NewKleer

ive uploaded a quick list of parts and likely costs, this should hopefully represent the maximum cost it could be, but most likely will be able to bring them down a bit by buying in bulk or from somewhere else (i think i know someone who might be able to get me stuff a bit cheaper). the max232 chip especially should only be about half the cost jaycar sell it for if i get it elsewhere http://users.bigpond.net.au/newkleer/diyco.../components.xls as you can see at this point the total is > $60, but id hope the final one would be down around the $50 mark including postage (if i buy stuff in bulk) ive got some of those adaptors in the above pic, and if theres no problems fitting pcb with components in it, then ill go ahead with finalising the pcb. im aiming for the first run of components to be about 25, can always sell on other forums if theres left overs, so not too worried about minimum numbers or anything ill probably make a new thread in group buys or something after pcb is made and ive built one and do a writeup/instructions of it. im not quite sure yet though if it would be better to only sell kit to a few and make sure they dont have any problems building it that i hadnt thought of (or missing components or whatever)

ok heres a couple of pics of my best lead so far in finding a good solution for how to do the pcb and box. it would be a double serial adaptor box, which one side plugs into ur serial port on laptop, and the other side plugs into a cable from the consult port. this has the added advantage of being that u can keep the consult plug connected 24/7, and just disconnect the adaptor box from the cable whenever u arent using it. ive been meaning to try figure out whether we have a switch or something to turn it off, but this seems to be a much more elegant solution. the box would have female connector on laptop end (as laptop serial port is male) and a male on the consult cable end.

as long as it has a consult port it should work. dumping rom can be temperamental, but if u have problems then calumsult can resume dumps

normal sized - i decided that smd is going to be too difficult for most people to solder. normal sized shouldnt prove too hard.

heres an example (interface2.jpg) of what the interface could look like if i can find (or find somewhere that can make) an enclosure thats could fit around this. then there's only one cable coming off it, and it plugs straight into serial port (wouldnt be much bigger than a serial plug) interface1.jpg is the current one im working on, assuming i cant find any better box to put it in. edit: interface3 is a test for possibly putting it in a parallel port connector shell (but with serial plug)

just an update. i got some time over the weekend to start work on thecustom pcb, and ive got a draft one complete. main problem is that i need to make sure the layout is 100% right as theres no room for error since its only economical to make large manufacture runs as theres like a 70-100$ overhead the other issue i thought about was whether it would be useful to have the serial connector on the pcb, and u plug the actual device right into the laptop (its not that big). only problem is it would need some kind of custom enclosure which has a serial port slot on the end. ive no experience with custom plastic boxes or anything so at this point the pcb design is similar to the current ones ive made, but will have removable cables (i might make the cables myself as they would be the trickiest part, but still undecided on that) when i get home tonight i can post a screenshot of the pcb design that has the serial connector on board, if anyone knows where to find/make a custom enclosure for it, then youll have an idea of the size im after (only a touch wider than the serial port connector)

same as the gtst for the gtrs - if they have a consult port then it should work.

im pretty sure if it has the consult port then it will work. very early 89 models didnt, but i believe someone said they did come with them by late 89. to be safe i say 91+ most places i talk about them as ca18's dont have consult, and ca18's stopped in 91. all other nissans i know of 91+ should have it (at least the common ones, pulsar/skyline/silvia/nx/etc) the consult protocol is designed so that most ecu's only gave a subset of all available sensors, so it shouldnt matter if it doesnt support a sensor here and there (eg ignition timing isnt supported in some s14's or something), as all the other sensors will work

mine were made on prototype board, hence why no tx/rx led's in order to get it to the eventual size

got an assignment due next friday (or the following, forget). after that ill try make a shot at a pcb then find out about getting it manufactured etc. havent ever made a custom pcb so itll be something new for me (and i dont wanna keep putting it off)

thanks for that. all parts except consult plug and 2.457mhz crystal available from jaycar. wiltronics have the 2.457 crystal. an alternative is a 4.9mhz crystal (see schematic) which mearcat says are available from altronics resellers (http://www.altronics.com.au/index.asp?area=deal)

pm sent.

the box is the circuitry to interface between the signal levels that the laptop expects over rs232, and the native signal levels/types setup for the consult computers to interface with vehicles. the blazt interface (someone in nz makes them) has the circuitry built into the serial connector hood (under the plastic). other cables may not be consult cables but may be OBD1/2 cables and therefore im guessing (havent checked) they dont need any circuitry. Peter

my pm space is also full (the limit seems to have gone from 300 or 200 down to 100?), is there any way to get the same limits we had before back?

my brother had the socket...im not sure - it was a black one if that helps. im guessing the other socket cracked as it was the socket with the gap for the o2 sensor wires, and hence is fundamentally weaker due to that gap. i also have to turn the car around before removing it, thus the exhaust would have been lukewarm. seemed to come out with too much trouble with the rost off/warm/better socket combined

just an update, i used some rost off, cut the wires off the sensor and used a proper socket, finally came out

best bet is to probably chuck an email to the author and ask. theres the "current cell" which is blue or something when ur car is running to show u where in map u are. then theres typically the rest being a single colour, except for a bunch which are a diff colour (in a square section) and have values +180 or something to the rest. i think this is the knock map (ie the region in which the map differs when using the knock map, not that u are always using the knock map, most of the time ur using a value -180 or whatever of that knock map value, just easier to put both maps on same diagram im guessing, but i dont know much about maps)

its supposed to show you in real time the position of the fuel or timing map you are currently, however its only a new feature and ive had a few problems with it in half the cars that ive tried it on

pending payment on last interface - wont be making any more personally in near future, but once i get my new pc going hope to have time to get started on that custom pcb for a diy kit version. thanks to everyone who's bought one and hope you're all happy, any problems dont hesitate to throw me a pm. if anyone is making them of their own accord i can supply any parts you need (just youll need to do the pcb/box etc yourself). i havent checked properly but parts (minus pcb/box) excluding consult plug would be around 15, consult plug/pins + 20$. think ive still got enough parts for about 5-10 more (havent checked)

if the first two on the interested list havent contacted me back by the end of the weekend then the interfaces will be available for the last two on the list (including d00dz if ur interested)

wont have any if all the people on the interested list on post 2 still want it. hopefully if i make a diy kit then itll be easy enough to build yourself if uve soldered anything before

Update: Sold two of the test interfaces, only have the 2nd with above, the one without consult plug. Turned out the box3 dumped a full rom without problems to the guy who bought it. Have completed 2 of the last 3 interfaces, and sent pms to the first two on the waiting list. Once these last 3 have sold ill look into getting custom pcb done to be able to make a kit for around the $40-45 mark that u put together yourself.

yer i cracked the socket - o2 sensor sockets are a bit weaker than usual to start with due to the slit in them for o2 sensor wires. used a breaker bar, anti clockwise. this was a pretty heavy duty socket too, hence my surprise any chance having the engine running (heating exhaust) helps at all?

I got a new o2 sensor recently for my r31 skyline (rb20det nics redtop). Anyway to cut to the chase, we cracked a clean break down the side of the 21mm (or whatever) o2 sensor socket in trying to remove the o2 sensor...first time id ever seen one break so how would i remove the sensor (preferably not taking the dump pipe off) if its on so tight it breaks sockets?

edit: box 1 and 3 sold i also have 3 imperfect/test boxes which are available if anyone wants one for cheaper. note i cant guarantee all of them will dump entire rom (or other extended operations, but less chance of that) without hanging. im pretty sure the first two can (but havent been able to get box3 to yet), but cant actually remember so assume it cant. box 1: 3 leds (power, transmit/receive), larger box, short cable to proper consult plug (~50cm) and serial plug on box. some serial cables may not fully insert (but still connect...my normal serial cable is fine, but the usb-serial converter, which is fatter, doesnt go in all the way due to other connector on side of it) $35 box 2: no leds (not even power), 50cm to serial plug, 170cm to wires for consult port - no consult plug. need to watch connectors dont break. $15 box 3: one of the boxes i was making in this thread, perhaps due to imperfect component somewhere (dont have time to check/replace everything), i havent been able to dump full rom with it. 50/170cm cable lengths or there abouts, with consult plug. $35 heres the first two: box2 youd need to be able to hook it up to consult port yourself. this is around or less than cost of components to make them (consult plug itself is half the cost), with the only real downside being possible hanging with long operations (typically rom dumping...potentially normal data logging/viewing/gauges etc could hang, but not much chance of it). i have no real need for them, so thought someone who wants one for cheap that isnt interested in rom dumping might be interested. pickup preferred so u can see it working, but given they are so cheap, cant really afford to provide any assisstance with them. Peter