clearing codes on ecu???

FS5 · 04-01-2008, 05:57 PM

is there a way you can get the codes out of an au ecu ,simalar to the way you can with the E series ecu?(as in using a LED light )
also is there anyway to clear the codes?
i have heard that disconecting the the battery overnight will claer them,but i have also been told that the ecu has a memory and disconecting the battery dose nothing?????
thanks

xr8ute · 05-01-2008, 01:56 PM

You need an OBDII scanner that supports the protocol the Falcons use (cant remember off the top of my head). You also need software to read the codes.

I believe the SCT/CAPA XCal-II can do this.

It should be possible to get on of the cheap ELM-based scanners to read these codes as well.

sly · 05-01-2008, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr8ute

You need an OBDII scanner that supports the protocol the Falcons use (cant remember off the top of my head).

Is it PWM? The AU uses some non-ISO version of a standard protocol, so most OBDII scanners sold on ebay won't work with it. BTW any ads saying OBDII is mandatory on all cars 1996 and later are C&P from US ads. It might be true in the US but not here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by xr8ute

You also need software to read the codes.

I believe the SCT/CAPA XCal-II can do this.

It should be possible to get on of the cheap ELM-based scanners to read these codes as well.

I tried to buy an XCal-II (aka Ford Flash 2) a few months ago based on CAPA's ads. My local dealer made some phone calls (including direct to SCT) & came back and told me the diagnostics didn't work on the AU, I could only flash the PCM with it, same as the $500 flash box. Maybe it's working now, I dunno.

I'm waiting for PCMscan to be sorted out. BPT were selling it for the AU a couple of months ago, based on the Yanks saying it was all good. When BPT tried it on an actual AU it fell in a heap, Barry is still chasing them... it's in beta again. The PCMscan PC software is all of $250, unfortunately the Mongoose cable to connect the car to the PC is $550, NFI if there are alternatives.

How cheap is a "cheap ELM-based scanner" BTW?

xr8ute · 05-01-2008, 05:47 PM

Yep, I believe its PWM as are (almost?) all OBDII Fords before they moved to CAN bus.

Didn't realise the XCalII couldn't datalog the AU.....that sucks big time. Hard to tune properly without decent datalogging.

The ELM chip based OBDII scanners are from as little as $US50, http://www.scantool.net/products/pro...2b8a52c6c9cc2a

But as you've indicated, and based on the experience of others, just haveing hardware and generic software that supports the right protocol doesnt necessarily make it all work. I had heard some speculation that even though our local AU's support OBDII using the PWM protocol, that the pins on the OBDII connector are actually in a different order...

waggaclint · 05-01-2008, 11:59 PM

ya wont buy any kind of scan tool thats anygood for under $5k.....if ya wanna check for codes etc just take your car to a decent mechanic (most of them if they are any good will have a scan tool that will do the job)

fordon · 06-01-2008, 08:24 PM

my mechanice charges min $85p/h plus $88 for diagnostic read,i guess to get the money back on the scan tool :-s

JC · 06-01-2008, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waggaclint

ya wont buy any kind of scan tool thats anygood for under $5k.....if ya wanna check for codes etc just take your car to a decent mechanic (most of them if they are any good will have a scan tool that will do the job)

Where do you get your info from? I have a scan tool - the same one my LPG mechanic uses, and it cost me all of $70. But it IS only a scan tool - ie it reads and resets codes, but it doesn't programme the ECU - but that's what a flash tuner does, not a scan tool.

accurate1 · 06-01-2008, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

Where do you get your info from? I have a scan tool - the same one my LPG mechanic uses, and it cost me all of $70. But it IS only a scan tool - ie it reads and resets codes, but it doesn't programme the ECU - but that's what a flash tuner does, not a scan tool.

Yes but does it work on AU's?

waggaclint · 06-01-2008, 09:38 PM

im a mechanic and in the real world you need a decent scan tool that will work on a lot of different cars.....and there are plenty of scan tools out there that will just read a code...but if ya want to access live data etc or security codes etc you need a good machine we just bought a new carman scan tool at work and it cost $18.ooo.......

JC · 06-01-2008, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by accurate1

Yes but does it work on AU's?

No, but I bought it for my explorer which is fully OBD2 compliant.

sly · 06-01-2008, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC

No, but I bought it for my explorer which is fully OBD2 compliant.

Which is one of the benefits of standards... (apart from there being so many to choose from LOL), but that really isn't much help to the poor bugger trying to get codes out of his AU...