Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Holden/Delco Tuning. ALDL, OBD 1.5. Circa 1989 to 2004.
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someguy360
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Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by someguy360 »

Hi Guys,

Been meaning to ask this one for a while but I keep forgetting.

I've got my ALDL port relocated into my glovebox for ease of data logging during drag runs. I can keep my windows tablet in the glovebox with TunerPro logging and not have cables everywhere which becomes a hazard if I need to get out of the car quickly etc.

However one thing I've noticed and I'm not sure if it's just the particular ALDL cable I've got, but if the ALDL cable is connected to diagnostic port, the engine won't start, it will simply crank and crank, the second I unplug the cable the engine will start.

So every time if I'm out and about data logging etc I have to unplug the whole USB cable every time I shut off the car rather than just unplugging the USB cable from the laptop/tablet I need to unplug the cable from the ALDL port and can't plug it back in again until the engines running.

Is this normal behavior, a mate of mine has a USB comms board in his VP and you can leave the USB cable connected full time without any issue. But I don't have another VR/S to test my cable on to see if the behavior is the same. If the issue isn't normal I can only imagine it's the chipset or something unique in that particular brand of cable thats causing the issue.

If anyone could let me know if this is expected behavior before I start delving into the issue further that would be great!

Thanks in advance
Charlescrown
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Re: Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by Charlescrown »

From my experience you should be able to leave the cable plugged in.
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antus
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Re: Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by antus »

Id be checking the wiring in the port. The data part sounds like its working but it sounds like something else is wired wrongly maybe in the extension. Usually signal ground and data ground right next to each other are wired together in the interface so maybe one of those pins is wired somewhere else car side and its grounded with the interface connected and causing it.
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someguy360
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Re: Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by someguy360 »

antus wrote: Mon Mar 03, 2025 7:06 am Id be checking the wiring in the port. The data part sounds like its working but it sounds like something else is wired wrongly maybe in the extension. Usually signal ground and data ground right next to each other are wired together in the interface so maybe one of those pins is wired somewhere else car side and its grounded with the interface connected and causing it.
Thanks Antus, will investigate!
immortality
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Re: Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by immortality »

Was it doing this before you moved the port to the glove box?
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Chr0m3
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Re: Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by Chr0m3 »

I've always had this issue, if the command to silence bus gets sent before you start the car it won't crank (at least this is what I've experienced)

I usually just click connect as I'm cranking or after car has already started.
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pman92
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Re: Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by pman92 »

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Charlescrown
Posts: 1951
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 7:58 am
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Location: Padstow NSW

Re: Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by Charlescrown »

I'm a tad confused. Are you just saying when the cable only no laptop is connected to the port it won't start or is the laptop running TunerPro at the time? The cable on it own should make no dfference unless there is an issue with it.
someguy360
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Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2020 2:24 pm
cars: VR 355

Re: Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by someguy360 »

Charlescrown wrote: Mon Mar 03, 2025 3:56 pm I'm a tad confused. Are you just saying when the cable only no laptop is connected to the port it won't start or is the laptop running TunerPro at the time? The cable on it own should make no dfference unless there is an issue with it.
Just physically having the cable connected to the ALDL port regardless of being connected to the laptop or not causes the car to not start, it just cranks. The second I unplug the cable from the port the car fires.
immortality wrote: Mon Mar 03, 2025 8:34 am Was it doing this before you moved the port to the glove box?
Thats the thing, I honestly can't remember.....
Charlescrown
Posts: 1951
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 7:58 am
cars: V8 VR Commodore BT1
LB Lancer 2L turbo & Delco
Starion TBI with Delco
Mitsubishi Lancer EVO4 track car
NA MX5
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Location: Padstow NSW

Re: Engine won't start with ALDL cable connected

Post by Charlescrown »

I tried mine yesterday and it makes no difference. It starts and runs fine with the cable plugged in.
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