Page 1 of 2

Consult Cable Not Connecting

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:43 pm
by johnboy1065
Hey,

This is on a Nissan 240sx S14 1998 with an ODB1 ECU. It is a type 4 board.

I just recently put the head back on my car and cannot get the car to start.

I am trying to connect to Nistune to see if there are any codes from the check engine light that would be causing my car not to start


Well, When I try to connect to Nistune all it says is Cannot connect Consult Com 3: Spare

I've tried different Com ports for the consult cable but still get the same error message on every one of them.

Also, The LED on the PLMS consult cable does light up and when I am trying to connect I see another LED flash really fast one time as if the consult cable is trying to connect.

Could this be an ECU problem?

Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2012 6:45 pm
by johnboy1065
Hey,

This is on a 240sx S14. With a type 4 board.

I just recently put the head back on my car and cannot get the car to start.

I am trying to connect to Nistune to see if there are any codes from the check engine light that would be causing my car not to start


Well, When I try to connect to Nistune all it says is Cannot connect Consult Com 3: Spare

I've tried different Com ports for the consult cable but still get the same error message on every one of them.

Also, The LED on the PLMS consult cable does light up and when I am trying to connect I see another LED flash really fast one time as if the consult cable is trying to connect.

Could this be an ECU problem?

[Moved: duplicate posts in multiple locations]

Re: Consult Cable Not Connecting

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 10:23 am
by PL
If you're getting the request going to the ECU (quick blink of that LED you refer to) then NIStune, the USB drivers and the cable are probably working OK. What's happening is the request is being sent to the ECU but nothing's coming back. This is usually due to installation problems with the NIStune board. If the ECU detects a major problem it will go into "limp home mode". This is a very basic mode designed to only hust run the engine without looking at any of the sensors that are usually used. Critically for us it does *not* support consult communication. So if it goes into limp home mode you cannot connect to the ECU.

Have you had the system successfully working previously?

Please check out the communications diagnostic doc.

http://nistune.com/docs/Installation_an ... ostics.pdf

PL

Re: Consult Cable Not Connecting

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 4:53 pm
by johnboy1065
Yes, I have had the car running really well beforehand actually.

Was able to do wide open throttle pulls with a basemap which I monitered the AFR to be in the high 10's under WOT, around 14.7 during cruise.

Timing was very conservative, boost was right around 8 PSI (wastegate spring pressure)

Re: Consult Cable Not Connecting

Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2012 5:00 pm
by PL
Hmmm. Install should be OK then. Definitely sounds like something has upset the ECU.

Another pointer for working out if it's in limp-home mode is how long it primes the fuel pump for. In limp-home mode most of them will only prime the pump for a very short time when IGN is turned on. Like 1/4 of a second.

When all is well most will prime the pump for at least a second. Most S13's go for about 3 seconds. Not sure on KA24 but you should expect longer than a second.

PL

Re: Consult Cable Not Connecting

Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2012 2:02 pm
by Matt
Check the ECCS terminal is connected properly on top of the EFI plenum.

Something isnt hooked up properly after putting the head back on. Yeah PC/consult cable side of things is fine

Re: Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 3:42 pm
by johnboy1065
I have searched and searched and am unsure what you mean about the ECCS terminal on top of the intake manfold plenum. I am unsure of it's location.

Re: Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:00 pm
by johnboy1065
Just wondering. If someone cranks a car that is not starting and continually lets it crank over. Will the tachometer move just a little while cranking? (assuming everything electrically is ok and the computer is working)

My Tach gauge doesnt move at all while cranking.

Re: Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Wed Apr 25, 2012 7:23 pm
by johnboy1065
There could be a reason that my ECU is stuck in safe mode and not allowing consult cable access. I'm thinking my Coolant temp sensor is bad.

If I fix this. How do I reset my ECU so it wont be in safe mode anymore? Just disconnect the negative battery terminal???

Re: Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:44 am
by johnboy1065
Well, Somewhat good news!


I was able to get the ECU out of safe mode and able to connect to the ECU!!!!

The bad news is I am still unable to make changes or burn to the ECU. It says "Burn operation only available on Nistune realtime boards." Which I do have a Nistune board. BUT at least I am able to connect to the computer now, thats a start.

Any ideas about why it's not letting me burn or make changes?


Also if I try and copy whats on my computer to the ECU it says "Checksum error! Corruption detected on consult line"

Re: Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:29 am
by Matt
Check to see if the part number at the top is 23710-xxxxx REV: xx

If it shows 'FACTORY' instead of 'REV' then you havent moved the jumper on the ECU itself to use the Nistune board (check the install document)

Re: Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:30 am
by johnboy1065
Was just checking to see if it may be a physical problem with Nistune and found this.

Seems to be a problem to me, but I am uneducated in things like this.

Image

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Re: Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:38 am
by johnboy1065
Matt wrote:Check to see if the part number at the top is 23710-xxxxx REV: xx

If it shows 'FACTORY' instead of 'REV' then you havent moved the jumper on the ECU itself to use the Nistune board (check the install document)

Thank you for the help. And yes it does say "factory" up there instead of what it should say.

BUT the thing is that it has burned to the ECU before. I will check the jumper in the installation instructions again though.

Re: Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 5:19 pm
by johnboy1065
I just verified that the jumpers are correct on both the Nistune daughter board and the ECU main board. Although, the solder job where you move jumper R025 to R022 seems a little rough. I may try and re-solder it.

Re: Consult cable not connecting. Com (x): Spare

Posted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:29 pm
by Matt
Do try that. Is that a burn mark on the ribbon cable? Strange spot to have it. GND and VCC are on the ends of the wiring