Code 66 Accel DFI shutting off ?

[Jim Nilsen]

I have looked all over and see no unconnected grounds or any other wiring differences from the way it was before I swapped the engine. The code will come up and it will only turn over a couple of times or it might run for a bit. It was running good and when I was going around the block it died, it started right back up after clearing the code in the computer.

I am going to keep looking for the problem and could use some experience with this. It has to be something so simple and I am looking right at it and it looks right and it isn't.

Dave at Accel had no real good ideas other than to recheck all the grounds.

It started the last 5 times in row so we will see if I got it the last time I reconnected the grounds to the engine and battery cable.

I just can't seem to pin down what is getting it to start if it is anything I am doing at all.

I did change the lower drive pulley to the alternator to speed it up and it now has 12.9 volts at idle. before it would go down to 11.5 an it had no problems. I can't see where the higher voltage would hurt as it never had any problems when it goes up in rpm to 14.1.

I am stumped as to what is causing this.

:confused:

[LSx_88_Ciera]

what generation/model dfi

[Jim Nilsen]

what generation/model dfi

Gen 7 version 6.1.5

I still keep thinking it is a ground problem but can't seem to get anywhere. it starts up after disconnecting and reconnecting the ground on the block but I don't know if that is what is helping? It could just be something in the ecu and is intermittent.

I'll keep looking and taking suggestions.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

What ignition system are you running and is it the same as before.

[Jim Nilsen]

What ignition system are you running and is it the same as before.

I am running all the Accel pieces to be sequential and the 6A box. It is all the same as before and it was just fine. It is really strange how it just starts up and runs ok for qite a few times and then it does the code 66 for a couple of times in a row.

When it deosn't seem to want to go away I reinstall the program and reboot everything and it works most of the time but it didn't several others.

I might pull the plugs all apart and reconnect them and see if there is just a bad connection in one of them?

I thought I had the EFI problems all behind me and tuning was the only thing it needed.

It started up fine the last time an hour ago.

I'm stumped

[Denvervet]

Dang, I've been following your threads since I have the same accel setup to wire up . What does the code 66 mean....as per accel?

[LSx_88_Ciera]

I would check everything that is attached to the 3 pin red and 8 pin black they are all that would effect the ignition driver. Unfortunately I don't know of an easy way to verify that the ign. driver circuit is exceeding .5A.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

Dang, I've been following your threads since I have the same accel setup to wire up . What does the code 66 mean....as per accel?
Ignition driver circuit output voltage >.5A

[Jim Nilsen]

I would check everything that is attached to the 3 pin red and 8 pin black they are all that would effect the ignition driver. Unfortunately I don't know of an easy way to verify that the ign. driver circuit is exceeding .5A.


Sounds like pulling the connectors apart and looking for a bent pin or one that got pushed in and is making a bad connection might be the problem. taking them apart and putting them back together will do that sometimes. I can't think of what else it could be.

I'll have to study the schematics again till I see it and then go test.

I swear that they are trying to make me an EMIC the hard way. one day I will know more than the average tuner about these units the hard way.

Thanks for the help in chasing it down, I really get disappointed when this stuff happens and want to walk away from it and then find myself digging all the way in. Not gonna let it kick my ass is how I feel.

By tommorow I hope to find it or it just goes away.lol

[LSx_88_Ciera]

Do a shake, wiggle, and tap test first.
I am leaning towards a component with an intermittent internal short but there are many things that can cause it. I however don't think it is a bad connection, a bad connection will increase resistance which will reduce current, a short on the other hand will increase current.

[Jim Nilsen]

Do a shake, wiggle, and tap test first.
I am leaning towards a component with an intermittent internal short but there are many things that can cause it. I however don't think it is a bad connection, a bad connection will increase resistance which will reduce current, a short on the other hand will increase current.

I have been doing the wiggle and test from the very beginning. You are right about it being a possible short. now where that little booger is?

I have a 1 wire alternator so I don't see how it could change anything for curent to to the boxes at start up.

I will keep looking and any ideas are more tham welcome.

[AintQik]

Jim Sir, I would like to buy you a beverage of choice. Please let me know how I can do that.

[Charley Lillard]

Is your battery fully charged ?

[Jim Nilsen]

Is your battery fully charged ?

Hi Charley, Good to hear from you.

yes it is charged and it even does it when the charger is hooked up and it has over 13.9 volts. and all the power of the battery too.

It is an over current that is doing it and it sure seems strange since nothing else was done to the ignition system.

I hope somehow you can make it to the Motorstate Challenge. i always look forward to seeing you.

[Jim Nilsen]

Jim Sir, I would like to buy you a beverage of choice. Please let me know how I can do that.

The best way I can think of is to be at the Motorstate Challenge and we can have it together and talk about everything. I will even give you a ride. Everything should be working good by then I hope.

Where do you live ?

I appreciate the offer

:cheers:

[LSx_88_Ciera]

New day and thinking more clearly now. Just noticed that you mentioned that you have more voltage than before believe
it or not this can cause issues when the right circumstances are present.

Let me explain.
The combined resistance of all the ECM controlled/monitored components of the ignition system has a set value.
Lets assume some numbers.
Rt is 24Ω
Using ohms law E/I*R this would give you a .5A draw at 12V but when you increase to 14V the amps would increase to .58A.
The only thing I can think of that could have caused this to occur now would be a reduced resistance in either the cam sensor,
crank sensor, or ESC module. One other thing that could cause it even though it sounds stupid but a better connection could be the culprit.
The weaker connection would increase the resistance and reduce current.

Just as a test you could run the car without the alternator connected and see what happens.
Something else you may want to check is the resistance between all of the wires in you 8 pin ign. connector and the cable shield (pin g)
it should be out of limits or at least very high.

[AintQik]

In Colorado right now in the military, but moving back to the E Coast during the Challenge. I will catch up with you and make good on my offer. You have been through a lot and I appreciate you keeping your head up. You will get it.


The best way I can think of is to be at the Motorstate Challenge and we can have it together and talk about everything. I will even give you a ride. Everything should be working good by then I hope.

Where do you live ?

I appreciate the offer

:cheers:

[Jim Nilsen]

New day and thinking more clearly now. Just noticed that you mentioned that you have more voltage than before believe
it or not this can cause issues when the right circumstances are present.

Let me explain.
The combined resistance of all the ECM controlled/monitored components of the ignition system has a set value.
Lets assume some numbers.
Rt is 24Ω
Using ohms law E/I*R this would give you a .5A draw at 12V but when you increase to 14V the amps would increase to .58A.
The only thing I can think of that could have caused this to occur now would be a reduced resistance in either the cam sensor,
crank sensor, or ESC module. One other thing that could cause it even though it sounds stupid but a better connection could be the culprit.
The weaker connection would increase the resistance and reduce current.

Just as a test you could run the car without the alternator connected and see what happens.
Something else you may want to check is the resistance between all of the wires in you 8 pin ign. connector and the cable shield (pin g)
it should be out of limits or at least very high.


Thanks for the thoughts, I can turn the alternator off at the push of a breaker and see if it is the culprit. I know it seems crazy too but it might just be cranking out power at the cranking of the engine even though it doesn't kick up until it goes over 1500 rpm.

What seems strange is that the more you go at it the better it gets and if you let it cool down it starts all over again. I know it has to be something simple and hard to see.

Keep the ideas coming and one of them will work sooner than later I hope.

[Jim Nilsen]

I am still having the same problem. I talked to the engine builder and he thinks it could be that the head might not be giving me a good enough ground and to jump it to the bell housing an see.

The grounds are all coonected to the 2-0 welding cable running to the battery and should have a good enough ground but the engine needs to be grounded too and even though it is grounded to the frame it may not be enough I am told by him. I just don't see it that way but I am going to try and jump the ground to more and more.

I am ready to smash this thing again and go to something different but I have too much time and energy into it learning how to program it and the wiring is all nice and neat and I don't want to start over with sometging new just yet, BUT maybe I will.



I am still looking for ideas if you have them as it seems it is a problem that has to be something simple or just a bad part somewhere starting to show up.

AAAAAARRRRRGGGGGG

[DC454]

You really can't have too many grounds. Try moving move the main ground to one of the starter bolts and add a ground strap from the back of the head to the firewall. Is the chassis, body and engine all grounded? Is the DFI box also grounded?

[LSx_88_Ciera]

A ground will not cause an over current condition a bad ground would cause an under voltage/current situation.

[Denvervet]

unless its a hot wire grounding.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

unless its a hot wire grounding.

That is called a short (to ground) so it's not applicable.

[Jim Nilsen]

You really can't have too many grounds. Try moving move the main ground to one of the starter bolts and add a ground strap from the back of the head to the firewall. Is the chassis, body and engine all grounded? Is the DFI box also grounded?

My system is grounded very well in all parts of the system, the ignition not only goes to the block but the same point it is attached is the 2-0 welding cable that goes to the battery.

This problem is in the ignition box or the ecu from what I can tell. I would guess that the 6A box is causing the over current code. By how much it is giving too much cuurent is a mystery right now but it must be more than .25 amps. All the other systems go to .5 amps before the code shuts it off.

I can go in and remove the code and see what happens? It may burn up the ecu somewhere or it may not? I do know that it is going to have to go back for a check up if I can't find a solution..


The simple stuff has been drilled in my head over the last year dealing with this and what ever it is will have to show up sometime as a total failure, until then it keeps starting and dying when ever it wants to think it is over the parameters.

Thanks for the thoughts and if we were starting back a year ago the grounds may have been an issue. Right now it could be more of a short to something with more current to do an over current.

We will see if I need a code 66 to keep it alive or it will die and get rebuilt.

[Jim Nilsen]

I just had a good long talk with Sean and tried to come up with something to go on for the problem. I thought I could disable the code from shutting it off but I am not able to do it.

I tried a few more times and it starts but only runs for 10 -15 seconds.

I am starting to lose my patience again with this system. Just when things were going good with it I run into this. There is no rhyme or reason for it. it just is. I keep thinking it is the 6A box that is bad now for some reason. It could have been cuased by the est not being disconnected but that is highly doubtful.

I will have to see what I find out on Monday.

I did get my oil leak fixed. The camera lied to me and it wasn't the weld that was leaking. When I got the car up in the air and could get in and see real well it was a pan bolt that was not in all the way because it got jambed up on the lock washer and seemed all the way in because it was bound against the pan. A new bolt and washer and it tightened up and stopped for now. It may need some sealant on it ? For some reason it must be open on the other side and can leak thruogh the threaded area.

My laptop charger just bit the dust it seems and I only have about 35 minutes left on it before I have no laptop.

I wish my luck would get better, I am getting tired of being stuck in the mode of getting it running. I had it running good and then Kablewy, had it up and running and then it dies. What next?

I hope Accel has a better answer on Monday as to what to do. I would bet a lot of money that they would check it out and find nothing wrong.

Still looking for the gremlin, the little creep.

I am now going to drink a beer and see if it can alter my mind to jello and mello. Want to join me !!!

[LSx_88_Ciera]

I am now going to drink a beer and see if it can alter my mind to jello and mello. Want to join me !!!

Already there I was having a beer while I was on the phone with you.https://static1.pt-content.com/images/noimg.gif

[Jim Nilsen]

I have thought about this overnight and have come to the conculsion that the code is telling me exactly what is wrong.

The ignition output driver is putting out too much current. Now where the output driver is has to be the big question. Is it in the ecu or is it in the 6A box? why would the ecu care if my ignition is putting out more current? Hotter ignition is always better ,right lol?

When all of the other output drivers in the ecu are .5 amps before they shut off the ignition why is the ignition output half of that?

I wish I had a schematic of the inside of the ecu to be able to find the driver itself. With that thought it makes the inclination that the ecu has the bad output driver.

The sad thing is that when I talked to Accel they just said to look for a bad ground. This tells me that they have never experienced this code and solved the problem before and are just repeating the normal mantra for most all efi problems. Blaming a bad ground or low voltage is always the first thing to look for in efi and I have been through this long enough to know that I don't have low voltage or a bad ground ,leaving only a bad output driver as the code says. Why Accel doesn't understand their codes and how to resolve them is a sad situation. They should have told me they would look into with their tech people and get back to me. I feel like I have to teach them what to do everytime I call about something.

I think I will do another google search for something somewhere another person has had the problem and possibly has the answer.

I don't want to pull out the ecu again but it seems like it has to be tested. The 6A box seems to be working or the car wouldn't run at all.

If you are an electrical engineer I could use some help.

[Jim Nilsen]

I tried a few more times today and have found it doesn't even want to run for more than a few seconds if it even starts up now. i think what ever was going bad has degraded enough to disable it almost altogether.

We will see what Accel has to say tommorow? I will be drilling their minds to get a straight answer and will not take the normal matra of answers. They either know what it is or they will have to find out when I send it back to them.

This is the last time I will ever try to get them to get it right, the next time it will be a new system of any kind and I will never recommend them for anything if they can't fix it.

I just want to drive my car and have no problems with the accel part of it again.

I have some things to do that require the car to be apart and now is the time to get them done from what I can see.

I do hope I can get it running before the end of the month so I can go to the Midwest challenge if not I will be at the Motorstsate for sure even if I have to put in something different.

THIS SUCKS

[Jim Nilsen]

I just got a straight answer about code 66 from my engine builder who talked to accel for me. It is either the coil and/or 6a box that is bad and it is sending too much amperage to tthe ecu and the ecu is shutting itself off to protect itself.

I kept looking and trying to find the problem and cranking on it could have eventually damaged the ecu. I am hoping that the ecu is ok as I stopped when it didn't want to run longer than a few seconds.

So there we have the correct answer for you all and i am going to go get a new box and coil and see what happens. If all goes well the car will run tonight or tommorow since it is a lot of work to rewire the 6a box in the car. I may make a plug connector to make it easier.

The disappointing thing is that my 1st call to accel should have gotten me the answer I needed and I would have known what to look for and I could have had the new parts already.

The good news is that the new parts are less money now than they were. If you look online at Jegs they want $264 Summit $164 and my builder around $120 so the price is so wide it makes you wonder. The other thing is that some of them are analog and some are digital so you have to look close to see which one you are getting.

Wish me luck on the ECU being good still.

[John Wright]

I may make a plug connector to make it easier.

Jim, I would....with the luck that I've had from those MSD boxes, a weather tight plug is the way to go.

Should the box go bad, you just unplug the old and plug up the new.

My last episode was a box that worked at lower and mid-range rpms, but the ignition would bust up as the revs climbed up above 3800 or so.....took me forever to figure out what was happening. I didn't look at the box initially because it was brand new, but after swapping it out the ignition cleared up.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

Jim,
Good to here and hope they are correct on the cause for the sake of sanity.



My last episode was a box that worked at lower and mid-range rpms, but the ignition would bust up as the revs climbed up above 3800 or so.....took me forever to figure out what was happening. I didn't look at the box initially because it was brand new, but after swapping it out the ignition cleared up.

Sounds like a bad rev limiter chip been there done that.

[Mike Holleman]

I just got a straight answer about code 66 from my engine builder who talked to accel for me. It is either the coil and/or 6a box that is bad and it is sending too much amperage to tthe ecu and the ecu is shutting itself off to protect itself.

I kept looking and trying to find the problem and cranking on it could have eventually damaged the ecu. I am hoping that the ecu is ok as I stopped when it didn't want to run longer than a few seconds.

So there we have the correct answer for you all and i am going to go get a new box and coil and see what happens. If all goes well the car will run tonight or tommorow since it is a lot of work to rewire the 6a box in the car. I may make a plug connector to make it easier.

The disappointing thing is that my 1st call to accel should have gotten me the answer I needed and I would have known what to look for and I could have had the new parts already.

The good news is that the new parts are less money now than they were. If you look online at Jegs they want $264 Summit $164 and my builder around $120 so the price is so wide it makes you wonder. The other thing is that some of them are analog and some are digital so you have to look close to see which one you are getting.

Wish me luck on the ECU being good still.
Jim, On the Thruster DFI install I did, we went thru 2 ign. boxes and 2 coils before we got our problems fixed. Have no clue why these parts were failing and neither did Accel. As of last week my customer has had no more troubles with the EFI. Wishing you the same outcome.
Mike

[Jim Nilsen]

Jim, On the Thruster DFI install I did, we went thru 2 ign. boxes and 2 coils before we got our problems fixed. Have no clue why these parts were failing and neither did Accel. As of last week my customer has had no more troubles with the EFI. Wishing you the same outcome.
Mike

Thanks Mike for letting us in on the problem and the solution you had to deal with. It is frustrating when you call the manufacture and you don't get the answers you need to do what is expected to solve the problem.

I would be a week ahead and of fixing it and the frustration would have been eliminated to some degree. It is the unknown that frustrates me the most and when the answers don't do a thing it makes it worse.

I am glad to know that your customer has had no problems since.

See Ya

[Jim Nilsen]

Still not working

I just got done installing the new Accel 6A box and the coil. The 6a box was taken off the engine on the dyno and it had worked with no problems, the coil was new and when I tested the resistance it was identical to the old one.

I called the engine builder and he suggested that I go through all of my plug wires to make sure they were all seperated well because he has had several times that a plug wire has shut down his whole dyno. The new angle plug heads made my wires just a bit shorter on several but I have never seen any problems at night when you could see them arc across and I have never had any missing from them.

So I started going through them and found nothing, so I decided to remove the cap and rotor and I found a most interesting problem. The rotor for some reason has become loose on the post, not just a little but a lot and it is somewhat black inside the hole that it mounts on. this is very strange to me and why this has happened is beyond me and it was not like it is now the last time I installed it, I did however think that the last time I put it on it seemed to go on easy but didn't think anything of it. Now you can rock it in all directions. I don't see where it has been touching any of the terminals on the cap or the end of the rotor but it could obviously be coming very close.

So tommorow I will be putting on a new rotor and a new cap to see if it is the problem. The fact that it may have been getting close to being bad enough to cause problems at the same time as the engine went and then just being able to get the engine running long enough to get it broke in and keep getting progressively worse could be amazing timing. The engine runs good when it runs but it did seem to be different sounding at times from one fire up to the next but not enough to think it was anything but just breaking in and sounding a bit different, but now it may all make sense why it would start and run for a few seconds and then run for 20 minutes the next time since the rotor could have found a bit of a different position.

Has anyone here ever had the same problem with a rotor doing this?

It will be a miracle if it solves the problem but it could or it might just be a coincidence. If this was the problem I will have learned something new but that is a mystery as to how it wore loose. You can actually see the one area is thinner than the other 3 and 2 of the others are worn too. why it is black also makes me wonder?

Here is a pick of both pieces.

[Denvervet]

It doesn't make sense the rotor would somehow be worn loose ..if it was seated completely on the shaft . In the top of the rotor that protruding "key" doesn't look worn and if it isn't then there shouldn't be any play, rotationally speaking. I don't think the dark dust is exciting. All that said I sure hope a new rotor fixes your problem...esp since I have a gen 7 to install soon and now very anxious about it being a royal PITA. Thanks for keeping us posted

[Jim Nilsen]

It doesn't make sense the rotor would somehow be worn loose ..if it was seated completely on the shaft . In the top of the rotor that protruding "key" doesn't look worn and if it isn't then there shouldn't be any play, rotationally speaking. I don't think the dark dust is exciting. All that said I sure hope a new rotor fixes your problem...esp since I have a gen 7 to install soon and now very anxious about it being a royal PITA. Thanks for keeping us posted

I got out the digital calipers and measured the space on the shaft and put it up against the rotor and found the slot to be about .050 or more on the wide side. If the rotor isn't tight on the circumference it will be able to go back and forth. Check your to see if it is the same? I am curious as to whether it is just my dual sync or if it is all of them , I am betting they are all the same. When I first got mine it was very hard to slide the rotor on. It sure is poor manufacturing if they are all that big compared to the rotors when it comes to the space.

I too hope it is the problem and it will make a lot of others a bit more aware of the problem and probably a bit more nervous too. I will keep a spare in the car just in case, in fact I would almost want to keep the whole array of parts if I was to go a long ways away.

[John Wright]

That dark material inside the rotor button....is that bushing material? Is the dizzy shaft loose or does it still feel tight? Weird, none the less.

Does the carbon button ride good and snug on the tab on the rotor button? Looks like there wasn't any arcing around or it would be dark around the carbon button inside the cap, so it must be OK. Did the carbon button leave a mark where it has been riding on the tab? Does it reflect the idea that your rotor button has been wobbling?

[Jim Nilsen]

That dark material inside the rotor button....is that bushing material? Is the dizzy shaft loose or does it still feel tight? Weird, none the less.

Does the carbon button ride good and snug on the tab on the rotor button? Looks like there wasn't any arcing around or it would be dark around the carbon button inside the cap, so it must be OK. Did the carbon button leave a mark where it has been riding on the tab? Does it reflect the idea that your rotor button has been wobbling?

The distributor shaft is still good like it should be, that rotor itself is as loose as a goose. Why it did what it did is a total mystery to me. never in my whole life have I seen this happen. At the rate it degraded and the way the code progressively got more frequent it is no wonder it would run from the beginning and get to the point it would start or just run for a few seconds.

I am still wondering if anyone else has ever had this happen?

The one good thing is it finally got bad enough to see it easily. now if the other good thing is that it will fix the problem with a new rotor.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

It very well could be the problem but how that would affect the DFI and set a code is a mystery to me. The secondary side of the coil is isolated from the the primary side, it works on inductance and has no effect on the current draw of the coil.

[Jim Nilsen]

This is going to be a mystery that needs to be solved , that is certain.

The rotor had no visible problems on the carbon button or the distributor tab. The tip of the rotor and the cap terminals do0n't have any real abnormal signs or wear or contact. There is however a few pits in the end of the rotor tab to the terminals were the spark would jump that are not on the leading edge like normal but they are not deep or very many. I will have to post up pics of the rotor from all the points of interest.

I just hope that the rotor is a standard size and the Hot Rod shop has one in stock.

It is possible that the oil pump shaft might be sending harmonic vibrations through the distributor causing this problem but why ? The problem may have started with the old engine that blew up and since the dizzy went into the new engine the problem came with it. The rotor obviously had to have been going bad to have degraded that fast.

When the learning curve feels like a circle you are getting nowhere !!

[DC454]

I had a Gen 7/MSD 6a combo where the 6a box went bad and cooked the cap and rotor. As soon as the system was keyed on without the engine running, spark was being shot to the nearest terminal on the cap. I replaced the MSD box with another MSD box and the problem went away. The Gen7 box never flashed a code?

[Jim Nilsen]

I had a Gen 7/MSD 6a combo where the 6a box went bad and cooked the cap and rotor. As soon as the system was keyed on without the engine running, spark was being shot to the nearest terminal on the cap. I replaced the MSD box with another MSD box and the problem went away. The Gen7 box never flashed a code?

You are giving me hope and scaring the heck out of me at the same time. I probably should be glad the ecu is protecting itself and hope it is doing a good job or it is really a wimpy one and can't take any abuse,lol.

What do you really mean by cooked? Did the rotor get all loose and the cap melt? Did it get all black inside?

[EFI69Cam]

It would seem to me that the code is telling you exactly whats wrong. The 6A is basically asking the DFI to switch too much current to ground. Do you have access to another msd to test with?
I ran my Gen 6 system for years with an accel 300+ for years with no trouble. If the MSD is bad, I'd look at at the 300+ as a replacement.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

Just to clear something up it is an Accel 6A not a MSD 6A.

[Jim Nilsen]

It would seem to me that the code is telling you exactly whats wrong. The 6A is basically asking the DFI to switch too much current to ground. Do you have access to another msd to test with?
I ran my Gen 6 system for years with an accel 300+ for years with no trouble. If the MSD is bad, I'd look at at the 300+ as a replacement.

This is an accel 6A box not an MSD.

The thought as of the moment is that the only thing that changed with the new engine is the plug wire routing because of the angle plug heads. The wires are a bit short on a few places and they had to go over the valve cover instead of bhind them like before. So all is not the same in that department.

I am getting the new rotor tomorrow and see if it is the loose rotor causing it, it needed to be replaced anyway and only doing one problem at a time is the only way to ever know which item is giving the problem to trigger the code. Redoing the wires is on the list just for looks but it may be that it is neccessary to fix the problem too.

We will all know how to deal with a code 66 in a few days I hope and keep praying that it isn't the ecu. it will fire up and run but you never know for how long.

I'm getting some sleep and fighting the battle again tomorrow.

Goodnight all

[John Wright]

Just to clear something up it is an Accel 6A not a MSD 6A.
Glad you said that...I kept getting the MSD box stuck in my head for some reason......

[Jim Nilsen]

It would seem to me that the code is telling you exactly whats wrong. The 6A is basically asking the DFI to switch too much current to ground. Do you have access to another msd to test with?
I ran my Gen 6 system for years with an accel 300+ for years with no trouble. If the MSD is bad, I'd look at at the 300+ as a replacement.

I have over 2000 miles on mine and had no problems once I finally got it to work until I changed the engine. It is in the ignition somewhere and parts is parts as long as they work. Unfortunately changing the engine actually did change how some of the parts fit, like plug wires.

I'm with you on codes telling you exactly what is wrong but that doesn't tell you what parts to look for and if Accel had told me it was the ignition box and coil at first I would not have spent time hunting other problems I had already solved as if something went wrong with them and was on the edge.

Now that I know what the deal with the code is the only thing to hope for is that the ecu is not harmed because of cranking on it to see if the things I was trying were the problem. It is going to something simple and that is frustrating when you just got done spending money on parts, good thing is we can all use a backup 6A box because they sound like they can go bad in a heartbeat for no apparent reason.

[DC454]

You are giving me hope and scaring the heck out of me at the same time. I probably should be glad the ecu is protecting itself and hope it is doing a good job or it is really a wimpy one and can't take any abuse,lol.

What do you really mean by cooked? Did the rotor get all loose and the cap melt? Did it get all black inside?

The tip of the rotor melted off. I swap out the MSD 6a box out for a new one and never had a problem since. That was 5 or 6 years ago.

[Jim Nilsen]

I thought it might be good to go for 20 seconds and then it code 66'ed again.

The new rotor fit better and step 1 is done, now it is on to step 2 to straighten out the plug wires to be all nice and neat. they are Taylor Thundervolt 8.2 wires and it is doubtful that they are the problem but you never know till you try.

The builder talked to Accel earlier today and the concensus was that I had already took out the ecu.

I was planning on going to a couple of car shows this weekend and now it is probably not going to happen.

I don't know how to feel about this anymore, I want to kick the ass of the sob that can't do his job and ask questions to the engineeers when he doesn't have the right answer. A stupid idiot that is subfunctionally retarded would be able to give someone more help by directing them to someone who could. It is a good thing the man is miles away from me right now. I believe that it will get fixed and I think the man who failed to give me the right direction as to what a code 66 is will be on fire in his pants but I would have his job in times when their are many qualified people to take it. FAIL FAIL FAIL is all I can think of when I think of this.

If and when I ever have another problem with this unit I am starting at the top and working my way down. I have a builder who cares and is connected to the top so hopefully I will get straight answers.

If I have to spend another dollar on this other than shipping to them with the bad parts I will be very disappointed. It just isn't right to have customers keep buying and buying parts to fix a problem from bad information.

This is beyond an emergency it has turned into a pandemic for me. How viral can ACCEL parts be? The answer from me would amaze most. I should have just bought an LS motor and sold the Accel DFI off to what I could get out of it and since the car will be down for 2 more weeks I probably would have been a week away from having a running car and no more pandemic.:hammer:

[DC454]

Do you know of anyone local that might have another box to try out or that has a system already installed in there car so you can try your box in their car? Just a thought... Did you diconnect the ignition box from the DFI to see if the code still comes on? If it does, the problem is in the DFI.

[Jim Nilsen]

Do you know of anyone local that might have another box to try out or that has a system already installed in there car so you can try your box in their car? Just a thought... Did you diconnect the ignition box from the DFI to see if the code still comes on? If it does, the problem is in the DFI.


I bought another 6A box and coil, the 6a box was off of the dyno and was working so I know it was good, the coil was new out of the box.

I am not too sure about being able to disconnect the 6a box and then try the ecu because the ecu always resets itself and unless it gets the connection from the 6a box I am not sure it would bring up the code? If you can tell me that you know what wires to put where and disconnect to check the ecu like you say I might give it a try since I don't have anything to lose but a day. I would really like to be able to fix this without taking it out but that is not what I was told to do.

I got the answer from the head of Accel today and he told the builder that as soon as you get a code 66 you can't try it again or you send 500 volts of power to the ecu. This is what I was told and I was also told it fried my ecu the moment I tried it again. The sad thing about all of this is that the moment I got the code I contacted accel and actually got through and was told to just check all of my grounds and voltage and was never told to stop right then and replace my 6a box and coil. It all could have been handled better and now we all know.

Hopefully when someone Googles a code 66 or comes here and searches for what to do they will have the info they need now. I hate being the guinea pig for things like this but for some reason life has always put me there.

NEVER TRY TO START YOU CAR IF YOU GET A CODE 66 OR YOU WILL BURN UP THE ECU !!!!!!! This is not advice , it is a warning to follow or you will be very sorry.

I am taking the ecu out tonight and sending it out tomorrow. I hope it gets turned aroung quickly.

I am still real PO'ed because I wanted to go to one of the bigger car shows in the area this weekend and now I can't. I am missing events that I really want to go to and am ending up at events that have no coverage or classes that I can actually compete for anything in that mean anything to anyone.

I guess I should be thankful that the car is still in tact and it has a much better engine in it and when I get the ecu back I should have a more finished car because of the down time from all of this.

I keep trying to find the positive side to all of this and it is hard to do right now.

I am however positive about one negative thing, I will not talk to the person at Accel who gave me the wrong information again other than to tell him to get someone else on the phone or get me information from someone else at Accel. If it was up to me I would have him in the unemployment line fighting for another job. I don't think wishing bad things on other people is good karma but in this case he has pushed his karma past the limit and deserves the thoughts as far as I have experienced things in the last year. I am a forgiving person and I had already forgave him once and thought he had changed, never again will I do that for him.

So just like last time , if I start obcessing about this just tell me to shutup and quit crying and I will.

Thanks for being there with your thoughts and help.

Now back to what is important, finishing the car !!!

P.S. I just googled code 66 and it comes right up now, so hopefully if it happens to someone else they will get the info they need.

[avewhtboy]

Hey Jim, I met you last year at RTTH, have been reading your threads about this problem.

Probably nothing to add to the situation, but since it's still on
going, did you say you changed your alternator to a one wire when you swapped motors? I thought I picked up on that some where in the thread, maybe not.

[Jim Nilsen]

Hey Jim, I met you last year at RTTH, have been reading your threads about this problem.

Probably nothing to add to the situation, but since it's still on
going, did you say you changed your alternator to a one wire when you swapped motors? I thought I picked up on that some where in the thread, maybe not.

I have had a one wire alternator from the very beginning. I mentioned that I have one because it takes it out of the equation when it comes to the voltage spikes to the system. With the one wire it all has to be filtered throught the battery instead of hitting the whole system. I had to go to a bigger bottom pulley to bring the speed of it up, the guy at Jones Racing who hadn't ever worked with an MSD alternator got me worried about turning it too fast and I went with just a bit smaller one to make sure at 7000 rpm I wasn't over doing it. An MSD can go over 20,000rpm and has to be driven at 3 to 1 tohave enough voltage at idle. I was borderline and just 300 rpm off. The change in the pulley puts me at 12.4 to 12.7 at 900 rpm instead of the 11.4 it was. I had to be at 1200 rpm to have the same voltage I have now. It was thought that the higher voltage may have been the culprit. I have it on a 200 amp breaker and it is easy to isolate it with the push of a button. It is no way the cause of my problem.

I look forward to seeing you at RTTH if I make it there.

[Jim Nilsen]

This is past the emergency stage and can be moved.

The ecu is coming out today and getting sent out. I hope I get it all running soon again.

Thanks for all of the replies and support.

[a6beatu]

Hello Jim
I'm having the same problem with my gen 7, Did sending it back to Accel fix the problem with the code 66 ?
Thanks,
Tony

[Jim Nilsen]

Yes , they fixed it right up n problem

[slowjoe93]

So was the fix for this issue was to send it back to Accel for the repair? I know this thread is old but I'm working on the same DFI system. I know Accel is a part of Holley.