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Tutorial on OBD2 specific to Volvo V90?

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Old Aug 15th, 2019, 14:44   #11
derek vivian
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Default OBD2 device for V90 1997

The ELM327 bluetooth OBD2 device did not come with user instructions. I went on line to see if these could be downloaded and they could, but the many illustrations of the screens are all in Chinese! Does anyone know where I can get instructions on line to download please?
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Old Aug 15th, 2019, 15:12   #12
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Does anyone know where I can get instructions on line to download please?
Laird Scooby's post #10 gives you all you need for now.
You need to plug in the dongle, pair it with your phone, run Torque Pro and see if everything talks to each other.
Sometimes having Torque Pro running first then inserting the dongle helps. You may even have to go into the Torque Pro settings to choose the Bluetooth device manually.

If it doesn't get past that initial communication stage though, more detailed instructions as to what it can do will be irrelevant unfortunately.
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Old Aug 20th, 2019, 00:47   #13
martin calva
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Since posting my plea for a tutorial on OBD2 in April last year, I have acquired what I needed to know. My knowledge is limited but I think that what I post here is correct.

I believe ) that the OBD2 codes used by my 1998 V90 (and probably otherVolvo cars of the same epoch) are not industry standard. Therefore a reader specific to Volvos of that era is necessary.

I used an interface cable to convert from OBD2 voltages and signal standards (accessed by the OBD2 socket near the console) to convert to RS232 (standard computer serial interface voltages and signals). I bought one specifically described as being suitable for use with VOL-FCR software.

I used an interface bought cheaply on Ebay which is specifically marked "VOLVO Fault Code Reader" and which was supplied with VOL-FCR software that runs on Windows XP. I imagine VOL-FCR also runs on later WIndows versions but I don't know for sure. I think (not completely sure) that the ELM327 interface converter will work with VOL-FCR.

I used the RS232 standard serial interface on an old laptop top connect to the OBD2 converter. If your computer does not have an RS232 interface, then I imagine you can cheaply buy a USB-RS232 converter. ie a unit that you plug the RS232 cable from the OBD2 converter on one side and the other you plug into a spare USP port on the computer.

The VOL-FCR software can be bought from Ilexa. Their website states that the price is £126 including VAT.

https://www.ilexa.co.uk/diagnostic-tools/vol-fcr/58-vol-fcr-demo-
software.html



When you start VOL-FCR it allows you to select the car from:
800 Series '96
C70 ('97-'98)
S/V40 ('97-'98)
S/V70 ('97-98)
900 '96 S/V90

For my V90 I found that VOL-FCR enables the engine (Motronic 4.4) and gearbox (AW30-49/3) control units to be accessed. Also Imobilizer 2, SRS, RTI.

It has Windows buttons for "Power Seat Left" and "Power Seat Right" but I obtained no response from either seat. The fact that each of the power seats in my car has a two-core cable dangling and not connected to anything may be related to the absence of response from the seats.

VOL-FCR also has buttons for ABS and Cruise control. But if you click those buttons you get a scary message about all that you do is entirely at your own risk. It then tells you how to wire up a flash code reader, using one resistor, one LED and one push button switch. VOL-FCR cannot read these earlier generation systems itself. But your home-made flash code reader accesses the car's flash code circuitry via pins 12 and 13 on the OBD2 socket.

I did this and my home-made flash code reader works fine.

For ABS, you have to run the car and then keep the ignition switched on, so that the system can check that ABS is working and remember what it has noted. If you switch on the ignition and then try to access ABS via the flash code reader, without running the car, it gives an error code, saying that the car has not been run. (Presumably a break in the ABS line from the back axle would have the same effect.)

Last edited by martin calva; Aug 20th, 2019 at 00:50.
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Old Aug 20th, 2019, 11:10   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by martin calva View Post

I used an interface cable to convert from OBD2 voltages and signal standards (accessed by the OBD2 socket near the console) to convert to RS232 (standard computer serial interface voltages and signals). I bought one specifically described as being suitable for use with VOL-FCR software.

I used an interface bought cheaply on Ebay which is specifically marked "VOLVO Fault Code Reader" and which was supplied with VOL-FCR software that runs on Windows XP. I imagine VOL-FCR also runs on later WIndows versions but I don't know for sure. I think (not completely sure) that the ELM327 interface converter will work with VOL-FCR.

I used the RS232 standard serial interface on an old laptop top connect to the OBD2 converter. If your computer does not have an RS232 interface, then I imagine you can cheaply buy a USB-RS232 converter. ie a unit that you plug the RS232 cable from the OBD2 converter on one side and the other you plug into a spare USP port on the computer.
Very useful information there Martin, thanks! A "word to the wise" on using RS-232 to USB adaptors for later laptops without an RS-232 port, they very rarely work as they should! Sometimes even the ones that plug into the PCMCIA ports don't work that well either.
Much better to buy an older laptop with a built in RS-232 as you did, cheaper in the long run than faffing about buying adaptors with limited success!
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Old Aug 21st, 2019, 15:17   #15
martin calva
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One thing to be alert to...

I have seen on Ebay some "adapters" with an OBD2 connector on one end and an RS-232 9-pin connector on the other end of the cable. Apparently they simply make direct metallic connections from the OBD2 pins to the RS-232 pins. They do not contain the electronic circuitry which is needed for changing from OBD2 voltage levels to RS-232 voltage levels (and probably other things such as the RS-232 pulse timings).

Fortunately the Ebay pages selling such items, at least the ones I have seen, make it clear that plugging such a cable into a computer while it is plugged into a car is likely to damage the computer.

Conclusion: In buying an an OBD2 to RS-232 adapter, make sure it is one suitable for the purpose. If it says it is suitable for xxx software (including VOL-FCR) then it should be ok.
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Old Aug 21st, 2019, 16:06   #16
Laird Scooby
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Originally Posted by martin calva View Post
One thing to be alert to...

I have seen on Ebay some "adapters" with an OBD2 connector on one end and an RS-232 9-pin connector on the other end of the cable. Apparently they simply make direct metallic connections from the OBD2 pins to the RS-232 pins. They do not contain the electronic circuitry which is needed for changing from OBD2 voltage levels to RS-232 voltage levels (and probably other things such as the RS-232 pulse timings).

Fortunately the Ebay pages selling such items, at least the ones I have seen, make it clear that plugging such a cable into a computer while it is plugged into a car is likely to damage the computer.

Conclusion: In buying an an OBD2 to RS-232 adapter, make sure it is one suitable for the purpose. If it says it is suitable for xxx software (including VOL-FCR) then it should be ok.
Very good point there Martin! I've seen those adaptors as well and also some that have the proper RS-232 chips inside that covnert the OBD-II signals/protocol to RS-232 but i have to say they are few and far between and tend to be expensive too!

General rule of thumb here is it's cheap for a reason and that reason could destroy your computer and/or your car!
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Old Aug 22nd, 2019, 21:14   #17
martin calva
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Here's an example of one of the to-be-avoided-at-all-costs "adapters" which has direct electrical connections from the OBD2 connector to the RS-232 connector,

OBD2 16-Pin to DB9 9-pin Serial Port RS232 OBD 2 Adapter Cable Car Diag HNL

On the other hand, correctly working adapters can be bought cheaply on Ebay, particularly from Chinese suppliers. I bought two or three for prices in the range £10 - £20, at least one including VOL-FCR software.

Here is one from a British supplier, for just under £20, that states it works with VOL-FCR, so is probably ok.

KKL COM-port RS232 Serial DB9 Diagnostic cable with FT232RL OBD OBD1 OBD2

What Dave says about using an old outdated laptop makes sense:
  1. It will have an RS-232 serial port
  2. To run VOL-FCR does not need up-to-date version of Windows
  3. Minimal computing power is needed
  4. In the unlikely event of something nasty happening to the computer, the loss will be small

A keyword seems to be "KKL" but I have not managed to find out what that means, except for a cryptic mention somewhere that KKL means "double K-line".
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Old Aug 22nd, 2019, 21:29   #18
Laird Scooby
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Quote:
Originally Posted by martin calva View Post
Here's an example of one of the to-be-avoided-at-all-costs "adapters" which has direct electrical connections from the OBD2 connector to the RS-232 connector,

OBD2 16-Pin to DB9 9-pin Serial Port RS232 OBD 2 Adapter Cable Car Diag HNL

On the other hand, correctly working adapters can be bought cheaply on Ebay, particularly from Chinese suppliers. I bought two or three for prices in the range £10 - £20, at least one including VOL-FCR software.

Here is one from a British supplier, for just under £20, that states it works with VOL-FCR, so is probably ok.

KKL COM-port RS232 Serial DB9 Diagnostic cable with FT232RL OBD OBD1 OBD2

What Dave says about using an old outdated laptop makes sense:
  1. It will have an RS-232 serial port
  2. To run VOL-FCR does not need up-to-date version of Windows
  3. Minimal computing power is needed
  4. In the unlikely event of something nasty happening to the computer, the loss will be small

A keyword seems to be "KKL" but I have not managed to find out what that means, except for a cryptic mention somewhere that KKL means "double K-line".
Are the words "full duplex transmission (or communication)" used in conjunction with the "KK Line" references Martin?
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Old Aug 25th, 2019, 12:16   #19
martin calva
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Originally Posted by Laird Scooby View Post
Are the words "full duplex transmission (or communication)" used in conjunction with the "KK Line" references Martin?
I am dredging around the internet trying to make sense of OBD2. It's not helped by the fact that there are a good number of different protocols and (so far as I can make out) the only thing they have in common are [1] the OBD2 connector and [2] the OBD2 name. Each protocol has its own pin(s) on the OBD2 connector so you can tell which protocol is used by seeing which pins are present on the car's OBD2 socket. Protocol ISO 9141-2 is identified by the presence of pins 4,5,7,16. Pin 15 (optionally) also.

I think (but correct me if I am wrong) that the protocol used by 1998 V90 is ISO 9141-2. For this protocol, pin 7 (called "K-line", also "K1-line") is used for half-duplex communication. Communication is in both directions on the line but only one direction at once.

I think (but correct me if I am wrong) that pin15 (called "L-line") is used on some cars (I don't think that includes the V90 but correct me if I'm wrong) for simplex (one way) communication to tell the ECU to wake up and be ready to communicate via the K-line.

I think (but correct me if I am wrong) the some non-Volvo cars (Audis) use pin 15 as a second K-line, K2, to permit full duplex communication (ie communication in both directions simultaneously) between ECU and laptop.

So, depending on the car, there are three modes of communication: K1 line, K1 line +L line, K1 line + K2 line. Hence the terminology "KKL".
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Old Aug 25th, 2019, 12:24   #20
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Very useful information there Martin and thanks for taking the time to research it.

For me it's something i so rarely use i've never really bothered looking into it except on the (very) few cars belonging to friends that have it.

Just as well there isn't a third K line or the option would be for full KKK communication!

Joking aside, i was always under the impression that E-OBD or OBD-II was meant to be a standard.

In other words, any generic reader could analyse the data and present the results.

That doesn't appear to be the case though!
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