cgfen

Living in California is challenging when it comes to OBDII readiness codes.
I'm assuming (hoping) not something to lose sleep over on a MY 1992 car.

Cheers

Craig

jsheiry

Not sure the 1992-1995 968's are officially OBD anything but the Porsche/Bosch "hammer" has quite a bit of information available to multiple systems IE the ECU, Airbag ECU and very limited ABS ECU (separate Bosch tools available for ABS) Durametric makes one of the most economical versions of the Bosch hammer. Durametric is not as capable as the hammer but 90% IMHO. Think there is also a Rennlist "freeware" tool that with the correct adapters purchased can also get you some version of the hammer, I have not used and cant quantify its capability. Generic OBD II scanners are severely limited on the 968 and hardly worth the effort. You do need one of the $10 adapters from round port under dash to OBDII rectangle style to use the Durametric tool....found on Ebay. I bought my Durametric tool/software used as they come up from time to time. The 968 does NOT use/set a vin number in the Durametric as the Durametric is sold as enthusiast version which lets you work on 3 vehicles (models that set their vin in the software) but the 968 can be plugged into an unlimited number of 968's as the vin is never set.

chudson

To add to what John said, yes a 968 is OBDI. Technically any car manufactured prior to 1996 with an on-board diagnostic system qualifies as OBDI. The problem was that every manufacturer had autonomy over what their diagnostic tool would be, the shape and size of the data link connector and how the code information was structured. This created a situation where a shop who serviced multiple brands of cars had to purchase multiple tools. Even though the "Hammer" worked on everything German, you had to have a box full of different connector cables and software cartridges to read each different brand of car. The FEDs saw the issues this created and mandated that OBD data link connectors and certain fault codes had to be standardized by 1996 which gave birth to OBDII. While a manufacturer is allowed proprietary codes, certain codes had to be universal between all makes. For example, a P 0304 indicates a cylinder 4 misfire for just about everything on the globe 1996 and after.

As to your readiness comment, such does not exist in OBDI systems.

Cliff

cgfen

Thanks for feedback. I do have durametric tool, but as you hint, the OBDII plug likely won't be useable on the 968.

"As to your readiness comment, such does not exist in OBDI systems"

Good to hear.

Be well.

potent951turbo

John, this is incorrect. As I’ve mentioned, the Hammer has ZERO ABS functionality on a 968. If you plug in it does not even come up in the software. On the flip side you can immediately plug into a 993 and it comes up.

DrewM

Duramtric sells/includes adapter cables for the earlier cars, Porsche had their own special plug in those early cars (like most car makers in the early 90’s).

jksymz75

Sorry to revive a year old thread but I hadn't heard this before about 968s not registering as a VIN on the Durametric tool. If this is true, it opens up the possibility of buying a used tool with 2 VINs remaining (I have 3 cars). Is this confirmed?

cgfen

Are you aware that durametric offers a one time VIN forgiveness for hobbyists?
I've used mine on my own cars and I reached the 3 VIN limit.
DM send me a reset code to bring me back to zero.
I wish that VAG-Com tool did the same.

jsheiry

For whatever reason the 968 does not register its vin in the Durametric software. Where apparently newer cars leave or deposit there vin into the software and use up a "license". I suppose that the 968 early OBD1 like functions cant do this like modern cars. You could use your Durametric on 10 different 968's and it seems to have no way to track that info.

dlearl476

Craig, I’m assuming from your post you’re concerned with emissions testing? I don’t know how California does it, but I’ve licensed mine in three states, NV, NY, and UT, and since emissions testers don’t have the adapter to go from the standard OBDII to the round plug all three just used the “ram it up the poop chute”* tailpipe sniffer. The bad news is that you have to manually hold the 2500 rpm for a minute.


* Frank Zappa reference.

touareg

I can confirm my original to me Durametric has been used on a 955,957 and 968.

I also made my own adapter from the standard ODB II to the 968s round bosch connector.

IIRC all ODBI cars could have whatever connector they wanted, it wasn't until ODBII this was standardized.

If I recall on the 968 the only modules you see are the ECU, ABS and Alarm.

Way back talked a little about it here: https://rennlist.com/forums/968-foru...ock-issue.html

jksymz75

It doesn’t see the Airbag (968)? That’s the deciding factor to buy it now.

jsheiry

It does see the Airbag module and can reset an airbag light as well as produce some various codes for deeper problems.