Freescan with usb adapter issues

[Paul93Lotus]

I've read and searched most freescan posts to see if I could find a solution to this problem.

Installed the drivers and all seemed well with the adapter. Installed the drivers through the new harware wizard. In the windows device manager it said "device is working properly"....the com port was established fine...different from the internal modem.

Hook up to the Lotus, and check the 100ms. Freescan detects the com port that the driver installed it to (Com Port 3). Click the intercat tab, and click start. In the status section I get a endless loop with something about "Trying to establish header", with some binary codes. On the sensor screen all the values are '0'.....no joy.

I am running a Dell Inspiron pentium 4 2.3Ghz, windows xp. Only have usb ports on the back. Sanj's freescan cable

Is this a usb adapter issue or is there other things I should check?

[Callaway]

I've read and searched most freescan posts to see if I could find a solution to this problem.

Installed the drivers and all seemed well with the adapter. Installed the drivers through the new harware wizard. In the windows device manager it said "device is working properly"....the com port was established fine...different from the internal modem.

Hook up to the Lotus, and check the 100ms. Freescan detects the com port that the driver installed it to (Com Port 3). Click the intercat tab, and click start. In the status section I get a endless loop with something about "Trying to establish header", with some binary codes. On the sensor screen all the values are '0'.....no joy.

I am running a Dell Inspiron pentium 4 2.3Ghz, windows xp. Only have usb ports on the back. Sanj's freescan cable

Is this a usb adapter issue or is there other things I should check?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Which usb adapter are you running? I have the keyspan adapter myself. What I do is bring up the adapter's management software, and reset the com port to com 1. Once plugged into the esprit, I load up freescan and click the start button (communications port), and then turn the key to the ignition on. You will start to see tons of information scrolling in the status window (I have the header lines as well). Like you said also click the interact option. After this you should be able to see the values under the engine data screen. I also left the ms on the com port to the default value freescan loaded up with.

Just thought I would step out my entire process to see if that will help as i've had no problems with mine. You may want to try switching to com 1 if that port is free. Im running it on a Dell Inspiron 9300 for reference. Hope this helps!

EDIT: Also wanted to add that I bypassed using the new hardware wizard and just installed the drivers and software straight from the CD included w/ the adapter. I purchased the Keyspan adapter @ CompUSA incase anyone is looking for an adapter that has been tested as working.

-Callaway

1994 Esprit S4

Edited June 13, 2006 by Callaway

[Jonathan]

Depends on which one you use, I had 2 before I bought the one off LEW which worked - I think the issue lies in the low transfer rates (same prob with the PDA freescan).

[Paul93Lotus]

It is probably the transfer rate....I bought a cheaper adapter ($15)....I think I have to pop for the one that was twice as much...as it probably has better compatibility.

Depends on which one you use, I had 2 before I bought the one off LEW which worked - I think the issue lies in the low transfer rates (same prob with the PDA freescan).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[fjmuurling]

After testing USB Serial adapters without success I bought a PCMCIA Com card (Quatech SSP-100) and all works fine now on my IBM Laptop.

Freek

[Paul93Lotus]

Went back to Fry's Electronics and bought the $39.99 Keyspan USB/Serial unit. (It appears identical to the one that LEW sells in the e-shop). I am now up and running. Though I do notice that it runs kind of slow. The screen does not "refresh" after switching from say control to sensor diagnostics. Like the computer is bogged down making calculations. When I started to data log it got even worse. Like the pipeline just had too much traffic. After I shut down data logging (which did create a good log) and then started it again the program hung for close to two minutes just to bring up the "Save as" screen. I have no other programs running at the moment . The usb hardware program is using com port 3.. Anyone have any ideas on how to speed the program up? I am using a 2.3 GHz P4 Dell.

[CarlC]

Just the obvious stuff really. PC Spec sounds fine, I run the same setup but my laptop is only a 1.6ghz. I would recommend adjusting the mS delay to different settings I believe the recommend option is 100 but IIRC when I adjusted this it made no difference to the log. My gut hunch is to do with either the drivers for the USB/Serial Device or the drivers for the USB port on your laptop. Im certain this isnt a software issue with Freescan. The output from the Esprit ECU is fixed. The Laptop spec could easily handle 20x the amount of data its being sent by the car ECU. So this only really leaves the USB device or some other software you already have running on your laptop.

To rule out other running software on your laptop, Im guessing your almost certainly running WinXP so use START->RUN-> type in MSCONFIG click OK

Click the Startup tab and remove the Ticks from everything.

Click OK and restart your PC.

Run Freescan and try it again.

To put your computer back just

START->RUN-> type in MSCONFIG click OK

Click the Startup tab and put Ticks back in everything

This wont stop everything running on your computer but it will prevent most autostart background app from running to give you a fighting chance to diagnose the issue.

So either other running software interfering or the USB adaptor is either really crap of needs updated drivers.

Sorry, went on a bit long there.

Can you tell its my job or what ? SAD!

Went back to Fry's Electronics and bought the $39.99 Keyspan USB/Serial unit. (It appears identical to the one that LEW sells in the e-shop). I am now up and running. Though I do notice that it runs kind of slow.  The screen does not "refresh" after switching from say control to sensor diagnostics. Like the computer is bogged down making calculations. When I started to data log it got even worse. Like the pipeline just had too much traffic. After I shut down data logging (which did create a good log) and then started it again the program hung for close to two minutes just to bring up the "Save as" screen.  I have no other programs running at the moment . The usb hardware program is using com port 3.. Anyone have any ideas on how to speed the program up? I am using a 2.3 GHz P4 Dell.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Paul93Lotus]

Carl...Thanks for all the advice! I will try first changing the mS delay, and if no joy there will then try the start-up procedure you reccomend. At least I can narrow it down to what the culprit is. I tried changing the com port to 1 yesterday and that had no effect on the speed. I even tried to change the degrees from C to F and that took about 2 minutes before a pop up said it can not be changed in the data log. There is some serious bottleneck somewhere. It did create a complete warm up data log that appeared ok (except to a weird coolant sensor voltage that started at 1.79 volts and dropped to .98...then for some reason increased to over 3V and proceeded to drop. The coolant temp reading though progressively rose without any weird readings.

Just the obvious stuff really.

Edited June 15, 2006 by Paul93Lotus

[Kjakk]

I just got the Freescan setup too and I cant get my cabin connection to work at all. Everything goes fine from the back, but nothing up front.

[Paul93Lotus]

Well, the solution to the problem was the delay...I lowered it to 50 ms and now the program works great....so if you have a problem, try lowering the delay to 50ms in Freescan itself. So Carl C wins a cookie!!!

I just got the Freescan setup too and I cant get my cabin connection to work at all. Everything goes fine from the back, but nothing up front.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[CarlC]

I could be talking bollocks here but I seem to recall seeing mention of a fuse for the ALDL connection. Check the hand book to confirm. Also do a search on the forum as I seem to rememmber s similar post many months ago.

I just got the Freescan setup too and I cant get my cabin connection to work at all. Everything goes fine from the back, but nothing up front.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Dermot]

The issue of the not working front ALDL connector has been reported before.

The connection back to the ECU is longer and so has been reported to be more unrelaible especially if your interface is noisy.

There is a wring loom connector near the ECU is this is unplugged then only the ALDL connection to the front is affected.

Dermot

PS. Another cause for a slow Freescan response is the close the ECU chatter window. This had a big effect which I chnage to new Dell from an old thinakpad. I think the high high speed PC's just need things to do.

[lucio1234]

does anyone have a schematic for the freescan connector cable i'd like to make one as I cannot find one here

[Vulcan Grey]

http://home.earthlink.net/~turboesprit/ALDL_Cable/index.html

[lucio1234]

perfect thank you exactly what i was looking for

[Nigel]

I can't get my laptop to communicate with the ECU using an ALDL USB cable bought from the LEF online shop in Aug 2008 (it doesn't take me long to try these things out).

I loaded the software on a Vista based laptop and pointed Vista to the USB drivers folder when I plugged the cable in. Device Manager looks ok and initially the serial port was set to COM20.

On starting the Freescan application a message is displayed "The system cannot find the file specified" when I set the COM port in Freescan's drop down menu (to port 20, the only option available) the same message is displayed again. When I press 'start' after this a warning message is displayed "Warning: Wait Communication() failed with the following error: the handle is invalid Port 20 and "Program C\...Freescan.exe abnormal program termination" and Freescan is closed.

I have tried altering the COM port in Device Manager and altering the 100ms settting.

Thanks for any advice

[sailorbob]

Dump Freescan and use Espritmon or TunerPro instead. Both of these give more accurate data and you'll be more likely to get advice on setting up issues due to being created by forum users.

[sanj]

Nigel, the com port must be 9 or lower for FreeScan to work.

[QuadCam]

Nigel,

as SanJ pinted out you need to have a lower (numerically) com port open. You probably have several items (virtually) hogging up Com ports. Google "how to erare unused com ports" you should be able to find a method using the command prompt to be able to gain access to hidden items in the Device Manager and then Delete them!

As far as USB-serial adapters go, buy one with a "FTDI Chipset." they are the older chipsets and they work perfectly. You can find them on ebay for about $10, shipped.