Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) OBDII scanner port?

[EGILLILAND]

I'm real familiar with my OBDII scan tool... due to my wife's love of driving a Ferd (Explodition).....



I've been all over my Dodge's engine compartment..... where does one hook up an OBDII scanner to our 97 12V PCM's?



Thanks fellas,



Gill

 

[aroger]

Originally posted by EGILLILAND

I'm real familiar with my OBDII scan tool... due to my wife's love of driving a Ferd (Explodition).....



I've been all over my Dodge's engine compartment..... where does one hook up an OBDII scanner to our 97 12V PCM's?



Thanks fellas,



Gill

 

[aroger]

mine is on the right side of the steering colume under the dash-hanging down just out of sight

 

[Coalsmoke]

my 95 has a plug or two under there as well. Would this be OBD 2 in my 95?

 

[bmoeller]

I think the OBD-2 came out in '96. Would probably be OBD-1 on your truck.

 

[Coalsmoke]

so is that a different scanning tool or are there OBD 1 &2 scanner out there?

 

[EGILLILAND]

Found the port. Right below my steering column as mentioned earlier... (thanks guys) Ran my scanner through it. I know I was tripping some ABS codes. Instead of trying the short/count the flashes of the ABS light I was hoping to let the scanner do the thinking... .



Turned out I didn't need the scanner. Found a loose ground wire to the ABS controller. Cleared the codes w/battery disconnect and I'm running again.



Interesting find however... . my scanner insisted that my engine wasn't running... . a CTD w/a 4" pipe is hard to miss... .

Any thoughts out there as to why my scanner won't see the motor running? Tach works (probably not the crank sensor) and everything runs/works fine... far as I can tell.



Thoughts are appreciated...



Semper Redneck wrenching!



Gill

 

[Dreher]

I believe that OBD was developed around the computers and sensors that monitor the engine mainly for emission purposes - none of which we have on our 12V trucks.



Because our mechanical engines do not have a specific engine computer, the info you will see from a generic OBDII scanner will be very limited. I use an AutoXray scanner (OBDI & II) on my '96 and can only access tach, speed, intake air temp, TPS (auto trans), and % load. It does display a coolant temp but it always says "-40". It also shows my engine is not running. I get more info from a 24V due to the ECM.



AutoXray is working on a Chrysler-enhanced upgrade (for manufacturer-specific codes) that may allow more parameters that are monitored by the PCM to be scanned (like voltage, battery temp, auto trans info), but you won't see the info you get from a gas engine because it is not monitored.



Bob

 

[EGILLILAND]

I've got the same scanner. I spent saturday trouble shooting some minor wiring issues after a major rebuild of the truck... . post accident. A local diagnostic shop (who works with my body shop) was getting ready to start shotgunning a lot of parts at the truck all because of a loose ground wire on the abs controller and the -40 temp reading you're referring to.



Funning this is I can't get my autoxray to register these values.....

I'll do the microsoft thing and go bang on it some more in the morning.



Do you recall any special setup procedures for your scanner? All I did was select 97 chrysler OBDII and I was off and running. . albeit not very well. I'm not getting any readings from the scanner... temps or otherwise.



Thanks for the responses...



Cheers,



Gill

 

[krs]

The diesel trucks aren't readable before the late '98 24 valve engines came out with electronic engine controls. There just aren't sensors for it on 12 valves. (Rejoice!) Whatever you see on a scanner screen shouldn't be relied on because it's probably only a result of spurious electrical emmisions unrelated to any diagnostic system that are just confusing the scanner. There's no engine control module and the auto trans has only a basic version with maybe four codes.



You have to use experience, intuition, and written diagnostic procedures from manuals - like mechanics did before you were born.

 

[Dreher]

KRS-



The scanner doesn't care whether the vehicle is powered by gas or diesel - if the PCM is sending information via the OBDII protocol, it will read it. I have tested the accuracy of the IAT with a thermometer, the speed sensor with a GPS, and the RPM's with the tach. All are accurate, as those values are being sent from the same type of sensors that you would find on any vehicle. Every code that has been set has also properly identified the source of the error. You are correct in that there is no information related to the actual operation of the engine (timing, injection pulse, etc. ) because those parameters are not monitored on a 12V.





EGILLILAND-



I'm using an EZ-Scan 5000. Before that, I had an EZ-Link. In both cases, I just plugged it in and it worked fine. I get the same information whether I select a specific Chrysler year or just run it in Generic OBDII. Maybe your not getting signal to the port?



Bob