[GaryDoug]

Version 2.5.0 is posted. It adds the current DTC list to the engine display table so you don't have to switch to the DTC tab to see them. And it fixes a bug that slowed the log file save. Now it only takes typically a couple of seconds instead of as long as several minutes.

 

[GaryDoug]

A user of the app has found an error. The app refers to DTC83 as applying to the manual transmission only, and it would be correct if the user has a manual transmission. However, the app does not also show the description for DTC83 that applies to the automatic transmission. They are different descriptions, even though they share the same code#.

Currently DTC83 shows only: "Reverse inhibit system (manual trans)(QDM)"

For the automatic transmission, that should be: "TCC CONTROL FEEDBACK FAULT (ODM)"

The error is actually in the "malf.csv" file and can be corrected easily with a simple text editor. I will change that in the next revision release of the files. Note that the 94 service manual does NOT show the description for DTC83 for automatic transmissions. I think that is an omission. The 95 manual does correctly show both descriptions for DTC83.

 

[GaryDoug]

It's been pointed out to me that the 94 does not have a TCC PWM solenoid, so it's not an omission in the 94 manual. The 95 does have the TCC PWM solenoid. I will leave the description for both, since the 94 should not report a code for that solenoid in an automatic transmission car.

"... Note that the 94 service manual does NOT show the description for DTC83 for automatic transmissions. I think that is an omission. The 95 manual does correctly show both descriptions for DTC83."

 

[Bucki]

Hello Gary;

Would this software and the adapter work on a 1995 Buick Lesabre?

Have you come across instructions for making a Bluetooth version of the adapter?

In your instructions to build the adapter you say: "Connect the black wire from the USB cable to pins 4 and 5 of the 16-pin connector." In another forum I came across a reference to the 1995 LeSabre which matches my LeSabre:

The 16-pin on my 1995 LeSabre looks like this:

_________________________________
\ X | X | X | 4 | 5 | X | X | 8 /
`\9 | X | X | X | X |14 | X |16/
``------------====-------------

Where:
X = Unused
4 = Chassis Ground (black)
5 = Signal Ground (black/white)
8 = Door Lock Programing (short to ground, 4 or 5) - (black/white)
9 = Unknown, Hot w/ Ignition (tan or pink or orange)
14 = Unknown, Constant Hot (blue or navy or purple)
16 = Battery+ Constant (red)

Does this match the configuration you used to build your adapter?

Could someone in a hurry, who needs the codes quickly, and would like to proceed without waiting for the parts to make an adapter, be able to hook up leads to #5 signal ground and # 9 which I believe is the ALDL?

Bucki

 

[GaryDoug]

I'm researching this, be right back.... Can you give me the VIN?

 

[GaryDoug]

Neither Scan9495 F-car app will work for the 3.8L 95 LeSabre. Technically you could use the program to get the raw data numbers from the car, and then very tediously decipher the numbers to get the trouble codes. But you would need a FTDI-based USB-to-Serial port converter device to connect the pc to the car. You could bypass the 16-pin connector and just push the wires into the connector on the car.

Pin 4 and/or 5 are the ground. Pin 9 is the data as in your car.

This one does work and is about the fastest one to acquire:

http://www.amazon.com/Gearmo-Header-cable-Chipset-Rasperry/dp/B004LC28G2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00

 

[Yusuf]

Gary, does this support a 1993 car for diagnosing ABS faults?

 

[GaryDoug]

Gary, does this support a 1993 car for diagnosing ABS faults?

Yes, but not the SRS (airbags)

 

[KeyKeeper]

Gary, need to pick your brain. Ive followed the directions from your mediafire account on this app and think Ive installed the app right and have tried ALL of the drivers 24/28/30 and I just cant get it to work right. Maybe Im missing something but here is a run down.

1. Ordered the FTDI usb to serial cable adapter shown in the "make your own cable for under $20" and also the obd1 to obd2 adapter.

2. Tried soldering the brown wire to the green/white wire and the black to black

3. Installed the drivers via the applications you posted

4. Com part shows "COM3", in device mgr, it shows the port for the USB adapter as com3 so that has to be right

5. Tried running in compatibility mode (7/xp)

6. App starts right up without issue and shows com3 is live.

Notes: This is a windows 10 box with dot net 4.0 already installed.

No data stream what so ever. The comms report shows "missing engine data" and just keeps trying to scan. If I add the trans and abs, it says the same things for them as well, assuming no feed back from pcm. It also does show "bad checksum" and then a bunch of jumbled up numbers/letters.

Tried all of the drivers, no dice still.

So I took the homemade adapter apart and used a multi meter to check that brown was pin M and black was pin A....well they dont.

Red is pin M but black is pin A.

So I swapped the brown wire for the red wire and retried it.

New problem, windows keeps loosing the port when I plug into the car and turn the key on and then the scan app says "no port found"

Now it doesnt completely loose it, the port dissapears and a new device shows up in usb controller list with a big yellow ! and states windows doesnt understand the device.

So I looked at the picture of the thin rectangular plug that you cut off of the serial adapter and the wire color per location DOES NOT match what I have. So I figured ok, well thats the problem. So using the wire location and colors of your photo, I resoldered the wires to match the location but now its yellow and green instead of white and green.

Now I am getting exception errors in the app and it closes down immediately.

With all of this said, the PCM may be bricked or possibly has a crap flash as it will not go to closed loop EVER and it will not engage the cooling fans no mater how hot the car gets. I have ruled out the relays/fans/wiring/ect/ect 5v/ect ground. All of those are good and if I manually ground the signal wires for the fans at the PCM connectors the fans come on like they are supposed to. New ECT. This is the problem that we are trying to use the app to figure out. Figured if we can manually turn on the fans, then we know the final drivers in the PCM are good and its a programming issue. The app did not cause the pcm problem, just want to make that clear.

So my question is, should I follow the colors of wires or locations on the thin plug? I know the pin location for the brown wire on the obd1 to 2 adapter is not right, the brown wire has continuity on some other random pin and not pin M.

If I shut the ignition off, unplug the serial adapter and the replug it back in, windows does find it again and so does the scan app and all is well. It just will not stay live when plugged in the car and with the ignition on.

Maybe Im completely botching the DIY job of the adapter but at this point, Im running out of hairs to pull out. Any help would be stellar.

 

[GaryDoug]

All the cable and parts I have seen use the black wires as common so those should be ok.

Try to pry off the cover from the USB end and see what wires go to TXD and RXD. Regardless of the colors, those should both connect to pin M on the 12-pin connector. The ground should go to pin A.

If the port keeps disappearing, that may indicate that the connector at the pc is loose. Try another USB port.

 

[KeyKeeper]

Will do. Just spent some good time reading through post by post. should have given more information, my apologies.

Windows 10 64 bit OS.

Tried all 4 USB ports on computer, all do the same thing when the ignition is turned on.

I had to wrap tape around the plastic plug part of the USB end as soon as I pulled it out of the bag, it opened up on me! Thought I had already broke it but can see it doesnt have a very good latching mechanism so wrapped tape around it. Assuming it will have RX and TX on it somewhere inside? Hope so lol.

Edit: also it came with absolutely no drivers

 

[KeyKeeper]

Ok, opened it up...and I had it connected wrong based on pin location in the photo. Was the white/green wires for TXD/RXD and of course black for grd. I soldered it back together right, headed over to my neighbors house and.....huh?? PCM gone...he took it in and ordered another one. So now we wait and see.

 

[KeyKeeper]

Well after the new PCM, its still doing the same thing, no closed loop or cooling fans. Also after wiring the FTDI cable properly, trying all 3 driver flavors, still getting exception error data reported, port dissapears, and the app closes. Im running out of things to check at this point.

 

[GaryDoug]

If the port disappears, that can only be due to a defective or intermittent adapter inside the USB end.

 

[KeyKeeper]

Whats weird is it only does it when I turn the ignition on. Does it on all 3 USB ports on the computer. All other USB devices work normally on the ports. May have just butchered the FTDI adapter with the incorrect wiring.

Is the red devil cable a ready to run cable with drivers? If so I might just pick it up. At this point I know the fans work since I can unplug the MAP or MAF and send the car to limp mode and the fans come on immediately. Just wont go to closed loop, hence I want to read data stream and see what temp the PCM is seeing from the ECT. There is some sort of grounding issue on this car I believe.

 

[GaryDoug]

The Red Devil River cable comes with the drivers it needs, but some folks have complained about the reliability of that one. Might be better to get this one:

http://www.aldlcable.com/

Also, don't use the laptop on 120v line power with a battery charger attached also. Better yet, don't use any line power to the car or pc.

 

[KeyKeeper]

Hmm. Well I am using a laptop plugged into a power strip...?

 

[GaryDoug]

Theoretically it's OK to have just one line powered device attached. But I try to play it safe when the car is parked and have none attached. Sometimes it is as simple as having a grounded trouble lamp's metal hook touching the hood to make a ground difference that can cook the pc.

 

[KeyKeeper]

Well at one point we were tired of tripping over the laptop cord so we unplugged it, didnt make a difference. The guy that owns this car is getting pretty frustrated so he may just sell the dang thing. he only paid $1k for the car, put a fuel pump, water pump, ect, battery, and now a PCM in it. It runs a helluva lot better but still not right. Not sure why the ohms on the ECT ground jump to to 60ohms with the key on, but 1ohm or less with the key off. Pretty sure were having a ground/backfeed issue, just cant seem to locate it

 

[GaryDoug]

. Not sure why the ohms on the ECT ground jump to to 60ohms with the key on, but 1ohm or less with the key off.

That's not an unusual reading. You should never measure Ohms with any power applied, it's a meaningless measurement even though I know shbox.com shows it.