obdII computer reader

Hi All,

I have a 98 Disco 3.9ltr v8i auto.

Before I baught my Disco I had a 1ltr Corsa and one of the most useful tools I ever baught was a obd2 code reader of ebay, however my Disco wont see the code reader or the code reader wont see the Disco when its plugged in, even though I have a socket on the Disco for the job.

So my question is, is there a code reader available to buy to read trouble codes from my Disco?

Thanks very much

John

There is no OBD II reader that will read your v8,as it does not use the 16pin socket - that is for ABS/SRS ecu's etc.There is a separate 5 pin,(only 3 pins are used.) socket that the engine ecu uses.Recently the Snap on scanners will read live data from them and presumably clear codes.
To be honest there is little advantage in having it anyway,most checking is best done with a multimeter,its just quicker with Testbook.I think there is a guide to 14CUX injection on the LR4x4 forum.

eightinavee said:

There is no OBD II reader that will read your v8,as it does not use the 16pin socket - that is for ABS/SRS ecu's etc.There is a separate 5 pin,(only 3 pins are used.) socket that the engine ecu uses.Recently the Snap on scanners will read live data from them and presumably clear codes.
To be honest there is little advantage in having it anyway,most checking is best done with a multimeter,its just quicker with Testbook.I think there is a guide to 14CUX injection on the LR4x4 forum.

Click to expand...

Cheers mate, I think rather than spending money I will go the old fashion way with things and check manualy.

Thanks again

John

Try this ; Rover V8 HOTWIRE EFI - Diagnostic Manual - LR4x4 - The Land Rover Forum

where is the socket on the v81 3.9l 1998 have a problem with cutting out and staling when idling once warmed up ,and cant find the connector for obd 11 readings of faults guess its the 3 pin one

anyone got one of these?

I have to differ from the above.

We have an OBD II reader that we run on our lappie and it gives engine speed, Lambda sensor readings, temperature and lots of other information. It also reads some codes as well.

We also have a similar device for the Zavoli gas ECU on our Disco.

Got them both from Fleabay, £30 squids or so plus postage.

Laptop is an Acer Aspire One running XP Home.

Our Disco is a Series 2, but as long as you have the OBD II socket they should work. Our two are both USB and there are ways that you can plug them in and not have them work. Best to get the engine running first and then plug it in.

Peter

the one i linked too, dont seem to need a PC?

The Mad Hat Man said:

the one i linked too, dont seem to need a PC?

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I did look at those, but I have no experience to say whether they are good or bad. For that money plus the postage from China it isn't bad, but without more information on 'what/if' regarding faults and returns, I'd be cagey about spending money.

The ones we have display a set of dials in software and have various screens for different modes of display. Driving round in the Disco while watching the dials working (and agreeing with the Disco dials) was interesting.

If you look on this thread:

http://forum.landrovernet.com/showthread.php?t=165622

there's some screen shots of the device in action.

Peter

listerdiesel said:

I have to differ from the above.

We have an OBD II reader that we run on our lappie and it gives engine speed, Lambda sensor readings, temperature and lots of other information. It also reads some codes as well.

We also have a similar device for the Zavoli gas ECU on our Disco.

Got them both from Fleabay, £30 squids or so plus postage.

Laptop is an Acer Aspire One running XP Home.

Our Disco is a Series 2, but as long as you have the OBD II socket they should work. Our two are both USB and there are ways that you can plug them in and not have them work. Best to get the engine running first and then plug it in.

Peter

Click to expand...

Peter,the problem is that the 14CUX system was never linked into the 16 pin J1962 socket,it only uses comms through the five pin type socket.(From memory it only uses 3 of the 5 pins.)
Shame really as Disco 1's had the 16 pin socket for ABS and security etc,but still used the 5 pin socket for the engine - even though the TDI Auto'swith EDC used the 16 pin for engine comms.
There was a Lucas tool for 14CUX,but other than that its going to be Testbook or Autologic etc.

I iz looking for summat I can carry with me, without relying on having a laptop to hand. I just want summat to give me an idea (and possibly a fault clearing option).

eightinavee said:

Peter,the problem is that the 14CUX system was never linked into the 16 pin J1962 socket,it only uses comms through the five pin type socket.(From memory it only uses 3 of the 5 pins.)
Shame really as Disco 1's had the 16 pin socket for ABS and security etc,but still used the 5 pin socket for the engine - even though the TDI Auto'swith EDC used the 16 pin for engine comms.
There was a Lucas tool for 14CUX,but other than that its going to be Testbook or Autologic etc.

Click to expand...

OK, I hadn't any immediate knowledge of the Disco 1 system, but I can have a look at the schematics and see if there is any opportunity to maybe bring those connections over the the OBDII socket without too much electrickery or faffing about

The Zavoli ECU reader uses four out of four pins on a Molex type flat 4-pin connector.

Peter

The Mad Hat Man said:

I iz looking for summat I can carry with me, without relying on having a laptop to hand. I just want summat to give me an idea (and possibly a fault clearing option).

Click to expand...

That one you flagged should be ideal for that, just make sure that it's going to work with your vehicle and socket.

If we hadn't intended to get the Zavoli reader as well, we quite possibly would have gone for one of those, but would have tried to find a UK vendor possibly.

Peter

thanks - prob i can foresee is it is likely to be use on several makes/models of vehicle, but it does say can-bus compatible, so that should help, should it not, as it will increase its compatibility? I note some say they are not can-bus compatible.

OBDII is a can of worms - as you will see from the following:

Disco 2 OBDII Socket pinout

Pin 4 Ground
Pin 5 Ground
Pin 7 Data I/O
Pin 13 - FBH only (Fuel Burning Heater)
Pin 16 - Power

All of the devices that can be interrogated by the reader are connected to pin 7:- Airbag ECU, Cruise Control ECU, ACE, SLABS, EAT (Transmission) BCU, and ECM (Engine Control Module) and ground for a signal return.

Disco 1 Data Transfer Socket (NOT called OBDII)

Pin 4 Ground
Pin 5 Ground
Pin 7 ECM data link (Engine Control Module
Pin 8 Data Latch (guesstimated)
Pin 13 Data I/O
Pin 14 Data I/O
Pin 15 ECM data Link (Engine Control Module
Pin 16 Power



So there's your differences between the two systems. Disco 1 does not appear to be OBDII compliant (but later versions 'may' have been) Disco 2 certainly is although the signal handshaking is different for the two vehicles.

There's a fairly good description of the various versions on Wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On-board_diagnostics

If anyone can add to these notes, please do so, anything extra is always useful.

Peter

I'll be talking to a chap who should be able to answer the 14CUX - OBD2 question in the next few days.I dont hold much hope tho,even the likes of Snap on,Bosch etc have struggled to get comms with any LR,Rover or MG product.

Does testbook work with the earlier Disco 1 vehicles?

The data signal handshaking must be different, so I'd be interested to see how they do it for both types of socket.

Peter

Testbook will talk to any LR system up to 2005 ish,(When Ford took over and brought in IDS.) apart from early ABS sytems on RR Classic before about 1992.There was a separate Wabco tester for that but you could blink code it from the ABS lamp anyway.
Have a look at; Omitec : Product List This will give you an idea of what comes with Testbook - there is alot more with the original kit,what is sold now has been streamlined.In some ways Testbook is a bit slow and finicky,but it is clever enough to know if you try to connect the wrong adapter to it.People moan about it,but its reliable and has full coverage of what a dealer was expected to be able to do.

I fancy having a play with the ELM327 chip, I feel a PCB design coming on....

http://www.elmelectronics.com/DSheets/ELM327DS.pdf

http://www.obd-ii.de/kabelzu.html

Peter

Good luck with that ! I've just got a yard full of LR's with allsorts of diagnostic issues to wade through,they seem to arrive faster than I can get rid of them.