Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Smarty Bad Connection

[Rebel Ram]

Today I was picking up another vehicle and my GF was going to drive my truck home. Well she doesn't like all the abrupt power and asked me to turn it down a bit. So I went to load the stock flash and in the middle I lost communication. So then I was stuck. Truck had no flash at all. Wouldn't start. And when I went to use the smarty it would go in circles. "Turn Key off and press>. Then turn key on and press >. Round and round. After about 20 minutes of fiddling I got the cable to make connection (at the trucks plug)enough to load a stock flash and get out of there. Has anyone had this problem? If so what can I do to fix it? I'm afraid to try to use the programmer again for fear of disabling my truck.

 

[ddunk]

I have the same problem with mine. I'm not sure if it is the smarty connector or the truck obd port. You might try it on another truck and see

 

[snidley1]

I had a problem with a smarty connecting to my truck, some of the wires had backed out in the plug on my truck. Just push them back in and it works fine now.

 

[Regcabguy]

Shakey obds.

I had a problem with a smarty connecting to my truck, some of the wires had backed out in the plug on my truck. Just push them back in and it works fine now.

I had a Smarty loaner from Bob that wouldn't cooperate until I jiggled the obd port and pushed the connectors forward. Junk ports on these 2nds. Kinda spooky if your having fun in the backroads on #9 and need to civilize the truck for city use and it wont respond.

 

[Rebel Ram]

Kinda spooky if your having fun in the backroads on #9 and need to civilize the truck for city use and it wont respond.

Amen Brother! The first sign I had with this was in Moab. I was half way to Gemini Bridges and wanted a milder engine. It only took one try to fix then though. But it made for an interesting 10 minutes. I will look at the OBD plug wires. That sounds plausible. Thanks.

 

[JKinney]

Today I was picking up another vehicle and my GF was going to drive my truck home. Well she doesn't like all the abrupt power and asked me to turn it down a bit. So I went to load the stock flash and in the middle I lost communication. So then I was stuck. Truck had no flash at all. Wouldn't start. And when I went to use the smarty it would go in circles. "Turn Key off and press>. Then turn key on and press >. Round and round. After about 20 minutes of fiddling I got the cable to make connection (at the trucks plug)enough to load a stock flash and get out of there. Has anyone had this problem? If so what can I do to fix it? I'm afraid to try to use the programmer again for fear of disabling my truck.

rebel ram; This problem has been encountered by quite a few of us. Fortunatly smarty is very smart and will reload itself in the event that it quits or looses signal halfway through a load. Purchases some dialectric grease, and coat the obd connection box, and plug your smarty in a couple times and see if this corrects the signal problem.

 

[WCPoe]

Same situation here

I too have lost the connection. Now I am careful to carefully connect and lay the Smarty either on the seat or even the floor and not touch or be near touching it during the download process. The OBD connector doesn't seem to be tight enough.

 

[Bob Wagner]

you need s good connection for communication. dialectric grease and a little twist on the pins may help too.

 

[BILLVO]

I had the same problem a couple months ago.



This info came from Marco.



If you have no "WTS"wait to start light when the key is turned on your engine ECM is fried. This is what happened to me exactly as you described. The ECM memory chips will die during the stress of a program rewrite.