PCMs are a hearty beast. One of the following scenarios is the reality:

1) You wired the Int-X incorrectly (i.e. power connections backwards)
2) You bent pins on the harness
3) You failed to disconnect the battery NEGATIVE terminal
4) The dealer is selling you a line of crap and it wasn't that actual PCM

 

I still think the problem sounds like your main fuse. Did you check that one? The huge fuse under the fuse box in the engine compartment?

 

Take some pictures. The PCM is pretty hard to damage unless you wired something horribly wrong. Especially if you read the connector backward. Even so, you would blew a few fuses and by the way it was describe "there is no power to certain fuse" that is an indication a lost of power somewhere. Could be some connectrs or blown fuse(s) that you didn't notice. Sometime a blown fuse is hard to tell without a multi-meter. You'll need to do a trace on the circuit to find out; happened to me once, then I switched to the light up fuses which are pieces of crap btw (I would not recommend anyone using those). The main fuse will be the first to check.

The PCM can be re-program if it's erase (again, the only time it can happen is by the dealer or you open the pcm up and jump a connection). If it's internally damaged, you need to get back the unit from the dealer, otherwise your dealer is jacking you.

 

I would question the dealers diagnosis. Ask them how they determined the PCM was fried.

 

How about some more information. You say it wouldn't start, but did you hear the solenoid click on when you turned the key? Do the other lights and gages work?

 

hmmmm... check the fuse on the interceptor line that connects to the postive on the battery...

when i first installed the interceptor, my car wouldn't start either. so i called scott and it was a simple fix. it wasn't the fuse, i needed to remove the white ball with the short rubber hose that connected from the throttle body and instead connect the blue vacuum hose directly to the throttle body. then my car started fine.

later on, when i went to the dealer to replace my tranny, i got my car back with the interceptor uninstalled and placed on my passenger side floor. so when i got home, i reinstalled the interceptor and my car didn't start again...

after stressing out, i checked the fuse from the plastic hose that connects from the interceptor to the positive battery, and it was out. i went to pep boys and replaced the fuse, and it worked.

so....... my advice is before u drop 1800 for a new pcm... get ur old "broken" one back.

check your fuse on ur interceptor... see if your blue vacuum hose from ur interceptor to the throttle body connects directly and not through the white ball thingy...

and if it is ur stock pcm thats been erased... i'd contact racing beat first to see if they can do anything to reprogram it w/out you spending 1800.

i really dont see how the interceptor would delete all of ur stock pcm... and let's not jump to conclusions and start pointing fingers. scott makes quality products and many would vouch for him. u have a great product in ur garage... before u plan on selling it or anything, check out what really is the problem.. and get 2nd opinion and a 3rd if u can

good luck sir~ hope u dont have to drop all that extra cash... and end up keeping ur car stock without the interceptor x.

 

i'll take the dealer is full of crap for $200 alex.

unplug the connectors, plug them back in. not a whole lot to screw up there. it probably just needs to be tuned and the dealer sucks.

poster--did you have the interceptor on it when you towed it in?

 

Erased a computer? No way! It really sounds like a fuse blew someplace, which is not uncommon when one starts to mess around with this type of stuff. Check your connections and spend 20 cents on a new fuse.

 

Ok sorry to hijack and sound stupid, doesn't the Int-X replaced/bypass the PCM and control the engine itself? If so, why does it need to be connected to the PCM?

 

it piggybacks on the PCM, but it directly controls fuel management, bypassing the PCM for that function.

 

This is very strange and I really question the car needs an ECU diagnosis. Josh, I dont doubt that is what you were told but it sounds like there is still another issue. The Interceptor-X has no way to erase the factory map or interact with it for that matter and thats the main point of the Interceptor-X. Complete engine control regardless of how the Factory ECU thinks the car should be run! Our testing procedure for the units although abit time consuming, is without a doubt a real world test of each unit.
Every Interceptor-X goes through the same test procedure.
Determine the application (N/A, turbo, injector config)
Install the unit into a RX-8!
Connect via laptop to the Interceptor-X
Install the required application map and START THE ENGINE!
While the engine is running verify all gauges are displaying the correct information in the laptop software.
Check A/C input activation, Idle vac., T.P.S. values etc.
Check the unit and the interface software for any error signals.
Shut the engine off, restart engine, reconnect to the system.
Install two backup copys of the base map into laptop interface.
Shut the engine off, restart the engine final time and free-rev engine verifying "load" gauge operation and T.P.S. idle to W.O.T. range.
I am not sure whats wrong with your car, or how it developed this problem but I doubt it needs an ECU. If you would like to have the dealership call me I will be happy to help any way I can, Scott

 

I'm going to have to agree with the comments that the dealership is full of it. It definitely isn't the first time (today) that a dealership has been. For the most part, many of them don't know crap about cars or how to diagnose them. Mazda once told me that my airflow meter on my RX-7 went bad and friend the leading and trailing coils and that it would be $2500 to fix. I replaced the afm for $50 and the car ran fine. What happened to my coils? Why did they suddenly work? They always had. The dealer was an idiot. Fortunately they made the mistake of not charging me enough for the time my car was there so I didn't complain.

Too many people will install something, not get it to run right away, and then panic. You overlooked something and your dealership is trying to get money from you. I have never seen an ecu fry and I've tried!

 

RG is right on the button . When a car goes into a dealer they will look for the easiest solution . So that means - keep replacing things till they fix the problem . They don't care what it costs the customer. They would quite happily replace the ECU - find it still doesn't go then finally track it down to a 50c fuse.
Will they send the ECU back for a refund - hell no !!! That takes effort .

 

Not to mention that they now have a free, working ECU in their hands that they can resell.

 

How many threads do we see where people complain about having issues with their cars and end up taking them to the dealers where they try many things but could never seem to fix the problem? Sound familiar? Many of the RX-7 people used to automatically blame their problems on a blown ecu and it was almost never the case. I think I've heard of one report where it was but even I have thought the same thing and had the ecu turn out fine.

 

I don't think the dealer is trying to screw josh; I think they are just following their own rulebook.

They can't talk to the ECU so they charge you for a new one. They are trying to make a living just like the rest of us. They do repair estimates as quickly as possible.

They've probably never seen a fried ECU before so they are just guessing. The mechanic tells the service rep what he THINKS the problem is. The service rep then tells you what he KNOWS the problem is. I'm guessing this is what is happening.

One of the reason's I haven't done any exotic mods is I don't know any good RX-8 tuners in my area. I'm definitely not going to rely on the dealer to do service work after I perform my mods.

Josh, we are just guessing here. The Interceptor could have fried your ECU or not. We don't know for sure, you don't know for sure and dealer doesn't know for sure.

-Mr. Wigggles

 

no the interceptor is in my garage. but i told the dealer that i installed it because he asked me what i did to it and told me that the pcm was erased.

 

awesome. you are awesome. the number is 256-319-0300. ask to speak to bruce in the service department. and my name is josh key, so let him know whose car you are talkin about even though mine is probably the only one there with this problem. if there is any way possible that i can get out of buying a new pcm then i will do it. even if the pcm really did get erased, shouldnt i just be able to tell them to program it again?

 

Just called the Dealership, spoke with the service manager and the Tech working on the vehicle awaiting a call back. Scott

 

I'll give you 500 for your inter-x

heh!

 

Scott, Josh, and all, even if the PCM gets erased, with the MDS it can be reflashed with as built data. My shop (Mazcare Inc) has the MDS and I am certain that this is possible for the 8.

 

awesome. let me know what they tell you when they call you back.

 

Any updates?

 

no not yet. still waitin for him to let me know what the dealership said?