I have an 03 Evo VIII & I just got an AEM EMS for it (the plug & play model for my specific car).

Anyway, the fustration started when I tried connecting the EMS to my laptop via a USB-to-Serial adapter.

After reading the EvoM & AEMPower forums, I went out & ordered a PCMCIA 2-port Serial Adapter (StarTech brand from RadioShack.com $85) instead.

And it STILL won't connect to the AEM EMS ECU!

I've made sure I've selected the right COM port on the AEM EMS (actually I've tried both, just to make sure) and still no luck.

Is there something I'm missing?

PLEASE HELP, I've been trying to figure this out for weeks now!

Side note, if anyone from AEM is reading I can't seen to ever get my validation email for the AEMPower forums. Please fix it or activate my account, thank you.

 

Anyone?

I'm at my wits end here and I can't post on the AEMPower forums either for help!

 

You did turn the ignition on before you tried to connect, right?

 

Of course.

 

Don't be offended I'm just going over the basics.

software for the serial adapter installed?
is the light on, on the serial adapter, before any thing is plugged in?
Is everything plugged in, including the EMS in to the car?
Are you 100% sure you are using the correct com port? (sometimes this can be confusing for people)

did you start the AEM software before turning on the ignition?

 

Hey man, when all else fails, start with the basics. If you are running v1.19 it has a USB option, make sure you select serial. (A hint that you are in USB mode is that it will ask if you want to "work offline" if it doesn't see any ECU connected.

 

Also, are you aware that the first time it connects it takes a while to download the program out of the ECU?

You will see a little red progress bar in the bottom Left corner as it downloads.

 

Software & drivers are installed for the serial adapter, it recognizes & WinXP sees it properly.

I'm not aware of any light on the serial adapter, I don't think the particular one I have has a light, but I'll double-check.

The EMS is plugged into the car with the wire harness all connected to the EMS. The cable that AEM provides with the EMS is plugged into the EMS & then goes to my serial adapter (I've also tried connecting my serial adapter straight to the EMS, no luck).

When I start up AEMPro, it asks for Serial or USB, I pick Serial & pick COM3 (the COM port that the EMS is plugged in to. I've also tried COM4 just to make sure).

When I hit Connect, it tells me it's initializing the communications port etc etc whatever, then it tells me that my ECU is not connected & there's a red bar on the bottom that says ECU Offline.

Are there any COM port specific settings I need to set it to for the ECU to see it properly?

Like baud rate, parity, bit settings & the such?

Also, when I got my AEM EMS, I didn't get any manual or CDs either. I downloaded the software from AEM's website.

 

That's good


That eliminates the cable as a possible problem.


This is where I see a potential problem. In most systems, COM3 is reserved for the dial-up modem. If your laptop has an internal dial-up 56k modem, go into your device manager and either disable it or change the settings on your serial adapter and set it to COM4.


OK, that means they are not talking to each other at all.


Should all be automatic.


Don't worry about that, the version I am using was downloaded as well, BUT you always need to connect to your AEM EMS with a laptop running the same version that is inside the unit or upgrade the firmaware in the EMS to match the laptop. I am at work and don't have AEMPro installed on here to tell you how to do it.

 

it doesn't work, return it, buy something else.

r232 pcmcia card that's sold by "geeks" on ebay at $25 shipped worked great.

connection is immediate.

just have to make sure the software and the com port is setup right, as you did then you shouldn't have any problems.

It maybe the serial cable that came with the aem ems, if you're using them. I would try another one, it's a cheaper, faster option.

good luck.