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ECMlink NO start, ECMlink, 2 different ECU's

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TNOMUD

20+ Year Contributor
35
0
Nov 1, 2002
Newnan, Georgia
OK, car has been sitting for some time. Built new motor, put about 500 miles on it without issue. Then, I did a brake job on it two weeks back, that's the last time it ran.


It turns over, won't fire. Every few times, it turns over slower. I pulled ECU, had new caps installed, still no go. Bought another socketed ECU, same deal.

It will no longer connect to laptop. I have power at all 3 pins at the ECU that are supposed to have power (102/103/don't remember the 3rd off the top of my head).

No popped fuses, good battery, CEL light stays on (doesnt go out after 5 seconds), boost gauge never leaves the bottom while turning on or cranking.


Possibly related: found an unplugged female plug of some sort under the dash. Has a blue, green, and red wire on it and looks important.
 
Turn the ignition key on and observe the check engine light. It should be on for a few seconds and then turn off by itself. This is a good indication that the ECU is working properly. If the light comes on and stays on, then something may be wrong with the ECU. If you hear a bunch of relays clicking like crazy as soon as you turn the ignition key on, then something is definitely wrong with the ECU.

connectionproblem [ECMTuning - wiki]

This should solve the connection problems. Then, you can post a log.
 
While you might think you have a good battery, check the voltage at rest and while cranking.

The CEL on all the time and the boost gauge not moving isn't a good sign.


Boost gauge never moves, CEL light stays on. Multiple batterys, multiple ECU's, same deal. Never connects to ECU, turns over but doesn't fire, power at all three pins on ECU.
 
I would start by reading that CEL. The multimeter trick has helped me out several times. That way you can rule that possibility out.

Good call. Let me try this. I spent the better part of the day re-grounding and checking every single wire.....no progress.
 
I hope it helps you out.
Unfortunately, I don't think it will.

The fact that the check engine light is staying lit and the boost doesn't move at all is a clear sign that the ECU is not running. If the ECU isn't running, then it's not sending out codes on the diagnostic pin and it's not going to communicate with the laptop.

Something is preventing the ECU from running properly. The fact that the CEL comes on (rather than stays off) does help confirm that you're getting power the ECU. So at least you can skip that check.

So the problem is inside the ECU. Since you've tried two (presumably good) ECUs with the same issue, I have to guess that there's a problem with the ECMLink flash module itself.

Pull the flash module out of the ECU again and look for any browning or burn marks on the bottom side. If you find any, then someone at some point has installed the flash module backwards in the socket and powered the ECU up, basically destroying the ECMLink flash module.

You can also consider sending the ECU(s) and flash module in to us for testing and we'll see what we can find here.

Thomas Dorris
ECMTuning, Inc.
 
Unfortunately, I don't think it will.

The fact that the check engine light is staying lit and the boost doesn't move at all is a clear sign that the ECU is not running. If the ECU isn't running, then it's not sending out codes on the diagnostic pin and it's not going to communicate with the laptop.

Something is preventing the ECU from running properly. The fact that the CEL comes on (rather than stays off) does help confirm that you're getting power the ECU. So at least you can skip that check.

So the problem is inside the ECU. Since you've tried two (presumably good) ECUs with the same issue, I have to guess that there's a problem with the ECMLink flash module itself.

Pull the flash module out of the ECU again and look for any browning or burn marks on the bottom side. If you find any, then someone at some point has installed the flash module backwards in the socket and powered the ECU up, basically destroying the ECMLink flash module.

You can also consider sending the ECU(s) and flash module in to us for testing and we'll see what we can find here.

Thomas Dorris
ECMTuning, Inc.

Thomas, thank you for your input. If it helps, the green LED stopped working at the same time on the cable.

You are correct, no codes could be pulled. If this information helps: car was running just fine. DSM link has been installed in the car for years, but this car has sat on jackstands in my garage for the past 2 years. Engine out, no power, while I built another motor. (its a spare track car, it had the back burner). If I had to guess, the orig ECU w/link was 3-4 years old, but had less than 1000 miles of actual use.

How it failed? I pulled the car out, bled the brakes, and it wouldn't restart or connect. Car had sat for a week prior to this. About a week earlier, the car randomly died with no explaination driving down a back coutry road at night. No load, just crusing at 55MPH. It quit running, I coasted off the road and it restarted.


after the no-start/no-connect, i pulled the ECU and all visially looked fine. Caps are new (from ECM), installed and socketed at ECM. Seeing that I live in the sticks and a car stalling on a 2 lane country road at night or the Atlanta interstates can be a death sentance, I just bought a known working unit from a friend and tested it in his car before I took it home. I popped in my Chip (correctly) and no go.


I spent the better part of sunday checking every single wire, crimp, fuse, solder, ground, and relay in the car.
 
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UPDATE:

I have 2 good socketed ECU's, it was confirmed to be a bad chip.
Both ECU's work in this vehicle, and in another vehicle with a clean chip.
When this chip is put into a known working car or board, it does not function.
 
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I've had my Ecmlink V3 for about 9 months now, and haven't used installed it either,....

But I choose not to install it til the car is ready for it.....
 
Wow months? Is it that hard to set up LOL. Kinda makes me want to put off buying it.

There are hundreds if not thousands of people running Link without a problem. And the OP's issue has nothing to do with setting up Link, there's obviously an underlying problem.

I've had my Ecmlink V3 for about 9 months now, and haven't used installed it either,....

But I choose not to install it til the car is ready for it.....

The car was ready for it about 22 years ago.
 
Old technology goes bad, plain and simple. Time for DFI or AEM. They are old boards.
 
Not many DSMers use it. Is that because it's not too good?

If it's anything like all the other standalone EMS out there, it's because it's expensive, difficult to setup, difficult to tune, and overkill for 99% of us.

If your looking for reasons to use something other than DSMLink, I can promise you won't find many. And no, "old technology" is not a legit reason.
 
Its still a 20+ year old circuit board. No matter what you do to make it better, its still old and unreliable. This is proven over and over again. The Siemens Unit in my racecar performs 500 mores functions, and never fails. Its simply newer and better product.
 
Its still a 20+ year old circuit board. No matter what you do to make it better, its still old and unreliable.

Yes, it old and slow. Unreliable, only the capacitors. The fact that the ECUs are 20+ years old and still working disproves that claim.
 
Yes, it old and slow. Unreliable, only the capacitors. The fact that the ECUs are 20+ years old and still working disproves that claim.

Scroll up. I have an ECM chip with 1k miles on it and its bad. I guess I am just old and would prefer to spend money in a replacement of newer technology that lasts longer. Breakdowns on Atl interstates and $250 flat bed rides aren't my gig.
 
Scroll up. I have an ECM chip with 1k miles on it and its bad.

Given that your "old" I would expect better use of logic.

The "chip" for DSM/ECMLink being bad != ECU technology unreliable. You've said that both the ECUs are good but that the DSM/ECMLink board isn't.

The v3 ECMLink module uses current technology at least as sophisticated as anything you'll find in the AEM or Accel DFI.

Did you send the part back to ECMTuning and let them diagnose why it failed?

I guess I am just old and would prefer to spend money in a replacement of newer technology that lasts longer. Breakdowns on Atl interstates and $250 flat bed rides aren't my gig.

I understand. If that's your complaint, perhaps it's time for a newer car.
 
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