I hate software issues.

After 3 years of working without any problems, my ecuflash decided to stop connecting to my ecu. I made sure that the battery was charged and for some reason I can log data from the ecu using evoscan just fine. However, I am unable to read/write using ECUflash. I tried both a known working laptop and my car pc, both cannot connect.

I get this classic response:

[23:20:13.853] sending init sequence 1 (0001)
[23:20:17.161] sending init sequence 1 (0003)
[23:20:20.468] sending init sequence 1 (FFFF)
[23:20:23.775] sending init sequence 1 (F0F0)
[23:20:26.521] no response to any known code
[23:20:26.521] interface close

Any advice on what I can do next to test and verify if the problem is my ECU, 1.3U Cable, or CANBUS wiring? I want to narrow down the issue through process of elimination instead of buying $450.00 worth of equipment to throw at the car

The software and driver setup didn't change since it worked last so I have no clue what could have gone wrong. I recently installed a new radio. Could there be wiring behind there that could screw up the signals to and from the ECU? Could noise be a factor?

I've already emailed my tuner, but I like to collect as many ideas as possible all at once. Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

Make sure the reflash adapter has power (the extra single wire plug).

 

Sounds like a plan! I'll check for that tonight

 

Well, I'm fairly certain that I need a new 1.3U cable or a new ECU

I checked continuity between the 7th pin of the OBDII port(C-122 in the service manual) and the 85th pin of the ECU connector (C-51). The connection was good. The white connector with 1 pin (C-121) has some voltage, but not 12v. Pins 4 and 5 of the OBDII port are properly grounded as per the service manual and Pin 16 is seeing the full battery voltage.

With the 1.3U cable disconnected, pin 85 of the ecu sees no voltage, but once I plug in the 1.3U, it seems to automatically apply between 11v to 12v at that pin with the engine off. Seems like it bridges some voltage over from pin 16 to pin 7 of the OBDII port. Could this be the voltage that is used to determine the flashing/reading cutoff safety threshold or is that the actual power connector supplying the ECU?

I connected a multimeter in parallel to pin 85 and ground while attempting to connect via ECU flash and I did see a slight fluctuation in voltage, hopefully indicating that messages are being sent between the cable and the ECU. I really need an oscilloscope to see that lol.

After that I used jumper cables and a running second vehicle to keep the voltage at 13.2 or higher while attempting to read/flash. No luck. I can actuate the fuel pump via evoscan just fine, so the communication lines between the laptop and ECU have been triple verified. For some reason beyond me, flashing and reading just doesn't work anymore.

I don't know what to try next.

 

So last week I placed an order for a new 1.3u Evoscan/ECUflash/ Tactrix USB cable (whatever you want to call it lol, it's an expensive as hell ***** RS232 cable with a boost converter and we all know it). After doing some research with the help of evom, I found that the white flashing plug next to our OBDII connector needs 16v to put the ecu into flashing mode (step up voltage converter within the cable). The part that sucks is there is only one place you can buy a new 1.3u cable these days....from Evoscan in New Zealand. So as you can imagine, shipping is catastrophically expensive for the cable unless you are willing to wait 2 to 3 weeks. So that's happening now. My tuner and I had to pause until I figure out what's going on.

In brighter news, I outgrew my red door inserts and have decided to upgrade to a carbon fiber fabric wrap. I think it makes the car look much more mature and elegant, as if it was some kind of secret package offered by Mitsubishi. The first door came out OK, the second came out like complete crap even after the second attempt...I'll need to figure this out somehow as the fabric can be stretched, but only so much. I'm using 3M headliner spray glue which is strong as hell.




I may have mentioned this earlier, but my brother wrote me a code to control my folding door mirrors with better fail safes so that I don't have to use my current analog setup with 2 safety relays, 2 delay timers. Now I can just use an H bridge made of 5v relays that have 12v on the switch side, triggered by a microcontroller's GPIO pins.



I still need to take the mirrors to a paint shop and will probably have my front lip repainted at the same time....

The only other exciting thing that has happened is that I bought a bare 4g64 block. Why? Because race car and you can never be too safe. Right now I am thinking about either a 2.2LR or 2.4 LR as a spare engine. After referencing the following DSM Page , I found out that we can actually...if we really wanted to... run a 2.6 liter engine in our cars. That being said, it would be the worst rod ratio and piston speed you can imagine, but with 10.5 compression pistons you'd probably spool an FP Black like an FP Green

Anyway, once that bare block comes in, i'll be blueprinting it for good measure and posting results here.

 

Not even sure if they're available anymore, but I wouldn't even think of running a 102mm or 106mm stroke. The 100mm is meh enough.

 

Agreed. Makes me feel like all of the 2.6L 4g64 have pistons and rods that have an end goal of coming out of the block

 

Received the new 1.3u cable today. Fingers crossed that it works! I would really like to resume my tune.

 

Hopefully the new cable works out for you! Once you get it all dialed in, I need to come down and go for a ride in it!

 

Why didn't you just get a 2.0? lol

 

I heard the 2.0 logs slower than the 1.3

 

I heard that somewhere too, dunno if its true though.

The baudrate settings in evoscan for the 2 are the same and k-line is already so slow its hard to imagine the 2.0 being slower.

 

Gents, I am writing to you from inside the garage and in my car. DO NOT leave your 1.3U cables plugged in constantly when you are not logging or flashing. I did this and it was a huge mistake!

It can ruin them and you will not be able to read/write to your ECU. I just received my new one and it worked perfectly after screwing around with the ecu, drivers, and wires for days.

 

Those inserts on that door look sick, you have me wanting to try it..

 

Thanks man,

It's not an easy task, but it's not impossible. I recommend starting early and working with more material than you need so that you have something to pull with.