Originally Posted by
ZERACER
Thank you for the ideas. Yes, the starter engages thus the backfire. I also suspect the CPS, RCM or MAF. The new wrinkle was the backfire/smoke and lack of communication.
I am still not sure what you are describing. No communications with the ECU implies it is not powered up, but in that case, the starter won't engage.
But a backfire, if that is what he really heard, means the ECU is powered up because the plugs fired.
There just is not enough here to go on. As someone else asked, did the car finally start and run? Has it done it again or is it doing other weird stuff?