Hondata

Hello Hondata,

i posted this over in my swap thread in CRSX, but Im not getting much response over there, so Im posting it here to get some answers from the creators :D ...

i just about completed my head swap and got my car on the other day. havent taken it out, just wanted to crank it and make sure all is well, and no leaks or weird noises are coming out.

I grabbed my laptop and connected it to upload a new basemap to work on since i really cant use what i had before. i uploaded a map and when startup the car and go to activate the datalog/record to get live readings, my laptop loses connectivity!

when i first had this problem (stock a3 w/turbo), i ended up putting a large FERRITE BEAD on the end near the usb connector and the problem was solved. i have always ran NGK #2668's, grounded the injector-ground wire on the valve cover, RC high imp. injectors and used the ferrite bead to filter noise.

well, for some reason after my head swap (a2 head, im, tb on a3 block), either im producing more current or RF interference or noise, cuz now my cable will NOT work when the car is on, but WILL work with the car off. i have searched everywhere and done everything that the threads say to do, even tried adding a ferrite bead at the end of the usb connecting on the kpro. my version of kpro already came with the tape inside it to block the usb port from grounding, but just to be sure, i added a piece of electrical tape. also changed to new usb cable with new ferrite beads and still nothing...

I updated my software from 1.2.1.8 (which ran fine prior to the swap) to the new 1.2.2.1 and it hasnt corrected the problem either. now i cant find my older version, so im S.O.L jejeje...

im out of ideas, and right now my car is idling super rich, and i cant modify the kal. cuz i dont know what the hell the car is reading. i pulled my plugs after starting the car for the first time and noticed they are quite fouled. im afraid to put new ones cuz ngk 2668's arent cheap!

I use a Dell Optiplex notebook, this has always been my laptop to upload and log, so i highly doubt this is it. i will be trying a friends laptop to see if maybe my Dell became "incompatible"?

thanks for the help,
tony

If you have 'plug wires' or aftermarket coils etc, remove and replace with stock.

If you have non-resistor spark plugs, remove and replace with stock. NGK #2668 is ok, but try with stock plugs to eliminate these.

If the battery has been relocated, then un-relocate it. This often causes low battery voltage when cranking too.

Check the timing cover ground, intake manifold ground and transmission grounds are all making good contact. The preferred location for the intake manifold ground is on a valve cover bolt or end of the cylinder head near the ECT sensor. Check the timing cover ground is not looped from the engine mount back to itself. Check the transmission ground is making good contact with the subframe and also the transmission bracket is making good contact with the transmission.

With the engine off, but ignition on, check with a voltmeter the voltage between the negative battery terminal and the various engine grounds. Check again with the engine running. There should not be more than 0.01V (10mV) between the battery negative and any ground point.

Check again with the multimeter in current mode. There should not be more than 4 mA current flow from the battery negative to any ground point with the engine either running or not running. A stock vehicle is usually less than 1 mA.

Note the above tests must be done to the battery terminal - any other ground will not work.

Now look at anything else you have changed from stock.

thanks for the quick response!

engine is stock, no aftermarket wires, or coils, since im not shooting to push my engine more than it can handle. battery is in stock location.

by timing cover ground, you mean the one the bolts to the motormount on the passenger side?

i'll try stock sparkplugs, and check the ground-test method mentioned above...

-tony

also forgot to mention, i threw on an hondata IMG while i was hooking everything up, would that be causing an engine grounding issue since the gasket is plastic?

-t

Did you relocate the manifold ground to the valve cover as the instructions say?

Spunkster wrote:Did you relocate the manifold ground to the valve cover as the instructions say?

yes sir...i mentioned that way on top ^^^

i was just wondering,

my cars battery is pretty weak. after a few cranks and messing with k-manager in my garage, i noticed i have had to use my booster to get it to crank over. like i have mentioned, i have been able to upload kals when my car is off, but not datalog when its on. when i click on datalog, i see the ECT and IAT sensors read 32.0 and then the k-manager loses connectivity, nothing else reads. my car has been sitting in my garage for about a month, with nothing else than just a few starts in the last few days.

so from what i been able to put together, could my battery/alternator be too weak to allow the kpro to pull enough voltage to datalog and process commands at the same time? once i fiddle with k-manager a few times, sometimes my cars battery is too weak to crank causing me to use my booster...so im thinking i'll have to take my car out around the block to get some charge into it.

just a thought...

tony

It's time for a new battery. Once a battry has been discharged like this one has, they never hold a charge properly again.

just letting you guys know,

i was able to fix the problem yesterday...the issue was that apparently with the upgrade of the k-manager software from an older version to the new one (via check for updates in k-manager) it upgraded the program, but some files seemed to have gotten corrupt.

after trying everything that i and everyone else could offer, i decided to just delete the whole kmanager folder off my pc, and freshly install k-manager again.

with my car off, i tried loggin to see if i could pull some error codes and i all of a sudden noticed my sensors were reading, i could push the gas pedal and see my tps% change. so i decided to crank the car, and voila! its loggin again! i couldnt believe it was something that simple...

thanks for the quick input and keep this for future reference if anyone else has a similar issue...

-tony