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PC Diagnostics

Posted: October 31st, 2006, 10:08 pm
by Cosmas
I've been losing sleep over a project I'd really love to dive into. I want to put a PC into my 92' V6 GS. Completely for music and media and everything else unnecessary, but besides that I'd really like for it to output some kind of engine reports. Everything I've found here and online all points to OBDI software that only supports a lot of GM stuff.

There are several OBDI Asian handheld units, but that plus the PC would be too many electronics.. the goal is to centralize.

I'm smart enough not to ask if anyone has or has seen any asian OBDI software.. so does anyone have any other ideas for some kind of engine reporting via a computer system or possibly.. a creative and inventive way of integrating external guages output into the PC itself?

Much abliged in advance.

Posted: October 31st, 2006, 10:46 pm
by max kl
you want serial data . diagnstic scanners get data from a data network . mazda pre obd2 systems are not networked. the ecm contains the trans & emissons controlers. if you want a computor to monitor & log data you can convert to a obd2 system or probe each data signal at the ecm & find conversion tables to convert 0-5 vdc to real world info.
instal a harnes from a 96 gs & ecm and any obd2 program will give you the data you seek.

Posted: October 31st, 2006, 11:16 pm
by Cosmas
Wow Awesome thank you.


Now would this entail replacing all the wiring in the car?

Posted: October 31st, 2006, 11:31 pm
by max kl
not at all the under hood harness for the engine only. all lighting and other stuff will not be affected. ac mat be an issue. where are you located?

Posted: October 31st, 2006, 11:37 pm
by Cosmas
The fightin Farmers Branch, just neighboring Carrollton

Posted: October 31st, 2006, 11:42 pm
by max kl
o mk well ther eare no 96 mx3 s in texas. well mabe gray market cars but not enuph for you t find 1. but a 96 n up 626 mx6 or probe will also work very nice.

Posted: October 31st, 2006, 11:43 pm
by max kl
your only an hour in traffic from me. we could go salvage yard hoppn in kenadale.

Posted: October 31st, 2006, 11:56 pm
by Cosmas
Hah. Cool. Well its possible.

Other than the wiring which is a given, is it mostly the ECU itself that needs to be newer (OBDII)? I replaced mine with another 92's from Virginia about a year ago and I kept the old one, there was nothing wrong with it I've just always felt that its something of a good thing to do when you're like me and have about 13 trouble codes...

but.. could it be possible to crack open my spare ECU and splice off the connections and push those out to ... something? like a serial connector? Or is the technology just too old?

Posted: November 1st, 2006, 7:16 am
by Nd4SpdSe
It's not that's it's too old, it's that it's a completely different system, you can't just add that function. As well, I dont see any benefit to converting to OBDII, it's doing to be a headache and cause more problems if you attempt a 2.5L swap in the future.

What would be a more efficient route is to go with a Megasquirt system. It's an expandable and open source engibe management computer. Not only will it let you monitor the cars systems, but also alow you to tune it as well. Pending your electronics experience and confidence, you can build it yourself, buy it pre-built, or go to ProbeTalk and get in on a group buy and get it built and wired into an ECU for easy Plug-N-Play into your stock harness. That's probably the much better way to go.

Posted: November 1st, 2006, 6:18 pm
by hgallegos915
I got for megasquirt too :D its NICE! ive seen it. I want that SO SO bad.

Posted: November 2nd, 2006, 9:43 am
by Custommx3
Get a megasquirt...

Posted: November 2nd, 2006, 11:17 pm
by jschrauwen
Custommx3 wrote:Get a megasquirt...
:werd: ditto

My CarPC system;
LV675X | PM 1.5GHz | 1GB DDR | 100GB HDD | Radeon 9250 |WIFI | BU353 |
RadioShark | mp3car Transflective | DSATX | CD/DVD-RW | RR | Win XP
ICBM5.1 | MBQ 6.5 Comp's F&R | MBQ 2x 3.5" Center | JL 10" x2

Posted: November 3rd, 2006, 10:45 am
by jschrauwen
Some info and research material for those with OBD II;
http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/forumdi ... 9e5f8&f=37