Need help with TunerPro and Moates emulator

[Guest]

I have the Moates APU1 emulator with TunerProRT and I have not been successful getting it to connect through the ALDL connection to view sensor readings to make sure the car is wired properly (3900 in a Fiero). The help section doesn't help much with atypical setups, I'm using the 730 ecm with 8F bin file but have no idea of what XDF file or ADS file to use with this comboination in order to interface properly. I'm trying to connect so that I can test the wiring for my 3900 swap.

The instructions mention the switches on the back of the emulator and a 10 ohm and open setting depending on your ecm but does not state which ecm's require the 10 ohm setting when datalogging.

[3400beretta]

Put the vertical switch in the middle position. For aldl datalogging, it doesn't matter what position the horizontal switch is in. (im assuming you have the usb Autoprom). Now are you able to connect with the Autoprom ok? In other words, are you just having a problem getting the Autoprom to connect with the car? I have found the autoprom is very finicky, and repeating the same thing over and over, it may work one time, and not another. If you need an .ads file, I can give you a quick lesson on how to make one.

[Joseph Upson]

Put the vertical switch in the middle position. For aldl datalogging, it doesn't matter what position the horizontal switch is in. (im assuming you have the usb Autoprom). Now are you able to connect with the Autoprom ok? In other words, are you just having a problem getting the Autoprom to connect with the car? I have found the autoprom is very finicky, and repeating the same thing over and over, it may work one time, and not another. If you need an .ads file, I can give you a quick lesson on how to make one.

I have the USB version and there is no vertical switch, both are horizontal. Someone mentioned that the checksum needed to be disabled and after checking in Tunerpro I found it had not been so I have disabled it.

I will not be home for about a month to see if it will work now but I did bring a computer and wiring harness with me so that I can do a mock setup and attempt to connect with the ecm again. I really need to be able to look at the sensor values the ecm is seeing to confirm that all are connected properly.

[3400beretta]

The checksum has nothing to do with datalogging, that is to do with emulating. You didn't answer my question.. Are you having a problem connecting your laptop with the autoprom, or is the laptop finding the autoprom ok, but you cannot connect the autoprom with the car ecm?
About the switches, there should be a two position, and a 3 position switch. Make sure the 3 position switch is in the "open" position, not shorted, and not 10k. It SHOULD be the middle position.

[Joseph Upson]

The checksum has nothing to do with datalogging, that is to do with emulating. You didn't answer my question.. Are you having a problem connecting your laptop with the autoprom, or is the laptop finding the autoprom ok, but you cannot connect the autoprom with the car ecm?
About the switches, there should be a two position, and a 3 position switch. Make sure the 3 position switch is in the "open" position, not shorted, and not 10k. It SHOULD be the middle position.

It's not connecting to the ecm through the ALDL cable and it does not, I repeat does NOT have a 3 position switch. Both switches are either left or right referenced and this is in uniform with the one page instruction sheet that came with it. Perhaps you are referring to the Ostrich emulator. The laptop recognizes the hardware.

[3400beretta]

No, I'm refering to the Autoprom. You must have a newer version, as far as I knew, they were all the same. I just sent mine in for an upgrade, and it came back physically the same. Anyways, what are you using as a definition (.ads) file then? Have you actually tried this in the car, or just with your mock set-up? Theres not really any secret to getting this to work. 90% of the problems are between the laptop and autoprom. If you've got them communicating, then its just a matter of having the correct aldl definition file.

[Joseph Upson]

No, I'm refering to the Autoprom. You must have a newer version, as far as I knew, they were all the same. I just sent mine in for an upgrade, and it came back physically the same. Anyways, what are you using as a definition (.ads) file then? Have you actually tried this in the car, or just with your mock set-up? Theres not really any secret to getting this to work. 90% of the problems are between the laptop and autoprom. If you've got them communicating, then its just a matter of having the correct aldl definition file.

Corrected 8F XDF
89-90 3.1 Turbo ads
8F bin.

Tried in the car using the ribbon and promm adaptor along with the ALDL cable from Moates.

And another attempt with an actual promm in the ecm 91 lumina, A1 XDF and A1 bin.

Switched to MAX 232 and tried all com ports and was still unsuccessful connecting.

I was able to datalog using WinALDL with the stock ecm for the Fiero and the Autoprom which was recognized through com port 5 but WinALDL does not support the 8F platform the car was rewired for.

Appreciate the effort in trying help sort this out. The serial terminal had to be moved from "E" to "M" to match the TGP ALDL plug at the wiring harness so that shouldn't be the problem. I do believe I have the newer version which came with everything except Promm adaptor for the ecm.

[3400beretta]

Well, if you can, I would try it in a different car. That way you can rule out any wiring changes you made while switching to the 8F turbo code.

[IsaacHayes]

On your cable, does it have a plug or 2 wires that you put in the right spots? If its just a cable, do you have your pins on your car side connector in the right spots? Is it a connection problem or a communication problem?

[Superdave]

I've seen '7730's that just will not put out a data stream.. Redbird's is that way, when we did his dyno tuning i had to pull the computer out of my car so we could get his tuned.

[Joseph Upson]

What I found today.

Using the Moates APU 1 emulator I could datalog using the Beretta code but not with the TGP 8F code, in TunerproRT.

I installed Datamaster TTS and successfully connected to the ecm for the first time over many, many attempts, after going through their instructions for making sure the USB port was setup properly. I had to activate COM5 using that process. I also updated the driver to the emulator however I don't believe it was a problem.

During the datalog session I moved the ALDL plug which since it attaches to the middle console that has been removed was loose. When I moved it I lost connection to the ecm intermittently. That's when I discovered there was a poor connection at the plug. After bending the tabs a little I was finally able to connect and datalog using TunerproRT with the 8F code which prior to that point never worked on any attempt. Funny how it never seemed to be a problem with the Beretta code. So one of the four terminals in the plug is crucial for the 8F code but not the Beretta A1 code it seems.

I'm still having an awful time getting a desent enough tune for a test drive and between Tunerpro and Tunercat one of the programs appears to be scrambling the data when burning the chip because of some far out numbers I saw in one of the tables that was way over the typical value that should have been present.

I'll make another attempt tomorrow before heading back to Atlanta. I need to lower the fuel pressure and connect a vacuum line to the fuel pressure regulator to try and clear up the throttle tip in problem causing a severe stumble.

Now i'm finally able to datalog to help work out the 3900 tune but again I'm out of time.

[IsaacHayes]

Well at least you have solved the problem. Progress is progress even if it is very little. Hopefully you'll have a log to post even if a rough one.

[Joseph Upson]

Well at least you have solved the problem. Progress is progress even if it is very little. Hopefully you'll have a log to post even if a rough one.

I just finished looking over the log and discovered a problem, the MAP Load Variable is constant at all times suggesting there is a problem with the MAP sensor or the plug which I know is brittle. That would explain why the same tune performs differently from day to day. Can anyone confirm that? I reviewed a datalog from a recording session with the A1 code I recorded a few months ago and the MAP Load variable is all over the place confirming there is apparently no MAP input on the recordings I did today.

[Joseph Upson]

While trying to find out if anyone has successfully datalogged and emulated simultaneously with 8F code and the Moates Autoprom, I came across this old thread here and on Moates.net and didn't realize I had not updated them.

The MAP sensor was bad and that's why it showed a constant kPa value.