Z32 ELECTRIC HICAS AND EARLY COMPUTER

Discussion in 'Technical' started by tuff, Mar 11, 2021.

  1. tuff

    tuff Member

    Here's a curly one for you guys.

    1994 300ZX Twin Turbo with electric Hicas. Has an earlier 90-93 engine and ecu installed with nistune. When I connect up the ecu talk cable and go into NISTUNE it recognises the ecu and shows all parameters for the car. When I try to go into CONZULT it doesn't recognise the ecu. If I then get a stock ecu and connect it up, CONZULT will then recognise the ecu. Has anyone experience this particular issue before and have a solution?

    Second part of the problem is that the hicas light is on from the get go on start up and heavy steering. Dash has an indiglo face but I don't believe the dash is dodgy as no jumping around at all, I suspect speed sensor is good but haven't tested it as yet, again no jumping dash which generally points to it being ok. Can an early ecu "talk to" and is "compatible" with the later model hicas system? I really want to hook into conzult to test but things are not playing the game.
     
  2. geron

    geron National Petroleum Equipm

    Try a different OBD connector if the Hicas Light is on and heavy steering.
    There's a thread on here somewhere relating to having the correct OBD connector. Some connectors should not be sold for Z32 use 'on ebay' because they interfere with the speedo readout in terms of not registering speed and HICAS light comes on and heavy steering, believe it or not.
     
    Oakley McPherson and MickW like this.
  3. tuff

    tuff Member

    Hi geron, yep I've experienced that on another car before. Using an ecutalk cable on this one
     
  4. MickW

    MickW Carntry member...

    Hydraulic HICAS man with a Nistune board in a 1989 TT here, thinking out loud - how much HICAS ( either hydraulic or electric ) data does the engine ECU have to deal with? As in, can it be upset by conflicting reports or missing sensors?
    OBD1 is pretty clunky at times.
     
  5. AndrewG

    AndrewG 双子によって吹か

    You may have the problem documented here (an old post):

    "earlier Conzult cables we have found are tied to the Conzult software and currently dont work with Nistune (trying at the moment to rectify this)"

    https://forum.nistune.com/viewtopic.php?t=1195
     
    MickW likes this.
  6. tuff

    tuff Member

    As far as I can tell from what I'm reading from various sources, the engine ecu still puts out the same signal to the hicas. Im going to swap this dash for a stock one to see if that helps at all, failing that time to do on outs for voltage to test the various sensors and components. I can live without the hicas, but the constant heavy steering is annoying
     
  7. ADAMZX

    ADAMZX 2000spec Conversion

    Please keep us informed on your porgress, as i have this wacky pipe dream idea ive trying to retrofit the late model hicas rack and system into my 89 na model. Probably more trouble then its worth but if i can get enough information and all the parts needed its possibe it will work.
     
  8. geron

    geron National Petroleum Equipm

    Are you getting a reading on the speedo when driving the car?'
    If not, after a few seconds of driving, the HICAS light will come on and the steering will go heavy.
     
  9. tuff

    tuff Member

    This hicas light is on from a soon as the key is turned and ignition is on. I'll do pin outs today
     
  10. AndrewG

    AndrewG 双子によって吹か

  11. tuff

    tuff Member

    Sorted it guys, there appears to be 2 fuses in drivers kick panel relating to this system, I went thru and found a second blown fuse and now its all functioning again.
     
    MickW, geron and IB like this.

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