applies concerning alternative idle control valves for the RV8 as pictured http://www.extraefi.co.uk/Drawings/PDF_Files/idle_... the stock stepper does take some time to fine tune for after market engine management I must say and you don't get long to play as the RV8 warms pretty quick and you then have to wait for the next cold cycle to start again rolleyes

Edited by Simon says on Monday 10th January 20:47

TVRleigh_BBWR

6,553 posts

242 months

Tuesday 11th January 2011
quotequote all
Graham said:
When we put an emerald on mine, (pre K3) I just binned the stepper and used a ramp in the map

G
I've got an emerald and no stepper, just set the idle is a little higher than standard, via the butterfly, and some map control, if you want 800 RPM idle though your have to have a stepper.

domV8

Original Poster:

1,408 posts

210 months

Tuesday 11th January 2011
quotequote all
Just for clarity - this is not a cold-start issue, my stepper is idling at 1600-1900 when coolant temp in 80's...

Just want to move on from the stepper with its inherant problems and cleaning issues (which don't seem to have solved it in my case)...

Thanks,


Dom

paulathome

686 posts

247 months

Tuesday 11th January 2011
quotequote all
Dom,
That seems stupidly high for a tick over, is that even after it has settled?
I used a two wire PWM idle valve on my brother in laws Griff when I fitted Megasquirt for him last year. It did take fair few dead cold starts before I got the idle settings just right, but now it ticks over and settles from a really good rev even when still cold.
I got the valve off flee bay, brand new for 25 quid and fitted it in the stepper motor pipe as in Phil Ringwoods artical on his Megasquirt website.
Never even bothered with stepper motor, belongs in the dark ages together with the dizzy.

http://www.extraefi.co.uk/Drawings/PDF_Files/idle_...
Hope this helps.
Paul.

Edited by paulathome on Tuesday 11th January 20:13

macdeb

8,758 posts

284 months

Tuesday 11th January 2011
quotequote all
paulathome said:
Dom,
That seems stupidly high for a tick over, is that even after it has settled?
I used a two wire PWM idle valve on my brother in laws Griff when I fitted Megasquirt for him last year. It did take fair few dead cold starts before I got the idle settings just right, but now it ticks over and settles from a really good rev even when still cold.
I got the valve off flee bay, brand new for 25 quid and fitted it in the stepper motor pipe as in Phil Ringwoods artical on his Megasquirt website.
Never even bothered with stepper motor, belongs in the dark ages together with the dizzy.

http://www.extraefi.co.uk/Drawings/PDF_Files/idle_...
Hope this helps.
Paul.

Edited by paulathome on Tuesday 11th January 20:13
Cool,thumbup I will look into this too as I have megasquirt 2 and just can't get the stepper to behave itself. thanks.
PS; would it be ok to mail you on this some time.