Dashboard looks like the blackpool lights

[Gareth Davies]

Ok this is a good one, and something that is obviously way way out of my league trying to solve. I'll try and write down everything I think is relevant, but it might be something coincidental.

 

Last Friday I had a Clifford 600 alarm fitted, they spent all day playing with it, but it seems to work (other than they put the siren in front of the induction kit, and you can't lock the car when the turbo timers on). Now on the Saturday we were playing around with Alex's car fitting his boost controller (after raising my car a massive 1 cm on the suspension). I lent my car to my brother, as he wanted to go and show his friends.

 

About 15 mins later I get a call saying there are a load of lights on the dashboard and what should he do. Not sounding like anything’s (engine wise) is broken he brought it back. Now the problem is that the O/D light is blinking and the little head up display thing (very cool little device that reflects the RPM / Speed off the windscreen) is not working. Also the 'malfunction' light is on and of course the red triangle. Also the slip cont off light was flashing. We left it for a bit then tried it and it seemed to be ok.

 

This problem then became intermittent after x minutes the O/D light would start blinking and the HUD would go out. Later the slip control off light flashes. It seems the malfunction and triangle come on if you go over 70ish mph when the O/D light is flashing. Strangely enough there was absolutely no problem with it when we were at Bentwaters (but it was intermittent on the way there).

 

It's now degenerated to that the HUD doesn't come on at all and after 10ish seconds the O/D light starts blinking (even gap, continuous).

 

I'd had absolutely no problems at all before the alarm was installed (but that could be coincidental). The car has all kinds of other devices in it and the wiring is unfortunately of the 'rats nest' variety, which no doubt will mean locating this problem will take ages.

 

I'm just hoping all of this adds up to someone, or maybe if they can direct me to even an area to begin looking! The car has a mines ecu and it seems it has the standard JIC f'ed up speed conversion (trac con always activates in snow mode).

 

Thanks in advance...

[Alex]

G,

 

Have you tried pulling the No.1 ecu fuse....it clears all logged faults....failing that you can pull both of them and that should totallyreset the ECU...but i'd do that from home incase it goes "do lally" about it.

 

Pull 1 or both for about 10 mins or longer. Then plug them back in, turn it on and idle it in the driveway for a bit. If all seems ok then take it out and re-test.

 

Hopefully the ECU detected a problem lit up random lights and now needs its memory removed as the event has disturbed it! Well it was your brother driving it so that's understandable

 

 

[Guest Martin F]

 

Sounds like a speed signal problem.

 

I'm sure the O\D Off light is used to highlight probs with auto transmission circuitry, which could be because it's not getting the speed signal at some point.

 

Any change in the car's performance when you are simulating Close Encounters ???

 

 

[matt]

My money is on the speedo conversion / delimiting ............ if it is anything like mine :sad:

[Gareth Davies]

Alex, yeah I tried the ECU thing (infact I tried it on the Sunday morning before bentwaters).

 

My money is with Speedo / RPM (as I think that's why the HUD kicks the bucket). It all just smells that way. The confusing element is why has it started happening (again smart money goes on the alarm / install), and why it was effectively intermittent. The fuel con still has the information though (as it's staged to the RPM).

 

I fear it's going to be a real f**ker to find, if it's a case of the installer knocking X, or causing a fault in the system I’d be surprised if it wouldn't take more than a few days to track it down.

 

I don't think it's directly related to the Speedo conversion as it was all perfectly fine before the alarm install. What really annoys me is the butchers did the converting their usual way and f'd it up while the ecu was fine the way it was (i'm 99% sure the Mines unit eliminates fuel cut and the speed restrictions).

 

Oh well i've got a dyno run at 8:00am tommorrow (which no doubt will be a waste of time with these problems), and it's back at the alarm installers at 9:00. Fingers crossed it's something simple and they'll sort it out.

[Rolec]

Gareth

 

Who did your alarm ?? - was someone in MK ?

 

I let PCS do mine, thought not as clever as your car. they did a Concept 600 faultlessly.

 

I'm going back week after next for another concept or similar on the Lexus GS300 Sport, which amazingly after weeks of searching came from Emerson Valley !!

 

 

 

Dean..

 

[Gareth Davies]

Dean, got it sorted at NICE in norwich. Well they sorted out the turbo timer, relocated the siren and found my mysterious  problem... which was...

 

The stupid head up display unit. Apparently the control box for said device was hidden behind the dashboard and had been switched off accidently. Since it was wirely serially into the speed / rpm signal it was thus preventing it reaching all the other devices. Doh.

 

Oh well i'm so relieved they fixed it, I thought that one might have been a real nasty one.

 

Dyno was ok this morning, 403 RWD BHP (well the first run said 557, but we'll not count that) at 1.2 bar exactly. Not bad for a auto. I could only do the run in 3rd (as you can't lock 4th), so maybe thats a bit down, but hell i'm not complaining

 

So all in all a good day, minced a impreza on the way home too (Alex - Chris's). I now have than inane supra induced grin back :biggrin:

 

Thanks for the help guys, greatly appreciated.

[Alex]

Good to hear its fixed ... great to hear you've been annihilating Chris!