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View Full Version : HELP! PLEASE HELP!! Truck won't start!



Wasted Income
December 31st, 2005, 09:18 PM
Well, just as I figured...finally get the chance to play with EFI Live on my LLY, and something goes horribly wrong!!! :help2:

All I was trying to do was read and back up my stock file for my 2005 LLY and now I can't get the truck to start.

When I first tried reading the ECM, it said something about the ECM being locked, and I tried it again, but it hung up at 4kb of 1200kb and would not go any further. I hit the "stop" button and tried it a couple more times, and now it won't even connect to the ECM. I'm getting a "EFI Live cannot communicate with the PCM, Disconnect the Scantool if connected, Please turn off the ignition, blah blah blah" message.

HELP, how do I get my truck to run again??????

GMPX
December 31st, 2005, 09:53 PM
Normally if there is a problem reading just literally shutdown the software, turn the key off and then just wait for maybe 30 seconds and the truck should be fine.
WORST case, pull the battery for 10 seconds, that should not normally be necessary but it will cure it.

As to what went wrong, as a first step, try plugging the cable into a different USB port, we'll work on it from there.
Also, please make sure you selected the correct PCM type from the list when you go to read (LLY of course in your case).

Cheers,
Ross

Wasted Income
December 31st, 2005, 09:56 PM
Thanks Ross!

So you're saying I should pull the battery cables off for 10 seconds and that should refresh it so that it will start again??

GMPX
December 31st, 2005, 10:01 PM
Thanks Ross!

So you're saying I should pull the battery cables off for 10 seconds and that should refresh it so that it will start again??

Normally you should not need to pull the battery cables off, but if now after all this time with the ign off (assuming the ign has been off) and it still won't start then this will need to be done. Before you do pull the batteries off, just retry starting.
Also, do you have any non GM aftermarket goodies installed that might be on the data bus, XM radio, GPS?.

Don't panic, you cannot kill a PCM just trying to read it.

Cheers,
Ross

Wasted Income
December 31st, 2005, 10:07 PM
Thank you thank you thank you Oh Wise Ross.

I was freaking out, trying to figure out how I'd explain to my wife that my expensive new toy had just put my $50,000 truck out of commission...

I think I'm gonna wait to play some more until I've had a good night's sleep...(which will be FAR easier now, thanks to your quick and helpful responses) :)

Thanks man!
-Jeff

GMPX
December 31st, 2005, 10:20 PM
Thank you thank you thank you Oh Wise Ross.

I was freaking out, trying to figure out how I'd explain to my wife that my expensive new toy had just put my $50,000 truck out of commission...

I think I'm gonna wait to play some more until I've had a good night's sleep...(which will be FAR easier now, thanks to your quick and helpful responses) :)

Thanks man!
-Jeff

Hey, nothing like the feeling you are walking to work. ;)

Out of interest, did you need to pull the batteries?.

Anyway, before you start tommorrow, I would try the following.

1 - Try a different USB port on the laptop, FYI, I have 6 USB ports on my PC, 5 work, one will not??, I have no idea why.

2 - Think about what aftermarket gear (if any) might be disrupting the data bus.

Cheers,
Ross

Wasted Income
December 31st, 2005, 10:25 PM
No, I did not need to pull any battery cables. I just bumped the key and it fired right up.

The only aftermarket electronic device I have on there, is a PAC auxillary input adapter (2 RCA stereo inputs). I was able to log data just fine with EFI live, and my Diablo Predator never had a problem backing up or flashing the ECM with this installed, so I'm hesitant to blame it. However, if it continues to give me grief, I will remove it and give it a go.

GMPX
January 1st, 2006, 01:23 AM
That's fine, sounds like perhaps it is not going to be a vehicle side problem afterall. I just mentioned it because some aftermarket gear doesn't seem to conform to GM's communications standards.

When you next try and if it fails again, EFILive saves some files that record the attempts to read etc. They are located in -
My Documents\EFILive\V7\Bug reports
There will be a file called 'upload.blx' or similar, if you could please mail that to ross@efilive.com I can have a look and see what is going on.

Also, make sure you have the 'high speed' box ticked in the read PCM box that opens up (it is by default).

Cheers,
Ross

Max Power
January 1st, 2006, 05:16 AM
If you continue to have problems disconnect the PAC. I have a Soundgate Xm adapter and it wreaks havoc on my EFI Live. You could also likely get away with pulling the radio fuse I imagine.

Wasted Income
January 1st, 2006, 06:24 AM
Yeah, my cd player went nuts the first time I tried reading. I'll try pulling the radio fuse. Thanks!

Max Power
January 1st, 2006, 07:02 AM
If your stereo shuts off and turns back on when you first hit read that I don't think you'll get it to work without take the precautions above. That's what mine does to :(

TurboBeagleBuggy
January 1st, 2006, 07:11 AM
I can't even get the LLY in the PCM type window. i downloaded the update, but not having any luck. I can't figure out where I went wrong i saved it to the EFI Live V7 file?

Blacky
January 1st, 2006, 07:17 AM
I can't even get the LLY in the PCM type window. i downloaded the update, but not having any luck. I can't figure out where I went wrong i saved it to the EFI Live V7 file?

You have to double click on the downloaded file to run it, which will update all the EFILive files.

Regards
Paul

TurboBeagleBuggy
January 1st, 2006, 07:26 AM
all right I'll give it a try!

Wasted Income
January 1st, 2006, 08:35 AM
Got it to read just fine when I pulled the radio and onstar fuses.

Thanks!

-Jeff

69camaro5speed
January 1st, 2006, 09:15 AM
ross do you know if you can read a tune on the duramax with a after market program in it like from hyperchips or if its best to try put the old one back in first then read it and has any one done much tuning with good power gains on the duramax i have lot of friends with them just dont wont to toast any thing trying stuff thanks

hdmax
January 1st, 2006, 11:34 AM
ross do you know if you can read a tune on the duramax with a after market program in it like from hyperchips or if its best to try put the old one back in first then read it and has any one done much tuning with good power gains on the duramax i have lot of friends with them just dont wont to toast any thing trying stuff thanks
You would be better off returning the engine to stock, then save the stock file. Once you do this, you can reinstall the Hypertech (If that is what me meant!) then you could save a file of that tune.
If Hyperchips (?) is a plug in like the Juice, you don't need to remove it before you save the stock program. (At least this is the way I understand it!)

GMPX
January 1st, 2006, 12:27 PM
ross do you know if you can read a tune on the duramax with a after market program in it like from hyperchips or if its best to try put the old one back in first then read it and has any one done much tuning with good power gains on the duramax i have lot of friends with them just dont wont to toast any thing trying stuff thanks

You won't toast an ECM just trying to read it, worst case it will just tell you that you are locked out from attempting to read, in that case, you are stuck and will need to send the ECM back to the company that provided the tune to have it restored to stock.

Cheers,
Ross

GMPX
January 5th, 2006, 10:39 PM
Got it to read just fine when I pulled the radio and onstar fuses.

Thanks!

-Jeff

Jeff, are you still needing to do this?.
I have heard if you wait about 20-30secs after turning the IGN on it can help with the onstar.

Cheers,
Ross

Wasted Income
January 6th, 2006, 03:00 AM
I'll try it out tonight or tomorrow and let you know.

Thanks