Build thread

[speedjunkie]

The issue with the Autovox seems to be the SD card. I had just put it back in after having it out for a couple months, and I had changed the name on the video of the truck crossing in front of me, so I'm wondering if that's why it's losing its mind. I'm going to reformat it and see if that fixes it. It doesn't have the boot loop issues with the card out.

I disconnected TPMS from the CAN hub and moved the OBDII cable there and the OBDII adapter lit up, so I'm thinking the way they told me to wire the CAN connector might be causing this issue. But first I need to verify how I have it wired so I can address it with them. I believe they're wired the same way though so this is odd. I didn't get the OBDII adapter to connect to the head unit through bluetooth, but that could be due to not having it set up in NSP that way, because you have to assign each CAN (haltech vs vehicle) to either OBDII, TPMS, etc, and I didn't do that just swapping the cables last night.

Another thing I noticed was when I reconnected TPMS, the relays chirped again. I disconnected again, and then disconnected and reconnected the battery and there was no chirping. So apparently the issue is coming from the TPMS being connected. However, after disconnecting and reconnecting the TPMS cable a couple times, now the relays don't chirp at all, including when reconnecting the battery. So maybe that issue is fixed somehow? IDK

[speedjunkie]

Apparently, modifying the name of a file on the SD card for the Autovox will cause it to boot loop lol. I had added to the file name of the video where I almost T-boned the idiot on 105, and once I removed all the files, the dashcam is working fine now.

I was looking into the CAN wiring last night also and discovered that Haltech incorrectly wired the connector on the harness, it was backwards. Once I fixed that, OBDII started working again. The apps on the head unit still wouldn't connect, but my phone did, so apparently that problem is within the head unit apps. It also fixed the chirping issue, but only temporarily for some reason, which is REALLY driving me crazy. The chirping itself doesn't really bother me since it's only for a few seconds, other than the fact that it's happening at all. What really gets me is all these problems being 'fixed' and then coming back. I swapped sensor ground back into the CAN connector to see if that fixed anything, since that's how it was wired last time and Haltech told me to change it this time, but it didn't change anything.

I did discover that it's the TPMS module that's chirping, not the relays, so that makes it a bit easier to narrow down, I think? lol

I have another recurring problem too. The ground issue is back, with sensor ground and battery ground being connected all the time. And disconnecting the ECU connectors is the only thing that solves it, so far. Getting really tired of these issues.

[speedjunkie]

I talked to Haltech and they told me they'd swap out the TPMS for me, but I'm still thinking it's just power backfeeding or something to cause the chirping.

And I guess the ground issue isn't actually back, because apparently the ECU connects them even with the power off. At least that's what research tells me.

I had some issues last week with the driver's side parking light so I messed with it tonight and it fell apart when I removed it. When I bought these turn signals in 09, they were the only OEM ones I could find and the driver's side wiring had been very poorly wired. I bought some replacement signals from Eric Yandura tonight and installed them, and tightened my headlights as well since they were jiggling on bumps.

Devon Neice had suggested putting my CAS issues into ChatGPT so I did that Wednesday night for about an hour, and it suggested the most likely issue was the coils are old enough and breaking down and allowing EMI into the sensor ground wiring. Considering they're about 12 years old, I figured it was worth a shot and bought some from SBG that night and they still haven't shipped them. It also suggesting removing the coils from the sensor ground wiring and instead running that pin to the engine block, which I will not be doing lol. The smart coils are very finicky on their grounding, so that juice is not worth the squeeze. It also suggested end play might be the issue, and the engine is 12 years old as well so that could also be it. Or I was wondering if the bearings are worn to the point that the trigger wheel is moving back and forth across the crank sensor. We'll see if the new coils fix it.

[speedjunkie]

I bought some coils from SBG last week and they're still not here, and I hadn't received any emails about shipping. I contacted them yesterday and they said they were out of stock but expecting a resupply and that I'd have them within the next couple weeks. So glad I asked, and I'm glad I didn't pay for express shipping. Lack of communication is something that really grinds my gears.

I started digging into the chirping issue more and found that 5 wires were providing the ECU power. A7, A8, A24, A31, and A32. A24, A7, and A8 are the wires going to the primary and extra fuel pump relays, and A31 and A32 go to the radiator fan relays. The fuel pump relays are diode relays meant to block the current flow from 86 to 85, but unfortunately I had it wired backwards where power on the control side was coming into 85 and easily passing to 86 and on to the ECU, and then the ECU was passing that voltage through A26 to the injector relay 87, causing the chirping issue. I rewired the relays, but it didn't fix the problem. I measured resistance on the relay between 85 and 86 and got the same resistance both ways, and on a diode relay it's supposed to only see resistance one way and get open flow the other way. All three of them were the same. I swapped in the three relays from the wiper motor project and had the same issue, so I contacted Digikey and explained my issue and they said I may have damaged the relays by having them wired backwards. I don't see how that's possible though because the power would just transfer across the diode with no resistance, I would think. Either way, I guess I'll order a few more and see if that fixes it. I also checked my old fuel pump relay and it was the same, although I'm not sure if that's a diode relay or resistor relay. Either way, that one also had the same resistance both ways.

I dug into the coolant fan wiring last night and I believe the front harness I swapped in three years ago is bad. The wires that run from the ECU to trigger the relays are seeing voltage for some reason. I went through the harness before installing it and checked all the wiring with a multimeter, maybe I missed something. Between this and the fuel pump wiring, something is jacked.

[speedjunkie]

Friday night I completely removed the coolant fan module harness. I had pulled the module out years ago but only just now did the harness. It kinda sucks because the connector for X-14 is now up behind the AC box and a pain to connect the harness, but hopefully I won't need to remove it too often anyway. Another downside is that branch of the harness is fairly short as a result of having the module harness in there and now it isn't, so the whole ECU harness is now pulled back towards the firewall quite a bit more. I also only put the first fuel pump relay back in since I'm currently only using one pump. Due to these changes (I assume), the TMS4 module doesn't chirp anymore when I connect the battery, but it will give a chirp about every 3 seconds after I shut off the car.

I bought new relays from Digikey (the same model) and they all also have the same readings whichever way you check between 85 and 86, but I did notice that some of the relays don't read the same as the others. I checked them all tonight, and five of the new ones are all at 97 ohms with the sixth at 99 ohms. I checked all of the old ones aside from the one installed in the car, and a couple of them are around 95, one is in the 70s (I assume this is the one in the car), one in the 50s, one in the 20s, and one with no resistance at all. I'm told that the diode in the relay is only supposed to protect the circuit from flyback voltage, although I'm not sure yet what that is. Someone on 7club told me that it's normal to see 12V through the relay and at the ECU. I'm going to look into that more. But he seems to know a lot more than I do about this lol.

Saturday morning I did get a CEL for trigger reference error and all I did was start the car and I saw that while it was idling. I must've made it angry lol.

I still have not received the new coil packs, nor have I gotten an email about them shipping.

[speedjunkie]

I've gotten a little more direction on the power issue from 7club members. Apparently having 12V coming out of the relay is normal, and after a further explanation of how the ECU works, I guess power coming out of the two wires is normal too, as it dissipates any power from the relay. Also, Brad and another guy on 7club suggested wiring the power wire for the fuel pump relay coils (pin 86 now) to a 12V switched source rather than the battery, that way the ECU will only see the 12V from the pump relays as I'm starting the car rather than the whole time the battery is connected. Now I just need to figure out the issue with the radiator fan wiring. I'm going to check voltage on B11 again with both ECU connectors disconnected, with A connected, and after rewiring the relays. It was also suggested to use the oscilloscope in the ECU to check the crank angle sensor.

[Operator]

Yeah. Random insurance verification by Illinois Secretary of State. I didn't realize how long ago they asked for it (my Dad gets the mail at his house) and I took care of it too late. They suspended my registration without telling me and impounded the car (illegally it turns out) when they stopped me. Now they're covering it up by destroying all documentation that anything happened.

Hope you’re keeping up with the registration

[speedjunkie]

Oh I swapped to Colorado registration 10 years ago when I retired from the AF, and for all its faults, that's one annoying thing this state doesn't do lol.

I rewired the fuel pump relays to the ignition switch and it's working. I still have a chirp from the TMS4 but it's every few seconds and only after I shut down the car. It no longer chirps when connecting the battery.

I started digging into the front harness to check the radiator fan wiring. I was hesitant for a couple days, mainly because I was afraid I wouldn't find an issue and the car is currently working, so I want to drive it and don't want it down for an extended period. After inspecting for the last three days, I didn't find any issues. I was checking continuity between the 60 amp fuse and the ground trigger wire for the coil as I would move the harness, hoping for a change in resistance, and there never was. I had removed one of the relays a couple days ago, and after unwrapping the rest of the harness I noticed the resistance had changed from 35 to 73 ohms. I googled it, and it said it's normal resistance over the relay coil. Uh oh. I then realized I hadn't checked resistance with BOTH relays removed. Yep, no continuity. So basically the 12V is getting passed across the relay coils, just like the issue I had with the fuel pump relays. Then I compared the 93 and 94 wiring diagrams, and it's EXACTLY like the fuel pump issue lol. The 93 has the relay coil wired to the battery, whereas the 94 harness has it wired to the ignition switch. So I'm going to swap my old harness back into the car this next winter, along with getting the ECU repaired. That should resolve any remaining wiring issues.