bobbybb1

Hi,

Anyone know if you can use a tool like ecuExplorer or RomRaider over a bluetooth connection using something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ELM-327-1-4a-B...item45f526eebe

If not, do you need a specific cable or will any of the cheap ones from ebay do?

Cheers
Bobby

Splitpin

No, you can't use that device (or anything else with an ELM chip) with ECUExplorer/RomRaider/etc as these applications do not use the OBDII communication protocol - they use the proprietary Subaru language.

I can't comment on whether the "cheap ones from eBay" will work, but if you find one that is advertised as vag-com, bare ISO9141, K-line compatible it will probably work. The vag-com KKL interface available at gendan.co.uk for £20 definitely works.

bobbybb1

Thank you!

dodd1980

Would this cable allow the ECU to be reflashed, or is it only good for Diagnostics?

Splitpin

It can be used to reflash if you manually supply the VPPH flash voltage into the wiring loom. The Tactrix OpenPort cable provides it internally.

aXeL

LOL - here we go matey, commence flame war. Subarus ARE OBDII compliant because that's the law. OBD is not the communication protocol. It's the standard for the interface to the DTCs (Diag trouble codes). The five common comms protocols are:

J1850 PWM, J1850 VPW, ISO9141-2, ISO14230-4 (also known as Keyword Protocol 2000), and more recently, ISO15765-4/SAE J2480 (CAN Bus - 2006 onward Imprezas).

Some also have their own as well, e.g. Audi (KW1281) but they're still OBDII compliant. My Ford Cougar is J1850 PWM, I think my blob is ISO9141-2, however I've not checked that one for awhile. Don't know what the earlier cars are.

If you see a connector in the car that looks like the old centronics printer connectors - that's an OBDII port. The comms protocol it uses to retrieve OBD information - that's where things get confusing. A good analogy is that both Macs and PCs have intel motherboards, CPUs and USB ports. Both can show you your favourite websites but they speak totally different languages to get there.

bobbybb1

lol, now I'm confused So, does it still hold true that the bluetooth device I linked to still won't work, or are you saying that as it has a OBDII connector then it will work?

I'm assuming this is my OBDII port too (under the steering wheel)

aXeL

I looked at that Elmscan some years ago when I first looked into logging and mapping. The reading of OBD codes is supposed to be fine and Elmscan claim they've got Subaru customers using it and, at the time, opensource developers were working on interfacing with it but I never checked to see how far they got so my guess would be no. (And I recall the bluetooth layer was a problem was well). If in doubt... don't try it. You'll be amazed what you can do to your ECU unintentionally... I was!

bobbybb1

OK, thanks I'll give that one a miss then - it would just have been easier via bluetooth as I could have sat in the house whilst reading the data

Do you agree that the cable mentioned earlier would be the one to go for then (I'm assuming Splitpin was referring to this one: http://www.gendan.co.uk/product_VAGUSB.html) or do you think one of the cheap ones (like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/027-OBD2-DB9-S...item3360c4e8e8) would work?

Thanks!

aXeL

LOL - Bluetooth would be nice, however I'd steer clear of any bluetooth connectivity. Kind of like doing open heart surgery via video link

The VAGUSB cable should work fine however I see varying degrees of success amongst Subaru owners. How much of it is VAGUSB and how much is a lack of RTFM I couldn't tell you though. Can always return it if it doesn't work but odds on it will be fine.

bobbybb1

lol, nice analogy

I'll go with that one then...

sc_sjo

iTrader: (7)

I've had success with the vagcom clone 'blue' cables on ebay.

bobbybb1

Like these ones? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/006-UK-VAG-COM...item336091e604

What model did you try them on?

sc_sjo

iTrader: (7)

Yup, that's the one. MY99.

Splitpin

You can try and start a flame war if you like, but that'd be a bit of an immature approach to bring to a technical discussion. Still, if that's an approach you want to adopt, I'll just quietly point out where you're wrong.

The Impreza has had an OBDII diagnostic mode since the bugeye was introduced in 2001 (and a couple of years earlier on the US market normally aspirated cars). However, this is a bolt on in addition to the proprietary Subaru Select Monitor mode which is faster and more comprehensive.

SSM mode is used by ROMRaider, ECUExplorer, EcuTeK/DeltaDash and more. Hence why, as I said earlier, you cannot use an ELM-based interface, as these will only use OBDII commands to query the ECU.

No, that's not correct. OBDII defines a complete connection and communication methodology, including the multiple electrical interfaces, comms formats (baud rates, initialisation routines and so-forth) as well as the actual language used to query the ECU and make it return information.

Subaru has, since 1999, used the ISO9141 part of the OBDII spec to make the electrical connection between the ECU and the external interface, but this was initially used only alongside the proprietary Select Monitor communication language.

They did not implement the rest of the OBDII specification on turbocharged cars until the introduction of the bugeye in 2001. As I said above, on these cars the OBDII command interpreter runs in addition to the proprietary SSM diagnostic interface. If you have a choice, SSM is better.

You'll see those ports on 99/00/STi5/STi6 cars. However if you try and plug a generic OBDII scan tool into one you will quickly find that it doesn't work, because despite the presence of the physical port (and the ISO9141 K-line connection), the ECU is not OBDII compatible and will not respond to an OBDII initialisation request.

Bobby's question specifically refers to using ECUExplorer or ROMRaider. My responses to him are correct within that context, while yours are not. If you want to start a "flame war", do it in Muppet Show.

aXeL

Read the LOL at the start of the post you muppet! It was tongue in cheek but the nuance obviously sailed right over you. If you're that obtuse and sensitive then muppets will probably make you feel better