TPI conversion in a '74 Corvette, '7165 ECM. Got it running with a Prominator and an ARAP bin, and now I want to tune it.

I made a two-transistor cable using the schematic that shows up in a few threads on here, and can't get TunerPro to detect the cable. I've tried two USB to serial converters and an Express Card serial port, with no luck. I decided to try WINALDL, and what do you know-- the cable connects and the ECM sends data through a USB to serial cable and through the Express Card serial port I've got.

Any suggestions? I assume that WINALDL is only capable of giving me the 160 baud data stream, not the 8192, regardless of whether I use a one transistor or two transistor cable. Otherwise I'd be perfectly happy just using WINALDL for now.

Another question: I am using a 10k Ohm resistor to get data flowing, but I don't want to drive and tune in ALDL mode. The problem is that when I remove the resistor, all the sensor data drops out.

Any help would be appreciated.

Bob B.

 

Are you using the correct ADS file?

Have you used the "detect functioning cable" button in the ALDL/Emulation porefernces tab?

 

I didnt' think to check the ADS file-- I thought I downloaded the correct one, but didn't bother looking because I couldn't get the cable working. When I hit the "detect" button, I get popup that says no cable has been detected (I can't remember the exact wording).

 

Have you tried more than just one com port?

Easiest way to find the correct com port is to open device manager and see what port your USB converter is plugged into , and then use that com port in the TP RT prefernces.

 

Yep. I tried every com port. I can't figure out why the same com port winALDL is using doesn't work with TunerPro. I really don't want to have to bite the bullet and buy a $60 USB ALDL cable. I don't even have an ALDL connector on my wiring harness, just bare wires for data, ground, etc.

 

Make sure you have the latest version of TunerPro. I fixed an issue around cable detection in one of the last builds.

As long as you're using the same COM port in TunerPro that you've specified in WinALDL, then it should work in both 160 and 8192.

Do note that the '165 only uses 8192 for 32B and 6E, not 32. Make sure you're using 32B or 6E (87-89 code). Also make sure that you have the 10K in place.

 

Thanks Mangus. I've been out of town so I'll try it tonight.

If for some reason I soldered my cable components together wrong and I'm only getting the 160 baud data, will TunerPro still pick it up? Also, if I for some reason have the wrong ADS file, will I get no data or just strange data? I'm pretty sure I've got the right ADS, and I'm using ARAP/6E, but I'll check tonight.

 

If you soldered your cable together incorrectly, you'll likely get no valid data. TunerPro can process the 160 baud stream with the correct ADS. There are two ADS files for the '165 included in TunerPro, the 6E (8192) stream, and the _160baud.ads file, for the 160 baud stream.

 

Okay, thanks. One more for you, then I'll quit bugging you with newbie issues that would probably be solved if I just bought a cable: if I have the incorrect ADS, will cable detection fail in TunerPro? I'll make sure I'm using the most current version as you suggested.

 

Cable detection is independent of the ADS. It simply sends data to the cable and checks to make sure that the sent data is returned (a properly build ALDL cable has the transmit and receive lines tied together, so sent data is echoed back to the PC).

 

Question for you on the 10k resistor: from what I had read, once I have a data stream, I can remove the resistor so I don't have to log in ALDL mode. I'm really concerned about spark counts as this is a non-stock engine and a just-installed conversion, so I don't want the forced knock from timing advance in ALDL mode. Can the resistor only be removed if I'm using 8192 baud? As soon as I remove the resistor using WinALDL, the data stream drops out. I still can't get TunerPro to connect, so I'm stuck with WinALDL and 160 baud for now. Thanks.

 

You can pull the 10k after you connect. It is needed for connection at 8192. You can also remove the ALDL spark advance from the tune - it should be in the 6E definition included in TunerPro.

 

So even the 160 baud datastream should continue when the resistor is removed? I assume that if it doesn't then I've got a cable (or other hardware) issue.

 

Hmmmnnnn

 

No, 160 baud requires the resistor in place. Further, once 8192 is initiated, 160 is silenced until the ecm is reset.

 

Thanks Mangus. Now this is all making some sense to me. I'll give my homemade cable about two more tries, then I think its time for the store-bought kind.

 

If winaldl connects at 160 baud, tprt should also connect under the same conditions with 1227165_160baud.ads.

 

I'll give that ADS a shot, but right now TP can't detect the cable. I checked and as of last night I'm using the most current version. WinALDL gets a data stream using a USB to Serial cable, and it gets one when I use an Express Card Serial Port. TP can't detect the cable in either configuration for some reason. I have tried every com port, manually setting the com port number in the Windows Device Manager and in TP-- no joy.

 

Don't worry about cable detection. Set the COM port in TunerPro to the same port used in WinALDL. Make sure WinALDL is closed (so that the port is not in use). Open the aforementions ADS, and connect. It might take a few seconds for data to start flowing.

 

Okay, now I'm confused again. The resistor is needed to get 160 baud data flowing. But when the ecu sees the 10k ohm resistor it starts pushing 8192 baud data also?

 

There's lots of info on this forum about this. 6E code, by default, spits out a 160 baud stream. After each packet, there's a 50ms window in which it waits for communication to be initiated by the scanner at 8192 baud. If the initiation occurs, 160 baud comms stop and the code locks to 8192 baud.

The 10k resistor is needed for 160 baud communication and to initiate the 8192 communication.

 

I must have a bad cable. I can get Tunerpro to log data with the 160 baud ads and the resistor in place, and data stops when I remove the resistor. When I use the 6E ads, the program can't connect to the computer. I'll troubleshoot my cable, and see what I can come up with.

 

i also have this problem but i have the moates cable,i can connect withwin aldl but i cant seem to get tuner pro rt to connect what am i doing wrong?