I got the pcm blues
I got the pcm blues Ok i got my tune from madz28 and i hooked up all my cables and turned the car into the on position (not running) and tried to read the pcm from my computer and it says no responce from the pcm. so iwent and got my friends laptop and it still didnt work. But i am able to use DataMaster EE v351 and read the pcm while the car is running but only in short bursts before losting the pcm connection and during that time there are lots of error reports (like 7-10 in like 5 seconds) so that leads me to think my cables are ok. Ideas? 
Well, error messages are a bad sign. You shouldn't be getting any.
Do you have a Scanmaster hooked up to the data line? If so, it needs to be off.
If Datamaster is dropping packets like that, it sounds like something else is running on the laptop and interfering. Virus scanner, some sort of synchronization software, or something else?
What cable are you using (USB or RS232), and are you using a USB to RS232 converter?
Do you have a Scanmaster hooked up to the data line? If so, it needs to be off.
If Datamaster is dropping packets like that, it sounds like something else is running on the laptop and interfering. Virus scanner, some sort of synchronization software, or something else?
What cable are you using (USB or RS232), and are you using a USB to RS232 converter?
no just RS232 and im using my desktop pc with a 25' serial port extender to my car out in the yard but when i used my friends laptop i didnt use the extender i just used the cable. If i try to read the pcm when the car is on it will tell me the car is on so it is making some sort of connection. I also dont have scanmaster and its obd1 For my 94 z28
On The Tree
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Wow, I am having the same exact problem! I have a RS232 cable and I get the same exact message, my fans even turn on when I start the program... I wish I could figure out why the heck this is happening!
EDIT: I have the same year car and no scanmaster as well
Someone help US,
Bill
EDIT: I have the same year car and no scanmaster as well
Someone help US,
Bill
Well, I've run cables 25-30 feet or so before, so length probably isn't the issue - though I usually don't recommend running them that long.
Most laptops that I've had issues with - had infrared ports enabled (bad). Or they had something like Palm Hotsync software installed (or some other communications package). http://www.akmcables.com/serial.doc has some things you might try.
Have you tried running PCMread from Carputing?
http://carputing.tripod.com/pcmread.exe
It usually works fairly well at reading.
Without actually being there, this kind of thing is tough to diagnose. I'm certainly not going to rule out a cable issue, but 99.9% of the time, it's not a cable issue...
-Andrew
Most laptops that I've had issues with - had infrared ports enabled (bad). Or they had something like Palm Hotsync software installed (or some other communications package). http://www.akmcables.com/serial.doc has some things you might try.
Have you tried running PCMread from Carputing?
http://carputing.tripod.com/pcmread.exe
It usually works fairly well at reading.
Without actually being there, this kind of thing is tough to diagnose. I'm certainly not going to rule out a cable issue, but 99.9% of the time, it's not a cable issue...
-Andrew
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From: The beautiful Kingdom of Bahrain
Keep working on it. I know it's fustrating but youll get it. The one thing that would always own me was setting up the comm ports. Once F'ed that goat I was good.
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From: LT1 land...the "409" of the 90s!
I am going to guess bad grounds or othe bad connections. Andrew is right. I have tuned hundreds of cars with his stuff and every time I had issues it was due to bad grounds or other interferance 
I had the same problem with my car.Open Tunercat i think it was in Options change your com port to a different port and try that i was getting the same message i had to change it from com port 3 to com port 2
If that doesnt work re check your hyperlink connection on the laptop
If that doesnt work re check your hyperlink connection on the laptop
Originally Posted by Chris18927
I went to my local chevy dealer and had them check out my pcm and they said that it was working fine, so there went 65.00 down the drain
im telling you need to check the com port that Tunercat is trying to connect through
Hey guys,
I have tuned at least a dozen lt1 cars. I get that message (no response from PCM) EVERY TIME. I don't know what it is, must be something with my laptop or whatever.
But it always works eventually for me if I keep trying it. What I've found is that I have to try it at exactly a certain time after the security lights goes off (about 15-20 sec) and then it will work.
So it's not hopeless, again I get an error every time, but it has also worked for me every time if I just keep trying it.
If you get the error, turn the key to off, wait like a minute, turn it back to on, and then wait varying intervals after the security light goes off before trying again. This method has always worked for me. Sometimes I have to do that 4-5 times though.
I have tuned at least a dozen lt1 cars. I get that message (no response from PCM) EVERY TIME. I don't know what it is, must be something with my laptop or whatever.
But it always works eventually for me if I keep trying it. What I've found is that I have to try it at exactly a certain time after the security lights goes off (about 15-20 sec) and then it will work.
So it's not hopeless, again I get an error every time, but it has also worked for me every time if I just keep trying it.
If you get the error, turn the key to off, wait like a minute, turn it back to on, and then wait varying intervals after the security light goes off before trying again. This method has always worked for me. Sometimes I have to do that 4-5 times though.
Last edited by infinitebird; Aug 25, 2006 at 08:19 PM.
On The Tree
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Alright guys, thanks for the tips I will try it tommorow prob. I have tried different COM ports and only Port 1 seems to work. But I have no idea on the hyperlink setup on the computer, very confused, but like I said I will try and mess around with it waiting for the security light to turn off, I don't think I was letting it turn off normally...
Bill
Bill
Originally Posted by x Wild Bill x
Alright guys, thanks for the tips I will try it tommorow prob. I have tried different COM ports and only Port 1 seems to work. But I have no idea on the hyperlink setup on the computer, very confused, but like I said I will try and mess around with it waiting for the security light to turn off, I don't think I was letting it turn off normally...
Bill
Bill
For me COM3 was the one it installed to. It depends on the cable you have though.
