DIY: Wire in an OBD2 port for motronic car for vag-com.

[vwgtipowr]

Figured I would post this up, so others would not have to go through everything I did to get this done.
Since the leg work is done, I figured I'd take pictures.

With the help of the nice guys at ross-tech, they gave me the schematics I needed.

A short trip to the local yard with a pair of wire cutters, and I cut an OBD2 port from a Dodge durango. I also got an extra as well, both plugs were $5.

Since the weather has been warm, I first recommend getting some shade to work in. Here is my shade.

Other than the OBD2 plug, you will need a few other things.
I collected 3 zip ties (a fovorite amoung us MK2'ers) , a rag, shrink tubbing, wire cutters, solder, soldering iron, pin out diagrams, lighter, and wire stripers.

First I twisted the wires together and then soldered them in place. Once it cooled a little, I heated the shrink tubbing.

Then I used the zip ties to neaten up a little.

It helps to have one of these.

Then I tested. The light went from yellow to green. A good sign! No comments on the aladin CD, when you have kids you'll understand.

And voila!!!!!!! After a month of trying to figure out my bucking issues, some help is here!

Then go relax and drink a !

Hopefully this will help someone else as well.

Close-ups of the pinout for the plugs can be found here.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=2131806

"K"-line is listed as blue, on my car (90 GLI) it was grey w/white stripe.

Good luck!

Now off to fix my problems!

Modified by vwgtipowr at 11:47 PM 8-27-2005

[VDub2625]

Great write up

No offense, but why make it permanent in the car? Why not just make it a portable adapter so you can use it in other cars as well? All you would need is matching connectors to solder on.

[vwgtipowr]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

Great write up No offense, but why make it permanent in the car? Why not just make it a portable adapter so you can use it in other cars as well? All you would need is matching connectors to solder on.

I thought of that.
It is not easy locating the connectors that fit to the stock connectors on our cars. The only place I could find them was on the ross-tech plug, but $50+ shipping was more than I wanted to pay, so ross-tech was the ones who suggested just wiring it directly in. This is the only car I have that has this issue. The wife's 2000 jetta already has obd2 plug, and our cabby has no on board diagnostics at all.

So it isn't an issue for me. If I ever end up getting another motronic car, I have a spare OBD2 plug from the yard.

[VDub2625]

Are those 2 connectors attatched to the center console the ones you cut? or are those fro something else? I've never dealt with a Motronic car, it seems like there are more then just 4 wires in there...

[vdubspeed]

EXCELLENT post

[typeSLone]

great writeup!!

I have been meaning to do this for about a year now. but am too damn lazy

[vwgtipowr]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

Are those 2 connectors attatched to the center console the ones you cut? or are those fro something else? I've never dealt with a Motronic car, it seems like there are more then just 4 wires in there...

yes there are 6 wires in there, on 4 plugs.
I left the other 2 as they were.

[ny initial d 84]

Will this work on any car with an obd2 sensor? And where can I get that program/harness?

[vwgtipowr]

http://www.ross-tech.com has all the vag-com stuff for sale there.

Works with all 96+ VWs, but also with some of the older montronic cars as well. THe details should be on their web-site.

[ny initial d 84]

sweet. thanks bro

[vwgtipowr]

Quote, originally posted by ny initial d 84 »

sweet. thanks bro

NP

[VDub2625]

Do you know what those other connectors are for? (just curious)

[vwgtipowr]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

Do you know what those other connectors are for? (just curious)

The wire in the blue one can be used to get a test light to flash to retrieve the codes that way. The procedure is in the bentley. The bentley does not specify what the last wire is for.

[vwgtipowr]

TTT

[nickinboston]

great write up, but does using vag-com on a mkII give you any more info than you could get by just blinking out the codes with a test light?

Just curious.

Edit: looking closer at that picture of the read out it def looks like it does....



Modified by nickinboston at 10:45 AM 8-29-2005

[vwgtipowr]

Quote, originally posted by nickinboston »

great write up, but does using vag-com on a mkII give you any more info than you could get by just blinking out the codes with a test light? Just curious. Edit: looking closer at that picture of the read out it def looks like it does....

Yeah using the blicking led, it just gives the codes only.

Plus this makes scanning 10 times easier and faster, if you already have a vag-com.

[VDub2625]

The codes can be looked up in the Bentley. if you already have a VAG-COM, go for it. If you don't, it's not worth the investment, honestly.

[vwgtipowr]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

The codes can be looked up in the Bentley. if you already have a VAG-COM, go for it. If you don't, it's not worth the investment, honestly.

Not really.
None of the codes I pulled were in the bentley.

That is when you post in the vag-com forum and get help from the professionals. Perks of being a licensed vag-com user.

[VDub2625]

I meant the flashing codes from the light

[vwgtipowr]

Quote, originally posted by VDub2625 »

I meant the flashing codes from the light

Yes, you are correct.

[Matt]

Quote, originally posted by vwgtipowr »

Works with all 96+ VWs, but also with some of the older montronic cars as well. THe details should be on their web-site.

It also works with the California cars with the MKII (not G60) Digifant 1 injection system.

I Know a guy that made his own 2+2 connector. he used the wire terminal connector things that look like a U, not the circle ones and snipped off one of the prongs. The other prong then slips onto the connector in the car.

I think I may go this route so I can use it on other cars as well. The only difficult part would be making sure I always hook it up correctly, but I'm sure some labels from a label maker or something with the color of wire it's supposed to connect with would somve that problem.

Matt

[need_a_VR6]

Ross Tech already sells the OBD2 style to 2x2 connector adapter for those less DIY savvy.

[pineapplegti]

Great writeup.. i might do this on my ca digi one

[Matt]

Quote, originally posted by need_a_VR6 »

Ross Tech already sells the OBD2 style to 2x2 connector adapter for those less DIY savvy.

Normally I'd just buy one, but Andy was the biggest proponent of making one and it appears pretty simple, so I think I'm going to give it a shot. The hard part has been finding an OBD2 car in the yards here. They must split them by year and I'm always in the older yards.

Oh well

Matt

[vwgtipowr]

yes, the yard I went to was all older cars too. I didn't even see 1 VW there. Ended up finding the plugs in a Dodge durango and a chevy blazer.

Also with the ross-tech adapter, you wouldn't have to worry about labels, because the 4 different factory plugs are all different shapes, so they only fit one way.

Modified by vwgtipowr at 1:04 PM 8-29-2005

[Ermil]

Great write up. It seem like for every one of these there are 10 air box or spring cutting threads. Good work!

[vwgtipowr]

Quote, originally posted by Ermil »

Great write up. It seem like for every one of these there are 10 air box or spring cutting threads. Good work!

Thanks, I agree.

[noddaz]

What years will this work on?

[vwgtipowr]

I believe all 90-92 16v motronic, and all cali digi-1 as well (not sure what years the cali digi-1 was produced).

[digifant_gli]

In theory, if someone was to run a Digifant 1 ECM, could they take advantage of the OBD ability offered by this mod?

[Matt]

Digi 2 ECU's dont work on Digi I cars so I would guess it doesnt work the other way around.

The Digi I ECU's arent easy to come by either.

Matt

[gti2.0016v]

If I do this to my 91 16v, can I read it with the OTC scanner at work? Is this only for vag-com?

[[Oo=MK2=oO]macelius]

I am so doing this to my Digi I jetta, same thing xept i don't have the blue plug at all, but the vac 1551 only uses the black and white anyway and the check engine light blinks the codes

gonna get the cable from http://www.ecutool.com/

and use them with the freeware and a computer. laptop will sure make this easier...

this is for audi but it is very similiar:
http://sjmautotechnik.com/trou...l#led

anyone know if this thing:
http://sjmautotechnik.com/trou...rness

is just the one jumper wire? LOL, or more complex?

Modified by [Oo=MK2=oO]macelius at 6:12 PM 2-14-2006


Modified by [Oo=MK2=oO]macelius at 6:16 PM 2-14-2006

[ronnie_hud]

Would this work in a 1987 16v I don’t know if there is a plug or not, I hope some one can help me…

[Eeyore99nb]

CIS & CIS-E do not have diagnostics. so no CEL.

my 1989 16V GTI is the same.