New Diagnostic Software for MBE ECU

[Englishman]

V6 Pushfit said:

Aha thanks I see. Looks like it can’t be linked up to a laptop then, I use an iPhone.

I thought the original version was laptop based?

Yes it is. The software and a manual is available here:

https://tvrtuscan.info/downloads

Worth having a good read of the manual first.

This original software is a 16 bit application that will only run on Windows 95/98/XP. It will run on Windows 10/11 but only in an XP virtual machine available from products such as VmWare or VirtualBox.

The very good software written by EvoOlli, the subject of this thread, is a step on from the original software and can run on later versions of Windows, e.g. Windows 10.

The original software was written to use a cable connected to the serial port of the laptop. A serial to USB connector can be used, if your laptop only has those. The same is true of this later software.

If you are struggling using a PC/Laptop, the RS-AJP application for Android phones is very good too, but fiddly to get working on phones other than the one it was written for There is also an IPhone version, but I've never used that one.

[anonymous-user]

Englishman said:

V6 Pushfit said:

Aha thanks I see. Looks like it can’t be linked up to a laptop then, I use an iPhone.

I thought the original version was laptop based?

Yes it is. The software and a manual is available here:

https://tvrtuscan.info/downloads

Worth having a good read of the manual first.

This original software is a 16 bit application that will only run on Windows 95/98/XP. It will run on Windows 10/11 but only in an XP virtual machine available from products such as VmWare or VirtualBox.

The very good software written by EvoOlli, the subject of this thread, is a step on from the original software and can run on later versions of Windows, e.g. Windows 10.

The original software was written to use a cable connected to the serial port of the laptop. A serial to USB connector can be used, if your laptop only has those. The same is true of this later software.

If you are struggling using a PC/Laptop, the RS-AJP application for Android phones is very good too, but fiddly to get working on phones other than the one it was written for There is also an IPhone version, but I've never used that one.

Thanks for that I’ll start to look into it. Having done nothing but 1940’s and 70’s cars (and everything on them) anything with an ECU is like learning how to split the atom.

So I’ll leave you beards to discuss particle accelerators and return after I’ve found where the thing plugs in to the other thing.

[anonymous-user]

Can we jst take a step back for the luddites amongst me us, - where does this all plug in at the car end ??

[subseamatt]

V6 Pushfit said:

Can we jst take a step back for the luddites amongst me us, - where does this all plug in at the car end ??

The ECU lead plugs in to a 3-pin plug that can be found under the dash pod around the steering column with the below white/green,white/red & black/white wires (there are some other 3-pin spare plugs in that area which aren't the ones you want):

[anonymous-user]

subseamatt said:

The ECU lead plugs in to a 3-pin plug that can be found under the dash pod around the steering column with the below white/green,white/red & black/white wires (there are some other 3-pin spare plugs in that area which aren't the ones you want):

Brilliant thank you!

I’m not thick, just a novice on this!

[ColdoRS]

Just want to add another big public Thank You to EvoOlli for making this software. So easy to use and really got me out of a bit of a pickle with the car, which is about 800miles from home/a TVR specialist, as I have it with me in Germany for the summer. Also thanks to a fella called Dave Moran on the TVR Tuscan Facebook group who sent me a cable out in rapid time (not sure if he's on here too).


I'm working in out here for a while and fancied using the TVR here for the summer months, the car drove out 800+miles perfectly, such a fun trip.

Then, a week later I started the car as I made to leave a small car meet ('Oldtimer Treffen' they call it) and up popped a constant EFI Fault on the dash. I had washed the car the day prior and knew that this EFI Fault was common when something got wet, however this time the fault was constant and wouldn't go. I'd also driven 50+miles since the wash and it was a day later, so was pretty confident whatever may have got wet was well dry by then. The car started and drove fine.

Anyway, the cable arrived today and it really was plug and play on my Win10 Pro work laptop (used a usb>serial converter).

Below is what I saw;


Would anyone smarter than me like to suggest what happened? A bit of a low voltage during the crank over and the lambda sensor blipped? Air Temp Sensor wet and shorted? The Lambda sensor voltages trail each other by about 1V when warm, which I think is normal?

Reset the Fault Codes using Ollis software and all clear. Took her a big blast, some might call it an Italian Tune and all was well. I do have AFR456 in red though - does this suggest a fuelling issue? Is it possible a lambda sensor is dying and the EFI fault was a precursor.




Also noted the adaptives are minus values? I've scoured the forums for other peoples screenshots and there doesn't seem to be a perfect or common value to have here at idle?


Cheers Olli, I owe you a beer - I believe you are actually in Germany? If you're anywhere near Bremen/Hamburg i will 100% buy you that beer!!

Edited by ColdoRS on Monday 8th August 20:54

[S6PNJ]

ColdoRS said:

Would anyone smarter than me like to suggest what happened? A bit of a low voltage during the crank over and the lambda sensor blipped? Air Temp Sensor wet and shorted?

Can't help much with this - sorry - probably air temp sensor and the fault stayed 'latched'.

ColdoRS said:

The Lambda sensor voltages trail each other by about 1V when warm, which I think is normal?

The Lambda sensor should flip between 0 and 1 during normal operation - I have values anywhere from 0v to 0.92/0.94 and anything inbetween.

ColdoRS said:

Reset the Fault Codes using Ollis software and all clear. Took her a big blast, some might call it an Italian Tune and all was well. I do have AFR456 in red though - does this suggest a fuelling issue? Is it possible a lambda sensor is dying and the EFI fault was a precursor.

An AFR in the red suggests an adaptive of over 30% from memory - ie it needs to put in more fuel. I have high adaptives and that shows my throttle spindles are worn (on my to-do list). Using Olli's software you should be able to get a logfile - open it and look at the Lambda values and the adaptive settings.

ColdoRS said:

Also noted the adaptives are minus values? I've scoured the forums for other peoples screenshots and there doesn't seem to be a perfect or common value to have here at idle?

Adaptives can be plus or minus - as you are at idle, I'd suggest the car needs less fuel so the adaptives are minus. If you blip the throttle you'd probably see a positive adaptive.

Can you help me? Can you let me know the type (chipset) of your USB/serial adaptor please? I bought a prolific chipset device but it hasn't worked so I'm about to try another one. I currently have an old Win 7 laptop with a serial port so can use the TVR and Olli's software but I'd like to use a newer laptop for Olli's software (actually a Win 10 tablet!).

[ColdoRS]

S6PNJ said:

Can you help me? Can you let me know the type (chipset) of your USB/serial adaptor please? I bought a prolific chipset device but it hasn't worked so I'm about to try another one. I currently have an old Win 7 laptop with a serial port so can use the TVR and Olli's software but I'd like to use a newer laptop for Olli's software (actually a Win 10 tablet!).

Thanks mate, all sounds reasonable to me.

See below regarding the adaptor;

Technical details
Magic uses latest prolific PL2303 chip set
I/O: USB 2.0 male serial RS232 Male
- Maximum data transfer rate: Up to 225 kbps
- Supports automatic handshake
Compatible with
- Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP/2000
- Mac OS X 10.6 and higher
Package Content
- USB 2.0 Serial Adapter Cable

https://www.amazon.de/Ecloud-Shop-USB-Seriell-Kabe...

[S6PNJ]

ColdoRS said:

prolific PL2303 chip set

Thanks! Mine uses the same family of chipsets but I can't get it to receive data. Mine has the PL2303TA and I'm waiting on a PL2303HX. I'm as sure as I can be that I've got the correct pin positions etc and have tried swapping them around as well.

[Le Mans II]

Nenad said:

Have just spent a couple of hours with my mechanic, looking for the damned diagnostics connector! I thought that I'd found it a couple of years ago – a 3-pin one, but MBETool couldn't find the ECU. I know PC s/w and h/w well enough to state with authority that the cables and ports are OK, so that's not an issue.

Talking to Jason at Str8six, he said that there 'may be' an additional, identical 3-pin plug under the steering column, for headlight levelling (!), which I can safely ignore. But I only have one plug there, and the wires are the wrong colour according to Jason – anyway, it's never worked. And Jason was adamant that there is no other connector for my 2003 Tuscan S!

However, my mechanic found an OBD, 16-lead female connector under the dashboard on the passenger side, with the wire colours on pins 2,3 and 5 corresponding to the colours that Jason indicated: black/white, white/red, white/green. But Jason insists that there's no diagnostics connector other than the 3-pin one in my car! Mind you, last time he saw the car was in 2011, getting it ready for my move to Malaysia...

Knowing enough, and occasionally more than I wish, about the TVR factory and its 'jolly' approach to car making – does it make sense? As my car was one of the last original Tuscans, is it possible that they'd wired the ECU to the OBD connector, and omitted the 3-pin one?

Anyway, I've decided to make a cable – OBD to serial – and try it out, but the Cannon/Farnell numbers in the Varley bible are out of date. Suggestions, please?

Any help very much appreciated!

[S6PNJ]

Le Mans II said:

nothing

You've quoted a post from 12 July 2019 but not actually asked anything - is there a question you want to ask?

[MadMacMcMad]

Guys a quick question regarding the OBD connector in the passenger footwell. I am trying to establish reliable coms to my PC. I cannot find the 3 pin connector that should be near the steering column, so want to use the OBD connector in the pasenger footwell.
I believe it's pins 2/3 and 5 to the serial 9 pin 3/2/5, but can someone verify this for me or if you have a pinout for the OBD, that would help a lot.
Thanks

[MadMacMcMad]

Ok. So, the OBD socket in the passenger footwell works
Pinout. Serial 9 pin to OBD pin 2 -2, pin 3-3, pin 5-5.

[anonymous-user]

MadMacMcMad said:

Guys a quick question regarding the OBD connector in the passenger footwell. I am trying to establish reliable coms to my PC. I cannot find the 3 pin connector that should be near the steering column, so want to use the OBD connector in the pasenger footwell.
I believe it's pins 2/3 and 5 to the serial 9 pin 3/2/5, but can someone verify this for me or if you have a pinout for the OBD, that would help a lot.
Thanks

PM senr

[davelittlewood]

hello peeps,

I can't find the ******** eco connector on my recently purchased 2005 Tuscan 2 S.

I've found two 3 pin connectors - 1 dangling about behind the pedals and 1 tucked up behind the dash binnacle - neither work.

from reading this thread there could be an ODB style connector in the passenger foot well?? I've looked and I can't see any connectors in the passenger foot well other than the 2 pin connector for the battery conditioner.

Where on a mk2 S would I look for the lead in the passenger footwell?

cheers.
Dave

[Englishman]

davelittlewood said:

hello peeps,

I can't find the ******** eco connector on my recently purchased 2005 Tuscan 2 S.

I've found two 3 pin connectors - 1 dangling about behind the pedals and 1 tucked up behind the dash binnacle - neither work.

from reading this thread there could be an ODB style connector in the passenger foot well?? I've looked and I can't see any connectors in the passenger foot well other than the 2 pin connector for the battery conditioner.

Where on a mk2 S would I look for the lead in the passenger footwell?

cheers.
Dave

If you have the ODB type connector, it will be resting on the panel held up by two hex bolts under the passenger side dash.

[davelittlewood]

Found it. Found a total of three 3 lead connectors.

I use a Mac so I have had to create a new virtual machine on VMWare Fusion and found an old 32 bit .iso for windows.
Installed the drivers for the usb to serial lead and it connected.

Need to find the modified software though as I've got the one where it logs you out of windows when you close the program.

I did pull down the cover/flap on the passenger side and found the OBD port plus a load of other st that just fell out, nowt important, just the META system, a few control boxes etc....

[S6PNJ]

If you are using the 'TVR' software (Yellow Cerb?), it allways logs you out unless you press (and hold) Ctrl from memory. That should stop it logging you out I think.

[the robstar]

Hi Guys im after a V2 EVO OLLI display unit to run the diagnostic if any one can help i know i can display this on a lap top

[S6PNJ]

Have you looked in the very first post of this thread? Would be a good place to start.