Accel DFI code 66 ignition output driver over current

[Jim Nilsen]

I am having a problem with the efi again and the code 66 comes up. It is an igniton output over current. The ignition power exceeds .25 amps and shuts off the ecu.

I have checked all the grounds and have more than enough voltage.

I will keep adding to this until it is resolved so that there is info in this world to keep others from having to go thru this to solve the problem.

Updates will be coming and if you are an electrical engineer it would sure be helpfull if you shared some thoughts.

What I don't know is whether the driver is getting too much current going to it or if it is sending out too much current. This is important because if it is getting too much current and shutting down , the driver is still ok and it has to be a bad capaitor or resistor letting it get too much current. If it is the output driver that is bad and the ecu is shutting it down to protect other curcuits it is another component like the 6A that could be bad.

The way I see it is that the ecu supplies the power to the 6A box to tell the coil when to fire and the 6A box is down the line from the ecu. I don't see where there is any info going back to the ecu from the 6A box but feedback on impedence could be used to know the 6A box is not working right. I am not an electrical engineer yet but I feel like I am getting there ,LOL.

[LSx_88_Ciera]

Current is determined by the load in your case the 6A box EST/ESC input. Current is directly proportionate to the voltage and impedance.
Don't know if you know this or not but here it is, maybe it will help find the problem.
If you know any 2 of the values you can find the third.
Here is an example of how it works I am going to use simplified numbers.
E / I * R (E-voltage, I-Amps, R-Ω)
Find current:
10V / 1Ω = 10A
Find resistance:
10V / 10A = 1Ω
Find voltage
10A * 1Ω = 10V

[Jim Nilsen]

Current is determined by the load in your case the 6A box EST/ESC input. Current is directly proportionate to the voltage and impedance.
Don't know if you know this or not but here it is, maybe it will help find the problem.
If you know any 2 of the values you can find the third.
Here is an example of how it works I am going to use simplified numbers.
E / I * R (E-voltage, I-Amps, R-Ω)
Find current:
10V / 1Ω = 10A
Find resistance:
10V / 10A = 1Ω
Find voltage
10A * 1Ω = 10V

Yep I know ohms law, the hardest part is getting to the wiring when it is all neatly hidden and tucked away under the dash. I really hate going back in and having to rip it apart but hat is what the next thing is on the adgenda. I am going to see what Accel says they want me to do since I think it is under warranty. They turned the last one around in 2 weeks so I still might be able to make the event at the end of the month. I have to have it ready for the Motorstate Challenge as it is an event I really have to make if I haul the car there on a trailer.

Thanks for helping me not let it kick my ass on my own.

[Jim Nilsen]

It took awhile to get there but the ecu arrived at accel today and hopefully it will be looked at by Tuesday or Wed. If they get it out on wed. it can make it to me by friday by ups.

I am still wondering how it will turn out?

The whole thing still seems like a mystery to me still.

I was going over the distributor and the plug wires along with the spark plugs and when I pulled the #6 plug wire off at the plug boot and took the plug out I had a surprise that may or not mean anything. The plug is a shorty plug and it has one of those end that is a removable tip like on a lawnmower plug, it was at least 3 turns loose somehow? It was tight when I put it in, that along with the loose rotor may have been the culprit? Not likely but it could have made a bad connection and caused the current to do strange things?

Guess what brand of plug it was?
ACCEL, go figure!

I keep praying that they find something and yet I keep hoping they don't. If the yfind something wrong with the 6A box it will make sense, if they find nothing I will be searching still.

[Jim Nilsen]

Got the news from Accel today and it was a problem in the board and they are replacing it at no cost for the board. The 6A box was good and they said it was nothing I did. At least I know what it was now and will hope to have it all back together next week. Now I have and extra coil and 6a box for spares.

I can't wait to hear it fire back up and get back to the breakin process. The tune will hopefully be a lot better and only take a few drives to get it back to really good.

I have plenty to do with the new column bracket to make and front inner fenders to put in. Then there is the carpet too. The car gets better everday.

[Van B]

Finally some good news! Sorry I will miss you at Motorstate. Kind of "traded" my wife that weekend for the Road America one.