NVRAM/ALDL Connection and Error messages and worse
Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2020 12:13 pm
Just before I outline this particular issue if anyone reading this saw my previous thread regarding losing power after plugging in it was just an issue with the negative battery terminal that coincided with plugging in the ALDL cable. After sorting that I had the car running again (supercharged Ecotec, PCMhacking NVRAM & ALDL Cable) without the cable plugged in.
On the previous occasion I had not touched a thing other than to plug in and start up TunerproRT. I did not get the chance to emulate, connect or log due to losing power. I turned the engine over a couple of times, it died, I left it. Repaired the terminal last week, started the car and moved it a couple of metres back and forth last weekend.
A couple of days ago I attempted to connect the ALDL cable again to connect and start logging and learning as I am a a well read noob here and I have a lot to fully understand (i.e. what every parameter does exactly and how it effects driveability and performance) and again, I've hit a wall.
As I said, I've read and read and believe I had the procedure correct. I know I have the appropriate files loaded (.bin, .adx, .xdf). I connected the cable with the igniton off to both car and laptop. I started the car. Launched TunerproRT. Pressed the "Emulate" button and it detected the Hardware.
I then pressed "Connect" and that was when things started to go wrong.
I got a green light saying "Connected" and then almost immediately it started flashing red. It was logging errors multiple times a second. I would estimate it threw over 500 errors in 20 odd seconds. It would flash red and green.
To make matters worse, as mentioned, I could start it previously but now I have just discovered I have no spark.
I've already had to replace the NVRAM once due to a combination of rushing and my own stupidity creating a dead short but that was months ago and I had no problem whatsover starting it until I did exactly as I've stated above last weekend and now I have no ignition!
Have I stuffed this procedure? What could this be?
Just as a matter of note, I've spent hours trawling before posting and as far as the connection issue/insane error logs goes I don't have another cable to try, I can only get Tunerpro to show the Dashboard on the oldest laptop I have, a 15 year old HP 2.0GHz Dual Core, 3.0Gb RAM unit running XP I dug out. The dashboard won't show on either the POS ACER I'm currently typing on (W7 Celeron garbage) nor the fairly recent 64bit W10 I7 2.5GHz 16GB RAM.
The laptop is running off it's own battery power so the only cable connected is (was) the ALDL. I tried all 3 USB ports with no noticeable difference.
I was reading another thread regarding latency/timeout and I even checked that before discovering the issue was long since resolved in an update to The1's Enhanced Code so any issues there had already long been resolved.
I was going to disconnect the ABS as that had also been suggested as a possible issue but just prior, with having been unable to start the car since plugging in the ALDL cable the first time, I checked for spark as it just felt like it had none and sure enough, no spark.
So... can't connect, log, or tune and now no spark. I could start diagnosing that individually, component by component but this time I think it's no coincidence it has something to do with the connection of the cable and laptop. Absolutely nothing else has been touched, all new sensors, DFI, Coil Packs, the lot. I cannot imagine it being anything else other than an NVRAM issue now but....
How, why, what the?? Really starting to fray the threads.
And no, I don't have an EPROM programmer; once it's actually got a tune on it that was my intention.
Also, I'm currently in Adelaide. I desperately need this thing going and I was not expecting the dramas I've had, despite being utterly convinced there's a Murphy somewhere in my bloodlines if anyone in Adelaide wants to help with this or knows someone suitably experienced and with the necessary equipment, despite really wanting this to be a 100% owner built project, I just don't have the time to muck around anymore and I'm willing to pay for assistance.
All help massively appreciated.
And I still have to get a tune on to it to get it moveable after all this and that looks like being more difficult than the WOT fuel and timing!! I have no idea where to start there!!
On the previous occasion I had not touched a thing other than to plug in and start up TunerproRT. I did not get the chance to emulate, connect or log due to losing power. I turned the engine over a couple of times, it died, I left it. Repaired the terminal last week, started the car and moved it a couple of metres back and forth last weekend.
A couple of days ago I attempted to connect the ALDL cable again to connect and start logging and learning as I am a a well read noob here and I have a lot to fully understand (i.e. what every parameter does exactly and how it effects driveability and performance) and again, I've hit a wall.
As I said, I've read and read and believe I had the procedure correct. I know I have the appropriate files loaded (.bin, .adx, .xdf). I connected the cable with the igniton off to both car and laptop. I started the car. Launched TunerproRT. Pressed the "Emulate" button and it detected the Hardware.
I then pressed "Connect" and that was when things started to go wrong.
I got a green light saying "Connected" and then almost immediately it started flashing red. It was logging errors multiple times a second. I would estimate it threw over 500 errors in 20 odd seconds. It would flash red and green.
To make matters worse, as mentioned, I could start it previously but now I have just discovered I have no spark.
I've already had to replace the NVRAM once due to a combination of rushing and my own stupidity creating a dead short but that was months ago and I had no problem whatsover starting it until I did exactly as I've stated above last weekend and now I have no ignition!
Have I stuffed this procedure? What could this be?
Just as a matter of note, I've spent hours trawling before posting and as far as the connection issue/insane error logs goes I don't have another cable to try, I can only get Tunerpro to show the Dashboard on the oldest laptop I have, a 15 year old HP 2.0GHz Dual Core, 3.0Gb RAM unit running XP I dug out. The dashboard won't show on either the POS ACER I'm currently typing on (W7 Celeron garbage) nor the fairly recent 64bit W10 I7 2.5GHz 16GB RAM.
The laptop is running off it's own battery power so the only cable connected is (was) the ALDL. I tried all 3 USB ports with no noticeable difference.
I was reading another thread regarding latency/timeout and I even checked that before discovering the issue was long since resolved in an update to The1's Enhanced Code so any issues there had already long been resolved.
I was going to disconnect the ABS as that had also been suggested as a possible issue but just prior, with having been unable to start the car since plugging in the ALDL cable the first time, I checked for spark as it just felt like it had none and sure enough, no spark.
So... can't connect, log, or tune and now no spark. I could start diagnosing that individually, component by component but this time I think it's no coincidence it has something to do with the connection of the cable and laptop. Absolutely nothing else has been touched, all new sensors, DFI, Coil Packs, the lot. I cannot imagine it being anything else other than an NVRAM issue now but....
How, why, what the?? Really starting to fray the threads.
And no, I don't have an EPROM programmer; once it's actually got a tune on it that was my intention.
Also, I'm currently in Adelaide. I desperately need this thing going and I was not expecting the dramas I've had, despite being utterly convinced there's a Murphy somewhere in my bloodlines if anyone in Adelaide wants to help with this or knows someone suitably experienced and with the necessary equipment, despite really wanting this to be a 100% owner built project, I just don't have the time to muck around anymore and I'm willing to pay for assistance.
All help massively appreciated.
And I still have to get a tune on to it to get it moveable after all this and that looks like being more difficult than the WOT fuel and timing!! I have no idea where to start there!!