An ECU scan tool for turbo and NA owners

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Tue May 25, 2004 5:54 pm

yeah I removed that last (26th) wire, how do I do a continuity test?

mikec · Post by **mikec** » Tue May 25, 2004 6:00 pm

If you've got a multimeter, it should have a buzzer that sounds when there's continuity. If not, use any of the Ohms scales. Continuity is 0ish ohms, and an open is infinity or Overload.

If you don't have a multimeter, a battery and a lightbulb works well.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Tue May 25, 2004 7:54 pm

vrg3 wrote:It's plausible that the parallel port's voltages might be slightly out of range or something.

How would I go about testing this?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue May 25, 2004 11:23 pm

I think first you should find someone with a printer that uses the parallel port and try printing something.

The laptop only has one parallel port, right? And the port is turned on in the BIOS setup? The scantool program correctly identifies the parallel port's address?

I don't know how you'd test that the voltages are in the right range because I don't know the exact voltage specs of the ECU. I just know both the parallel port and the ECU's communications port both should be TTL compatible.

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Wed May 26, 2004 2:48 am

well the laptops parallel port doesnt work because the battery either is dead or just doesnt exist. It only powers on with the docking station and i have to use that parallel port. I'll see if I can find a printer cable to etst with.

mikec · Post by **mikec** » Wed May 26, 2004 3:52 am

That's really weird Thawa. So it doesn't work when its hooked up to a charger?

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Wed May 26, 2004 3:54 am

I dont have a charger for it, or the power cord for it. The docking station just has the standard three prong computer plug.

mikec · Post by **mikec** » Wed May 26, 2004 3:58 am

So you've been using the docking station's parallel port the whole time? I can't think of why it would be like this, but maybe that's the problem?

THAWA · Post by **THAWA** » Wed May 26, 2004 4:19 am

possibly, but I dont feel like looking for then buying a battery for it so i think ill be waiting a while.

mikec · Post by **mikec** » Wed May 26, 2004 5:03 am

You should see if you can borrow someone else's laptop to make sure you've got the wiring harness correct. I used my desktop computer to check it.

fishbone79 · Post by **fishbone79** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:58 pm

Is the latest version of the BC/BF scan tool found in the iso file on your website, vrg? I ripped it to a CD and booted an old 475 mhz compaq into the program, which seems to run fine, but will not pull up the ECU ID. I used an old LPT cable and a continuity tester to find the correct wires, and hooked these to the connector on the car, but it wont give me anything. I've double checked all my work, and i cannot find anything wrong, save that my car is a non-turbo. Any insights?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:04 pm

Yes, all three forms (binary, disk image, and CD image) are the most current version.

The scan tool should work on non-turbos as well as turbos, so the fact that your car is NA isn't the issue.

Failing to read the ID just means it failed to communicate with the ECU... Do you know for sure that this laptop's parallel port works correctly with other devices (like printers)?

fishbone79 · Post by **fishbone79** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:12 pm

Yes, Iv'e tested LPT 1 on a printer and it worked fine. I'm going to screw around with it a bit more... i find no reason it isnt working, but dameit, i will soon.

fishbone79 · Post by **fishbone79** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:12 pm

Thanks for the help, by the way.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:44 pm

No problem...

Can you verify that the scan tool is finding the parallel port at the correct address (usually 378h)?

It's possible that your laptop's parallel port just won't work with this scan tool... some computer manufacturers do cut corners with these things, and I wouldn't be surprised if Compaq did.

Can you borrow a laptop from someone else to test your cable with?

fishbone79 · Post by **fishbone79** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:27 pm

Alright, i got it to work like a champ. I had a bad ground; i guess the ground wire in my cable was broken inside somewhere. Anyway, it works now... and i have values for all the parameters, where to find the set values for comparison? Thanks again.

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:39 pm

Ah, cool.

I think a few people started threads in the Engine and Electrical forums to compare numbers... You could try to look for them. But most of them were from turbo owners, I think.

hack0r · Post by **hack0r** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 2:01 am

ok well i tryed it today.. made me up a cable.. it came up wif rom id unreconised.. 72.35.14 can you make it so it can work 4 me?

thanks
Chris

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 2:04 am

I've never seen an ECU with that ROM ID...

Can you give me some specifics on your car?

hack0r · Post by **hack0r** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 2:14 am

92 subaru legacy turbo. was a auto converted it to a manual. jap import

hack0r · Post by **hack0r** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 2:15 am

its a bc5. 2ltr dohc

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 2:35 am

Ah.

As explained on the web page, this scan tool was developed for North American Legacy models. I don't have access to the materials required to adapt it to Japanese-market cars. Sorry about that.

hack0r · Post by **hack0r** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 2:43 am

oh ok.. how did you no wat voltages to use.. did you just play around?? i wana make one for mine.. anyidea's where to start?

vrg3 · Post by **vrg3** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 2:50 am

I basically did a clean-room reverse engineering of the Select Monitor.

This page should get you started; I believe your ECU is very similar to the ones these people are working with:

http://www.scoobymonitor.co.uk/

hack0r · Post by **hack0r** » Sat Oct 02, 2004 2:59 am

thanks.. i need to get a head in the next drags. lol.. go a few ideas to start wif.. but need to no wat the ecu is seeing!! plus i dont wana have like 10 guages on my dash

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An ECU scan tool for turbo and NA owners