help with vpc diagnostics. no lights

dbsupra90

toonar
Apr 1, 2005
2,374
0
0
indiucky
just hooked up a vpc on an sc300. it is using a mk3 440cc chip and wired in with an afc. when you turn the key on, only the red led in the corner lights up. none of the knobs light up at all. when you start the car, it runs really rough and searches for idle. looked at the kv input at the afc and found no output from the vpc. i tried hooking power up directly to battery to see if that helped, but same result.

i'm not sure if the chip was defective if it would keep it from powering up or not. anything else i can look for?

thanks for any help!
 

dbsupra90

toonar
Apr 1, 2005
2,374
0
0
indiucky
yep, chip is indexed properly. i was also careful not to handle the pins so it wouldn't get damaged by any static. all pins are straight and seated correctly in the socket. if i don't get any responses, in a last ditch effort i'll try to pull the vpc out enough to swap over the 550 chip.
 

Steve_N

New Member
Mar 31, 2005
763
0
0
Louisville KY
www.cardomain.com
supraman502;1531851 said:
Sorry about the trouble steve, once the problem is figured out I'll either refund your money or if its the chip I'll order you a new one asap

Thats a stand up seller there..

Can't belive there isnt any info on these other then what I posted.
 

supraman502

not lazy, just dont care
Apr 8, 2005
326
0
16
46
louisville, KY
I found a thread of the previous owner, about his setup. The vpc was running on his car, so hopefully its the chip causing it. I pm'd the guy the chips were bought from, hopefully he responds with some help-full info.

---------- Post added at 11:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 PM ----------

Is the chip installed properly? apparently it can be installed either way....

http://mkiv.com/techarticles/vpc/hardwire/dsc00220.jpg

---------- Post added at 11:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:39 PM ----------

Also seen in another thread that if its put in the opposite way it can fry the vpc, but there were no posts confirming or denying.....
 

dbsupra90

toonar
Apr 1, 2005
2,374
0
0
indiucky
yes, there is a notch silk screened on the pcb to index the chip. i'll double check it again just to be sure. the chip is just firmware from what i understand. i dont see if you put it in backwards it would fry anything. it just inputs and outputs, not like a regulator or anything that it would reverse any polarity or output a voltage on a ground line or anything. i could be wrong, but in typical electronics that's what it does.

the only concern that i had at all was in the back corner the pcb was a bit black like it was drawing some current. maybe that is typcial, i've seen several amps with discolored boards due to the heat from the high current draw. i looked over the components and didn't see anything obviously blown, altho some were a little dark.

i'll post on sf to see if i get anything there.