Mayor West's 09 SS/TC Ext. Track Turbo #191 [South Carolina] [Registered] [Sold]

Mayor West

Goblin Guru
So the rpd issue is sorta fixed? It appears to work sometimes and then turn the screen black if on Auto.

My obd port is still angry. Nothings able to read off it, hptuners, tech2, or my normal obd2 scanner.

I've checked a few fuses but nothing has come up yet.

Adam got back to me and said I have a newer-style shift cable mount, but they didn't check with a stock transmission mount because most folks buy their solid mount, so we're working on a bracket swap to remedy the lining up.

Thanks Adam!
 
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Mayor West

Goblin Guru
Okay so great news, the OBD issue is tied to the fact that I didn't have my power steering box plugged in. Since I'm going manual steering, I removed the power steering box, but there are high speed data wires in there directly connected to the OBD2 plug, so I need to rewire that to go manual.

Now after going through my newly found OBD2 access with my tech2, I'm coming to conclusion that my ECM, fuse box, or relays may be damaged. Hoping for the fuses/relays.

Background Info: When I got my donor, the clutch position sensor was throwing P0808 (voltage too high) as well as my fuel level sender giving P0463 (voltage too high). Both codes were there when I got the car, and both codes will not go away with my Tech2 DTC removal.

Both of these sensors share the same TAN wire... leads me to believe there's mischief afoot between their shared high voltage codes.

I've replaced my clutch position sensor with a brand new one, tried to clear the DTC so that I could do a clutch relearn, but it continues to show up immediately. Apparently, when you have a clutch DTC, Tech2 won't do the relearn until it's cleared.

There's something going on with that tan wire. I wonder if this is something up with the ECM since it was going on before I rewired the harness.
One of the screenshots has the tan wire going to a spot called "Low Ref".
 

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ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
The Low Ref is basically signal ground. This may not be the exact same as frame ground but a ground or "low" for the signal. As I was reading though this, I was thinking that you may not have the ground side of the pot for the clutch if you are measuring the source voltage (4.9v) all the time. It needs the "low" side to be able to go low, if that makes sense.
 

Mayor West

Goblin Guru
Good point! If Low Ref is a problem it would indeed cause issues for both sensors since both have the exact same high voltage DTC thrown and the tan wire is shared between Low Ref, Clutch, and Fuel Level.

SO... if the Low Ref is not getting a good feed, I think my current to-do list is:
  1. Connection at the Low Ref endpoint
    1. Did I cut it? Maybe but it was broken before I disassembled my car...
    2. Is there a fuse there? I checked all fuses and all appear to be OK, not sure if this would even have one though.
  2. Continuity/Resistance reading from the Low Ref endpoint to the sensors
    1. What would a normal ohm reading be for a few feed of wire?
    2. It has continuity because it's reading, but that Low Ref COULD be damaged/cut/etc
  3. Multiplug damaged
  4. ECM itself
Question: I know the BCM is tied to the VIN/security, but is the ECM? Like, if I replaced the ECM with a correct model year ecm from the interwebs, would I need to do anything else aside from relearning clutch/crank sensors?

Electrical is my least knowledgeable automotive area, but I'm really (painfully) enjoying this process of debugging it. Thank you for your help @ctuinstra!
 
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ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
You do a great job of providing information and doing a lot of work on your own! It makes it a pleasure to help you out.

First, I really don’t think that you have a bad ECM or anything. It’s most likely a wiring issue. Let’s keep it simple. I can’t see the diagrams hardly at all on my phone while at work so I can’t reference them, but ohm out between the clutch sensor LOW REF side and to the source of the LOW REF at the ECM/BCM it where ever it goes. You should read ideally 0 ohms but could measure 1-3 ohms. If you don’t get that, you need to figure that out before going any farther.

There are no fuses on the “grounds” or low sides.
 

Mayor West

Goblin Guru
The wire didn't appear to be well secured so I may need to find a way to make it stay. I'd hate to be stuck on the road and have it pop out.
 
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PaulPerger

Well-Known Member
I have read your Build Log from beginning to end today, and will continue to follow. Love your attention to detail... I am in the donor search stage myself.

What does RPD stand for? I did a google search, but found nothing car related...
 

Mayor West

Goblin Guru
Yes, Ross. SS/TCs had them. Some came as an option, later years came with them by default. It’s a neat gimmick but IMO it’s not worth the hassle. I’d rather have the analog gauge.

Thanks for the follow Paul, I look for ward to seeing what you find and build. This is definitely a fun project.

Okay so for tonight’s update, I fixed the pin on the wire previously discussed. Added trans oil (1.7qts of the GM stuff) fitting my intercooler back on, ran all my IC piping, hot wired my power steering to manual conversion data wires, wired and installed my Wideband, and turned the car over enough to prime oil pressure with fuel cut off. I don’t even have fuel in the tank but I don’t like running the pump dry.

QQ...when you turn your ignition key to crank, and let go, goes it keep cranking forever until you turn it off? Lol... asking for a friend.
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
When I turn the key to crank, it cranks until the engine starts. Turning the key off doesn't stop this.
I don't know if you can turn it off, until it starts. If I disconnect the spark plugs, would it crank until the battery is dead? It must have a timer to prevent the starter from melting down, but I have never tested this.
 

ctuinstra

Goblin Guru
Most will only crank for a given amount of time. I'm pretty sure I experienced that when I had the headlight harness plugged into the harness for the ignition coils.
 

Mayor West

Goblin Guru
Okay so that's intended functionality and not something I messed up, good to know. Thanks guys!

I wrote up a lil to-do list that I'll try to update as I go along, let me know if you can think of anything else that needs to be added.

Looking at this list it's sort of large, but reading it makes it sorta less daunting because everything's toward the end, final steps... really getting close.
 
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OptimizePrime

Goblin Guru
With the manual steering, if you're taking away the stalk you'll have to rewire the turns. You also didn't mention head/tail light wiring

For the fuel level, you did the fuel pump re-orientation?

For the MPH, it's probably because you pulled off the stick to tape over the CEL's ..... just pull it off with the car on and reset to 0. Your RPM's will be off as well.

I got you on the alignment.
 

Mayor West

Goblin Guru
With the manual steering, if you're taking away the stalk you'll have to rewire the turns. You also didn't mention head/tail light wiring

For the fuel level, you did the fuel pump re-orientation?

For the MPH, it's probably because you pulled off the stick to tape over the CEL's ..... just pull it off with the car on and reset to 0. Your RPM's will be off as well.

I got you on the alignment.
Yeah, I need to add in wiring of the lights and signals.

I told you I’m gonna model up a stalk bracket for us so I got you on that front.

Fuel pump is turned but I did not bend the fuel level wire.

Regarding the mph, I didn’t pull the whole black cover off or pull the needles off but I see what you’re saying. I’ll pull that cover back off and see if I can fix it back to 0
 

Rttoys

Goblin Guru
yes it has “auto start”. It will stop after a timed limit.

Fuel tank
I used a rollover vent valve on mine, so it vents, but in the event of a rollover, it will close, so you don’t spill fuel.

speedo
pull cluster, disassemble, and move needle?
 

Mayor West

Goblin Guru
Tonight's update:

  • Painted the new solid engine mounts, sand blasted the fuel neck, painted it too, and installed it.
  • Put about 4.5g of gas in.
  • Filled the radiator up with distilled water.
  • Installed front brake lines
  • Attempted first start
I tried to crank it up but it doesn't appear to wanna fire. I pulled my plugs and they we're clean but gapped fairly high, i set them to .032 and tried again. No dice. I have no unusual DTCs and as far as I know everything is hooked up. I wiffed a sorta strong smell of gas after the first attempts so I figure I'm not getting fire to the plugs and it's just dumping gas. I'm doing all of this by myself so I don't have a super easy way to check each plug getting ignition so I'm here asking for advice.

I have a tech2 knockoff and it doesn't look to be showing me any red flags. The only thing I'm really seeing is my fuel level sending unit is reading high voltage still, it's never worked, but I now the car runs before I tore into it though.

I have a blow through MAF and have not touched my ECU yet. I wanted to get it to at least start before tuning the idle. Could that be it?

I imagine my issue is spark since I smell unburnt fuel. I've done a timing job but don't suspect that to be the root cause I followed Cloyes instructions and it's straight forward.

Thoughts?

Notes on car:
09 SSTC
Manual steering
BW s252
Stock map sensors hooked up (wanted it to idle before swapping in my stage 2)
Blow through MAF
Stock tune
Not getting any signs of firing
 
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