Silverleaf and DDEC II - rehash

[rv_safetyman]

This is primarily addressed to Ace and secondarily to anyone with a DDEC II engine.

Ace, as you clearly stated in the other thread, you are very unhappy with your Silverleaf and probably me as well.  I did not want to mess up Dallas' thread, but I also could not stand idly by and not defend Silverleaf.  I have a ton of happy customers many with DDEC II engines.  With the exception of your problem and a non-Silverleaf problem that Sean Welsh is having, folks seem to be happy campers.

We had a thread going on this same subject a while back:  http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=15734.0.  In that thread, we discussed your problem and I suggested that we do some testing on your system to get a handle on what is going on.  Because the Silverleaf is reporting fluctuating voltages and you have had voltage problems, I suggested we explore that further.  Did you investigate the problem?

You have a ProLink.  When you leave it hooked up, does it report stable voltages and stable mile values as you drive?  Does the mileage in the ECM reflect what your trip indicated.  If the ProLink does not have any issues then something strange is happening with the Silverleaf.  If the Prolink is not stable and does not report proper mileage, then you need to have the update discussed in the referenced thread.

If anyone else has had Silverleaf problems with their DDEC II, I need to know.

As mentioned in the other thread, we now have the ALDL connector for the data port.

Jim

[Ace]

Hi Jim and let me be VERY clear! I am NOT upset or mad at you for anything. Never was and hopefully never will be! It was MY choice to purchase this silverleaf monitor as you know and nobody twisted my arm to do so. With that said, let me be VERY clear on the fact that YOU and everyone else thinks I still have a voltage problem. I DO NOT! That was proven as YOU suggested with my pro-link and yes my voltages are VERY stable per the Pro-Link! In fact, I think it was also asked if my pro-link reads the mileage correct and again, YES it does!
So with those test done and complete, and NO fault codes from MY ECM or my CEL and SEL suddenly appearing, I would take it that everything IN my coach regarding the electronics is working accordingly. It even starts EVERY time on it's own and I can even leave the battery cut-off switches ON. That I never could do in the past but after so may years of diagnosing problems, things DO get fixed and not by using a band-aid which only is a temporary fix in my eyes! That would leave me to believe that everything is operating normally as one would think!
Now after hooking up the silver leaf it has NEVER read the miles traveled correctly, nor has it calculated the MPG correctly and it ALMOST always and suddenly flashes a RED fault light that won't go out until the engine is turned off and re-started. Something you cant do going down the road! When this light comes on, I first check for any dash lights such as CEL or SEL, then MY gauges, and then the fault codes IN the silver leaf which comes back with a NO FAULTS FOUND status! That would tell me one thing. The silver leaf is NOT doing what it was designed to do or work properly as designed!
Now if it is a matter of me having a ddec 2 and a 8V92 rather than a ddec 4 and a series 60 than THAT should have been told prior to purchasing and it doesn't state any such thing on THEIR web site!

Now after sending IT the silver leaf BACK to the mfgr ONCE for a shop only setting change and was assured it would be right, and after about a dozen phone calls to the mfgr for walk thru adjustments to re-calibrate settings and it STILL doesn't work as one would wish it would, how would YOU feel?

Short of changing out my  ECM which I think is hardly necessary, I think I have covered everything ON and IN MY bus!

So again, to be very clear, I am not upset or mad at YOU. I just don't think THIS silver leaf is or was made to work with what I have and/or it is just a lemon!

Ace

[rv_safetyman]

Thanks Ace.  I was not aware that the ProLink reads the information correctly.  That puts a whole different slant on the problem.

I will be with Martin next week at the Fleetwood rally (we have a dual booth) and I will pick his brain on this. 

Now, the big question to the readers:  Do any of you with DDEC II have problems with the Silverleaf?  I do not want to sell the product for that specific application if there is an unresolved issue!!!

Jim

[Greg Roberts]

I might be interested in taking that unit off of your hands Ace (if you want to unload it that is). Send me a note if you want to relieve yourself of the problem and let me know what you will take for it.

[Ace]

Before I do anything, I am going to wait and see what if anything Jim and Martin come up with. If they say it wont work on my application then I surely wont need it.

[stevet903]

My VMS 200EL works great with DDEC II, with the caveats discussed in this thread - http://www.busconversions.com/bbs/index.php?topic=15734.0.

I'd be happy to help - PM for my phone number.

Steve

[luvrbus]

SilverLeaf is a good product I never been around but 2 James Walters and  Ross Hill.
James has the 120 LC on a 60 series DDEC II and has trouble with the trip screen he has since upgraded to a III and still has the problem.
Ross has problems with the cruise and the rolling miles on his I know what Ross's problem is he has a marine ECM on his 8v92 at least I think that is the problem both are pissed at Martin and it may not be Martin's problem.I will say Martin like most electronic genius can piss you off
I found out through a DD guy that there were 2 manufactures of the DDEC II and one had a few hick ups that is the reason the Pro Driver is a PITA to make work on a DDEC II works fine on III
I had the total coach and wasn't happy and Martin made it right ? Jim did Jones ever make the Silver Leaf work on his DDEC I


good luck

[rv_safetyman]

Clifford, I have not heard from our Albuquerque friend.  I think it is an uphill battle to make it work on DDEC I.

It sounds like Walters has the same unit as Ace.  I will probe that issue with Martin. 

I hope I can get some of his time.  I have tried to talk to him at the shows, and he has folks lined up most of the time.  Since he is in the same both as ours, I may have better luck.

Interesting information about the marine ECM and two vendors.  I am aware of folks using the marine in order to get around some of the smog stuff on late engines, but not on older engines. 

Your post confirms the reports that it is not an engine related issue (8V92 vs Series 60), but rather a DDEC version.

Hope others chime in here so that we get a broader picture of the DDEC II application.  Let me know both ways:  good and bad.

Thanks,

Jim

[DaveG]

Jim, my thoughts regarding DDEC II was not only ask the question 'who/anyone having problems with Silverleaf on DDEC II', but also who had DDEC II and Silverleaf and they are compatible?

Another interesting item that Clifford brings to the table is different DDEC vendors...we gotta mind meld that guy!

[Ace]

Clifford, when doing my research for on board data acquisition, I was told that the DD pro-driver was designed soley for the 60 series and would not work on my 2 stroke and it mattered none regarding what ddec i had such as 2,3,4,5. After that, i quit trying to buy one and opted for the silver leaf vms as it appeared to be close to the pro driver and would hopefully give me what i was looking to achieve. So far it has not. In fact, i am out on a weekend trip as i type and the trip down showed actuall miles to be 3.5 more on the vms than on the gps. This again was after yet another re-set of my vms settings. My pro-link and my gps are within .3
I would have preferred a pro driver since it is DD item rather than an aftermarket item but until i switch to a 60 series, i guess i will just wait.

[luvrbus]

Never heard that Ace saw lot of those in Eagle buses and a few in Prevost with 8v92'S DDEC III.A DDEC is a DDEC where on a 671 or a series 60. 



good luck

[Ace]

Well if thats the case, i might start my search over again because i know they work and work good. I have seen that first hand on more than one occassion.
With that said, anyone know where i can find one? A pro-driver that is. Maybe even trade for my silverleaf. Let me know!