which OBDII reader

[blackbooty]

hi all, been checking out the OBDII readers on ebay, any recomendations as to which one is best. 96N 854 T5 auto.

ta, wayne.

[pzorb]

'96 is a bit of a hard year to get readers for because some seem compliant while others aren't. Do you have the OBD2 socket under the coin holder in the car?

http://www.vpcuk.org/forums/showthread.php?t=8307&highlight=diy

[blackbooty]

yes mate its the phase 2 with OBDII under the coin holder, there just seems to be a lot of conflicting info on ebay, so i thought id ask for the model no of any readers that other members have bought and worked rather than just ordering and hoping.

[pzorb]

I've asked this a fair few times, I'd be surprised if you get a definitive answer ;)
The link above details how to make one using a multimeter and four bits of regular household electrical wire, which allows reading and resetting of codes in a Heath Robinson manner. I too wanted to make sure before spending any £££ on eBay, and found that this did pretty much what I needed, for nada :)

[blackbooty]

cheers Martin.

wayne.

ps.... if anyone has bought one that works off ebay, please let me know the make and model no.

[splatt]

Dont waste your money mate, the 850 is not fully OBD compliant, theres a fair bit of info on here about it.

[blackbooty]

I've asked this a fair few times, I'd be surprised if you get a definitive answer ;)
The link above details how to make one using a multimeter and four bits of regular household electrical wire, which allows reading and resetting of codes in a Heath Robinson manner. I too wanted to make sure before spending any £££ on eBay, and found that this did pretty much what I needed, for nada :)

no help atall pzorb mate, had my brother help me, a top notch spark, experienced in bank security systems, warship defence systems ect ect and he couldnt make the instuctions/obd2 port do anything .
followed instuctions to the letter and tried two diff multimeters ????

ever heard of the obd2 port needing repairing ?? lol

wayne

[blackbooty]

main stealers, no questions then i suppose.

[pzorb]

couldnt make the instuctions/obd2 port do anything .
followed instuctions to the letter and tried two diff multimeters ???
Humph, you looked at http://www.volvo-tech.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=113 ? It's exactly the same thing but I used a beeping multimeter not an LED (cos I only had a multimeter kicking about).
I'll assume your bro knows what he's doing with all that, just make sure that the wire you use is actually poked correctly into the OBD2 pins (and that obviously when rubbing the probes together on sound mode, sound is actually made!).

See what I mean, this bloody year is very touch and go with getting codes out of them. I went to a chap that had a touchscreen reader that could reprogram itself to read 99% of all manufactured cars since OBD2 existed, and he coudln't get the codes either! Ruined his day... lol.

[blackbooty]

yeah mate we checked, checked and checked again.
multi was set correctly, beeping nicely but even using the probes directly on no 3 and no 16 there was no continuity.

the only pins that we could find a continuity between were 4 n 5 ????

bit bizzare huh.

all very straight forward for my bro with his understanding of all things electric (not even complicated for a bricky like myself)

as i said...... "bizzare" , many thanks anyhow Martin.
regards, wayne.

[T5ER]

i just get the lads at work to do mine F.O.C he he

[blackbooty]

just clicked the link and its saying pin 3 , 6 , 13 and 16 ?
will check after my tea i was looking at the right diagram... your instructions were 3, 5 , 16.

ill let you know mate.

[pzorb]

Pin 6 is for the Climate Control ECU. You want to be putting pin 3 to ground as well as the multimeter; ground is pins 4 and 5 doesn't matter which. Rubbing 3 and 5 together acts as your switch. I've assumed you're after ECU codes - right? From memory it will sound when the key's not in the ignition, then will go quiet when you put in the key. Eitherway, putting in the key makes something happen!

[volvotuning]

It is possible that you have a faulty OBDII port, assuming of course that you are doing everything correctly. If it's an 850, check inside the glove box and if the light doesn't work, chance are that the OBDII port won't work either. I have only ever see one car with a faulty OBDII port.

Adam.

[T5ER]

mine says OBD II but is not compliant i thought it was those that had a blue volvo badge on the front grille that were

[blackbooty]

Pin 6 is for the Climate Control ECU. You want to be putting pin 3 to ground as well as the multimeter; ground is pins 4 and 5 doesn't matter which. Rubbing 3 and 5 together acts as your switch. I've assumed you're after ECU codes - right? From memory it will sound when the key's not in the ignition, then will go quiet when you put in the key. Eitherway, putting in the key makes something happen!

ahaaa, i havnt been putting 3 to ground as well as the multi meter martin,
i have been following the instructions from a link that was posted earlier saving that after connecting two wires to 3 a wire to 16 ,connect a multimeter to 3 and 16 whilst in sound mode and itll beep , then inition to 11 and beep stops, then connect ground(4 or 5) to 3 (ecu)for 2 secs and then release to start code beeps.
there was no mention of connectin 3 to ground at the same time as the multi meter in the begining. (i printed it out and these were the instructions i followed) and am reading now.

ive got something to go at now tommorow.
cheers mate.


the glove box light was on so i recon i can asume all is well with the port.
cheers Adam.

[pzorb]

Tomorrow print out the volvo-tech guide, as it's more accurate than the summary I gave in the other link. If you follow it, you'll see that the 3-pole switch isn't needed if you're just after the ECU codes, and that the push-to-make switch is replaced by rubbing two wires together.

So two wires are used to tie onto the multimeter probes because it makes it easier to connect them to the OBD2 port without having to hold them in place, as you'll need hands free to operate the 'switch'. It does matter which way round the probes go. So stick one to pin 3 and the other to pin 16.
Now stick another wire into 3 as well as the one that's there, and yet another into pin 5. These two will be used to replicate the switch when pushed together. Then follow bobcat's guide to getting it to work. It's very hit and miss, and the timing's important.
If nothing's happening at all then swap the probes round., because that the probable reason. Otherwise it should work!

Everything you need is in the volvo-tech link, I've just cut it down to suit what I needed at the time. Good luck :)

[blackbooty]

just had my bro looking at the thread, posts ,links ect martin and we now now whats going on.

i realise you know your stuff and chopped it all down in size to the important stuff that was needed, but there was a couple of confusing bits that threw us.
were gonna make the item from volvo tech as my bro has the gear.

thanks martin your a champ and i owe you a pint.

regards wayne

[blackbooty]

Hi pzorb , managed to get codes out mate , kept on trying with the multi meter without any joy, even went and bought a new one as my old ones battery was running low and " FLASHING.........." still no joy !!!
so i just ripped the diagnostic unit out of my phase 1 doner, worked out what wires did what... plugged it in and out came the codes, no prob.

by this point, the fact that i couldnt do it with a multi meter had got under my skin somewhat so i tried again, thinking that somehow the port had been frozen , jammed or something and would now work as it had given the codes up.

AND guess what.... the bleeding battery symbol that was flashing was actually the codes being pushed out!!!!!
set on audio.... it was flashing instead of beeping (all 3 multi meters)

my bro recons its cos their cheepie ones and not like his do everything one for work.

6 hours (and a gut full of stress) to do a 30 minute job, story of my life that mate. lol.

many thanks Martin .

wayne

[siamblue]

Hi I have just bought a Gendan code reader, should be here in the morning, so will let you know what it is like,
cost was £75,

Gary.

[blackbooty]

Hi I have just bought a Gendan code reader, should be here in the morning, so will let you know what it is like,
cost was £75,

Gary.

cheers Gary, i could do with one.
at mo i can only read engine ecu, acc ecu and cruise ecu.
havent been able to reset either.

wayne.

[JUDGENINJA]

I've a C-Tools code reader. I doesn't work on my car, maybe I've remove one too many wires, I've be at Wobbley's BBQ if people want to try it out

[blackbooty]

worth a try mate, ill pull a few more wires out,see if we cant totally break it. lol