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Resolved Died while driving and can't connect to ECMLink

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ErikTande

Supporting Member
1,505
560
Dec 17, 2012
Centennial, Colorado
Car died on the way to work. Just shut off. Car cranks fine but no start.

I pulled over and tried to connect to ECMLink but just kept getting
"ecmlink no response received
action raised exception"

It's on the right com port and i have it set to scan, and the green light on cable blinks when i try to connect. I changed injector seals 3 days ago (boost leaks) and connected to ECMLink just fine at that time.


So I ubered the rest of the way to work. I'm gonna check for fuel and spark after work, but it seems weird that the ECU won't connect. What are the chances the ECU fried?



****EDIT**** MPI Fuse on the battery terminal broke. Not blown, broke. I'm assuming from being old and brittle. I replaced it and we're back up and running.
 
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Double check the cable at the diag connector, had my buddies come slightly loose the other day and got the same error, but the light came on on the cable

Sounds like maybe ign drivers or CAS? Like Tony said, check if the pump is turning on, then check for injector pulse, spark etc.
 
Standard no-start procedure: does the CEL come on for 5-seconds and boost gauge go to zero when ignition switch is moved to ON?

The fact that ECMLink won't connect is suspicious but, in and of itself, is not a cause for a no-start.
 
I periodically get the same ecmlink response, seemingly at random. Usually disconnecting and reconnecting the ecmlink cable from the obd port after restarting my laptop tends to fix it for me.
 
Standard no-start procedure: does the CEL come on for 5-seconds and boost gauge go to zero when ignition switch is moved to ON?

The fact that ECMLink won't connect is suspicious but, in and of itself, is not a cause for a no-start.

Just checked, it does NOT. And no spark either.

bad ecu?
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That's what it sounds like. Continuing down the path of checking things, pull the ECU and have a look to see if you find anything obvious.

If nothing is obvious, do you have a spare to try? Or a friend you could pop your ECU into their car to determine if symptoms are duplicated? If not, I'd be sending it off to Tom and Dave at ECMTuning.
 
Maybe a ground gave out on the circuit board so check any traces you can see Erik. Like Brian said, the obvious.
I have one ECU that pegs the boost gauge in the car but the ECU works fine. I need to send it in too.
 
No obvious ECU damage. unplugging and plugging it back in had no change.

gotta check all the fuses and disconnect/reconnect the battery later this morning.

I found a local 1990 ECU with ECMLink that I can test with but I gotta drive 80 miles to get it. In the mean time, I finally signed up for AAA since my car is stuck 3 miles from my work : P


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Do you still have the stock chip for the ecu? If so, you could pop that in to see if the check engine light comes on and the boost gauge moves. If it does then that points to something wrong with the ecmlink chip. If not, then there is something wrong with the ecu.
 
30 year old mpi fuse on the battery terminal was so old and brittle that it cracked. too much torque LOL
Problem is fixed now!

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Glad it was such a simple fix Erik!!!! Happy DSM'ing!
 
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