Which diagnostic tools do you guys have? Recomendations??

[eliot]

E34 said:

I'd like to get my hands on the Ediabas INPA system to run diagnostics on my E34.

Do I need to download software seperately, or will this ebay kit work for me? It's much cheaper than the fifty quid cables talked about by earlier posters, I'm slightly suspicious!
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Ediabas-INPA-4-BMW-100-c...

I have a laptop with xp and a serial port, so should have no worries there, hopefully!

E34 will require an "ADS" interface I believe. The ones on ebay only support cars made after around ~1997. I found this out trying to use an ebay cable on a 1994 e36.

[Mr Whippy]

Did that one linked to not have an ADS adaptor that went from OBD plug > ADS plug?

Hmmm

Dave

[eliot]

The round connector was used on OBD and non OBD cars. Anything pre 97 ish will require an ADS cable (which visually looks identical to the OBD ones).

[jthomsit]

Hi guys,

Just to let you know, your not all going crazy, when it works, it's easy, when it doesn't it's a real pain! I've been working for a couple of months on this now (turns out it works with the first and cheapest cable).

I've got INPA working (basically) on my 1996 750iL UK spec with a cheap unmodified USB VAGCOM cable and 20pin->OBD adapter.

I'm using INPA installer 10.0.4 (inpa_5_0_2_10.0.0.4) which installs Ediabas 6.4.7, INPA 5.0.1, NCS expert 3.0.8

I've tried a couple of other versions and currently trying more.

With this I can read/reset error codes on almost all modules. I can't access the DME 5.2 left or right for some reason - can access Airbag, Transmission, ZKE, etc. I think it's an ediabas software issue as it complains of 'missing object files' and 'command not accepted', but who knows...?

Good luck to everyone on their mission to diagnose their problems!

[julian64]

The answer is very easy. I've been using inpa for my cars for the last few years.

Get a lappy with a serial port. Run the obdsetup, and it will tell you if the port is compatible. If the obdsetup throw up errors then it isn't compatible. simples.

The only usb adapter that are likely to work are those based on the FDTI chip. The reason I know this is because its the only USB-RS232 chip that has drivers hidden in the hardware folder of the INPA install. Install this and the sofware works flawlessly with the OBDSETUP and the program.

[Mr Whippy]

My USB adaptor just worked fine, just make sure it's on COM1 at windaz launch...

It's a Belkin one that uses FTDI or whatever, and I use the same driver for ALL my apps that go via this (used one that came with Belkin cable)... that includes my multimeter, a Galletto, KWP2000 (clones), G-tech Pro RR, ediabas now etc... I'm pretty sure a good USB/serial adaptor will be all you need
Chances are many are using crappy ones if they don't work!?

Dave

[julian64]

Anyone managed to get a GT1 head working, or even a point to an ADS setuip for the earlier cars?

[eliot]

julian64 said:

Anyone managed to get a GT1 head working, or even a point to an ADS setuip for the earlier cars?

What a yellow head?
I've got GT1 running inside vmware via a "fister" ads cable that would read a 1994 e36.

[Neil_Sc]

This page tells you how to setup a £20 VAGCOM cable for INPA/GT1

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.ph...

The cables from Alphabid (ebay US)/google are known to come with the FT232R chip which means you only need to solder the ODBII pin 7 to pin 8 and then use a software tool to invert some values on the chip.

The driver and utility for the chip are available from http://www.ftdichip.com

[Mr_B]

Would this be what's needed for my 1998 E36 323I Touring along with a 20 pin plug ? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BMW-USB-OBD-Cable-lead-Ediab...