Connection Issues with V4

Symptom 
When running the AutoConfig or Cable Tests, the laptop detects the hardware successfully but fails to communicate with the ECU. 

Solution

Early Windows 95/98 Installation Problems

Symptom
While installing TurboLink 4.0.4 Vehicle Pack 6 on an early Windows 98 or Windows 95 machine, you get an error regarding MSXML.DLL OR ATITURBOLINK.DLL not registering.

You may also get an error if installing Internet Explorer.

Solution

UNINSTALL all TurboLink related installations via the Add/Remove Programs feature in the CONTROL PANELS

Download the LATEST TurboLink installation (currently V4.0.5 with VehiclePak 11).  This has the fix for early Windows installations.


Palm Pilot Hot Sync Manager

If you are using Palm's "Hot Sync" manager with your laptop, you MAY have to disable it for TurboLink to use the COM port. This is mainly for laptops with only one COM port and the Palm Pilot is using the serial cradle (vs. the USB cradle).

Symptom
When you run the Communication Test, both the "Cable Detected" and "ECM Communication" LEDs are RED.

Palm Hot Sync Manager is running (icon is in the System Tray).

RESOLUTION

Right click on the Hot Sync Manager icon in the system tray and choose "EXIT". Rerun the Communication Test to ensure cable is detected properly.

Connect to car and use TurboLink normally.

V2.13 Bad Data Frame

PROBLEM
Occaisionally while using TurboLink, you'll see a bad data frame, possibly with all sorts of random malfunction codes. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to the occaisonal "garbage data".

SOLUTION

  1. Check your laptop's "Power Saving" settings. Often times a screen saver kicking in, the harddrive being shut down (to save power), and other battery saving features will also affect the power to the parallel port (which can result in loss of data and strange "hiccups" as things cycle on and off) Disable all the power saving features and run the laptop at "full bore" to see if the problem goes away. If so, turn on the power saving features one by one, checking after each one if the problem reoccurs. When it does, you've identified the feature (or combination of features) that you need to avoid.
  2. Check the grounds on the back of the passenger's side head CAREFULLY. There are two bolts that gound the wiring harness back there ... one you can see from the top of the car, the other is very difficult to see or reach and can often be better seen from underneath the car. Look for corrosion, loose wires, cracked/brittle ring connectors, etc. As the cars age, this is becoming more and more common.... the motor mounts get worn, allowing more engine movement, which pulls on the wires (which are brittle from heat and age)>
  3. Check the connectors on the top of the ECM carefully for corrosion, dirt, grease, etc. If you've had a windshield leak, often times the water will run down on top of the ECM and eventually corrode the pins/connectors.
  4. Check the ALDL ground wire carefully.
  5. Look at the Numeric display in TurboLink ... pay particular attention to the ECM Status field (lower right hand part of the screen). If it says ALDL or BKUP in this field and you have the program in "NORM|AL" mode, then your cable may need repair. Contact me at: kenmosher@turbo-link.com to get it fixed ... I can usually fix it for FREE. All I ask is that you include a few bucks for return shipping and insurance.
  6. If you are using a Power Inverter for the laptop, try running it off of wall power in the garage. If the data "cleans up", then the inverter is "humming" through the laptop and causing problems. More expensive inverters often have better regulated power. Also, if you can, use the inverter just to charge the laptop and run it off of batteries when hooked to the car.

V2.13 Connection Issues

If you are having difficulties getting v2.13 TurboLink(tm) to connect to the car with a new computer or after you have changed settings/jumpers in your computer, try the following: