WinALDL

[BLACK Ttype]

Any one build an interface cable for this
http://www.winaldl.webhop.net/

 

[bandwidthpolice]

Yep, it was easy. Used low gauge speaker wire as the cable and bought a little connector at Radio Shack. Probably $8 worth of parts.

 

[Vendor Defendor]

im a little confused... what is this?

thanks for filling me in..

-neil

 

[scottyb]

Please do. I looked at that long ago, but figured I don't have enough electrical know-how to get it right.

Bandwidthpolice, please elaborate or send an email of you like.

 

[BLACK Ttype]

bandwidthpolice

Did you need to use a resistor across from the A to B terminals of the ALDL as labeled R3 onhttp://www.winaldl.webhop.net/

Also did you use a third wire for the 12V going to the transistor, or did you just run it back to the #4 pin on the DB9 connector like their second example?

It looks pretty easy, but there are lotsa different ways to do it for different ECMs. If you could aleviate the trial and error I would appreciate it.

 

[BLACK Ttype]

Vendor Defendor

This is a free program for a laptop, Kinda like T-link but not as pretty----but free

 

[bandwidthpolice]

I made it like the lower drawing without the 12 volt wire. The one where R2 goes to pin 4. It's pretty easy. BTW, don't put the resistor across the A & B terminals in the ALDL; if you do, your knock output on scanmaster will go through the roof and the car will retard timing like crazy. Not a good thing. One thing I noticed is there is a little dashboard window with the program that is inaccurate. The stuff that goes into the spreadsheet is pretty good but it doesn't have a start/stop function really. You just start the program and it just goes. There was something else that was off in the output but I don't recall it now. Get the largest RS 232 plug you can find. Mine was too small but I made do; a larger plug casing would have been easier to fit all that stuff into.

 

[PaulRV6]

I made one of these last year (until I bought TL) and put the electronics in a small plastic box and ran the computer connector wire out one end and the wire for the ALDL out the other end. Sorta like an in-line configuration. All parts from radio shack.
Kinda clumsy to use but the data is definately there.

paul

 

[BLACK Ttype]

Well I just finnished using my new laptop scantool
I had to use the 12V third wire with my laptop.
I also used PaulRV6's idea about putting all of the resistors and stuff in a small plastic box inline. It works
Pretty cheap too!

 

[PaulRV6]

That is the only way I could get mine to work by using a 3rd 12v wire. Do you like using it? How is the data you are getting? Just curious.

paul

 

[BLACK Ttype]

Whether or not you need the 3rd wire to 12V depends on the laptop you have. I had to build two cables. I tried without the third wire first.

I like it so far because it doesn't raise my idle like my scantool does. I also like it because you can record the data unlimited.
Although I wish the LOGS were a little easier to read. Any programmers out there that want to do us a huge favor and modify the log writing program?

The data seems to be pretty accurate, and it updates faster that my scantool.
Also it has a graph that shows you exactly were detonation occured.

 

[BLACK Ttype]

Anyone that wants to try this program but does not feel capable of building the interface cable, I would be willing to build it for you pretty cheap. Although it would be a trial type of thing because of the 3rd wire. I would send you one with the 2 wire setup and if it didn't work with your laptop I would send the 3 wire one.

 

[scottyb]

I just took mine for the first test run too. Mine did not record any knock and I know I had some. Did I build the connector wrong? You said there was KR graph? Maybe I've got something configured wrong. Help!

If I can get what i want out of it, I'll get "the wizard" at work to throw together a quick import/massage/graph program for me/us.

 

[BLACK Ttype]

scottyb

I don't know if you built the connector wrong.
Are you getting any readings at all?

The far right tab says "Spark Counts".
The vertical axis of the graph represents RPMs.
The horizontal axis represents MAF readings.
When your engine encounters knock the program notes the RPM and Maf reading when it occured. If it has more than one KR the number in the corresponding cell will increase.

As far as configuration of the software, ensure that it is set for ECM #1227148(86-87 ECM). Type in the TPS voltage for idle and WOT(should be around 0.45 and 4.65 respectively)

Let me know!

 

[scottyb]

I went for another long recording run. I realize now that it does not "record" KR when you record sensor data. It will record retard in the raw data, but I don't know the conversion (13 converts to ~ 2 degrees kr) I had to force a wheelspin to record false knock, as if that was hard to do )

I think I will research the links to ALDL information and extract recordings from raw data and convert them.


any more thoughts?

 

[BLACK Ttype]

I'm pretty sure the conversion from KR retard to degrees of KR depends on the chip you are using (ie... how agressive a KR retard the chip burner used).

What vrsion the the WINALDL program are you using?

 

[Vendor Defendor]

i think i got my hands on a lap top today, what will i need to make this? sorry if im asking to repeat your self... but i figure i will go out to radio shack today

-neil

 

[BLACK Ttype]

Vendor Defendor

Look here for instructions and parts
http://www.winaldl.webhop.net/

Two 10k ohm resistors
one swithching NPN transistor
one DB9 connector
and some wire and soldering iron and solder and stuff.

 

[scottyb]

Originally posted by BLACK Ttype
I'm pretty sure the conversion from KR retard to degrees of KR depends on the chip you are using (ie... how agressive a KR retard the chip burner used).

What vrsion the the WINALDL program are you using?

If that is true, then how does TL, DS and scanmaster know how to convert? My scanmaster recorded 3.0 KR while the winaldl only recorded 2.29.

Also, Winaldl is recording O2's in the high 900's, while scanmaster recorded a low in the low 800's. ???

I downloaded the latest version.

 

[Vendor Defendor]

alright i got all the stuff hopfully i will attempt it sometime this week...

-neil