ASTiMAN

After month and months of waiting, my 2.33 litre conversion is finally built & fitted, however the Link ECU does not seem to want to run the ignition at all. The engine will run on the factory ECU, but nothing because of the ignition with the Link. Car is a 99 Type R V5. Has anyone got any ideas or is the ECU knackered?

Kind regards
Andrew

ASTiMAN

Anyone??

Andy McCord

were did u get it from?

ASTiMAN

Bought it second hand from Jan in Sweden on Scoobynet. Have tried another identical link ecu which we know works, but still the same problem. We have tried different combinations on the 1 2 3 4 switches for immobiliser, but still nothing with either ECU. Everything else is working and it gives the initial spark when the ignition is switched on but then it will not run any type of ignition sequence.

Really puzzled and pi$$ed off!!

ASTiMAN

Help!!

Dark Blue Mark

You're puzzled?!

Er, the Link ECU really needs professional mapping, for a specific engine. You can't just stick another engine in and hope the ignition timing will be the same as the previous map. The stoke rate will be different too, etc... i hope you know this already.

I wouldnt just flick the switches in hope, they are set like they are for a reason.

Speak to Bob Rawle of BR Developments.

MB

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

You can however, stick the link in to crank the engine over for the 1st time, and then map it from there.

Simple starting point - On the Link ecu itself, what dows it say on the chip, should say something like WRX99V5R or similar. in other words, do you have the correct ecu? i guess so if it plugs in.

Which combination of dip switches have you tried?

IIRC there are 2 options

1 On
2 Off
3 Off
4 On

or

1 Off
2 On
3 On
4 Off

What spec was the car before? As i completely changed my engine, and the link with the old map on fired up the new engine.

Other than that, suggest you speak to Bob at BR Developments or Pat who is freelance.

Steven

Dark Blue Mark

I wouldn't be messing with it personally, get someone who knows what they're doing to map it.

MB

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

per manual

Some WRX’s are fitted with an immobiliser system. On installation of a PossumLink into these
vehicles it is necessary to set the small blue switch on the PossumLink board accordingly.If the
car has a immobiliser system then the inner switches (#2 & #3) are switched on. The Outer two
switches #1 & #4 off. If the car does not have an immobiliser system then the two outside
switches #1 & #4 should be on (#2 & #3 off).

Dark Blue Mark

It sounds like this ECU has been fitted for a while, so the switches wouldnt have moved before / after the transplant. The immob system would have been on the car regardless of the engine swap, and the Link was working before. Or is that not the case?

Sounds like a mapping issue to me.

MB

ASTiMAN

We have tried the switches on both ECU's in the different combinations, but there is no difference at all.

I just want to get the car started with the link in it, then we can put a "safe" map in it to run the car in before doing the proper mapping.

Dark Blue Mark

Speak to Bob ASTi, he'll advise you.

Sound like some monster power is on the way...

MB

nom

AFAIK, those switches don't have anything to do with the immobiliser, Link just says that they do .
Anyway, as you say, if you've tried all of those & it doesn't like it, that's probably not the problem!
Definitely ignition? Fuel running ok? (priming of pump & injectors - the Link is quite fussy there, I think?).
But, yup, Bob & Pat - Pat has certainly mucked about with a lot of non-standard engines, etc., & presumably Bob has too, so they may well know the answer off the top of their heads

ASTiMAN

Left a message with Bob to call me and I believe Pat is up north somewhere. Testing crank and cam sensors now.

Power will be limited by the turbo at around 420bhp (or the ECU at around 0bhp!) but I wanted someting relatively small that would give quick spool up.

bruce

iTrader: (5)

there's a note on fitting a Link from a WRX to a UK car here, http://bbs.22b.com/cgi-bin/ultimateb...c;f=7;t=000257. Maybe its the other way round as your fitting a link from a euro spec car to and import?.

AndrewC

Don't Euro spec and STi cars have the cam and crank signals reversed? Do the dip switches affect this?

Have you checked that the map has sensible values in? Have you reloaded the default map?

Andrew...

ASTiMAN

Bruce - you could well have saved the day - I'll let you know!

Kind regards
Andrew

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

er, not being funny, but whats the difference between what i posted and the link to what bruce has posted.

The dip switches purely switch the crank and cam signals.

ASTiMAN

Ah - didn't realise that was the function of the dip switches - I thought they were whether or not the car had a factory immobiliser, but have tried both settings on the switches.

AndrewC

Steven, you're right, I wish people would read what others have posted before replying themselves.

Ooops...

Mr J

Really sorry for you Andrew

I had no problem with it...but I think I did change something vs. when Chris Archer had it on his P1.. but hard to tell since it is sometime ago.

If I remember correct it did just like it doing for you now...
I change the switch's and then it did work

from MRT page this is what my case was when first installing it.

"General tip, or CAR will not fire or start on initial installation of new ecu
DIP switches on ecu board for OE immobiliser
If the switch is set incorrect immediately when Ignition is turned on the car will backfire out the exhaust
(even before the engine is cranked) Then there will be no spark at all for cranking If in doubt switch the switches the opposite way to test if your car does not start as in above NO HARM can be done with either setting"


Hope you can get Pat or Bob to tell you what's wrong.

btw could you put your standard ecu in and get it to start ..??
this is just me thinking...that if the car have been without power the immobilizer may have lost it's identity etc so you would need a select monitor to activate it...

I know when I had a replacement stock ecu I had to program my car-keys to get them to work

Best of Luck

Jan

ASTiMAN

Thanks Jan

The problem has to be something with my car as we have tried another identical Link ECU out of a MY00 Type RA that we know works in that, but it won't work in mine.

17 months of waiting then you get this problem!!!!

P20SPD

iTrader: (1)

when you fired it up with the OEM ecu, did it run ok'ish?

can you plug the oem ecu in, and just check for any fault codes, eg cam and crank sensors, map sensor, idle control valve etc

ASTiMAN

It ran really rough on the OEM ecu probably mainly due to the WRC spec cams and 4.6kg alloy flywheel. The throttle had to be held open to allow it to tick over. I believe the map sensor and idle control valve are ok, but will check again with Steve.

ASTiMAN

Given up now - Pat will sort it out when he is next free.
Called BR Developments and spoke to someone (not Bob) who I can quite honestly say was the most obnoxious, unhelpful person I have ever had the pleasure of speaking to. Accused me of bypassing them, the UK Link dealer etc, etc probably knew what the problem was but wouldn't tell me over the phone, company policy because they didn't supply the ecu to me and all that! Let's bear in mind they probably supplied the ecu to the Chris Archer before Jan in Sweden in the first place! Wasn't even interested in having a look at it for payment - people come to him - he doesn't go to people - and I can understand there is a waiting list, but the car is in Surrey where they are so I'm not asking too much surely am I? Apart from that how am I supposed to get the car to him in the first place! So I politely thanked him for his "help".
Anyway, suffice to say I will never bother with that company again.
I can quite honestly say that I have dealt with a lot of companies and people on Scoobynet over the last 17 months sourcing thousands of pound worth of parts and every single one of them have been brilliant - I would like to recommend Mark at Lateral Performance and Jamie at JW Racing - top service from these guys and competitive prices. And a big thank you to Steve (SMG) who has the patience of a saint and will no doubt be glad to see the back of my car (no pun intended!)
Everyone has been so helpful and thanks for all the help on this post.
So you can see why I was a little surprised, to say the least, by BR Developments attitude/company policy. Shouldn't a UK dealer support and be able to offer advice on the product they sell not take a defensive attitude because they have a monopoly?

DocJock

Actually Bob is in Swindon, not Surrey.

He does the BRD stuff in his spare time and is booked solid months ahead, so no, he probably won't want to drive up to London to sort a problem on an ECU he didn't supply to you.

If he went off all over the country (assuming he'd want to, I wouldn't)
A. he wouldn't have all his gear available
B. he'd only be able to do 1/3 of the number of jobs so his prices would have to go up accordlingly.

I understand your frustration, but there are people waiting to see Bob for months now (I drove around off boost for 2 months) and they would not be too happy to be bumped so you could be fitted in.

AndrewC

Bob may be in Swindon but Branko is in Kingston.

The Link ECU can do the (muffled) backfire thing even if the ECU is setup correctly, scared me sh1tless the first time mine did it.

I hope Pat sorts you out, you're not the only person who has had one of those conversations with Branko, he's OK really, just misunderstood, it shouldn't let you be put of BRD.

Andrew...