doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

I'm not sure if my latest E6X is DOA.. I've changed laptops to a non serial port equipped one so i'm trying like 5 different brands of USB- serial connector.( extra $140 wasted ), but i'm getting no joy when I try to log in.. I've set up the E6X same as always but no go.. checked my grounds, ( hard connect to battery), my 12V constant, ( hard connect to battery ), and 12V switched.. all good to the ECU side of the fuse block.

I'm out of options, a voltmeter can only take me so far..any idea's on where or how to check if the ECU is actually DOA?

on a side note: F**K haltech for NOT taking 1hr out of their day to port the halwin to USB as well.. I swear these guys are sinking to the same level of SW quality as Perfect performance.. ( bottom of the bucket).. I'm pretty sure this will be the last Haltec I use given the grief I'm going through with them now.

Claudio RX-7

iTrader: (1)

Its really upsetting to hear you say these things, and bash the product because of 1 problem.

First id like to as you which brand/model of USB addapters have you used? Second, what operating system are you running? what are your commport settings?

Did you just buy this E6X brand new? if so, from who? Its a very small chance that your Haltech is DOA, but if it were to be dead when you got it in your hands the dealer who sold it to you (if he is a dealer) should replace it for a new one or have it sent to haltech for revision.

As far as your USB communication protocol rant, there is only a small number of systems that are USB based, Motec, AEM, Microtech, they all still use serial, maybe they will join the USB ranks, who knows, but what they do is tell you is which serial adapter works best with their's. Personally i use a Keyspan and a Prolific, and i never have problems. My computer doesnt have USB ports and is running Windows XP Pro SP2 with all its latest updates, i did experience comm problems before i had updated the laptop fully, but after all the updates it all worked smoothly, i even use Virtual PC to communicate with old DOS based systems and NEVER have problems.

So, im sorry you cant get it to work, but im also sure there is a simple solution to your problem, there always is. Take a step back and look at the bigger picture, make sure your harness is correctly wired up sometimes, once in a blue moon, a harness will slip out of quality check and have one or two miss pined wires in there, doesnt happen often, but has been known to happen.

Also, tell me one final thing, when you apply power (through the big red wire and the gray wire) and ground to the haltech, do you hear the relays clicking? once on the main relay and twice for the fuel pump? if you hear this the haltech is working fine you just have to solve your comm dilemma.

Hope this helps.

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

.. USB has been around for quite long enough for even the slowest SW programmer to have gotten a handle on it, but Haltech.. nope.. can't be bothered apparently. All this tells me is that they just don't care about their end users. It's no wonder so many people are moving over to AEM.. I'll probably be joining them. The 'bashing' stems from the fact that haltech is putting out a product that is NOT on par to other products on the market yet they continue to charge a premium price. I don't put up with that when ding aircraft parts.. why should I put up with it in a car...

I use the latest XP pro setup on a IBM R51. As for the USB- Serial adaptor I've tried Belkin, Staples in house brand, dynex, nexxtek ( radioshack ), best buy house brand. COM 2 is setup up and working on the laptop.. COM 2 is setup in the Halwin as well.

regardless. everything is functioning to the fuse block, which means the relays are working properly. my only option now is to check the pin outs on the plug in that will pretty much put to rest if it's the USB or the ECU.

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

Try a Keyspan adaptor....that'll work

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

I've spoken with some other people about this in the last few days, a few have had DOA E6X units,( com boards not working).. I'm using an adaptor that is known to work, ( belkin), for others and nothing.. round and 12V+ at the ECU plug IS functioning. So it's the ECU. Which screws me over for my steve kan tuning session..
This was my last Haltech, I'm moving to a different product, a more reliable and user friendly product line.

nik

If you are using a belkin F5U109 that adapter is known to NOT work properly. Are you selecting the right com port in the program? Windows allocates com ports differently depending on which usb port you plug the same adapter in. It's possible the adapter is getting set to com 5 or 6 and halwin can only select the first 4.

Does the fuel pump prime when you turn the key on?

The vast majority of ems use serial ports. Even the AEM i have seen do. There are several reasons for it: USB is a lot more complicated(not 1 hour's work) to implement than a serial connection, and the additional bandwidth is not needed in this application. However, the convenience factor with modern laptops would be great. I agree that manufacturers should move in this direction.

The halwin software for e6x is truly terrible. If you can run the dos software I find it much better. If you are stuck with halwin you should get the newest version and try that. Don't call the ECU DOA until you've tested communications with a DOS laptop and real serial port.

I have personally never seen or heard of anyone with a DOA E6X.

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

I'm using the F5U409, the one that 20B-3rotor has & worked for him. As I've stated, I'm on COM 2 ( I've been building and setting up computers since the 8086 days so I know what I'm doing. )

Since I don't have the option of doing a DOS setup on this laptop.. and I won't buy a latop simply to load up DOS on so that I can do ONE specific task on it.. I call this thing DOA. Haltech is no better then perfect performance in my books now.

slo

iTrader: (1)

Ive seen 2 that where called DOA. In both cases they where damaged as a result of installer or user error. Serial is not hot swapable (neither is USB), the serial bus can be damaged easily by shutting the door on the serial cable or unplgging or plugging it in hot.

Contact haltech usa, I killed my ecu jumpstarting the car (the manual says specificly not to jumpstart the car) so it was my fault. I told them this, and they repaired the ECU under warantly, even though I was responsible for the damage.

Claudio RX-7

iTrader: (1)

Time for me to get **** and jump in here and express my views on this situation. First off, im not doubting your abilities as a computer literate person, i have also been using computers since 1983, and i can safely tell you that i have seen countless cases of people not being able to connect to the Haltech and thinking its bad. You never gave a straight answer about the relays clicking, if you hear them both click once and the fuel pump relay click a second time the ECU IS working fine and your problems lie with communications.

I have talked to people with the belkin adapter and most of them cant get it to work, the minute they buy a Keyspan (which i personally use, swear by, and should be sponsored by them) which i always recommend they have no problems. Personally by tradition we always like to use Comm1 as the port of choice, also, make sure your comm settings look like the attached image ive included.

Moving along to other matter, Haltech systems are among (if not THE!) system that has the most amount of features for the money it costs. If you look at retail (or even jobber) pricing for AEM, TEC3, Wolf, Autronic, etc., you will see that Haltech has some of the lowest costs around. The only one to match that is Microtech and to me they have less features all in all than any Haltech.

Also, AEM, Motec, etc, are STILL using Serial, they might be moving to USB soon enough but to date they are using Serial.

I suggest you do the following, take all your USB adapters, sell them on ebay, and buy yourself either a Keyspan or a PCMCI one which are garanteed to work. And unless you buy a honda with Hondata Kpro, you will still need to communicate with what ever system you buy through the serial port.

Here's something you can do to completely guarantee the unit is bad, find somebody with an E6X installed in their car and one with which they have a laptop and can go online for sure, put yours in there, and try going online with his laptop and load his map onto it, if all works well then you have 100% verified that your unit IS NOT DOA.

And finally, IF BY SOME UNFORTUNATE SHAMEFUL EXTRAORDINARY SERIES OF EVENTS your ECU came with a problem from the factory, i am more than sure it will be fixed or exchanged under warranty, so contact your dealer, who should be responsible enough to do this, unless he's not a dealer, and tell him what you've been experiencing. There is no reason to flog the issue to the point of reaching you being upset with the company when its not necessary a justified problem.

Claudio RX-7

iTrader: (1)

Oh, and something else just dawned on me, I have worked on a couple of E6X and F10X that actually DO NOT connect with v1.26 software, but work perfectly with v1.25, try using 1.25, maybe you'll get lucky.

If you cant find it, let me know i will post it up on my website so you can down it.

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

I gave you an answer as to the relay switching over in the fact that that I was able to measure proper currents to 7/25 & 26/32 on the plugs. you can't get the switched 12V unless the relay kicks over.

post up 1.25 and lets see if that works on COM1 with one of my many many USB-serial adaptors.

nik

The F5U 409 shares drivers with the F5U 109. This is a problem; don't use that adapter. Those drivers cause random crashes and don't work right. I went through the same frustration when I first got my e6x and tried to use a F5U 109.

Does the fuel pump prime??

Claudio, this guy has been **** disturbing the canadian forum in the past. I think he just likes to rile people up and complain about everything.

Nismo Convert86

iTrader: (7)

I prefer dos myself, after Nik showed me the crash fest it put on, I'm sticking with dos.

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

I don't have the pumps plugged since their is no fuel in the cell. however the fuel relay switches when energised.

and nik, you feel the need to talk to **** about me, be a man at least and say it to my face.. or do you just own a set of 'computer *****'.

My complaints are 100% justified Given the premium price paied for what you get. To have to jump through these hoops to get the unit working. Given the one line, (completely obvious ' if the right pin outs are getting the sight signal then it's working) ), reply from Haltech tech help. Given the $150++ I've spent on every different USB-serial adaptor in the city, given the fact that their SW versions are not functioning properly.. As I've said, I don't put up with this crap with aircraft products, nor with our 3D/CnC SW.. why on earth should I put up with it for a car? So i don't hurt peoples feelings? not likely.

If it turns out that I'm wrong and the unit is not DoA then great. thanks very much for proving me wrong, but that does not change my mind about future purchases from haltec.

nik

I'll be at the mosport dyno day, and would be glad to meet you in person. I'll even have my dos laptop there and you are welcome to try your car with it/use it for tuning if you can somehow get your car there.

It seems like you were just looking for a reason to call the unit DOA since your first post. Most people come on here looking for help, and are humble about possibly having made errors in their install. Instead, you immediately blame haltech.

Claudio RX-7

iTrader: (1)

Here, try this and see what happens.

Haltech 1.25 Software

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

As I said, I've done these before, this is NOT my first time Their are no errors in the install.. I've had 2 other engineers check it out. However to have this much uncertainty because haltech hasn't bothered to keep up with technology that's more then a few years old and their windows SW is suspect, is something that I'm not willing to accept from the suppliers I use.

if I'm proven wrong and it's NOT DOA then great, but it still does not change my opinion of Haltech's design model or company policy.

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

I will give this a try thanks

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

All the hub-bub about if its not DOA yada yada, you still haven't tried the type of adaptor that Claudio recommended you use in the first response. Or at least, haven't SAID you've tried it.

Why don't you start there?

FWIW I've been painting cars for years and years. You think I still don't let 1 little thing slip past from time to time? We're all human......................

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

thing is, I've tried adaptors that other haltech users & resellers have said work.

and I'm not spending $80 to buy a keyspan adaptor.

a7r

Borrow a 2 channel oscilloscope, and plug channel 1 into RX, and channel 2 into TX. Look at the traffic going out on TX, look at what is coming back on RX. Post up what you find.

That, or just return the product and take your car to a dealer that is willing to debug these problems.

'Port the halwin to USB as well'? Why would they have to change a line of code to work with a serial adapter? The serial adapter driver's job is to present the USB device as a RS232C port. How is that Haltech's fault?

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

.. for not adding native support for the std. I/O device for the last 4-5 yeas.. that's why it's thier fault, same way it's HP's fault for not offering XP64bit drivers for their products or any SW/HW company not supporting a std. technology in the marketplace.

what kind of wave form and duration am I looking for with the oscilloscope? (provided i can find one within 100miles to borrow. )

a7r

What is native support? They have native support for RS232C; requiring USB would just make it harder for people with older laptops. Most of the 'native' USB retrofits of older designs just strap an FTDI chip onto the board. This puts you in the exact same place as using an USB RS232C adapter.

The real solution is to do what MoTeC did, which is: support CAN, and require the laptop to have a Whatever->CAN adapter.

You want something that has square edges, that has high/low transitions at or around 5 volts/-5 volts, respectively. I don't know what baud rate the Haltechs speak at, but you'll figure it out if you have a scope in front of you.

Claudio RX-7

iTrader: (1)

Are you using a 64bit machine by any chance???

doridori-rx7

iTrader: (3)

no,that was just an example I use a std. XP pro however I'm just going to drag a desk top machine out to the shop that has a built in serial port and try that.