No steady stream of info to t-link

[Mike70gtx]

I've never been able to get my computer and t-link to work enough to get this thing tuned. I'm sure this computer works and the cables have been checked. In a quarter mile run it will only give me a few frames of info. The moving green light stops moving, which I thing would mean that no information is coming from the computer. I'm pretty sure my grounds are good. I did recently add an Lt1 maf and translator plus. that seems to be hooked up right. I runs fairly well. I'm either not getting knock or the knock gauge stopped working. What are some things I can begin to check?
thanks

 

[GNeric]

My laptop would do this and after talking with Ken about the problem, checking all grounds and sending the cable back to have it checked out, I finally went to Radio Shack and got the little holder for 4 AA batteries and that solved the problem. My laptop wasn't powerfull enough to run on it's own power. Don't plug in a 9 volt as your cable will not work after that.

My laptop is a Thinkpad 750Ce and I don't remember what others do the same thing. HTH

 

[Mike70gtx]

I just did the radio shack thing with the four batteries yesterday. Still doing the same.\
Thanks,
Any other ideas?

 

[edchapman]

early stock chips did not work

If you still have a stock chip some of the early ones
did not work with a scantool.

bye, Ed
http://edchapman.tripod.com/cars.html
84 T-Type WH1, 87 T, 87 GN

 

[turbo6x2]

It won't read if the ports are not set up either. You may have accidently changed them. Contact Ken Mosher on the computer section he can help you with this part.

 

[Mike70gtx]

I have a Red Armstrong 93 octane chip for 36 # injectors.

If the computer port is set up would I get any info. I do get some, it's just erratic. I will check with Ken again, though.

 

[turbo6x2]

Yes you will get really bad numbers and not a constant flow, I accidently went into preferences and changed if to 5 instead of 7 and caused the issue.

 

[Mike70gtx]

I'll check that out. You are talking about the preferences withi turbo link itself, right?

 

[Mike70gtx]

Just checked and it is set on IRQ7.

 

[1984grandnat]

I don't know if this will help but...I used to have the same sort of problem. I swapped my ECM to the 86-87 style, in order to use a scantool and have more access to chips. Sometimes, the laptop would get plenty of good info, but then at other times, the info would not make any sense at all. After hours of studying it, I realized that the trouble occurred when the engine reached a certain temp (170 degrees or so). Turns out that the fan relay was feeding back into the ECM, causing problems with the diagnostic link. Once I disconnected the fan relay from the ECM, the problems went away. Now I run the fan manually, with no connection to the ECM. I have heard that you can build a noise filter for the fan relay, but I am not sure how to do it...anyone know about this?

 

[Mike70gtx]

Hey, this could be it. It seemed like the very first run I made wasn't too bad. Then when the temps would get up it seemed to get worse. Which brings me to my next problem to solve. My temps get up over 200 in this Texas heat. Hope to do a radiator swap soon.
I have a fan from a fiero and have it hooked up to an outside thermestat from auto zone. How do I unhook the fan relay?
Thanks this could be it!!

 

[1984grandnat]

If you are still using the 84 ECM, this will not apply to you. IF you have swapped the ECM, and are not using the fan output wire (you mentioned an external thermostat), then this will not apply to you, so there may be something else causing your problem.

 

[Mike70gtx]

I have an 87 ecm. I have left the temp wire hooked up to the thermostat, but I do have an external thermostat to activate the fan.

 

[turbo6x2]

yes that was it, now swap them to read the 5 reading in preferences and try that sometimes this is the trick. let us know.

 

[Mike70gtx]

Tried irq5 and it wouldn't work at all. Went back to seven. Now the green bar on the upper right of the graphic display is moving.
The numbers on a short run were:
rpm mph tps o2 airgps lv8 retard
1750 5 1.33 160 46 126 0
2125 3 3.04 796 79 150 0
4225 19 4.28 50 192 191 22.6 open loop
2025 65 0.48 789 8 31 0
1900 64 0.46 675 7 20 0
1950 62 0.86 78 46 37 0.2
2500 63 1.98 783 83 156 0
2075 68 0.46 781 8 23 0
2000 67 0.46 758 7 20 0
1925 65 0.46 58 6 19 0
2225 63 1.22 78 45 102 30.1
2025 63 1.94 574 54 145 0
This is frame by frame, I started out wot, but I think I backed off when I saw the retard. Does any of this make sense?