In a Fit of Immaturity...

GEMELLI

The Best of Both Worlds
Because I can't stand my cellphone once in a while, I decided to throw it onto the passenger side floorboard of the Ty while driving down the road at 50mph. Well, on its way to the floorboard it hit the glove box door. and in literally any other vehicle in the world, that's a non issue. However... this is a Typhoon.

As soon as the phone hits the glove box, the truck stumbles, loses power, and the cel comes on. I pull over to the side of the road with the truck still idling in neutral. I goose the throttle a bit and it dies. Turns over, but won't start. I fiddle with a couple things before deciding that a whack to the glove box caused the issue, maybe another will "fix" it. Sure enough, a couple taps to the door and the truck fires right up with no cel. I put it in gear and drive away. I make it to my first destination to pick up a fitting for work and shut the truck off. It starts right back up, but as soon as I leave the parking lot, it dies. Pull over, tap the glove box a few times, starts right up and I drive away. Halfway to the job site, it stumbles and dies. Same thing... tap, tap, tap, start. Make it to work, and after an hour or so, drove it to get water for my employees and me... no issues. I thought about towing it home with our small equipment trailer, but I drove it instead. It did the same thing as before every 5 miles or so on the way back, but if I tapped on the glove box door right after it stumbled, it would come back to life. The last time it did it, I had to pull over, take everything out of the glove box and tap the back of it. Got it to our yard and ran the codes. Code 34... again. Finished the work day then looked over the newly replaced vacuum lines, but didn't see anything stand out. Truck wouldn't start, so I tapped the dash, started right up, drove it to dinner, started right up, drove it home, it sits.

Now, what the F is going on? Is there a ground near the ecm that can be affected by tapping on the dash? I need to take that part of the dash apart to replace the heater core soon, so I'll get in there to look around, but I'd like some idea of what to look for. :tup:
 
Last edited:

dgoodhue

BuSTeD 4.3
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

Do you have an aftermarket chip in your truck? It could have become unseated from the ECM or carrier.
 

fauXGT

Brick Pilot
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

Check to see if all of the ECM connections are fully plugged in.
I ran some extra heavy ground wires from glove box ( amps) to lower support, so I can't remember of any ECM grounds right there.
 

blue83z

Donating Member
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

I know this will not help, but in the late 90's my friend had a S10 that did the same thing. Would smack the dash every time it happened and would be ok. Ended up selling it after about 6 months of that. Never left him stranded though.
 

GEMELLI

The Best of Both Worlds
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

I don't think there's an aftermarket chip in it. I know that sounds stupid, but when I got it, it was "completely stock". I've checked what grounds I could see under there when I had a similar issue before, but I never took the computer down. I'll order my heater core today and take the computer out when I replace that. In fact, I might take it apart today anyway. I'm really curious about this now.
 

JAY

Donating Member
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

I would check the ecm & see if it is mounted up properly & check the connections. Please disconnect your battery first.
 

Aeroking

e.i.
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

anger management classes will be cheaper then tracking down an electrical gremlin.
 

TNPhoon

1of28
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

This sounds exactly like something that would happen to me. LOL. Good luck and let us know what you find. I think everybody above me is on point with ECM issues.
 

Smkur50

SYTY Fleet owner
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

lol..that sounds just like what an 91 S10 I had used to do..I was stuck in the dark in the sticks, crank for a long time..finally got mad, hit the dash and demanded it to "Fn start"...vroom..did it like two other times after that within a year but Id just hit the dash and it would fire right up..never did figure out what the issue was.
 

DynaGlide

Ton-Eighty
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

My Ty would do that (when it ran). Being a hyperactive drummer, I was always banging on the steering wheel as my drums, and the dash as my various cymbals.

It never stalled on me, but if I whacked the dash whilst driving, it'd hiccup and then smooth out. It was all stock at that point. I figured it was something with the ECM, and after I finished my rebuild, the problem would go away.

I'm roughly eight years into my rebuild.
 

killa66cam

RIDIN DIRTY
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

Keep it like it just like it is...you now have a definitive reason to knock the shit out of it whenever it is acting up!

Cam
 

GEMELLI

The Best of Both Worlds
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

:rotf: You guys! I ordered a heater core, along with new plug wires, last week. They should be here tomorrow. I'll pull the computer and look for an aftermarket chip and anything else loose, and report back as soon as I can. Thank you for the advice and the laughs!
 

GEMELLI

The Best of Both Worlds
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

So... tomorrow turned into next week, which turned into next month, but I finally had some time this weekend to drop the computer in my Ty. All the connectors seemed to be plugged in fine. I checked the four wires specific to code 34 at the computer connections. I also double checked the other ends of those circuits at the MAP sensor and the TPS as well. It does have a stock chip in it. I'm doing the heater core and a couple other things while the dash is taken apart as far as it is, so I won't know for sure if any of the plugs were loose at the computer until I plug it back in.

What is this box that is piggybacked on the computer?



Here are the two connections, as well as the three on the computer, of course.



Here are the two connectors that plug into it.



Also, this single white wire was unplugged in the same area as the computer connections. The wire can be seen in the picture above too. Where does it come from and where or what does it plug into?

 

atkonkler

Is this your bush?
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

That little white box is for the trip odometer and gas to do with the measuring of the revolutions I do believe I can't remember the exact name but it'll come to me after this post !
 

GEMELLI

The Best of Both Worlds
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

That's interesting, I had no idea that existed. Does it keep track of the actual mileage or just has to do with the trip odo?
 

MICH TY

Donating Member
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

That little white box is for the trip odometer and gas to do with the measuring of the revolutions I do believe I can't remember the exact name but it'll come to me after this post !

It is the DRAC what that stands for I don't know, but it is for the speedometer, ( and odometer i guess), mine had a loose connection that caused the speedo to quit.
 

gkrcr882

SyTyless......for now!
Re: In a Fit of Immaturity...

Digital Ratio Adapter Control module. Converts the A/C VSS signal into a DC signal the ECM can use. Is the ESC wire under the carpet/dash still plugged in correctly?
 
Top