Baaargh! Extreme annoyance!

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:05 pm

Well, today was the day!

Spent what seemed like an agonising hour cranking the engine over with no plugs in to build the oil pressure, which eventually registered and got up to a fairly healthy 20psi before I stopped.

Got the coolant system all nice and full.

Checked for any leaks, couple of drips but only from low pressure connections so I'm not too concerned.

Click the fuel pump relay to prime the fuel system.

Get the laptop outside and plug the Emerald in.

Run the Emerald software with the ECU plugged in to the car and the PC.

Turn the key, the light turns red, the ECU primes the fuel system for a couple of seconds...............

And then..............

The PC says there's no connection to the ECU so I can't do shit

It's been ten long months of skinned knuckles and late nights working towards this day and now I've been let down by something that completely baffles me: The computer!

Ho well, any suggestions guys?

Cheers!

Alex

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:12 pm

What operating system are you running under?

And is it a TRUE serial port or is it a USB -> comm-portl adaptor?

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:22 pm

I hope you get it sorted mate, bloody PC's, pain in the arse some times !

Did it show any rpm's whilst cranking or did it cut out before that ?

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:38 pm

It was a proper serial port connection, straight from the ECU to the computer

It's running windows 95 (or 98 can't remember))

I didn't have the ECU in the car when I was priming the oil system and didn't bother to crank it when the ECU was connected so I don't know if it registers engine rotation.

Unfortunately the connection to the PC didn't drop out, the PC just wouldn't recognise the bloomin ECU

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:42 pm

Sorry ive not got any other suggestions

Its only ever been while trying to use a "fake" comm port ive had problems connecting to any aftermarket ECU, or running in dos mode under XP

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:45 pm

You know when you start the Emerald O/S and it says select port, did you try one of the other com ports on the drop down list or do you have more than one serial port on your lap top ?

Sorry if this is teaching you to suck eggs but i'm not brilliant with PC's

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:51 pm

Chip, if you have any problems with a serial/usb adapter and ECU what do you do to fix it ?

BTW i've also got an Emerald ECU

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 9:55 pm

Andy335Touring wrote:Chip, if you have any problems with a serial/usb adapter and ECU what do you do to fix it ?

BTW i've also got an Emerald ECU

Ive got a couple of old laptops with comm ports i keep alive just for mapping with LOL

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:00 pm

chip-3door wrote:
Andy335Touring wrote:Chip, if you have any problems with a serial/usb adapter and ECU what do you do to fix it ?

BTW i've also got an Emerald ECU
Ive got a couple of old laptops with comm ports i keep alive just for mapping with LOL

Ah, bugger !

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:08 pm

LOL, sorry just realised that probably doesnt help you much

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:20 pm

When I load up the software, it comes up with the following:

"The configured serial port is not valid. Please choose another port"

but the drop down menu only lists COM1

I really hate computers. I have no idea whatsoever what makes them work, so if they don't do what they're supposed to, I'm completely buggered! I just haven't got the faintest clue what i could press or change to get the two pieces of kit to talk!

Cheers for your thoughts though guys!

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:21 pm

Turbo-Brown wrote:When I load up the software, it comes up with the following:

"The configured serial port is not valid. Please choose another port"

but the drop down menu only lists COM1

I really hate computers. I have no idea whatsoever what makes them work, so if they don't do what they're supposed to, I'm completely buggered! I just haven't got the faintest clue what i could press or change to get the two pieces of kit to talk!

Cheers for your thoughts though guys!

SNAP!

Im exactly the same.

The only embarassing thing is that ive got a software engineering degree

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:24 pm

I know this is kind of obvious but you are using a laptop to do this aren't you? Some ECUs won't work with desktop (or whatever you want to call them) computers. If I connect my ECU to my computer (not laptop) it also says not connected.

If you are using a laptop and have the correct port and communication options selected then maybe you could try another port (if you have one) or another cable, although my ECU doesn't seem to work with a normal serial cable, only the one it came with. The only other thing I can think of is to try re-installing the software on the laptop.

Aston

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:32 pm

It's a mechaniod conspiracy I tell ya!

We've done a continuity check on the lead and all pins come up the same. Also, the instruction book gives the pin-outs for the plugs, and these are correct to the pin-out.

It is a laptop so hopefull that should be OK.

Dad's gonna have a play with the laptop to see if there's anything obvious amiss.

It's just SO annoying when the instrucitons say "Just plug the ECU in and it'll show up on the PC" and that just doesn't happen!

:

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:39 pm

I once connected my home PC to it, it has two serial ports one worked properly the other either didn't let me write new info on to the ECU or it wouldn't retrieve the map from it.

May be theres some settings you need to tweak on your lap top ?

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:54 pm

Andy335Touring wrote:
May be theres some settings you need to tweak on your lap top ?

yeah that means smack it on a wall

i HATE computers!

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 10:59 pm

Sounds to me like a device fault.you need to goto control panel and choose device manager,goto ports and click on com 1 and clik on properties it should tell you whether or not the device is working if it is not working you will need to update the driver for the com port.

HTH dude

Post Mon Dec 19, 2005 11:55 pm

when you plugged it in did you restart the laptop?

Post Tue Dec 20, 2005 7:50 am

Alex the problem is the modem installed on the same port!
Go to "my computer" then "control panel" click on "modems" then click the diagnostic tab and see what modem is steeling the port.
Select it and click remove. Dont worry it will only remove the modem not the port!
Click "OK" "NEXT" or whatever else it wants.
Do a restart good mesure.
Give it another go!

Post Tue Dec 20, 2005 8:52 pm

I had that issue on my home pc too, had the old 56k modem on the port, removed and reassigned, sorted, baffled me for ages too

Do as Lennies says, worked for me

Post Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:33 pm

Don't even need to go to the hassle of removing, just right click and select disable

Post Thu Dec 22, 2005 6:02 pm

it's now the 22nd.. have you got it to fire up yet dude?

Post Thu Dec 22, 2005 8:58 pm

Not even tried since Monday

Think it's better to wait until it's light on Saturday and try again then. That way I should be able to see where the oil/coolant/fuel is pissing from! :lol:

Post Thu Dec 22, 2005 9:08 pm

Have you not broke up from work yet then ?

I did yesterday !

BTW theres no rush for that air flow gizmo mate cus i'm going to use this twin 60mm TB instead now, a lot more uncomplicated than the M5 TB's

Post Fri Dec 23, 2005 1:27 am

Turbo-Brown wrote:Not even tried since Monday

Think it's better to wait until it's light on Saturday and try again then. That way I should be able to see where the oil/coolant/fuel is pissing from!

that's the right atittude

expecting everything to work perfectly first time is plain daft

Post Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:00 pm

Well bugger my ol' boots!

Loaded up the map kindly provided by Len (having taking the whole PC outside as the laptop refused to talk to the ECU) calibrated the throttle pot and tried to start it.

Nothing but a bit of a cough.

Remembered to change the trigger wheel settings to 90degrees BTDC and not the normal Bosch 120degrees, also reduced the startup ignition advance.

Tried again, it'd start, but only for a couple of seconds and then die.

Loaded up the VR6 turbo map that Emerald had supplied. It started and ran but stank of fuel from the exhaust and wouldn't come off idle.

Then thought it might be an idea to look at the settings in Len's map.

His injectors are twice as big as mine so it must've been running way lean which would explain the slight rise in revs before it died each time.

Loaded up Len's map again, scaled the injectors to suit mine, first turn of the key and that was it!

Rock solid idle at pretty much the target set, from what I could tell on the driveway, it'd blip up much more keenly than it used to.

Just need to weld a patch on the cill and fit the brakes and it's ready for it's MOT!

Cheers for all the help guys and many many thanks indeed to Len for the map!

Merry Christmas all!

Alex

Post Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:11 pm

Nice one mate !

I bet you can't wait for that first drive

Post Mon Dec 26, 2005 7:15 pm

Lets have a full photo session!

Post Mon Dec 26, 2005 8:16 pm

Nice one dude as Andy said i bet you a gagging to take it out for a spin.

Well done Len as well for helping out with the map.

Post Tue Dec 27, 2005 12:03 am

Mixed feelings on the drive really.

It's gonna be to the MOT centre so I can't really do anything like load the rings properly, and also I know the tracking's miles out so that'll need doing

But generally, I'm pretty chuffed!

Oil gauges are scary though! It seems to take an age for the pressure to build after the light's gone out!

Post Tue Dec 27, 2005 4:47 pm

No problem alex glad i could help

Im sure i set my ignition to 120deg might be wrong tho!

Hope your not planing on keeping those little injectors only i know mine was maxed out at 3000rpm

If its any use ive got an updated map? Think its had about 16 updates since the one i sent you!

Well done tho

Bet your well chuffed

Post Tue Dec 27, 2005 10:06 pm

I've got 214cc (ish) injectors in there at the mo which are supposed to be good for about 260bhp on the 6cyl engine so hopefully I won't run into too many problems

I vaguely recalled you saying you had a problem with the trigger wheel when you installed yours and it turned out the BMW had used 90degrees for some reason.

New mappage would be sweet, although I think I fluked getting it to run so I'm a bit scared about changing the maps.

Just hope the emissions pass the MOT!

Got the front end back together properly today with the grilles and valance. Even got the big plastic undertray in which was a nice surprise as I thought I'd need to chop it about a bit. Offers a bit of protection to the oil plumbing which is good!

Post Wed Dec 28, 2005 5:44 pm

the missing teeth are @ 90 degress BTDC, so the 90 figure is correct, I know you guys are using EDIS modules, I've retained the dizzy on mine so I need to work out the second and third triggers still, +120 degrees then +120 again would seem correct for the 720 cycle on the M20

Post Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:10 pm

The 120deg and 120deg sounds right to me

Wonder why BMW decided to change the reference. How odd!

Thought that EDIS was a Ford product name though?

Post Wed Dec 28, 2005 7:38 pm

Think the EDIS is a ford standalone ignition unit that is driven from a simlar trigger wheel setup. Whereas ours (i think alex is still running the same coil pack) are three independant coils with common IGN live in one unit all being driven independantly by the ecu.