testbook t4

hi everyone, new to this though i have been reading the forums for quite some time, i have just purchased testbook t4 + mobile running rds 5.06, i have also purchased rds 6.0 lr, in the hope that i will be able to use it to resync the engine ecu and the becm on my 96 4.6 p38, i would appreciate any advice on this procedure, the kit came with lots of discs for lr and rover, would i be right in assuming the rds 6.0 lr is for landrover only?? also what would be the disc number i would need to use to access the p38.
my other question is how to upgrade from 5.60 to 6.0,
many thanks in advance

There is a Testbook tutorial in RAVE. Must have cost you a few bob why did you not just get a Nanocom? Unless you are thinking of using it commercially.

RDS5.06 is absolutely fine as the t4 software variant for ANY P38 work,the actual vehicle disc you need is any of the DRG0011 right up to DRG0024 or 5. (Cant remember where they stopped - I use disc 23 or 18 to talk to autoboxes)
You will need the blue connector to do a resynch,go into the engine menu,its in there.

thanks for the replys, i bought my kit from a guy who had closed down his landrover garage for £1200, i had previously on occasion had to take my rangerovers to be diagnosed at a local independant landrover agent, and paid what i think were extortionate prices for quick plug in, i have found a firm that can supply the RDS 7 version and all landrover discs for £50 + vat which i think i will invest in, then hopefully i will have an up to date system, i have just bought RDS 6.0 LR genuine disc off ebay for £5.50, im presuming the LR part of that number relates to it being for landrover only and not for rover.
tried it on my 4.6 today tho and it wouldnt connect, i checked the connector blocks behind the left front kick panel and they are quite green, ill wait till better weather and have a play with the wiring.
Just wondering if i get the RDS 7 upgrade does it just install itself or do i need to remove the old version??

You simply dont need to upgrade the RDS software.Which disc are you using ? Any of the discs,DRG00011 up to DRG00024/5 will do.Does the green Led on the docking station come on when you plug the blue connector into the OBD socket ? If not the chances are the socket has corrosion in it.

haven't really noticed the led, to be honest being new to testbook im on a learning curve, will check sometime this week, the car was running fine until battery went completely flat, now it wont crank, i have also lost the check engine light

the connector i have is the dtc4021b, i don't have different leads i select what the laptop tels me using buttons on the adapter

seems the previous owner of the car which by the way is a 1996 4.6 hse with lpg conversion had been having problems connecting diagnostic equipment, and had been told by an independent lr garage the problem for non connection was caused by a faulty becm i bought the car as a non runner, the original becm, engine ecm , key fob and reader chip on the column had been changed but the car was in key code lock out when i bought it, the original becm, ecm, fob and reader have been reinstalled by myself and by entering the eka i was able to start the car, my non cranking problem is only since the battery went completely flat, reading through the posts on here it would appear that my problem is loss of sync between becm and ecm highlighted by the loss of the check engine light

in reply to problems plugging in to diagnostics and not getting communication with some ecu
i had this problem with my first p38 and traced the fault to a corroded splice in the wiring loom in an apparently quite common place so i was told after finding it!
if you remove the trim in the drivers side footwell as if you were going to look at the heater matrix o rings the main loom runs just underneath it and of course as the seals leak they drip coolant onto it and corrode two three way splices in the loom colours to look for are a pink and red and a green and something cant quite remember! tug on the wires and the soldered splice has normally fallen apart.
after finding it i found out that it was indeed common and causes all sorts of probs when plugging in for diag will be able to access some ecu but not others.

steveshone said:

the connector i have is the dtc4021b, i don't have different leads i select what the laptop tels me using buttons on the adapter

Click to expand...

Thats OK then,you are using a later T4 variant,earlier ones had different colour plugs.If you cant get any comms with the BECM Testbook will usually try to talk to the ABS ecu to see if the obd socket is working - if it doesnt then it should tell you to start checking connections etc.
You really need a copy of the correct ETM off a Rave cd or download off the net.Without wiring diagrams you are very much in the dark.Its also good to try T4 on another car to make sure its all OK,before tearing your car to bits.
The splice that corrodes in the loom that the other poster mentions is all the pink and red wires.Easy to check for zero resistance between the obd socket and the other ends at the ecu.This is the signal line for T4 to get to Becm,engine ecu,abs ecu etc. The EAS uses a different comms wire,so you could try talking to that.

tried quick plug in today, on the 4.6, only connection i get is eas, havn't had time to look at the wiring as you both suggest, i have connected the testbook to my diesel rangy and it connects to everything ok, will keep you posted,..just a thought, if there is a wiring issue as you mention, could that cause the non cranking and loss of check engine light?

No,that splice is only used for diagnostic comms,the one I did back in 03 that had a rotten splice ran well,everything worked except the diagnostic socket,which had a resistance across the splice of about 70 ohms.

ok, had a look today, found the three pink and reds coming dow and joining the pink and red running under the heater box, not completely disconnected but looked like a dry solder joint, and only a few strands connecting it, also found four black and white wires one of which had detached, battery on charge now and will try t4 later to se if it connects

once i get connection with t4, how do i resync the ecm and becm please?

Bit late for me on a fri eve - wine has taken hold....
But go into the engine ecu,then subsystem tests,then security immobilisation.T4 will ask if the engine starts etc,but it will lead you through it anyway.It sometimes takes a couple of goes even if all is good.When the CEL comes on at key pos 2 you know it will work.
Good luck with it.Testbook has had alot of bad press over the years - mostly from ignorance or from peeps with vested interests.I bought mine in 2003,and its enabled me to earn a living with LR,Rover and MG's all this time.(For LR stuff up to 2005.5 my)Its a reliable tool that makes cars work as they would have come out of the factory - which is all 99% of people want.

thanks for that, i repaired the splice with the pink and red wires, and repaired the splice with the black and white wires, but still have no connection to t4, i gave up tonite as it started to go really cold, and i the car battery isnt the best charge wise been stood a while now, the t4 did go into the eas and came up with quite a few faults, fuses connections etc even though when the car was running i had no suspension issues, will check next that i have power and good ground at the dlc socket, thinking fuse box issue?? just wondering though if there is a power or ground issue should this also prevent t4 reading eas??

still no joy connecting testbook, tested pin 4 of dlc and have good ground, tested pin 16 and have 12 volts, repaired the splice with all the pink and red wires, repaired splice with black and white wires-- 2 black and whites coming down joining 2 black and whites running under heater assy towards passenger side, have looked but can't see any other splices does anyone know how many splices there are that could cause the non connection? thanks

also i need to check continuity between the dlc pins and the other end, would i be correct that it is c225 under the becm fuse box

Should have bought a Faultmate.

Bear in mind that there are two diagnostic lines (K & L).
Suggest you check integrity of both.