Best ALDL Blue Tooth adapter ever!!

[Hot Air Beast]

I don't usually recommend any products but this one is so great compared to some others; like the Red Devil River product, that I just have to post something to help out all 84-85 GN owners ( works for 86-87 as well but I have no comparison data).

The product is the ALDL BT adapter from 1320 Electronics LLC, owner John Wales (Florida).
The 84-85 has two data messages, one 8 byte and one 20 byte. Using the 8 byte the data stream is three time faster than the 86-87 which has one 28 byte message. Comes with a free app, the proper 1Dadx file and dip switch settings. ALDL Droid for example, costs money.

There is no requirement for the 10k resister across the aldl pins like Red Devil River's adapter.

I had bought the Red Devil River product and could not get it to work - support from Timm Bacher was virtually non-existent and he would not refund my money.

The 1320 product was easy to install and works great. It was so, so easy to adjust the TPS with a readout on my tablet to look at rather than trying to hole the leads on my digital voltmeter at the same time as moving the tps and watching the needle - need six hands.
You can customize the readout on the tablet to show digital, dial, bar graph, whatever.

Here is a list of what I get (and I am still learning):
Vehicle Speed
Engine Speed
BLM
4th gear indictaor
In gear indicator
MAF
Vaccum at EGR
O2
Rich/Lean transitions
IAC
TPS
Coolant temp
Knock Sensor
Error codes

I have used it to diagnose a stuck open thermostat which was causing a rough idles (was 165 degrees rather than the 190 the ECM wants to see. I have also used it to adjust IAC and TPS - readouts so easy to see on the tablet.

I couldn't recommend John Wales enough - just great dealing with him as opposed to Timm Bacher.

Just saying - this was my personal experience and I love mounting my Samsung tablet on the dash and watching the numbers as I drive.

YEA - no more looking for a "Red Brick".

 

[dank GN]

Doesn't the Scanmaster do the same thing ?

 

[Hot Air Beast]

I don't think the scan master works with the OBD 1 ECM but I could be wrong. The 1320 product was a gift but I think it is under $100. Kirban only shows the scanmaster for the 86-87 and it is $265. This thread is specifically for my 1984. Sorry if I mislead anyone.

 

[Wahoo]

You need to convert to 86/87 ecm to use a scan master in a hot air

 

[Nick Micale]

I don't think the scan master works with the OBD 1 ECM but I could be wrong. The 1320 product was a gift but I think it is under $100. Kirban only shows the scanmaster for the 86-87 and it is $265. This thread is specifically for my 1984. Sorry if I mislead anyone.

It is too cold for us wimps to start working on GN's yet this AM, so I figured a "history lesson" would get my brain awake!

First of all, over 30 years ago there never was "OBD 1" for any cars, this was a term invented by internet nerds after OBD 2 was introduced in the mid-90's!

We have an ALDL which is an Assembly Line Diagnostic Link which allowed us to view some values of some electrical items and other basic data.

The product we used back then for "diagnostics" was an OTC 2000, and later the OTC 4000 which was also available in an Enhanced version.

The value in my post here is to inform '84-87 owners is that these items are still around, especially on e-bay and can be had for under $100 and up if a scan tool is wanted.

It does pretty much the same as the device the OP described. Cartridges are available for various makes and models into the 1990's.

Some versions had the ability to record data that could be played back, unfortunately I forgot that procedure since laptops are simpler for me to use!

 

[Hot Air Beast]

Nice history lesson - always good to have more info about our cars than not enough. I searched ebay for the OTC tool a few years ago and actually bid on a "Red Brick" - the Snap-On code reader and gave up at $130 USD. Finding the ALDL BT Adapter for under $100 and having it work so well with my BT Samsung tablet was one of the few joys in life when working on first and second year GNs that are STOCK. I just shared this in the Hot Air part of the forums for anyone with a stock 84-85 that has gotten tired of counting flashes to see what codes have been set and would like to see what other near real time data was available and in what format.

Just trying to help out.

 

[TurboBob]

might be time for a hot air scanmaster......

Bob

 

[booyah11]

FYI, ran into an interesting issue with the tool. The "10k" detailed logging file is used with toggle 1 down, this puts the car in 10k mode and causes high idle and timing retard. The default "Non10k" basic logging shows a limited number of fields in the UI, need to confirm if more data is available in the raw file that is generated.

This makes it a pain to adjust the IAC and TPS because TPS is only available in the "10k" mode, which makes changing the IAC impossible. For now I'm toggling between the two logging mechanisms which is manageable but not ideal. I'll post back with any info I gather.

As a side note, the owner is fantastic. He has responded to several of my emails within an hour...on the weekends. One of the best customer support experiences I've had with aftermarket goodies.

 

[Hot Air Beast]

FYI, ran into an interesting issue with the tool. The "10k" detailed logging file is used with toggle 1 down, this puts the car in 10k mode and causes high idle and timing retard. The default "Non10k" basic logging shows a limited number of fields in the UI, need to confirm if more data is available in the raw file that is generated.

This makes it a pain to adjust the IAC and TPS because TPS is only available in the "10k" mode, which makes changing the IAC impossible. For now I'm toggling between the two logging mechanisms which is manageable but not ideal. I'll post back with any info I gather.

As a side note, the owner is fantastic. He has responded to several of my emails within an hour...on the weekends. One of the best customer support experiences I've had with aftermarket goodies.

Good to know - are you using the 1D.adx file or 1D_8word.adx?

 

[booyah11]

Another good FYI, I was using the files on the site as recommended by the YouTube video:
http://1320electronics.com/downloads.html

The two files on the site are A014-LN7-LN3-LM9-84-85.aldl and A014-LN7-LN3-LM9-84-85-10K.aldl

These are "old" and don't work correctly. I switched over to using the "pre-installed" files from the vehicle selection menu. I can't recall what the file names are off the top of my head, but there is a "10K" and a "No10K" file for either toggle switch 1 up or down.

 

[booyah11]

Okay, bit of a word from John Wales on getting more data in the "No10k" file. Apparently the GM spec doesn't send much data across the serial port unless the 10k switch is on. He is looking into other ways around it, but for now only minimal data is available.

@Hot Air Beast - How are you seeing the additional data?? I don't have nearly that much in my logs. Also I have a .aldl file, where are you getting/using the .adx file?? Thanks.

 

[Hot Air Beast]

Okay, bit of a word from John Wales on getting more data in the "No10k" file. Apparently the GM spec doesn't send much data across the serial port unless the 10k switch is on. He is looking into other ways around it, but for now only minimal data is available.

@Hot Air Beast - How are you seeing the additional data?? I don't have nearly that much in my logs. Also I have a .aldl file, where are you getting/using the .adx file?? Thanks.

This whole thing is getting really weird. You saw my earlier post, at least 13 values plus many, many error codes. This was what I was getting before my 1320 ALDL BT adapter was stolen/lost.

I ordered a new adapter from John and all of a sudden I can only get minimal data. I have been working with John who is trying his best and tried to get Sebastien to reply to me (ALDLdroid) without success.

When I use the ALDLdroid app to look at real time data, the values are there, BUT, they do not show up on the dials I have set up???? Go figure. Getting very frustrated. I am using either the 1D.adx or 1D_8word.adx file that I got from John. I can send you both of these if you want. Send me your email to phil@zynetonline.com

I am using:

1 down, 2,3 and 4 up with 1D.adx and 1,2,3,and4 up for 1D_8word.adx

 

[booyah11]

Crazy that the fields would just disappear, hope you can figure it out because I'd love to see some additional values. Thanks for the update.

 

[Wahoo]

I have 160 degree t stat and my car idles fine.... Just wondering if that truly caused an isssue with your car.

My chip wasnt tuned for my t stat either.

 

[booyah11]

After I figured out the 10k setting screwed up the idle I was able to get the IAC and TPS set correctly, idles well now. Does seem to take a long time to get to closed loop and have the IAC get down in the 20s, but I'm not too concerned as my massive vacuum and exhaust leaks are way more important.

Any traction on figuring out why your additional fields disappeared?? I'd like to buy ALDL Droid to see more but don't want to waste the $$$ if it is not working. Thanks.

 

[85 GN man]

Have you guys figured it all out yet ? , I really want to order one of these ALDL adapters if I can get it to help out.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[booyah11]

I just sent a note to the developer of ALDL Droid to confirm the fields that are available to log. Will post up when I get a response.

The free app that works with the device is sufficient for very basic diagnostics and setting IAC and TPS, just make sure to not drive around in 10k mod as it causes the car to behave strangely.

 

[85 GN man]

Thanks Man, always looking to get my car to run a little smother/faster.
Look forward to your next post

 

[Racecar_Dave]

what is BLM?

 

[TurboBob]

if you really want to run the 85 computer, and have reasonable logging, what you should do is have the chip modded to put your desired info in the default datastream, then create a proper ADX file for that.

Bob