Scangauge Problem

Viejo · 09-13-2010, 01:12 PM

My Scangauge has shown a consistent problem from day one. It reads fine when I start the van and after a few minutes it goes 'off-line'. While off, it randomly cycles between either blank or showing gauge titles without data or showing old data from the moment it went dead. Then after 30 to 45 minutes of driving, it comes on and works fine. If I shut down for 10-15 minutes and restart while still warm, it works ok. The gauge itself is fine, works perfectly in my Tacoma pickup.

I suspect that I have a loose connection where the data cable leaves the engine computer. As the system heats up, something expands and completes the connection.

Do you think I'm on the right track here and if so, can anyone tell me where to look under the hood for the other end of the ODB2 cable?

**BroncoHauler** · 09-13-2010, 04:24 PM

The ScanGuage cable connects to the OBDII port near the driver's knee.

Herb

Viejo · 09-13-2010, 04:35 PM

Yes, but I'm looking for the other 'other end' of that cable where it comes off the engine.

Zeta · 09-13-2010, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viejo

Yes, but I'm looking for the other 'other end' of that cable where it comes off the engine.

No other end. Goes to engine computer.

Z

Viejo · 09-13-2010, 07:23 PM

Yes again, and just where is that engine computer?

RickL · 09-13-2010, 07:56 PM

To see if the problem lies in your Scangauge or in some of the wires at the OBDII port in your van, plug your Scangauge into a different vehicle. If the problems remain, you've got a defective Scangauge, if not, there is something amiss between the OBDII port and the computer. Most vehicle computers are somewhere on the firewall inside the vehicle. Grab a flashlight and trace the wires from the OBDII port back towards the firewall. You may find that the computer is on the engine side of the firewall.

HTH

R

**daveb** · 09-13-2010, 08:59 PM

And a shop should see the same problem if they plug into the OBDII port. You might want to start over and re-program the scan gauge. Try it in the second RS-232 ports (the two on the gauge) and see if one is different than the other. I had a Scan Gauge fail in one of its ports but the other worked fine.

Viejo · 09-13-2010, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Grab a flashlight and trace the wires from the OBDII port back towards the firewall. You may find that the computer is on the engine side of the firewall.

Thanks, that's plan B and it starts in the morning.
Plan A was to see if anyone here had already taken that journey and could tell me where it ended.

SheepShagger · 09-14-2010, 12:13 PM

Are you sure it's not power related? The OBDII connector is powered from the cig-lighter circuit NOT the computer circuit. Easy to tell, just plug something in the cig lighter and if it works when the scanguage is not working then it's not that. I'm not sure on the OBDII earth though, that could also be an issue. It does sounds more data related, but at least power is easy to check and you can rule that out.