I've been working on getting the info from the trip computer data line in to a PC.

So far, I've got as far as getting the circuit to turn it into RS232 data, and discovered that it repeats a sequence of 16 bytes, or more correctly 8 16 bit words. First 4 bits of each word are an ID code for the word, from 0000 to 0111. Next 4 bits are data. Next bit (first bit of second byte) is always 1, and the remaining 7 bits are data.

Packet 0 is speed, packet 3 is fuel, don't know what the remaining packets are. Words 4 and 7 seem to be some sort of average, change the speed around and they move in different directions.

I've had a spare cluster on the bench to figure this crap out, all I've got going in to it is a pulser for the speedo, and a potentiometer for the fuel guage.

I'm guessing the info is roughly parallel to the info from the diagnostics mode on the cluster. (Can't remember what this is, and the Fordmods doco on this is not available at the moment)

Can anyone tell me what the order of the diagnostics data is?



Any thoughts, comments, or suggestions?

Dang.

This sounds like a very interesting project. Let us all know how it goes as you progress towards completion.

Regarding the Diagnostics Information...

1 Petrol in Litres (No Level Buffering) Petrol Sender Resistance (Unbuffered)
2 Coolant Temperature (Degrees C)
3 Engine RPM Vehicle Speed (KM/H)
4 Oil Pressure (Bar, 1 decimal Point) Battery Voltage (Volts)
5 Instant Fuel Consumption (L/100Km) Instant Fuel Consumption (x 0.1 Litres)
6 Fuel used since Trip Avg L/100 Reset (x 0.1L)
This Value is used to calculate the Trip computer Average Fuel consumption L/100Km Kms Travelled since Trip Avg L/100 Reset
7 Buffered Fuel Tank Level (In Litres)
Value used for Petrol Gauge Buffered Fuel Tank Lever Sender Resistance
8 Gear Position (PNRD321)
9 Unknown - 256 Unknown - Varies from 00, 01, 02
10 Unknown - 81 Unknown - 00
11 0000 1100
12 1111 0000
13 0000 0000
14 00
15 00
16 00
17 Illuminates all Segments Illuminates all Segments
18 Blank Odometer Screen Blank Odometer Screen

Dang,

I gotta say - that's some of the finest data work anyone here has undertaken. Although i dont have a tripmeter, the gears are turning as to the simple data that could be logged from the instrument cluster.

Hrrrm. One wonders if the same methodology could be applied to the Data Output Link from the ECU......



So in saying this, are you suggesting that the order they appear on the cluster is the order in which their repsective packets travel along the trip computer's data line?

Amazing! Please keep us posted on this project.

Cheers
Martin H

Yeah, it would do just great in a CarPC! Imagine being able to access everything you want to in your car from one central location. As the Territory ad says: "The possibilities are amazing."

Yes, one wonders indeed, and yes, I have too.

Don't see why not. Haven't got an ECU to whack on the bench. When the project progresses to the vehickle, we may be able to go down that path.

Imagine - full telemetry info (and loggable)! Throttle position, gear selection, RPM, fuel usage.....

But let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, and work 1 step at a time.

Strange little quirk is that the data comes out at 1000 baud - try selecting that in the hyperterm option.

I think most UARTs will do 1000 baud, but you need software that can set it to a non standard baud rate.

I've used Labview (not sure which UART I have), and it seems to work OK.




As for the data ordering, probably not same order. There are only 8 fields, I know one is speed, another is fuel.

Other possibilities from the diags list:

Coolant temp
RPM
Oil pressure
Instant fuel consumption (BTW, I think the second one is fuel in litres per hour on the second line)
Fuel since reset

No idea how the trip meter reset is communicated to the cluster. I have checked, and the output is not a tri-state logic job.

Has anyone ever thought one of the unknown fields could be the throttle position? Try setting diagnostics up, and squeezing the pedal to see what happens. I would, but I've put a police cluster in to get the oil and volt guages at the sacrifice of diagnostic mode.

Dang.

I would think it only reads information pertaining to the tripmeter's output.

This would include:

Fuel in tank
Instant fuel consumption (a function of injector pulse width and RPM i think)
RPM
Speed

Not sure if it would need to know about TPS, oil pressure, coolant temp. Regarding fuel consumption, these should all be included in injector pulse width and hence instant fuel consumption.

hmmm this is very interesting, what you need is an insider in ford that may be able to find som information on how the eec code works

Had a look at the wiring diags last night.

The data wire from the ECU to the cluster is labelled 914-T0. The wire from the cluster to the trip computer is also labelled 914-T0. Interesting. I doubt that it would be physically the same wire, ie connected.

According to the cluster wiring diagram, the ECU signal is only used to control the temperature guage, as the coolant temp sensor is connected to the ECU.

So we have the coolant temp sensor off the ECU, and the ECU tells the cluster what it is. Then you have the oil pressure, fuel, speed sensors wired directly to the cluster. (Battery voltage is measured directly from the cluster supply voltage).

However, in diagnostic mode you have the gear position indicator. That information must come from the ECU. (any other thoughts?) So there must be more than coolant temp information coming off the ECU. I wouldn't mind betting some of the unknown things on the cluster are the data from other sensors hanging off the ECU, such as the HEGO, TPS etc.

Further investigation required, will keep you all posted.

Makes sense doesnt it? I mean, all those later codes MUST mean something.

RPM may also be another signal piped from the ECU to the cluster. I assume rpm is calculated purely from the ignition system which EEC controls? In which case, EEC would be providing the cluster with RPM data.....?

Keep up the good work Dang.

Id be interested to hear pete's thoughts on all this, although not really a tuning focus here.

Maybe, maybe not. Programmers like to put spare registers in to things. Like the trip computer data, there are 8 fields (nice power of 2), not necessarily all used.



Yes, I forgot to mention the tacho data. I need to check whether there is a separte wire for the tacho signal, or if it is off the ECU.

Cheers,
Dang.

Just for inspiration's sake.... this is my dream display. No tuning, just good old fashioned diagnostic logging of sensor readings:

So, you're doing the GUI when we've figured out how the data is arranged?

Are you stuck in the past (MPH, MPG, F), or did this display come from yankeeland?

Using Labview displays like this are fairly straight forward.

Problem is, I don't have a labview licence for personal use. So I can't run any Virtual Instruments away from work.

Like I said before, let's take this one step at a time. There is much work to do yet. We need to figure out just what info is on the data lines.

Any programmer/hacker gurus out there want the circuit to get it into your COM port, and help crack the code? It's not that complex. PM me. You will need to download (or write) a terminal server that looks at the data in HEX (not ASCII) and does 1000 baud.

I see you already have the V8 to get L and R exhaust info. You may need to install a turbo to get the boost guage to work.......

Cheers,
Dang.

Dang,

The screenshot is from a product called Sneecer. Only available for EEC-IV tho so ok for XF-ED Falcons. Probably work on an EL as well as they went back to a 60 pin loom. All it does it read voltages/current and produce a signal for the RS232 port that their special software displays as shown. US product, hence MPH.

Lol, yeah im currently watching the two HEGO sensors through an a/f meter but can only watch one bank at a time.

Boost is taken care of by way of the supercharger but our aussie V8s dont measure manifold pressure so no boost reading to be had.

Saw that your EF was supercharged after I posted.

Mmmmm, blown and injected! Lucky boy.......

Some more RTFM....
(Section 10-1-19)


Data Output Link(DOL)

The data output link provides serial data for use by the Instrument Cluster, Trip Computer, Automatic climate control, and V8 TCM.
The information provided includes fuel flow rate, engine coolant temperature, A/C thermistor (evaporator) air temperature, vehicle speed, A/C state and transmission range position.

So there you have it. I'm sure the cluster output to the trip computer must be a different output to the one coming from the ECU, as I can read output from the cluster on the bench without the ECU being connected.

Hopefully I can make up the circuit on the weekend, and try it in vehicle.

Till then,
Dang.