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FiTech Handheld Dead

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Old Jan 31, 2023 | 08:52 AM
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Default FiTech Handheld Dead

This is a shot in the dark, but does anyone here have an older FiTech 70051 with the gen 2 handheld? I have this kit in my tow rig running an LQ9 and the stupid handheld just shutoff and wont power back up. I'm still in the process of moving to a new house and need this truck to move my stuff. (i use the handheld for speedo and temps) I've tried the whole on/off, plug/unplug, clean the ports nonsense. No dice. I emailed FiTech support about it and they won't reply to me. This isn't the first time this junk has let me down either, but I don't have the cash to buy a terminator right now. The newer kits have a completely different handheld that uses different cables, so I feel pretty screwed unless I can get this one to work again. I took the PCB out of the casing and the board has a white haze around the power connection. I was hoping maybe just a loose solder connection but it seems secure. I don't want to accidentally make it worse messing with the resistors if none of them are cooked. I don't have a thermal camera to look for hotspots, but I'm trying to find one locally. Any ideas?

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Old Feb 2, 2023 | 10:18 AM
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It burnt a capacitor and shorted the chip. Just buy Holley stuff ladies and gentlemen.
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Old Feb 2, 2023 | 11:36 AM
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Kinda crappy to see the FiTech stuff turning out to be unreliable. I'd have never used their stuff anyway, but it seemed like a decent cheap option for people running engines that were close to stock. This isn't the first time I've heard of problems with their systems.
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Old Feb 2, 2023 | 01:18 PM
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Originally Posted by Dansic
It burnt a capacitor and shorted the chip. Just buy Holley stuff ladies and gentlemen.
If you are expecting holley stuff to be more reliable than fitech you will be sorely disappointed. I wouldn't call either one of those options more reliable than the other...
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Old Feb 2, 2023 | 02:39 PM
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Originally Posted by NicD
If you are expecting Holley stuff to be more reliable than Fitech you will be sorely disappointed. I wouldn't call either one of those options more reliable than the other...
Too put my experience in context, I have been running this Fitech kit in this truck for over 5 years now. It has been a nightmare every step of the way. From initial tuning to keeping it going, sensors dying, tunes being erased, dead batteries and now a dead handheld... Horrible experience. About the only thing I could recommend it for is a break-in stand. Now for Holley, I have been using a terminator system for about 2 years on a gen 4 engine. Not. A. Single. Hiccup. I installed it with the same attention detail and to the instructions request just as the Fitech. It has been easier to tune, been more reliable and given me less anxiety than the Fitech ever has. My personal experience with Holley self tuning LS stand alone systems has been phenomenal. I'm not sure whats happened to your systems, but my terminators has been great.
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Old Feb 2, 2023 | 03:45 PM
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Originally Posted by Dansic
Too put my experience in context, I have been running this Fitech kit in this truck for over 5 years now. It has been a nightmare every step of the way. From initial tuning to keeping it going, sensors dying, tunes being erased, dead batteries and now a dead handheld... Horrible experience. About the only thing I could recommend it for is a break-in stand. Now for Holley, I have been using a terminator system for about 2 years on a gen 4 engine. Not. A. Single. Hiccup. I installed it with the same attention detail and to the instructions request just as the Fitech. It has been easier to tune, been more reliable and given me less anxiety than the Fitech ever has. My personal experience with Holley self tuning LS stand alone systems has been phenomenal. I'm not sure whats happened to your systems, but my terminators has been great.
Glad yours has been solid, I've seen way too many that haven't been. This isn't just my experience with a single holley box, this is more of them than I can count over the years on customer vehicles. But I would take a holley over a fitech any day of the week.
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Old Feb 2, 2023 | 07:46 PM
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I am beyond pissed. My new handheld came in earlier today and it's also broken. The touch screen doesn't work at all and the display has glitches in it. I'm done with this company.

It does this every time.

The blank white strip is displaying on the right side. The touch screen feature doesn't work at all.
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Old Feb 2, 2023 | 08:59 PM
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Originally Posted by NicD
If you are expecting holley stuff to be more reliable than fitech you will be sorely disappointed. I wouldn't call either one of those options more reliable than the other...
I've run multiple Holley systems thru the years and I've never had a single issue with any of them. I'd definitely say they are reliable. Usually when they aren't it's an operator issue
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Old Feb 3, 2023 | 09:08 AM
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Originally Posted by 91 Z28
I've run multiple Holley systems thru the years and I've never had a single issue with any of them. I'd definitely say they are reliable. Usually when they aren't it's an operator issue
When you do this every day like I do you get to see the good and the bad. Just wait till you crank it over with low voltage and the Holley magically loses it's tune and you have to reload it or you are dead in the water. That's the type of stupid **** that just should NEVER happen with an ECM, but it does.
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Old Feb 4, 2023 | 09:05 AM
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One go-around with the Fitech ****.
No start issues, handheld no link, customer service nonexistent.
And the model he had to work with did not allow for laptop link. Only the FI unit has that. Anyway, that's what we were told.
Fortunately, the customer took the car home, disassembled it completely. Never put it back together.
The upside to that is, he doesn't have to screw around with the injection system.
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Old Feb 4, 2023 | 12:34 PM
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I have no idea how FiTech is still in business.
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Old Feb 4, 2023 | 01:35 PM
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Originally Posted by LilJayV10
I have no idea how FiTech is still in business.
"There's a sucker born every minute"......
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Old Feb 7, 2023 | 06:58 AM
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I've had a FiTech TBI unit since 2016 and it has been working fine after getting things dialed in.
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Old Feb 7, 2023 | 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by 91 Z28
Usually when they aren't it's an operator issue
its not real fun when you spend weeks troubleshooting some stupid issue and going over everything with a fine toothed comb and 'you installed it wrong' is all support can tell you, if you even get ahold of them.
i ditched that **** when holley couldnt keep them in stock, win-win.
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Old Feb 7, 2023 | 08:27 PM
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Looking into Haltech stuff. The learning curve and cost seem ok for me, so I might try them.
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Old Feb 7, 2023 | 11:51 PM
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I've helped several folks local to me with blown/problem Holley setups, they have all been install errors, most common,, caused by NOT reading the entire manual for all their parts.
especially tapping in to existing wiring to power it.
ISOLATE THE THING as much as possible and don't power ANYTHING directly with it besides the injectors and the transmission connectors,
You have to make sure the manual your working from , if it replicates stuff in other books is the newest manual,
I found at least 4 wiring connections that changed between the manuals that came with the equipment on the one I installed in my Jeep swap.
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