MEGAsquirt A place to collectively sort out this megasquirt gizmo

Cranked once then no communication, clicking behind steering wheel

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-30-2015, 08:41 PM
  #1  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default Cranked once then no communication, clicking behind steering wheel

Just installed a DIYPNP in my 96, still otherwise stock in terms of engine.

I cranked it up and it ran pretty poorly, but I had yet to set anything up so that wasn't totally unexpected. I shut it down to calibrate the throttle position sensor and a host of other things.

I turn the key back to on and heard some relays clicking behind the steering wheel. I turned the key to off so as not to kill the battery while I did other stuff. I came back and turned the key to on and got the offline message. I tried cranking and predictably the car won't run.

I'm getting power to the ECU as I'm running my LC2 off of it and it's LED is on green, solid a few seconds after turning the key on.

I pulled the Megasquirt and brought it inside, hooked it up to my computer directly using the AC adapter and it works totally fine. Same cable and all. Any ideas?

Last edited by Mikel; 08-31-2015 at 02:00 AM. Reason: DC != AC
Mikel is offline  
Old 08-30-2015, 08:59 PM
  #2  
Elite Member
iTrader: (3)
 
deezums's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Kansas
Posts: 3,146
Total Cats: 201
Default

Did you remove the STsig fuse?
deezums is offline  
Old 08-30-2015, 09:28 PM
  #3  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

I was under the impression that only applied to 1.6 cars.
Mikel is offline  
Old 08-30-2015, 09:30 PM
  #4  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Yeah I just double checked, the install directions make no mention of pulling a fuse for 1.8L cars.
Mikel is offline  
Old 08-30-2015, 09:39 PM
  #5  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Oh, the first time I cranked it I had left the maf unplugged. After that I had it plugged it. I just remembered that if its in any way relevant. I plan to do the gm iat mod to delete the maf but figured I would get it running first instead of waiting on the iat.
Mikel is offline  
Old 08-31-2015, 10:27 AM
  #6  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Going to mess with it more, does anyone know if I can use the AC adapter while the ecu is in the car to troubleshoot a power issue?
Mikel is offline  
Old 08-31-2015, 10:43 AM
  #7  
Supporting Vendor
 
Matt Cramer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,332
Total Cats: 67
Default

Originally Posted by Mikel
I was under the impression that only applied to 1.6 cars.
Correct. 1.8s use a proper ECU controlled fuel pump relay circuit.

Originally Posted by Mikel
Going to mess with it more, does anyone know if I can use the AC adapter while the ecu is in the car to troubleshoot a power issue?
Don't!!!!! If there's any improperly grounded wiring in your garage, or you plug the adapter in wrong, you end up transferring any ground offset between the car and the AC adapter though the ECU.

If you think you have a power issue, measure the voltage between any 12 volt point and the ground points on the DIYPNP with the key on and engine off. If you have 12 volts, move on to other things. If you get no voltage, check your jumpers and the car's wiring.
__________________
Matt Cramer
www.diyautotune.com
Matt Cramer is offline  
Old 08-31-2015, 11:26 AM
  #8  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Originally Posted by Matt Cramer
Correct. 1.8s use a proper ECU controlled fuel pump relay circuit.



Don't!!!!! If there's any improperly grounded wiring in your garage, or you plug the adapter in wrong, you end up transferring any ground offset between the car and the AC adapter though the ECU.

If you think you have a power issue, measure the voltage between any 12 volt point and the ground points on the DIYPNP with the key on and engine off. If you have 12 volts, move on to other things. If you get no voltage, check your jumpers and the car's wiring.
Gotcha, thanks. Do you mean check the ground pins on the connector at the wire or take the case off and check the ground points on the board?

I don't feel like it's a power issue as it's an unmodified stock harness and it ran fine with the stock ECU, but I can't think of anything else that would be causing this issue.
Mikel is offline  
Old 08-31-2015, 03:54 PM
  #9  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Just for funsies, I grounded the TEN connector at the diagnostic port underhood. Instantly I had connectivity! I tried cranking the car but it wouldn't start, i think fueling isn't set correctly. No matter though, I turned the key off, heard clicking from the steering column again, and now I'm back to no connectivity.

I feel like this has to be a pretty simple fix, so maybe someone can point me in the right direction.
Mikel is offline  
Old 08-31-2015, 04:20 PM
  #10  
Elite Member
iTrader: (4)
 
hornetball's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Granbury, TX
Posts: 6,301
Total Cats: 696
Default

Do you have an alarm system that might be disabling the car?
hornetball is offline  
Old 08-31-2015, 04:41 PM
  #11  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Originally Posted by hornetball
Do you have an alarm system that might be disabling the car?
Not that I know of and it certainly didn't on the factory ECU. Good idea though, I'll check for it. I cleaned the grounds under my brake booster and that seems to have helped a little bit, it now works about 50% of the time. I think I've narrowed it down to a ground problem. Is there any reason I can't just run a ground to the negative battery terminal to rule that out?

Also, when it does connect, it still doesn't run. I haven't really had a chance to set anything up yet, fuel looks way off though, any idea why? This is the base map from the website, unless I've done something terribly wrong.
Attached Files
File Type: msl
2015-08-31_15.19.28.msl (84.4 KB, 86 views)
Mikel is offline  
Old 08-31-2015, 05:59 PM
  #12  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

That's odd, now it's back to not recognizing it at all. This is decidedly not "Plug and Play", lol.
Mikel is offline  
Old 08-31-2015, 06:00 PM
  #13  
Elite Member
iTrader: (4)
 
hornetball's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Granbury, TX
Posts: 6,301
Total Cats: 696
Default

Your battery has a full charge, right? Looking for ~12.5VDC at rest and ~10.5VDC when you crank.
hornetball is offline  
Old 09-01-2015, 10:07 AM
  #14  
Supporting Vendor
 
Matt Cramer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,332
Total Cats: 67
Default

Check the power on the main circuit board inside the DIYPNP.
__________________
Matt Cramer
www.diyautotune.com
Matt Cramer is offline  
Old 09-01-2015, 06:03 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
stefanst's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Lambertville, NJ
Posts: 1,215
Total Cats: 74
Default

Off-topic: Your avatar is giving me seizures.
stefanst is offline  
Old 09-01-2015, 09:36 PM
  #16  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Originally Posted by hornetball
Your battery has a full charge, right? Looking for ~12.5VDC at rest and ~10.5VDC when you crank.
Yeah, I've kept a battery charger on it while trying to diagnose it, was showing 12.7 on the charger.
Mikel is offline  
Old 09-01-2015, 09:36 PM
  #17  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Originally Posted by Matt Cramer
Check the power on the main circuit board inside the DIYPNP.
I'll check that when I get a chance later this week, thanks.
Mikel is offline  
Old 09-01-2015, 09:37 PM
  #18  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Originally Posted by stefanst
Off-topic: Your avatar is giving me seizures.
Feels good man.
Mikel is offline  
Old 09-03-2015, 02:47 PM
  #19  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Finally some progress. I checked for power at the plug, and I have it. I checked for power on the board and I'm good to go. I plugged in just the 4 plug of the connector and it works fine. Plug in the 1 connector and it works fine. Plug in the 3 and no connectivity. This is the connector that my wideband is wired in to, 3C. Is this not correct? I mean, I'm obviously thinking it's the WBO2 wiring since that's the part that I changed. Is there somewhere else I should be putting the WBO2 input?

Edit - By works fine, I mean it powers on and communicates, I haven't tried cranking the car yet.
Mikel is offline  
Old 09-03-2015, 03:13 PM
  #20  
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Mikel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Memphis
Posts: 114
Total Cats: 3
Default

Because I've read the entirety of the internet about this I started trying basically everything I've ever heard to nail down the problem. Unplugging the TPS makes it work normally. I haven't tried calibrating the TPS because I can't get the son of a bitch to connect with the TPS plugged in. Any ideas? Aside from that it seems to be working now, though I have still yet to attempt to crank it. Gonna go try and figure out how to calibrate the TPS if at all possible.
Mikel is offline  


Quick Reply: Cranked once then no communication, clicking behind steering wheel



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:24 AM.