OBD II scanner I just bought...

[guydewdney]

from here

90 quid...

reads all post 2001 cars...

BUT!!!! all cars post 1996 in the states are obd 2 compliant - and you will note that my car is a 96/7 car - so if it was in the states, it would have the socket.

So I looked up the wiring diagram for the socket on my favorite russian site (www.autolib.com.ru or somthing) and lo and behold - the socket for the obd 2 is connected to +, -, signal Gnd of a data line (NOT canbus) and a signal line from the main engine diagnostic pooter - all of the 4 wires above have a corresponding pin in the main diagnostic socket (38 pin)

So - in order to be able to use this in the future for obd2 cars - i'd like to get a obd2 socket - i cant seem to find one - and a populated merc 38 pin plug - i can then make an adaptor plug up to make it work.... any ideas?

Of course if anyone wishes to use this, they will be welcome... maybe a small admin / recovery of purchase cost charge...

afaik all 38 pin socketed cars will have the same system....

oh - one flaw - I need a copy of DirectX 7 (i.e. very old) to make it run - the laptop i have is ancient (25meg of ram ferchrissakes) but able to run the software... can anyone help?

 

[buellwinkle]

Don't know how hard this would be for you but there a lots of salvage yards in the U.S. that are online. Since OBD2 has been in the U.S. for many years I'm sure they cand find a generic used OBD2 connector for you. Also you can probably order the correct OBD2 connector/harness from a U.S. MB dealer and have it shipped to you.

 

[Shude]

Also you can probably order the correct OBD2 connector/harness from a U.S. MB dealer and have it shipped to you.

or a uk dealer.

 

[jimmy]

I have a EZScan4000 and from what I have been told and researched there is no way a OBD scanner will work with MB's before 2001, ie MB's with the Star socket under the bonnet. IT works with all cars that have the 16 pin socket inside the car. I see where you are going with the pin-outs but they tell me that it uses a different language??

Bit of a shame as the info you can get is really interesting, the one I have works in VW/Audi's from around 1996 on and all cars from 2001 on. Use it alot on the Smarts.

 

[guydewdney]

http://www.mercedesshop.com/ottoscan/obd2compliantcars.pdf

have a look at the bottom of here...

 

[jimmy]

Thats interesting, so we need a MB 38-pin plug and a OBDII 16-pin socket to make up an adapter from MB to OBDII? I think most MB stuff is Bosch but dont know if you could buy the plug, the OBDII socket should be easy to get hold of.

Just realised, I have a piece of kit that plugs into cars to reset the service indicator, there is the basic handheld computer bit with various adaptors, I have a feeling the MB one only has 2 or 3 pins in it but worth a look.

 

[guydewdney]

draper make a mercedes re-set tool....

The alternative is a serial (com port) plug on the 'translater' box (it goes pooter-parallel port -> special box witha small PIC / eprom -> serial type port -> OBDII plug.

so a std serial port plug (easy to get) to three TINY pins which one manually inserts into the merc socket...

 

[Will]

draper make a mercedes re-set tool....

The alternative is a serial (com port) plug on the 'translater' box (it goes pooter-parallel port -> special box witha small PIC / eprom -> serial type port -> OBDII plug.

so a std serial port plug (easy to get) to three TINY pins which one manually inserts into the merc socket...

That sounds like what I have seen some garages use before.

A series of 'test' leads (3 or 4 at a guess) that were placed into the relevent location of the Merc socket.

HTH,

Will

 

[jimmy]

Bingo!!

Just looked at my Draper Oil Service Reset tool OSRII, the Mercedes adaptor has a fully populated 38pin plug, the other end has what looks like D plug serial type socket but is more than 9 pins. I would take a picture but I have lent my camera to someone.

I used to be able to get these things really cheap, Draper were doing a big promotion on them.

 

[guydewdney]

ok - do you use your draper thing Jimmy? Or can you get me one cheap? Then I can butcher one and build us a mbclub dianostic tool...

Is it a tube about 6" tall? like this

Guy

 

[jimmy]

ok - do you use your draper thing Jimmy? Or can you get me one cheap? Then I can butcher one and build us a mbclub dianostic tool...

Is it a tube about 6" tall? like this

Guy

I have one like that too, it has a 3 way switch on the top, the other is a bit different as it has a connector on the other end.

Leave it with me, see what I can do.

 

[buellwinkle]

One expert you can tap into is Alex Peper, of OBD-2.com fame. He's developed the software he sells as well as the electronics. The cables he sells for this are unique in that they have the electronics built in to handle the OBD2 polling. He may be able to make what you need.

 

[guydewdney]

Thanks buellwinkle - I think i might just about be able to handle soldering 4 wires together - its just the plug itself i'm trying to find...

I was wondering - the OBD scanner talks to the generic 'pin' of the 38 pin socket - yet there are other pins for other modules - like window regulator conveniance module etc etc - if i connected the scanner to these - would one get the same P1xxx codes?

<ot> - anyone know how to re-set the bios password on a panasonic laptop - i have a CF25 and need to re-build it - but cant remember the admin password</ot>

 

[guydewdney]

http://www.skpang.co.uk/catalog/pro...id=28&osCsid=126dba3da1cd09a8841c42ebb352fdd0

for anyone that might want to put a OBD 2 socket on their car... only 8 quid

 

[guydewdney]

good news and bad...

Thanks to Jimmy :bannana: - i now have a merc 38 pin plug.

soldered it all up - the +, the -, and the (single) data line (pin 4 of the 38 pin)

I can get real time info - like long term injector adjustment / fuel trim, engine load (17% at idle, 25% with air con, heated seats and heated rear window on )

i can read the air mass meter (7 g /s ?)

but neither program given with the lead reads and DTCs - digimoto or scantool.net

any ideas peeps?

 

[jimmy]

Great, so do you think you could make me one if I send you another Draper tool? We could then see if it works with the EZScan4000, I would need to get hold of a OBD socket, the EZScan comes with a OBD plug.

 

[guydewdney]

no prob mate - the system i have comes witha com type port cable to obd plug - i just sat there with my 4 hands probing the pins to find out what was connected to what...

what does yours come with? presumably theres a dongle / box between the laptop and the obd plug?

doesnt help me with the DTcs tho'

 

[jimmy]

The EZScan4000 that I have is a standalone, handheld fault code and data scanner. It has a serial type socket with a lead that has the OBD connector on the other end. With mine you can read and reset fault codes and pending fault codes. It can also display live sensor data too.

Sorry, not sure what you mean by DTCs??

 

[jimmy]

Just saw this on ebay, looks interesting.

MB OBD

 

[guydewdney]

well - i downloaded obdmaster - and got a fault code - a 'pending' one - admittedly i generated (by pulling off a plug)

i can now read DTC (diagnostic Trouble Codes) on Mercs!!! :bannana:

whos up for a test?