I'm trying to start my car after the big turbo upgrade but cannot get connected to the ECU. When I try to connect, the Microtech software screen simply "freezes". All the values at the bottom blank out, and the gauges don't respond. I've included a screenshot.

The car does want to start as fuel and ignition are firing, but I can't troubleshoot why it is not running without being able to connect to the ECU.

If I disconnect the laptop and key on, the fuel pump primes and the TPS light responds as it should (lit at zero throttle, goes off at more then zero throttle).

This whole thing worked last year before I put the car away, but now suddenly I cannot connect.

I also did a serial port capture to try and find out if my machine simply had a bad serial port, but it looks like it can see the Microtech just fine. Here's a paste from the serial capture on the DCE side:


(key on)

DCE:
(FC)
(8C)(8C)(FC)(CE)(CE)(FE)(FE)
(FE)
(FC)(8E)(FC)(FC)(FC)(FE)
(FE)(FC)(FC)
(8E)(FC)(FC)(FC)(FE)(FE)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)(FC)(FC)(FE)(FE)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)(FC)(FC)(FE)(FE)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)(FC)(FC)(FE)(FE)(FC)
(8E)(FC)(FC)(FC)(FE)(FC)(FE)(FC)
(8E)(FC)(FC)(FC)(FE)(FC)(FE)(FC)
(8E)(FC)(FC)(FC)(FE)(FC)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FE)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FC)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FE)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FE)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FC)
(FC)
(8E)(FE)
(FC)


(and it continues from there)

Attempting to move through the menus to the data gauges or through any of the screens resulted in no response....

HELP! I've waited 6 years to drive this car and am now stopped by a non-problem.

I will try to find another computer to test with but laptops with serial ports are getting hard to find. I'm using a PCMCIA adapter in this laptop, which has always worked in the past (even with this car).

 

Nevermind, I'm an idiot. I forgot the laptop adapter. Apparently it had fallen off the end of the serial cable and I didn't even realise until I found it in my laptop bag.

Looks like I deserve this:

 

hahahah.
thats funny.
good ****.

 

Yeah, talk about a brain fart. I had been working nonstop on the car for the last month or so and just completely forgot about the laptop adapter. It was nearly 5PM and I was out of time, and running on very little sleep...

 

do you have to have the laptop adapter to tune it with your laptop? the serial cable matches up perfectly with the port in my laptop but its doing exactly what you are describing. if so do you know where i can pick up just the adapter?

 

You must have the laptop adapter. It contains a small PIC based circuit to allow communication with the Microtech.

A-Spec tuning sells the adapter, as do most Microtech dealers.

Would be nice if Microtech would put a warning in the software that says something like "Hey dumbass, you don't have the adapter installed!" instead of just locking.

 

Your car's driving you nuts =)

 

awesome! thanks for the info