ostrich 2.0 and 299 ecm

**fullmetalbush** · 06-27-2017

Hey guys! I now it's not the introduction page, but I am a newb and have a question. I am new to tuning efi and have been trying to get my ostrich 2.0 to work with my 299 ecm. I have the bin file uploaded to the ostrich 2.0 and have my suburban running with it, it doesn't even have a service engine light! The problem is as soon as I unplug the usb cable from the ostrich, it runs like crap. The ostrich is obviously not emulating once I unplug it, but I thought it was able to do that. I was looking through this thread below, but not much happened following it. Also, does anybody know of an adapter I can get that allows a dip socket to go in the factory socket? I would rather not do something irreversible like solder in a new socket or something not easily reversible.
http://www.gearhead-efi.com/Fuel-Inj...erPro-RT-V-5-x

**Six_Shooter** · 06-27-2017

In my experience any of the 24 pin EPROM ECMs don't v like to run off an Ostrich or Autoprom when not plugged into a computer via the USB. For these ECMs, I just fine with the Ostrich/Autoprom and then program an EEPROM for use between tuning sessions.

**fullmetalbush** · 06-28-2017

dang, I bought it thinking I could just use it in place of a chip and be done with it. One and done ya know. Well if nobody has had any luck with the emulator, has anyone had success with a cheap chip burner? I don't have that big of a budget and the 80 dolla moates one is a little steep for me.

**ony** · 06-28-2017

does the ostrich have a battery in it? how are you connecting to the prom socket?

**Six_Shooter** · 06-29-2017

Originally Posted by ony

does the ostrich have a battery in it? how are you connecting to the prom socket?

Yes, the Ostrich has a battery in it to keep the loaded bin in memory, but it doesn't power the active circuitry to communicate with the ECM. I'd have to do some digging and testing, but I believe it's something to do with the extra pins that are not connected to anything when used in a 24 pin ECM that keeps it from working as an EPROM replacement. ECMs that used 28 pin EPROMs originally, such as the '7730, '7427, etc all work with an Ostrich as an EPROM replacement, as in there is no need for a laptop to power the Ostrich.

I haven't tried it, but at one time I was thinking about using a phone charger with a USB connection to see if plugging the Ostrich into it for power would allow the ECM to run off the Ostrich without a laptop connected, but it was an idea I had.

**damanx** · 06-29-2017

YMMV.......

But, I've been running my Ostrich 2 plugged into my ecm for the better part of a year without any issues other than the battery in it going dead. When that occurred, the SES light rapidly flashed as if it were a bad ECM/EPROM issue.

Now, in regards to having to have the Ostrich 2 plugged into a USB port for power, I'm not so sure because I've run the Ostrich 2 for weeks at a time in the ECM without being plugged in to the computer.

If I had to guess, it would have something to do with the either both or one of the two switches on the Ostrich for 24/28 pin use.

An easy way to verify whether it gets power from the ECM would be to open it up and pull the schematics for the chips in the Ostrich and find out what their power requirements are. USB ports only supply 5 vdc and if you happen to find a 7805 type regulator in there, you'll know then that the Ostrich is using the 12vdc from the pins for the 2732 for it's power.

**fullmetalbush** · 06-29-2017

That's interesting. What ECM are you using? I have the socket booster and everything is set to 28 pin because that was the only way it worked. I am no electrical genius, so I might see if a phone charger setup would get me anywhere. I will look into that when I got some time.

**damanx** · 06-30-2017

I knew I'd leave some small piece of info out......

I'm running a 1228062 ECM. It has the same pinout as a 1227747.

**Six_Shooter** · 06-30-2017

My experience is with several Ostriches on several 24 pin based ECMs.

I did have one setup work for a bit without the Ostrich being connected to a laptop, but then didn't after a short while. I think that was more of a fluke than normal operation, seeing as how most of the time I've tried it didn't work. I just tried this last week with a '299 in an '82 Crossfire Corvette, that I swapped the '299 into to replace the original ECM.

**damanx** · 06-30-2017

I think I am having some issues with the dip socket that I am using in conjunction with the socket booster, so I burned a chip and removed the ostrich 2 to eliminate that.

In any case, I opened up the Ostrich and chased the VCC pin for the 2732 into the Ostrich 2 circuitry. It comes in from the emulation header and via the 24/32 switch, is then fed into what appears to be a Schottky diode and then into a 3.3vdc regulator.

There is an Amtel 8515 microcontroller and an octal latch chip, both of which supply voltage is fed from the schottky diode output.

I could dig a little more, but I think it's safe to assume that operating power for the Ostrich is fed from the ECM eprom VCC supply for the factory eprom.

Now, I did just discover that one of the pins for the usb connector does tie in with the schottky diode previously mentioned, and since that pin is a supply voltage, along with pin 24 of the ECM socket side, that either could be used if one is missing, but, if the ECM side is missing, then there is an issue, but then that could be related to the 24/32 switch position.