Type 3 Nistune " consult not connected COM3:spare "

[Brandeez]

I have an S13 Blacktop SR20DET in my 96 240sx. The motor is relatively stock other than T28 turbo, fmic, bov, 3in exhaust, z32 maf, walbro 255 fuel pump, and 850cc injectors. I just purchased and installed the injectors, maf, and fuel pump along with a nistune type 3 board that i got from autovaughn performance here in the usa and everything went well. It connected the first time i hooked everything up 2 days ago, and now every time i get into the software and try and hit the consult button it pops up with a "consult not connected COM3:spare" code... the green light does flash so i know the computer is talking to the ECU but for some reason the ecu wont respond.. i have all the drivers and software updated and all my grounds seem solid.. i read somewhere that sr's have had to be running for them to connect to the ecu but i cant start my car with these parts un tuned. I started it for a few seconds and it ran pretty rough. i tried searching before making this thread but i cant find anything... thanks

[Frank_Jaeger]

When you buy a Nistune ECU from a performance shop, they should upload a base tune with your current specs that will get your car at least drivable to a tuner / dyno.

[Brandeez]

Originally Posted by Frank_Jaeger

When you buy a Nistune ECU from a performance shop, they should upload a base tune with your current specs that will get your car at least drivable to a tuner / dyno.

I'm located in Arizona, and the shop I got the installation done by is in Tennessee, there is a base map for a stock s13 sr20 but I just installed a z32 maf, walbro 255, and 850cc Injectors. I planned on getting the car tuned on these new parts but I'm having trouble getting the ecu to respond..

I noticed that on my ecu there were a few pins missing that correspond to the consult plug so I have now cut out the consult plug and am going to insert the pins to my harness and straight wire up the consult plug to eliminate any kind of wiring problem, because at that point it would have to be something wrong with my nistune board.

[JM216S14]

Never hooked up to a ecu but I'm assuming you're using a laptop, did you try using a different com port? Or make sure nothing is using com port 3

[Brandeez]

Originally Posted by JM216S14

Never hooked up to a ecu but I'm assuming you're using a laptop, did you try using a different com port? Or make sure nothing is using com port 3

Yes I'm using a laptop, I've tried in all 3 USB slots, only difference is it changes the code to COM3;COM4;COM5 depending on what slot the plms cable is plugged into.

[JM216S14]

Originally Posted by Brandeez

Yes I'm using a laptop, I've tried in all 3 USB slots, only difference is it changes the code to COM3;COM4;COM5 depending on what slot the plms cable is plugged into.

Did you download anythig new on your computer since you hooked up the first time? If not check google there is ways to see what's using the com ports. If nothing is using them sounds like you do have a cable issue maybe

[TSL]

Could be the nistune board is dead, could be shitty install, could be an issue with ecu, could be a wiring problem, could be a problem with the consult cable... could be a lot of things that I could take a random guess at but since I am not there to diagnose it for you then you only have 2 options. Take it to a shop who knows what they are doing and get them to figure it out. Or get some solid advice on how you can diagnose it yourself.

Should ask on the nistune forums since they generally have good customer service and probably have a better idea on how to walk you through some steps to efficiently narrow down what the problem is.

[AnonymousBlackX]

with my nistune I have to start the program with it connected, then disconnect the consult from the ecu and then replug it in and then try to connect usually connects after, granted I installed the consult myself

[Brandeez]

Originally Posted by TSL

Could be the nistune board is dead, could be shitty install, could be an issue with ecu, could be a wiring problem, could be a problem with the consult cable... could be a lot of things that I could take a random guess at but since I am not there to diagnose it for you then you only have 2 options. Take it to a shop who knows what they are doing and get them to figure it out. Or get some solid advice on how you can diagnose it yourself.

Should ask on the nistune forums since they generally have good customer service and probably have a better idea on how to walk you through some steps to efficiently narrow down what the problem is.

It could be a problem with the nistune board but I was running the ecu prior to getting nistune installed so the ecu is fine, the cable lights up red when plugged in to the consult and my laptop so I know it's being recognized by my laptop, and when I hit consult the green light flashes so the laptop is speaking to the ECU and the ECU isn't cooperating, so it's either the wiring or my nistune board. I noticed a few pins from the ecu harness that corresponded with the consult port weren't present on my blue connector... So I'm going to repin those holes and wire them to my consult port. Then that should eliminate the possibilities of a wiring problem and I would know it's the board