beemn Posted December 16, 2017 Report Share Posted December 16, 2017 I have a R53 mini challenge cup car using the plug and play I series ecu. ..not sure if I88 or I44 or what but I can not get the laptop software to connect to the ecu. I'm having issues with my fuel pump and possible faults need to be cleared but just can not connect to the ecu..any ideas as to what to try.? I have deleted it and re down loaded it but no go... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamw Posted December 16, 2017 Report Share Posted December 16, 2017 For an i series you should be using iVTS, not VTS. Can you confirm that you are using iVTS. Do you get any error messages or any clues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2017 9 hours ago, Adamw said: For an i series you should be using iVTS, not VTS. Can you confirm that you are using iVTS. Do you get any error messages or any clues? Sorry, yes ivts. (Changed the tittle) All it does is say "searching" in the top right hand corner when connected..it has worked in the past...not all that clued up with the electrical side of the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamw Posted December 17, 2017 Report Share Posted December 17, 2017 With ecu connected and ignition on, can you go to windows device manager and have a look if you have a Link or Vipec USB ECU showing under COM ports: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Yes, it's there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamw Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Do you have internet access near car so I can log in with teamviewer and have a poke around? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Yep, what do I do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamw Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Go to linkecu.com, get on the webchat thing and start a webchat with tech support. I will catch you there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 Thanks for your help Adam...So no go with the g4 pclink, something about drivers are not compatible?..Shot up the road to BMWorkshop to give them the symptoms of no fuel pump and water temp going to the red when ignition is on. He said it's controlled by the dme which is now the vipec which sounds like it is the Centre of the issues..I'm not even sure I can run a standard ecu for the next race meeting because the car is tuned for end, not that I have the standard ecu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamw Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 That along with you connection issue suggests the ECU is not powered up. Pin 120 is the main +14V supply, ground is on pin 114. Can you back probe these pins and check there is power there with key on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 18, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 I checked with one of those light probe things and looks like it doesn't have power some how. How did the laptop register the USB when I unplugged re plugged it it?. I will have to try and find where it gets power from...will do a bit of research and try and find what to check and where Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamw Posted December 18, 2017 Report Share Posted December 18, 2017 32 minutes ago, beemn said: How did the laptop register the USB when I unplugged re plugged it it? The PC can see the USB chip in the ECU but it cant communicate until it is powered up. To help with troubleshooting, this is a basic overview of how the power circuit works in that car, start at number 1 and report back which bit is missing: Whenever the ignition switch is on you should get a +12V "key on" signal on pin 118. Whenever pin 118 is live, the ECU sends a ground out of pin 97. This grounds the main DME relay coil. The DME relay then engages and connects the main +12V supply to pin 120, ecu then powers up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 19 hours ago, Adamw said: The PC can see the USB chip in the ECU but it cant communicate until it is powered up. To help with troubleshooting, this is a basic overview of how the power circuit works in that car, start at number 1 and report back which bit is missing: Whenever the ignition switch is on you should get a +12V "key on" signal on pin 118. Whenever pin 118 is live, the ECU sends a ground out of pin 97. This grounds the main DME relay coil. The DME relay then engages and connects the main +12V supply to pin 120, ecu then powers up. 1) it has power to 118 Not sure how to test 2 and 3..do I connect 118 with 97?.. No power when 97 and 118 are connected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 Next step will be to check for a ground at pin 97 when the key is on. If there is a ground at pin 97 but no 12V at pin 120 the issue is likely the main relay or wiring to from this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 Im looking as we speak to try and find out where the main relay is. There is one or two that are soldered on the back of the fuse box from what I can find 97 and ground works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamw Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 5 minutes ago, beemn said: 97 and ground works If you were testing between 97 & ground then that is wrong. To test the ground output out of pin 97 you would want to connect your test light/multimeter like so: One probe to pin 97, the other to battery +ve. The lamp should glow or the multimeter should show 12V when you turn ignition on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 Oh ok, then that's a failed test...no glow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamw Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 Ok, I'm sorry to say this suggests its likely some failed hardware on the bottom board then. Can you submit the service request form here: http://www.linkecu.com/contact/ecu-service-requests/ and get it back to us for inspection. For the fault description on the form you can just link to this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 oh that sucks a big fat one!, yep will do it now, when do you guys shut down and reopen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamw Posted December 19, 2017 Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 Closing up Friday afternoon 22nd Dec, Reopen on 3rd Jan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 19, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2017 thanks mate, will do the form now and send it tomorrow...appreciate your time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 20, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2017 Managed to get a spare original mini challenge DME from BMW NZ that they had laying about (pays to know some people) and plugged it in, fuel pump primed and temp gauge went back to normal..so I'm somewhat pleased it was a fault with the Vi-pec and I don't need to hunt for other issues. Ecu should arrive this morning to Link for testing Shedley 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted December 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2017 Plugged in the repaired ecu today, everything's back to normal with the ignition on....but not sure if it's normal because I can't quite remember, the EML light comes on while cranking..ok also the car no longer cranks for long, sounds like it comes to a jaming halt, so plug the laptop in to see if something needs to be cleared, still won't start or crank normally, pluggd in the mini challenge ecu, car starts fine (cant use it tho because e85 etc) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beemn Posted January 3, 2018 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2018 problem solved, thanks to Ross from tech support...magician/wizzard iliasfyntanidis 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iliasfyntanidis Posted January 5, 2018 Report Share Posted January 5, 2018 Thumbs Up for the best tech support! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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