| Author | Message | ||||||||
     Dgunther |
For anyone interested in an on-the-go logger/diagnostic tool, I've just finished building an ECMSpy cable for Palm Treo 650 (Sorry, not Treo 600 - it uses RS232 level serial lines). The cable should also work on a Palm Tungsten T5 and other Palm/Treo models that use the same data sync cable - check your PDA pinouts to see if your PDA will work. These models already have TTL level serial lines, so the cable is completely passive. All you need is the Deutsch connector to mate to the Buell's diagnostic port (~$8 on eBay) and a bare end for a Treo 650 data cable (~$3.50 at gomadic.com) Looking at the Treo Connector so the power pins are on the right:
Making the connections to the Treo pins is a bit of a pain because they are close together and small. You'll need a fine point soldering iron with low wattage to avoid melting the Treo connector. Radio Shack used to sell a 15 watt soldering pencil that was about right for the job. For the Deutsch connectors, I simply soldered the wires into the connectors because the Deutsch crimp tools are rare and very expensive. I used a spare USB data cable with the ends chopped off for wiring since I have tons of them, they have adequate wire pairs, and they are fairly tough with decent shielding. I'd recommend trying to find a USB cable that is *just barely* able to squeeze through the strain relief on the Treo 650 connector to prevent the tiny connections inside the connector from being stressed later. You'll only need 3 of the 4 wires inside - just cut the extra one off and don't worry about it. I also used heat shrink tubing on the Deutsch connector end to provide a bit of relief to the wires entering the plug. Once you've got your cable built and tested, just load the PalmOS version of ECMSpy onto your Treo, connect your cable to your bike and you're in business. Try and run some of the tests to verify correct communication. (Message edited by dgunther on August 08, 2007) | ||||||||
| Blackbelt |
Dude you should sell these.. lol I would buy one, cause I don't have the time or patients to build one. | ||||||||
| Gentleman_jon |
+1 Not to mention the fact I got a bit of a headache just reading the instructions. Not everyone is an electronic tech.  BTW, perhaps you could explain a little more about ECMspy. As I understand it, it is freeware, or maybe shareware, that enables you to talk to the ECM. Can you do a TPS reset with it? Check error codes? Reset error codes? Anything else? Thanks. I just love guys who are trying new stuff, and who are willing to share with the rest of the Bad Guys. | ||||||||
| Spiderman |
Great, now all our Buells are going to be running Linux.  | ||||||||
| Jandj_davis |
G_Jon - ECMSpy is freeware for PC and PalmOS(the palm version is even open-source) that will do everything that you can imagine to your ecm, from checking error codes and resetting the TPS to changing fuel table and timing advance/delay. It can replace VDSTS and DirectLink if you want it to. It is remarkably powerful, so you can do lots of good or lots of harm. I want it just for TPS resets (for now!), but I will have a hard time ignoring its tuning capabilities. | ||||||||
| Blackbelt |
Ok Dgunther MAKE ME ONE MAN!!! lol | ||||||||
| Elf |
it is freeware, or maybe shareware, Freeware, but you're on your own to make up the cable. Pretty easy though. Cost me about $26. You can order a ready-made one from a guy on the UK Buell board for about $50. Can you do a TPS reset with it? Yes! Check error codes? Yes! Reset error codes? Yes! Anything else? Remap the entire fuel map or just a section! I'm not sure if you can remap ignition settings, though. Probably can. I haven't delved into these aspects of the software yet, as it pretty much requires a dyno, wideband O2 sensor, and an Exhaust Gas Analyzer. It does allow you to back up and save your original settings, so if you're brave, you can tweak it, but still go back to something that you know worked. I just use it for TPS resets so far. | ||||||||
| T9r |
Here is a place I've dealt with before, Batts Racing, that sells the Deutsch DT series connectors: http://www.deutschconnector.com/products/deutsch_dt_4-way_connectors.html  | ||||||||
| Blackbelt |
ok I downloaded the zip file and I can't find the darn thing on my treo 700. Is there a zip file program for the treo's? | ||||||||
| Glitch |
Unzip it, then upload it.  | ||||||||
| Dgunther |
Blackbelt, Is your Treo 700 the PalmOS version or the WindowsCE version? If it is the WindowsCE version, ECMSpy won't run on it. There is no reason someone couldn't write a port of the software for it, but that would take a lot of time and effort from a development standpoint. If you have the PalmOS version, you should open the .zip file on your PC (or mac) and click on the .prc and .pdb files. This will tell your HotSync software to copy these files to your phone the next time you HotSync (either via USB cable or Bluetooth). Once you've completed the sync, you should see the ECMSpy icon (a small blue cube) in the "All" icon list. | ||||||||
| Sweatmark |
Gotta try this with my dusty Handspring Visor... anyone know if it's TTL? | ||||||||
| Dgunther |
I have an old visor and thought about going this route - I don't think it is TTL, because they make a serial sync cable for it. You can probably still use the software, but with a few caveats: 1) You will need to build an RS232 to TTL driver cable. To do this you'll need a serial sync cable (hard to find these days for a visor) as well as one of the MAX chips for the conversion and some caps and other misc parts to build the power supply for the MAX chip. Schematics are in the .zip file for Palm ECMSpy 2) You won't be able to do logging, since it relies on an SD card. You also won't be able to upload or save any files that would be written to the SD card and then loaded onto a PC. In the end, I gave up on the Visor and started looking at just buying a junker Treo 600 on eBay (also RS232). Then for some reason, I decided to check the pinouts for the 650 and discovered they were TTL level. Sweet! I already have one of those! And, if I fry it trying this, it's a work phone, so *I* don't have to replace it - double bonus!! As far as I know, I'm either the first one to try this with one of the TTL level palms. Or, more likely, it is *so obvious* that *everyone* already knows how to do this that it wasn't worth even mentioning in any of the ECMSpy threads over on the UK Buell site. (Message edited by dgunther on August 09, 2007) | ||||||||
| Blackbelt |
I have the 700p. I will try to get that info downloaded to the phone. I just need help w/ the cable. cause there would be massive confusion and problems happening here. lol | ||||||||
| Tank_bueller |
The 650 uses the same new style plug as the Tungsten E2. correct??? I may have to try this out. I just got set up with a serial adapter to use VDSTS on the thing, but have not tried it out yet.... ...off to the garage! | ||||||||
| Dgunther |
The 650 uses the same new style plug as the Tungsten E2. correct??? That's what my pinout chart says - as long as it has the two serial lines on pins 7 & 8, it should work just fine. | ||||||||
| Tank_bueller |
Well... The cable for the PC version of VDSTS does not work with a Serial adapter for the Palm, even when I take out the "thing" in the middle. It thought about connecting, but no dice with VDSTS or ECMSpy. Guess the pinout is different. So I could do a hack job on a short serial extension cable to change the pins for the Palm, without screwing up the cable for PC? I have both ends, it just needs to change somewhere in the middle. Make any sense? Tank | ||||||||
| Dgunther |
Perhaps a null modem adapter needs to be used. Try that before you chop anything. You used to be able to get them at Radio Shack. Or, if you have an RS232 breakout box, you could just flip the TX and RX pins around. For a DB9 serial connection simple null modem:
(Message edited by dgunther on August 09, 2007) | ||||||||
| Dgunther |
Hey, Tank_bueller - I don't think the VDSTS cable will work - I think it is "magic" and has circuitry in it only for VDSTS. What serial adapter are you using for your Palm, and is it the Tungsten E2 you asked about earlier? If the E2 is like my Treo, you just want to use a plain, passive cable like I describe in my first post. | ||||||||
| Tank_bueller |
Yes, E2. I got the serial adapter from a site recommended on the technoresearch site. Supplynet Inc. I took the "magic" part out of the VDSTS cable and all that's left is a regular serial extension with the Deutch(sp) on the other end, so it likely is not pinned correctly for the Palm. Thanks for the help. Tank (Message edited by Tank_Bueller on August 09, 2007) | ||||||||
| Dgunther |
Oh, then you should be very careful - you could be putting RS232 level signals into your ECM. I think the "magic" part of the VDSTS cable does 2 things: 1) Provides for RS232 to TTL level conversion 2) Has circutry to act as a software license device (dongle) Your Palm is natively TTL on the serial lines, but if you have a cable that you hook to your palm that is giving you a 9 pin serial port, the TTL signals are being converted to RS232 level signals. If you then hook from the serial port to the Deutsch connector, you have a level mismatch. I don't know how protected the Buell is against that. If you're comfortable with what you're doing, I'll shut up now. I just *really* want people to have fun with this, not mess up their bikes. (Message edited by dgunther on August 09, 2007) | ||||||||
| Blackbelt |
you try it first and we will see how it works | ||||||||
| Dgunther |
you try it first and we will see how it works If you're talking to me, I've already tried *my* cable and it works pretty nicely. I can't say what other cables will or won't do, since I only have the one I built. I reset my AFV value for kicks and have done some data logging of a trip around the neighborhood. I can also see that my dealer wasn't very careful when they reset my TPS (5.8) a few days ago. (Message edited by dgunther on August 10, 2007) | ||||||||
| Tank_bueller |
...and if you were talking to me... It's a stock ecm, and I have a good spare laying around here somewhere. It's also my "backup" bike. No worries, but thanks Dave for the heads-up on the different levels. Stoopid question.....are these different levels of output something I can measure? ...say, with a nice multimeter? (back to the top of the page to write down the pinout, instead of trying to shortcut) | ||||||||
| Damelton |
Where can/do you download ECMspy? | ||||||||
| Dgunther |
Tank_bueller, I doubt you'd be able to measure them with a multimeter because the signals are going to be pulses that would happen so quickly that the multimeter likely could not register them. Even a low speed serial link is like 2400 bits per second and I think the Uly is 9600 bps. Maybe I'm being thick, but is this how you have everything hooked up: Palm Hotsync port->Palm Serial Port Adapter->End of VDSTS cable with Deutsch connector (no circuit board)->Buell Diag Port Is your Palm serial adapter one of these? Damelton, Read more here | ||||||||
| Reepicheep |
It will be hard to measure with a multi meter... its a transient, and a quick one at that. You probably need an oscilloscope. | ||||||||
| Damelton |
Exactly which Deutsch connector is it? DT06-4S-Assy DT06-6S-Assy DT06-6S-E004-Assy | ||||||||
| Captain_nartman |
There is HEAPS of info on This at the UKBEG Forums; http://www.bike-pix.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=9 That's a Linkto the technical type forum.. but You'll SEE the ECM Spy Joy Threads... n HEAPS of Replies. Cheers N x | ||||||||
| Tank_bueller |
Dave, Yep, that's the exact adapter that I bought. I tried it first with the full VDSTS dongle. No dice. I then removed the part with the circuit board and hooked up as you describe above. No dice. I just took the cover off of the Palm serial adapter(linked to above) and you should see all the junk crammed in there! Sooo, I ordered a bare plug for the Palm, and I'll order a deutch connector, and give in and do it your way. What guage do I need on that Deutch?? Thanks again Tank |
