Ok, so this is the second time I've had an ICM issue. I'm running an Accel Gen6 DFI system and it is currently powered by a manual switch rather than the ignition key. So of course *someone* left it on overnight a couple days ago. Driving the next afternoon, the car began running rough at low RPM's, and sure enough, the computer no longer has timing control so I'm operating on the module's timing curve (6 degrees base, 0 degrees from 1200 to 1500), hence the rough running.

My question is this: would leaving the computer (and then also the timing control circuit) on for a long period of time without running the engine burn up just the timing control circuits in the module? I had the same problem previously while I was still building the car - I would leave the system on for long periods of time while uploading fuel maps, etc. Once I got the car on the road, I realized that I had no timing control. I didn't have the ignition key on, so the Mallory Hyfire box and the coil did not have power, just the computer.

Needless to say, I'll be adding an additional fuse-box circuit with power while cranking for the computer so this won't happen again, but I don't want to drop $$ on another module if something else may be burning it up.

Thanks!
Ryan

 

Yes, leaving the power on to the module without the car running can toast almost any of the ignition components. I know in my dodge with seperate switches to the ign., fuel, crank, and such, if you leave the power on to the module/coil wiothout the engine runing, the tach reads 4000 RPM and the coil and module overheat quickly. I would wire it into the ignition if at all possable.

 

Thanks for the advice. I will rewire it so that *someone* doesn't leave the switch on again. It's gonna get expensive if I keep losing timing control every three weeks because I get forgetful.

Ryan

 

Don't you mean *someone*

 

Hahaha yes, but I figured I might as well admit to it....