Dead ALDL

turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: Dead ALDL

You're describing backup/limp-home mode. Light is on solid, runs crappy-rich.

Pull your memcal off the adapter board, plug it into the ECM. Key-on, see if the SES light blinks as normal, and if TP connects. You can usually start it on the stock memcal, too, although it might not run the best due to MAP sensor and injector size differences.

If not, check power/ground at the ECM. If you have power to it, it's fairly likely the ECM is smoked.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

Advance Auto has a couple 749 ECMs for $55 after a $35 core. Its a Car-Done brand, with 1 year warranty. Are these quality?
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: Dead ALDL

Aeroking said:
Advance Auto has a couple 749 ECMs for $55 after a $35 core. Its a Car-Done brand, with 1 year warranty. Are these quality?
Click to expand...

That's a pretty good price. Remans are generally all the same.

The most common failure mode on most of the P4 series ECMs is a pin that lifts from one of the ICs on the board due to heat cycling, or vibration. (Which is why I don't like solid mounts, but that's another discussion)
The reman places generally reflow the offending pin, test the ECM, and send it out.

A lot of times, the remans are used cores from junkyards, and there was never anything wrong with them to begin with. The reman place tests and validates, maybe a coat of paint, and ships it back out.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

MikeRenz said:
we'll have spare ecm's this weekend if you want to try another one before just buying a new one.
Click to expand...

lol, i gotta drive it up on a trailer to get it to williamsport. Advance ordered me one, it'll be in tomorrow morning. Luckily i moved the ECM to the glovebox this winter, so it'll be no problem swapping it out.

i'll switch ECMs and report back tomorrow afternoon. Thanks dig


EDITED: 12.48volts between BD1, and BC16, with ignition on, truck off. Should i be getting more?
 
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Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

checked again this morning. 12.48v to the ECM. i keep a battery tender on the optima... i wonder if that somehow burned out the ECM??
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: Dead ALDL

Aeroking said:
checked again this morning. 12.48v to the ECM. i keep a battery tender on the optima... i wonder if that somehow burned out the ECM??
Click to expand...

I keep a battery tender on my Oddysey... no problems.

Like I said... lifted pins are common. Shock/vibration/thermal cycling is the cause of that.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

put the new ECM in, and the truck is worse. It starts up, turns over a couple revolutiuons, then dies. I've tried giving it throttle, and that didnt do anything. Check Engine light is still solid. ALDL still has no response. I unloaded the BIN from the Ostrich, and reloaded a good one, and still nothing.

i checked all the pins on the emulator, g1 adapter, and memcal, they're all good.

i'm going to recheck my fuel pressure, recheck all the fuses, and try a couple different things.


EDITED: fule pressure holds steady at 45psi. ECMB and ECM1 fuses are good.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

pulled the emulator and G1 off, and put the stock memcal in the ECM, and the ALDL works. Truck wont run, but the ALDL works.

All the connection pins are good. I dont know if its the rubbon cable, the G1 adapter, or the Ostrich 2.0.

if i piggyback the memcal onto the G1, and not put the Ostrich on, will it act like the stock memcal is in?
 
JSM

JSM

Active member
Re: Dead ALDL

No, the G1 bypasses the chip portion which also contains the ALDL program and info.

So we know its not an ECM issue now, but a chip/pin/ostrich/bin loading issue.

anyway to burn a chip??? burn your latest bin file and put in the g1, see if ALDL connects. If ALDL doesn't connect no need to even try to start and run it.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

ok, i'll have my buddy burn me a chip this weekend. And i'll report back on Sunday.

Thanks guys.
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: Dead ALDL

I keep a fairly recent version of a bin (one that runs pretty good) on a physical flash device in the passenger side door pocket for this very reason... backup in case things go south.

G1 can have bad pins or a loose socket, but it's rare. Much more likely a bad cable on the ostrich.
They get bumped, tugged, or yanked in a launch, and they're toast.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

so (off the record, but on the internet) would you go with a chip/burner over the emulator?

cause i do all my tuning in short runs, and the emulator has always been great for that.
 
JSM

JSM

Active member
Re: Dead ALDL

emulator is great, just nice to have a backup be it a burner and chips, or just a burnt chip with a file that runs good (even if not your latest version). Just as a backup.

Of course I carry 2 ecm's also.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

well, i had my BIN burned to a chip, loaded into the G1 adapter. and it didnt fix anything.

I checked my G1 for continuity, and everything checked out good.

So far it ISN'T.... ECM, memcal, G1 adapter, Ostrich. ALDL still dead, and truck still idles horribly at 400rpm.

The only other thing it could possibly be would be a corrupt BIN. Although i've loaded 2 different BINs into the Ostrich with no results. I'm gonna load an older BIN, and see if it accepts it.
 
JSM

JSM

Active member
Re: Dead ALDL

Try your G1/chip in a truck that runs good.

If you can't connect its a bin, ecm or adaptor issue. No need to even try to start the truck without it connecting with the key on.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

success, well soft of.

the emulator/cable is bad. I had a chip burner this morning, and it fired up, and the Check Engine light went off.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

since the Ostrich uploads/downloads/verifies the BIN, i believe its the ribbon cable. So i'm going to replace the cable and see if it works. More to come.
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: Dead ALDL

The dead ribbon cable is pretty common... they really weren't made for the environment that they're in.
I'm not sure how you'd do one any other way, unless you put the whole thing on a MEMCAL sandwich board.
Can't really do that from a manufacturing standpoint, or it'd limit you to GM ECMs of a fairly narrow vintage.

If you protect the whole assembly such that it can't be kicked or pulled, it generally lasts a lot longer.
 
Aeroking

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: Dead ALDL

i got new ribbon cables for the Ostrich 2, and it didnt help. so now i've narrowed it down to the ostrich itself. It still loads and downloads BINs, but for some reason the signal isnt getting through.

Tunerpro says "Connected Ostrich USB v20.9.O"

does anyone have a part number on the Ostrich battery??? is it readily available at Radio Shack?
 
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