Chris89GTA

iTrader: (2)

Hey guys... Trying to troubleshoot and get ideas for what could be going on w/ the car before I get into the garage tonight and work on it again...

89TA Commander 950 Install... I hook up to the 950 ECM, load the base map fine, see the appropriate values in the data tables (i.e. MAP = 94kpa, TPS is correct and moves when gas pedal applied etc...), but when I go to crank it I get nothing. It won't even turn over, or start to turn over...

I'm going to check the neutral safety switch tonight as well as check the starter wiring again to make sure it's right. I've removed the factory '165 ecm and associated wiring. I kept only the wiring in the engine bay that I needed for the 950 install, such as the starter wiring (4 connected wires for main starter terminal, and purple wire for starter solenoid), alternator wiring (red and tan/white wire), coil wiring (pink and white) for dash etc, and knock sensor and coolant temp...)

My only guess if the neutral safety switch is working right and the starter wiring is right is the VATS system...

Any 950 guys had similar issues? Help would be much appreciated guys!

Chris89GTA

iTrader: (2)

No one? Any ideas???

I didn't leave the office last night until 11:15pm so obviously I didn't get into the garage...

calebzman

iTrader: (3)

From the manual:

Chris89GTA

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the reply.

I'll take that into consideration. Right now I'm not even getting the starter to turn over.

I'll take a look at that stuff tonight if it still won't start after I check the neutral safety switch and the VATS...

Thanks again!

Chris89GTA

iTrader: (2)

Still no start guys.

Getting power to the purple wire to the "S" Terminal on Starter... getting click from starter solenoid when key to on position. Not getting any turnover of the engine via starter when turning to start however. Battery is brand new...

I'm at a loss at this point...

Getting under the car tonight to check engagement of starter gear when turned to on... and to check to make sure voltage at "B" terminal on starter...

Any other ideas?

Only other thing I wonder w/ the wiring is the tan/white wire from alternator, but that shouldn't keep the starter from cranking. I need to verify it's getting a signal when key is on/start...

Chris89GTA

iTrader: (2)

PROBLEM SOLVED!

Ended up that the Starter Enable Relay was the problem. Read about similar situations with engine swaps (tpi to carb, or tpi to lt/ls1) where the symptoms were very close to mine. So tonight I decided to track town the starter enable relay and bypass it by splicing the yellow wire, and green/white wire directly together.

After I got those two hooked together, I went to turn the car over half expecting it to do what it had been doing for the last week. To my surprise, it cranked over for about 2 seconds, and then fired right up and idled! Seems like the base 950 map is pretty close, but I didn't even hook up the laptop b/c I figured it wouldn't fire up! :lol

Thanks to all who offered up help.

Hopefully my situation will help those out in the future!

Chris

Artic-Trans am

ok.. welcome to the cm950 problems and features...

maybe you want to try this when tuning.
http://efi101.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=32826#32826

just a little help!


I have not run this program yet, but when I get my car ready I will.

loquito

hey good to here you fixed the problem I am having the same issue and wanted to ask exactly were you found the starter relay I also have an 89 Iroc and want to do the same thing.

Chris89GTA

iTrader: (2)

The starter enable relay is down in the driver's side foot well behind the kick panel. Basically to the left of where your feet would be. Once you remove the kick panel, locate the big (10 gauge) yellow wire and the big (10 gauge) green/white wires. They will lead you to the relay. My relay was near the bottom of the kick panel area right before the side panel met the floor, behind a gunky tape type residue. I just pulled it all out a little bit, cut the yellow and green/white wires at the relay and attached them together. It fired right up after that.

loquito

thanks I will fix it today

Chris89GTA

iTrader: (2)

You get the problem fixed last night?

loquito

Yes and No I found the relay and bypassed it like it says, but when my security light came on it still did not engage it's like if the computer tells the injectors not to pass fuel I think there is another relay because when it works as soon as the light goes out I hear a click on the to left part of the dash like if it was another relay I will disable and search for that click if it is a relay I will bypass also and let you know it might not be till this week end I have my kids and pretty busy.

loquito

so I checked the click by the dash and found out it does it even if the light stays on so it can not be the VATS the unit started acting up more and more so I did some reserch and found out a schematic that will create a "chip" that tells the ECM that all it's good kind of like the VATS telling the ECM, what it does it creates a 5V 30Hz signal that the ECM is looking for I saw it for sale at $40 on a site but I can create it I have all components and will run about $15 this is the other method of elimination besides the $140 charge on programing a chip with no VATS

loquito

hell yeah problem fixed the most ovios which I thought about it but did not check it till yesterday....... I decided to remove the variable resistor that someone had installed before and meter it and thanks to all of you I decided to compare it with a resistor chart that someone had placed in this web site and guess what the resistor was set too high more than the allowed resistance so lucky for me I grabbed another variable and set it to the exact resistance of the factory well the final adjustment was 2369ohm from original 2370ohm and bam started right up have not had any problems so far, Thanks all for all info and support. NOTE: thanks to the guy where you can buy the bypass for the VATS he suggested that I checked the code for 46 if it does not show up than its not the VATS so I did and was there code so I proceeded to the resistor, tell you what saved $110 that the dealer was going to charge just to inspect.