95 850 NA - using the OBD II ELM327 Reader

[nedro018]

my 95 is wired for OBD II so i bought this on advice of another poster here. im using it with my android.

its working "OK" because i see live readings, but im doubting the codes portion of its use. it said, -no codes- so i tested it by generating some. i started car and yanked the MAF. plugged the MAF back in. the car stalled. i read for codes and saw a MAF code. bravo!

but then i pulled the coolant temp sensor (which turned on the cooling fan). this is a major sesnor fault. it didnt catch it, but my DTC reader did.

i also pulled the CPS sensor when the car was running. the car still ran, but, this is a hard no-start condition and sure enough, when i attempted to restart the car, it wouldnt. i check for codes: nothing.

the main reason i bought this was for code reading on the OBD II level to compliment the OBD I reader.

am i missing something?

[JRL]

Yes, buy a decent scanner. You can't read or clear codes with something that costs 10 bucks!

[Pauloil]

I regularly delete coded with mine.

[nedro018]

JRL is probably right.

the problem is not in clearing codes, this one does that, problem is it is not picking all up sure-fire codes that i inject manually.

but why, JRL, is it not picking the codes up? this is protocol based...not based on whether i spent $10 or $100.

[precopster]

I LOVE my bluteooth OBDII reader. It CLEARS codes on P80s and P2s, however if I really want to know what's wrong with my cars I plug in a Vida/Dice or a Autel scanner.

Most of the software for these devices including Torque was designed as a mass appeal device which probably works great with most GM, Ford and Chrysler products.

When I had a accelerator pedal sensor fail on my 2000 V70 it was Torque and my OBDII device that was able to reset my codes at each set of lights to prevent being rear ended as the car went back into limp home mode. It was my Autel EU-702 that could accurately pinpoint the problem.

[abscate]

Ive had good experience on three car platforms, VW, BMW, Volvo with the AUTEL scanners - both basic and plotting. Unless you can get testimony here from 10 people successful with the ELM327 reader, I would try another one.

[nedro018]

Ok thx all ill pick one ofthe harbor freight models

[nedro018]

Abscate which autel model do you have that also plots?

[Ozark Lee]

Keep in mind that OBD-II wasn't even a standard until the 1996 model year, Volvo was one of very few manufacturers that even had an OBD-II port on a '95 model year car.

I don't know if there was a firmware difference between 1995 and 1996 or not but I find the OBD-I codes to be more accurate and descriptive than the OBD-II codes.

Sadly, OBD-II is more of a regulatory compliance device than a diagnostic device. OBD-I had a given purpose of assisting a technician in diagnosing a problem. OBD-II has a stated purpose of complying with federal regulations. To accomplish the latter, less is more, and it takes some more vehicle specific software to coax the codes out of it.

...Lee

[nedro018]

lee i like OBD I too but my problem is that i cant read from certain ports, and clear codes from others. so i was considering going to OBD II to get backup options. im really upset i cant read from A6 because thats ignition and there's alot of "meat" in there. i took your advice from previous post and rebuilt that DTC unit. lost the spring but found it. sanded everything down. no help. and i have 3-4 spare DTC's from the junkyard. no help. here's what i can see/not see: A1-A3, A7: can read and clear. A6 cant read (bummer!), A5 no pin there. B1 cant read. B2 122 cruise code for years it -will not- clear. B5 is OK. B6 cant read. B3/B7 no pins there.

the only one i care about is A6. ignition sensors are impt.

i reseated my computer and of course have swapped DTC units. i guess the only thing left is the A6 wire.

thx