Anatomy of bad ECS.

[Toni]

After checking all my wiring and manually actuating the strut, it seems the computer must be wacky. I replaced the caps like 7 years ago but I'm thinking the leaky caps did some slow damage and it finally went.

Here's what it looks like when the ECS computer can't figure out the position of the strut.

We start off in sport mode, then try to go into tour but it reverts back to sport and throws an error.

[duke3k]

Toni,

Thats pretty cool. What signal wires are you pulling those pulse trains from? Are they coming from the strut position signal wires? or is that output from the diagnostic port?

Duke3k

ps. looks like your using a Salae logic analyzer. Nice unit.

[Toni]

Pulling them right at the position switch wires at the plug going into the ECS computer. I like to use pin needles stuck into the plug to sample without damaging or cutting the wire open.

[duke3k]

Toni,

Thats a cool way to test if you've got needle probes. btw- when both position switch signals are reading HIGH - that's medium mode on the struts.

duke3k

[Toni]

Yeah I've checked out the tech info manual on the system. It's pretty sweet. All the anti-roll dive, squat etc is awesome for a system in a car 20+ years ago. To me, there doesn't seem to be enough difference between tour and sport to warrant a medium mode, at least manually selecting it.

[DocHoliday]

Yeah I've checked out the tech info manual on the system. It's pretty sweet. All the anti-roll dive, squat etc is awesome for a system in a car 20+ years ago. To me, there doesn't seem to be enough difference between tour and sport to warrant a medium mode, at least manually selecting it.

Thoughts on whether it's worth keeping the system vs going for aftermarket struts?

[green-lantern]

So was this the problem that was causing the car to run bad?

[Toni]

Nope, bad PTU. I updated the other thread accordingly.

[Toni]

Thoughts on whether it's worth keeping the system vs going for aftermarket struts?

I like the drive-ability of stock tour/sport but there is only so much performance you can gain with lowering springs.

[DrGonzo]

For normal driving I leave mine set to medium mode. Soft is just too bouncy for me on Intrax springs. Hard for when I'm doing high speed cornering and drag racing.

I really need to get my selector know and LED's working again on my Techworks controller. I think I messed up the wiring when I got the stereo installed in the trunk. I'm using the stock ecs switch in the meantime till I can figure out my wiring foobar...