MAHack

I purchased a scantool from another rennlister and have spent most of today trying to get it to connect to my car. I've read every thread on here, plus all the links I could find to additional info, but still cannot get it to work.

I have the interface for the 993/964 with the three position switch on the left and 3 leds. I have the switch in the bottom setting (DME) since I'm using this on a 964. The interface has the flat OBD2 connection and I have an adapter to go to the round 964 OBD1 plug. I am connecting to a PC via the 9 pin serial port on COM1. I've also used an FTDI USB to serial adapter with the same results. Running windows xp.

When I plug the interface into the car with the key off, LEDs 2 and 3 are on (K and L). When I turn the key to on, these two LEDs go off. Then I start the scantool4 software and I get the flashing red rectangle in the lower left of the screen but it never connects. LED3 on the interface does flash dimly.

I've tried connecting to Motronic, SRS, Climate control, and ABS/traction control with same results. I've tried the OBDplot software and it can't connect either. I've tried three different desktop PCs and two laptops....same. I've tried changing the baud rate to COM1 to 4800, 9600, 14400 with no luck. I've tried using my own wiring to the interface thinking maybe the cable was bad...still the same result.

Any other ideas?
Here is the interface I am using:

mojorizing

From your description, it sounds like your hardware is working, so I think your software (scantool.cfg especially) is for the 993. download this version>>>>

http://dedeharter.com/scantool/scantool4.zip

Realize with your hardware, to read motronic, alarm, etc. the switch remains on the "DME". FYI, motronic connects at 8800 baud

LouZ

I'm about to switch from an old (and dying) laptop to a USB. My question is tnat I bought the FTDi chip USB adaptor, but it looks like 8800 baud is not an option.

Any thoughts?

MAHack

I am using the 964 scantool version, just like the instructions say, with the switch in the DME position. The COM port is definitely working but the software behaves the same whether the car is pluged in or not....just keeps trying to connect.


Mark

MAHack

Well, since I've read more on the subject in the last 24 hours than I care to admit....
The software automatically adjusts the COM port baud rate to what is needed, and apparently the FTDI chip USB adapter is capable of this. The other USB adapters mostly have not worked, per the accounts of others.

I've manually set the baud rate to 4800 to try to connect to the climate control and ABS and 9600 to try to connect to the SRS, but still not working. This is also with a direct 9-pin port set to COM1. No USB adapter needed.

My next step I guess is to start checking the resistors on the board and see if something is wrong with my interface?!

Mark

MAHack

One other thing that may help with the diagnosis....

The PWR LED, which is the first one...never comes on. Someone else had described this in another thread but theirs worked anyway.

Anyone out there using this same scantool interface...does your PWR LED come on when you plug the tool into the car?

Thanks,
Mark

mojorizing

That's actual PWR RECV Led and it lights up on when the car sends data to the PC via the "K" line - the intensity is a function of the data rate. The middle led is the data sent to the car via the "K" line. The last led is the "poll" and it blinks when the scantool outputs to the car the address byte at 5 baud. The scantool fuse must be good, otherwise you wouldn't get any led action on the 2 that light up.

The PC does auto-configure the baud rate and I've used the FTDI for the scantool, so that's not the issue.

Let me think about this...

MAHack

Well, I finally figured out the problem...

The power LED never coming on led to further investigation of the interface with a multimeter. It was only getting 2v when the car was turned on but I measure 12v at pin 12 of the diag port in the car. So, I started suspecting the cable and checked continuity of the pins at the round 964 plug with their corresponding soldered wires on the circuit board of the interface and...

it's wired wrong! The orange wire is soldered to OBD10 (ground) on the circuit board, while the red wire is the correct wire for the 10 pin! I just untaped the unused red wire and wrapped it around the orange one at the solder connection....now it works as advertised.

Interesting to see if anyone else has this problem who has never been able to get their scantool to work.



-Mark

mojorizing

That's great. I see on the circuit board the pin designations for the 964 OBD and the 993 OBD ...I believe that version of the board was built for the 964 and the 933 but with it's respective 19 round pin or OBDII connected to the correct pins. Did the 19 round to trapezoid adapter come with the scantool?

MAHack

Yes the round 19 pin adapter came with the kit. After I noticed the low voltage, it was an easy fix, but man what a headache to get to that point!

Mark

frankvan

I've got a similar issue. i've got an FTDI USB-OBD cable with a 19 pin round Porsche adapter. I think it's trying to communicate with the car because when i open scantool the "check engine" light flashes three times but it never connects. I've tried various com port configurations in both the .ini and the FTDI driver as well as manually changin baud rates to no effect.
I've checked with a multimeter and i've got continuity from the L-line to pin 15 and K-line to pin 7 of the OBD2 connector. Also, when the adapter is plugged into the car with the ignition on the amber light on it turns green (as it's supposed to) so i'm pretty sure the computer and the car are talking, just can't get scantool to talk.

mojorizing

You have Tore's adapter, or http://obd1interface.com/

Is your computer 64 bit Win7?

ToreB

I've got a installation manual and a troubleshooting guide in the downloadable on my web site, I'm sure those would help.

Cheers,
Tore

hawk911

I was able to connect my win7 machine to the scantool. Ben was having issues on is similar setup. He's going to bring his with next time he stops by

mojorizing

- Yep, Scantool works with Win7 - I have a port scanning software that only works with 32 bit, and I was going to suggest it to monitor the virtual port, but that's not the problem. Tore's site has all that and more if you're using his adapter, but you reference a an amber led and I don't think Tore's adapter uses amber.