1. RE: OT
Did you check http://www.obdii.com/ ?
1evan wrote:
>
>
> Does anybody know where I can get specs on OBD-II?
>
>
2. RE: OT
Funny you should mention this. I've been doing some research on the
same topic (for a while now).
I have a friend that is a mechanic and we've been looking into writing
our own OBD-II Windows application. I've gotten so far as downloading
some technical specs from various web sites and even have 3 ECUs at
home.
Basically, OBD-II is an automotive standard regulated by the federal
government that says all cars produced 1996 or after must have an OBD-II
compliant interface in the car. OBD-II as a standard only dictates the
data that must be available through the interface and the physical
connection that must be present. However, what the standard doesn't
dictate is how the communication must be done and each of the big auto
mfgs have their own. In the USA you'll find 4 different flavors: ISO,
PWM, VPW and Keyword 2000.
>From a programming standpoint you unfortunately can't just hook up the
OBD-II cable to the car and plug it into the serial port on your laptop.
What you'll have to have is a piece of interface hardware. You can
either make them yourself or buy them from one of many sites. I found
one for $80 bucks that supports the 4 mentioned, but I haven't gotten
one yet.
I also know that the complete OBD-II standard is available in document
form but it's not free. You'll need the SAE OBD-II reference guide to
know how to interpret the information returned from the ECU. I found it
at Amazon for $140 USD.
If I had a lot of free time I would like to explore this and maybe come
up with a Windows/Linux OBD-II Diagnostics application. That is, IF I
had free time.
Here's some other sites that might help:
www.obddiagnostics.com - this is where I found the interface for $90.
Also has a really good description of OBD-II and some free software
available for donwload.
www.andywhittaker.com/ecu/obdii_software.htm - another good information
site, he's also got an OBD-II ISO interface for sell (I tried to contact
him, but he never returned my emails).
www.scantool.net - you can buy a combo package with ISO, VPW and PWM
interfaces for $184
Be prepared, you could REALLY burn a lot of time on this!
Jonas Temple
1evan at sbcglobal.net wrote:
>
>
> Does anybody know where I can get specs on OBD-II?
>
>
3. RE: OT
No problem, glad to help!
If you need any help please let me know. This might go faster if two
people are working on it! I have an OBD-II Ford that I could use for
testing. I also have a Chrysler and GM ECU at home. Just haven't
figured out yet how to use them without being in the car.
The other thing my friend and I were discussing is creating an app that
would modify or create an ECU chip. Since the ECU controls things like
oxygen flow/fuel rate/etc the ECU's values could be changed to get
better gas milage or performance, depending on the needs of the car's
owner. Of course these changes would still require the car to be within
EPA limits for CO emissions. This would be targeted to your everyday
driver. The other side of the coin would be custom ECUs for racing or
high performance applications. As you probably now know, there are some
OBD-II Windows apps out there but you won't find many programs to modify
and/or create an ECU chip.
If you want to "dive in" and would like me to help test/code anything,
then we'll need to agree on the hardware interface since we'd both have
to get the same one.
Where are you located?
Jonas
1evan at sbcglobal.net wrote:
>
>
> Found ScanTool.net, thanks for the other two links. This is exactly
> what I have been looking for. I am also thinking of writing an OBD-II
> Windows app (Possibly Linux too, since I have been playing with that for
>
> a couple of years now. Time to get serious with it.) Also, if I can
> find the time!
>
>
> Jonas Temple wrote:
>
> >
> >Funny you should mention this. I've been doing some research on the
> >same topic (for a while now).
> >
> >I have a friend that is a mechanic and we've been looking into writing
> >our own OBD-II Windows application. I've gotten so far as downloading
> >some technical specs from various web sites and even have 3 ECUs at
> >home.
> >
> >Basically, OBD-II is an automotive standard regulated by the federal
> >government that says all cars produced 1996 or after must have an OBD-II
> >
> >compliant interface in the car. OBD-II as a standard only dictates the
> >data that must be available through the interface and the physical
> >connection that must be present. However, what the standard doesn't
> >dictate is how the communication must be done and each of the big auto
> >mfgs have their own. In the USA you'll find 4 different flavors: ISO,
> >PWM, VPW and Keyword 2000.
> >
> >>From a programming standpoint you unfortunately can't just hook up the
> >OBD-II cable to the car and plug it into the serial port on your laptop.
> >
> > What you'll have to have is a piece of interface hardware. You can
> >either make them yourself or buy them from one of many sites. I found
> >one for $80 bucks that supports the 4 mentioned, but I haven't gotten
> >one yet.
> >
> >I also know that the complete OBD-II standard is available in document
> >form but it's not free. You'll need the SAE OBD-II reference guide to
> >know how to interpret the information returned from the ECU. I found it
> >
> >at Amazon for $140 USD.
> >
> >If I had a lot of free time I would like to explore this and maybe come
> >up with a Windows/Linux OBD-II Diagnostics application. That is, IF I
> >had free time.
> >
> >Here's some other sites that might help:
> >www.obddiagnostics.com - this is where I found the interface for $90.
> >Also has a really good description of OBD-II and some free software
> >available for donwload.
> >www.andywhittaker.com/ecu/obdii_software.htm - another good information
> >site, he's also got an OBD-II ISO interface for sell (I tried to contact
> >
> >him, but he never returned my emails).
> >www.scantool.net - you can buy a combo package with ISO, VPW and PWM
> >interfaces for $184
> >
> >Be prepared, you could REALLY burn a lot of time on this!
> >
> >Jonas Temple
> >1evan at sbcglobal.net wrote:
> >
> >
> >>Does anybody know where I can get specs on OBD-II?
> >>
> >>
> >TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE!
> >
> >
4. RE: OT
Well, I have a VW for about 2 more weeks! Don't know what I'll have
next.
I like the "change-on-the-fly" idea. Don't know how that would be
implemented, though. One approach might be developing a Palm version of
a tool that would let the driver change the settings as they're going
down the road.
I'm in Missouri, about 1 hour from St. Louis.
Jonas
1evan at sbcglobal.net wrote:
>
>
> I have a VW and a Toyota and possibly a Chrysler.
> Modifying ECU's would be neat. Having them programmable "on-the-fly"
> would be an extra bonus. Efficiency for everyday driving and
> performance for fun.
>
> I'll probably take a little time reading up on it before actually doing
> anything. In between work, working on my Master's, and the family, it
> could take a while. (Not to mention the 5000 other hobbies/projects
> that I have going on 
)
>
> I'm in Michigan. Where are you?
>
>
