Car wont run when running something off J3 port

BigC3416

New Member
Sep 16, 2002
29
0
1
Austin, TX
Like the title says, my car will no longer run when my car is running off my tweecer that is plugged into my computer. But my tweecer and computer are both fine. I pulled a computer and tweecer from another car and put it on mine and it still will not run when running off of the tweecer. I even put my computer and tweecer in another car and it ran fine. My car will run with the tweecer disconnected or put in the switched off position but when trying to run off the tweecer it will crank but will never fire up. Could it be a bad ground or something that wont let the computer work if it has to power something connected to the j3 port? I just have no clue what could be causing this. Thanks for any help.

Chris
 
Yea. I had a tune on it that worked fine and then all of a sudden it just wont work anymore. I hit a small bump and the car just shut off. It wouldnt start again after that unless I had the tweecer turned off.
 
Grounds are important to any electrical system, and especially to computers.

1.) The main power ground is from engine block to battery: it is the power ground for the starter & alternator.

2.) The secondary power ground is between the back of the intake manifold and the driver's side firewall. It is often missing or loose. It supplies ground for the alternator, A/C compressor clutch and other electrical accessories such as the gauges. Any car that has a 3G alternator needs a 4 gauge ground wire running from the block to the chassis ground where the battery pigtail ground connects.

3.) The computer has its own dedicated power ground that comes off the ground pigtail on the battery ground wire. Due to it's proximity to the battery, it may become corroded by acid fumes from the battery. It is a black cylinder about 2 1/2" long by 1" diameter with a black/lt green wire.

4.) All the sensors have a common separate ground. This includes the TPS, ACT, EGE, BAP, & VSS

5.) The O2 sensor heaters have their own ground (HEGO ground) coming from the computer. This is different and separate from the O2 sensor ground. It is in the fuel injector wiring harness and comes out under the throttle body. It gets connected to a manifold or head bolt.

6.) The TFI module has 2 grounds: one for the foil shield around the wires and another for the module itself. The TFI module ground terminates inside the computer.

7.) The computer takes the shield ground for the TFI module and runs it from pin 20 to the chassis near the computer.

8.) The computer's main power ground (the one that comes from the battery ground wire) uses pins 40 & 60 for all the things it controls internally.

See http://www.fluke.com/application_notes/automotive/circuit.asp?AGID=1&SID=103#volt for help troubleshooting voltage drops across grounds