Fault code reader - 2.9L cologne

[Spathodus77]

Hi,

Has anybody had any experience using the Gunson 77032 for reading fault codes on the ford EEC-IV ECU?

E.g. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gunson-77032-Fault-Code-Re...

Thanks,

Ralph

[wizzer]

Hi. This is not the easiest thing to use as you have to count the light flashes which are quite quick and most of the time you will find you are looking at some componant or other. You would be far better off finding a STAR tester(self test automatic readout) which displays the fault codes held in the ECU. STAR testers do appear on Ebay from time to time but you will need one for the older 5 pin outlet socket, this in fact has 3 contact pins and two locating pins. Personaly I've never had much luck with a Gunson tester. Hope this helps.

Edited by wizzer on Friday 28th June 07:25

[phillpot]

Bought these at an Autojumble a while back, never tried using it, if anyone wants to "have a play" let me know and I'll get it to you then you can tell me how/if it works

[mep12345]

The ones with flashing lights are not easy, I have one but have borrowed Mike's star tester as it is so much easier displaying the codes as figures!!!

If you search on the net though there are instructions on how to make one that displays the codes using readily available components from Maplins

[tvrgit]

mep12345 said:

The ones with flashing lights are not easy, I have one but have borrowed Mike's star tester as it is so much easier displaying the codes as figures!!!

If you search on the net though there are instructions on how to make one that displays the codes using readily available components from Maplins

Yep, I made a flashy-light one for the sum of £2.84 many years ago.

Unfortunately the OBD socket on my S doesn't work for some reason (it doesn't work on a proper fault reader either), so it was a waste of £2.84, but never mind...

[Spathodus77]

Are you guys sure that this reader requires counting the light flashes? Looks like it has an LCD screen to me? I was kind of hoping that this one would show codes based on this. I know the amazon link shows that it costs £35 which is probably top end for a flashing light reader, but the retail price is £220 and I'd expect it to display the codes for this.

The instructions below seem to suggest that it can show a code '10' or '20' - not sure how a zero would be displayed with flashes?

http://www.gunson.co.uk/items/pdf/Products/77032_I...

Thanks,

Ralph

[mep12345]

Ralph,

If it shows the codes in digits it is definitely worth it, if it is a "flasher" then it isn't. Can't remember how and can't be bothered to look it up but IIRC the zero is shown but a different length flash I think, there is certainly a way it is shown and it is clear in the "flash" fault reader instructions

Mark

[Spathodus77]

In the end I decided to purchase the Gunson 77032 and can confirm that this does display the actual codes (it is not a flashy light type tester). Apparently it is made in the UK! The wires and plugs for connecting to the diagnostic port and battery feel good quality and the unit is fairly study. Because the unit connects to the battery it does not need its own power supply which is a bonus. The instructions leave a bit to be desired (no list of fault code meanings and interpreting what they mean is fiddly), however the fault code meanings can be found on the web so no big problem. For reading/reseting codes it is a good bit of kit, I have n't quite worked out how the wiggle test function works...

For £35 I think it is a bit of a bargain.

It does need to be plugged into the diagnostic port (black cover on my S2) - not the octane adjust port (red cover on mine). Wasted a bit of time on that .

Also need to ensure that one of the wires into the octane port is disconnected (idle/octane adjust ground) - TVRGIT - this may have been your problem?

The Startester instructions written by Norman are a valuable asset when using one of these code readers.

Ralph

[mep12345]

Ralph,

The idle/Octane adjust bit has always bothered me. On my car this is just a port with no cables connected to it (three cables in and a disconnected port out with none of the terminals connected). Did yours have a jumper cable between two of the terminals or something (as mine doesn't)?

Mark

[Spathodus77]

Hi Mark, if you look at a wiring diagram for the S series V6 you will see that one of the wires going into the octane adjust port has T junction indicated with one of the branches going to earth (the other branch goes to the ECU). On my car the T junction is formed with a snap connector right next to the octane adjust port.

I cut the branch going to earth and installed a couple of insulated terminals on the wire ends so I can disconnect and reconnect whenever I read the codes. When I borrowed a star tester it would not work with the ground connected.

Ralph

[tvrgit]

Spathodus77 said:

Also need to ensure that one of the wires into the octane port is disconnected (idle/octane adjust ground) - TVRGIT - this may have been your problem?

The Startester instructions written by Norman are a valuable asset when using one of these code readers.

and

Spathodus77 said:

Hi Mark, if you look at a wiring diagram for the S series V6 you will see that one of the wires going into the octane adjust port has T junction indicated with one of the branches going to earth (the other branch goes to the ECU). On my car the T junction is formed with a snap connector right next to the octane adjust port.

I cut the branch going to earth and installed a couple of insulated terminals on the wire ends so I can disconnect and reconnect whenever I read the codes. When I borrowed a star tester it would not work with the ground connected.

Now that's interesting! I have a 20-year-old Gunson's code reader, which I used on a 2.9 Granada, no problem. When I came to test the S, it didn't work, but I assumed the reader itself was faulty, so I made another one - it was only when that didn't work either, that I thought the OBD port itself must be a bit fragile.

I'll try the octane ground, next time I have a go.

[mep12345]

I don't think I have any wires grounds there and my Gibson and the star tester works so maybe some are earthed and some aren't?

[Gerald-TVR]

mep12345 said:

so maybe some are earthed and some aren't?

Good 'ol TVR consistency

[mep12345]

Ralph,

What were your symptoms when you hadn't disconnected the octane socket earthing cable? Did the reader just not power up. I ask as I have bought one and it just won't work - symptoms are as though there is no power to it despite it being connected to the battery. My draper flashy one and the star tester all worked so I don't see why this one should be any different.

Cheers

Mark

[mentall]

I'm now getting into the diagnostics, so I'd like to resurrect this thread.

My (apparently) hybrid S3/S3C (with Lambda sensors) has a white flat 3-pin socket for the diagnostics, that looks like some kind of Molex or a HDD power socket. But the colours of its wires are (almost) correct for the diagnostics according to the XR4x4 wiring diagram which most closely corresponds to my car. And these wires go to (almost) the same pins on the ECU as on Steve Heath's and other diagrams, which generally refer to non-Lambda cars. And this tells me which wire does what.

But of course neither of the plugs on the Gunsons 77032 will fit this. So I'm making an adaptor.

Question: Which pin on the 77032 does what? The functions should be:

1. Test command (grounded to start test)
2. Signal input, and
3. Ground.

My 77032, looking at the pin sockets on both parts, has:

A. Top left: red wire
B. Top right: green wire
C. Bottom or apex: blue wire.

Does anyone know which is which? Please? All help most gratefully appreciated.

[Marc C]

My S3C has the straight 3 pin connector

Brown/Green wire goes to Pin 17 on the ECU
Blue/Green wire goes to Pin 48 on the ECU
Brown wire goes everywhere

I connected it all up with jumper leads...

and my scrap of paper says it went, and take this with a pinch of salt cause I've been drinking and my notes don't make much sense at the best of times

Blue - Brown/Green
Green - Blue/Green
Brown - Red

It worked and I got a fault code...

23 Throttle sensor out of range or throttle set too high
or (depending of which fault code list you look at)
23 Engine Coolant Temperature Sender

As both of these seem quite reasonable, I disconnected the battery and left it alone overnight then re-ran the test and got 23 again as expected and also code 15 - "No Keep Alive Memory power to PCM pin 1 or bad PCM (Memory Test Failure)(M) KAM (pin 1) was interrupted (was battery disconnected ?)"

As I had purposely disconnected the battery to reset the ECU I went with this list, which = code 23 Throttle Pot, on the second run of the test code 15 went, I assume as the ECU now had some data stored in the keep alive mem

Swapped the throttle pot, and (drumroll please) It made no difference at all, and I still get code 23 so I changed the ecu coolant sensor and I still get 23 ?

So while you can get it to work, it didn't work, or may have worked but my brain didn't work

If you work it out successfully, I be interested to know... as long as your notes are better than mine

[mentall]

Marc, thanks a million! It's good to find someone with similar kit, in a similar state.
I'll give this a try later in the week and report back.

Just a thought: wiring and connection continuity to Throttle Pot and Coolant Sensor OK? You've probably checked this already.

Is your S3C a going concern? I'm in the early stages of re-commissioning, and at present it starts and ticks over cold just fine, but after 3 or 4 minutes begins to over-fuel to the point that it won't run. I assume it's seeing warm coolant, switching to closed-loop operation and then seeing a duff sensor signal. Hoping to get a diagnostic result before I start changing everything!

Thanks again.

[Marc C]

mentall said:

Is your S3C a going concern? I'm in the early stages of re-commissioning, and at present it starts and ticks over cold just fine, but after 3 or 4 minutes begins to over-fuel to the point that it won't run. I assume it's seeing warm coolant, switching to closed-loop operation and then seeing a duff sensor signal. Hoping to get a diagnostic result before I start changing everything!

Thanks again.

Mines been on a SORN since 2006 and through about 3 owners in that time so she can be a bit grumpy when woken up, she runs OK, not perfect, but OK

There are all the usual suspects TP, ISCV, MAP Sensor, Coolant Sensor, Vac hoses etc

as yours like mine is a C

I'd check the lambda sensors condition and wiring and make sure they are preheating (leave with ignition on, engine off for a while and the lambda should be hot), mine had universal sensors when I got it and it ran like a bag of spanners, I swapped them over to Bosch ones one the advice of a friend who works at a dealership who reckons the universal ones are pretty crap, the Bosch ones made a noticeable improvement on my engine... but aren't cheap, and it may simply have been the fact that they were new, you pays your money...

or maybe look at fuel pressure regulator, fuel maybe leaking past the vacuum diaphram and back into the plenum, maybe ?

There are so many permutations and the ecu seems quite adept at keeping the thing running one way or another, that is easy to fall into the parts swapping trap

[mentall]

Thanks again, Marc: I owe you a drink at least. I connected the 77032 using your notes and it worked. So, whatever you were drinking, keep at it! Incidentally, little offcuts of brake pipe (Kunifer of course) made perfect connector sleeves for the pins of that Molex connector: solder to wire, add shrink sleeve, job done).

So the ECU's at last talking to me (Yay!!) and it says 63 (TPS circuit below minimum voltage) and 52 (power steering pressure switch open). Well, we don't need to worry about the 52, but tomorrow's job will be to check the throttle pot's Vref and wiring: I know the pot's good, with a clean resistance reading across the span.

Thanks too for the suggestion about checking the lambda heaters: after 1/2 hour they were stone cold. And their fuse is OK. Tomorrow's other job. And I noticed from the wiring colours on the ECU socket that their signal wires are reversed left-right. If the ECU tries to correct lambda on the two banks independently (?) this could give interesting results! Third job.

I'll let you know how I get on.

[Marc C]

mentall said:

at present it starts and ticks over cold just fine, but after 3 or 4 minutes begins to over-fuel to the point that it won't run. I assume it's seeing warm coolant, switching to closed-loop operation and then seeing a duff sensor signal. Hoping to get a diagnostic result before I start changing everything!

Thanks again.

On cat ecu's the fuel/air ratio is set by the data provided by the lambda sensors, I believe that at engine start the ecu uses a cold fuel map while it waits for the lambdas to reach operating temp (300c or something damn hot) then takes the oxygen reading in the exhaust the work out the correct fuel map i.e. high oxygen in exhaust gas, engine running lean - low oxygen, engine rich... if you preheaters aren't working then the ecu might be using the lambda sensor data before the sensor has reached operating temp and messing up the fueling after a few mins

I believe that the engine injectors operate as banks (not individually, I think it was Mr Phillpot who mentioned it in a post so maybe worth confirming) but if the lambdas swapped in their respective banks it's quite possible I suppose, that this would also mess up the fueling... but to be honest I neither of them are preheating it sounds like either the wiring is borked on the sensors have decided that they've had enough and buggered off to the TVR factory in th sky

• * disclaimer *** I had a drink (again) and don't really know what I'm talking about, so check with a responsible guru on the forum, the only thing I really know anything about is watching cats ride vacuum cleaners on the internet