Hey guys, yesterday I finished the installation of PRC heads, cam, long tube headers, and cat-less midpipe on my 2011 Z06. After the install, the car started up and ran fine for about 10 minutes. But I noticed the "Service Active Handling" indicator was on and the check engine light (CEL). I expected the CEL but not the service active handling.

So, this morning I hookup HP Tuners and list the DTC's that caused the CEL. All the DTC's were expected given the cam and catless mid-pipe upgrade. I made the typical changes to prevent those DTC's and wrote the calibration to the PCM. When I started the car this time I noticed that the starter stopped cranking within 1 second of engaging. So I pressed the start button again and it started.

It idled fine and sounded good, the CEL was off and no more DTC's were being generated by the PCM, but the Service Active Handling warning was still on.

I noticed the idle fueling needed a little tweaking, so I shut it down and made the changed to the idle airflow/fueling and wrote the new calibration to the PCM. Here is where the weird stuff began.

I went to start the car and the starter cutout again. So I pressed and held the start button, it engaged and had to crank for 5-10 seconds before starting. I think, no big deal, this sometimes happens after a new calibration is written to the PCM. But then I noticed that the coolant temp gage isn't reading anything and the fuel level reading nearly empty (I know for sure it has over 3/4 tank).

Now I'm thinking I have a loose battery connection, so I check and tighten them. Go to start the car and the starter just clicks as though it engaged but doesn't crank the engine.

During the installation, I placed a heat blanket over the starter to protect it from the headers. I'm wondering if the heat from the headers is somehow effecting the electrical connections on the passenger side of the engine compartment.

Any tips would be much appreciated! I'm grasping at straws right now.

Thanks guys!

 

Check to make sure you didn't break the starter terminal. I had a weird cranking problem like you described and it was because the main power terminal post was cracked and would get enough juice to click but not crank over.

You could of easily banged that terminal when removing it for the blanket or the headers.

 

Check the ground also. If I remember there is a main one on the head.

 

I charged the battery and the odd behavior seems to have disappeared. Although the service traction control warning is still on.

 

Its a ground issue or battery issue check all wires and check voltage..... Usually that's sounds like electrical issue caused by Batt alternator or wires. Check everything first then swap battery and alternator's...

 

Thanks Ram....weirdest damn thing I've seen.

 

Use a Scanner to read the EBTCM DTCs If you can not find a scanner that will read body codes, find some one that has a GM Tech2 /CAN D and read the DTCs.

Once you have those DTCs, its easy to diagnose and point you in the correct direction.

DID you remove or disturb the engine block Ground (G-106)? If so, that MUST be clean and tight.

Chassis ground G-104/108 (Stud ground on the frame next to the battery) needs to be clean and tight also!

YES,, Inspect and check the starter solenoid main power and "S" connection for being tight and not damaged.


Bill

 

Bill, is there a diagram online someplace that shows those ground locations?

 

So, today I checked all the grounds I could find in the engine compartment, cleaned them and put dielectric grease on them. Then I disabled the P0300 and P0106 DTC's in the calibration file. Finally the service active handling warning is off as is the check engine light.

Now, I'm looking for a way to modify the calibration such that I don't have to disable those DTC's but have it less sensitive to the camshaft idle dynamics.