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How-to: Make a Diagnostic cable for your VN/VP Commodore

yogi_b

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You can make a serial one and then simply use a serial to USB adaptor, that's how I made mine :) saves a would of messing around with serial too USB chips

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holdenkicks

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just made one of these cables, i think its important to note that the wiring diagram is looking at the BACK of both connectors... Otherwise, 30mins soldering and hey presto... Now i need a new o2 sensor cos mines f***ed
]


AGREED, I can verify this as I just made one of these cables.

Also, more tips from my experience.
The instructions are otherwise correct. I went down to jaycar electronics to buy all the parts for the cable and got the aerpro model APP0141 wiring harness for $14.95 from supercheap auto. Something handy to know that they dont tell you is that you pull the pins out of this wiring harness plug (the 6 pin plug that connects to your car) from the front of the plug, i.e the side that the pins face. so to pull out the pins you grasp one with the needle nose pliers and pull it towards you. Reinserting the pin that you removed is done from the back end of the plug, the pin will just slide into the hole and click into place, you'll know its right when you cant pull the pin back out again.

I used cat 5 cable for the wire and that worked well. I had to spend ages looking up datasheets on the net for the transistor that I bought, because I didnt know which leg of the transistor was the collector and which was the emitter. I used jaycar transistor 2n2222a and its emitter and collector legs were swapped around when compared with the diagram in the OP.

Also jaycar didnt have any 10K ohm 1/4 watt resistors but they did have 10K ohm 1/2 watt resistors so I used those and they worked fine. One last thing I did a little differently was to put R1 and R2 (resistor 1 and 2, see the diagram) at the ALDL 6 pin connector end of the cable, so that all three of the resistors were at that end of the cable - it just made soldering in the transistor into the small db9 serial plug a bit easier as there was less stuff to solder together at that end of the cable.
 

Circlotron

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] I used jaycar transistor 2n2222a and its emitter and collector legs were swapped around when compared with the diagram in the OP.
Dead right there.
A PN100 transistor would also work well and they are very commonly available. Just check the pinout of whichever one you use.
 

Super_Low 91

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I have a spare cable I don't need anymore if anyone wants it pm me.

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VR38

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Anyone still making these cables?
 

Richo0902

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If anyone wants a cable made up for their VN/VP for just the cost of parts + shipping, message me. Its currently at $35 per cable (inc. shipping to any state), but could become lower if I manage to contact AERPRO about getting either the harness' or connectors seperately. If I can just purchase the connectors seperately, the price could drop to around $10 for the cable.

Im also in contact with the author of WinALDL about whether he's interested in developing it further, or if I/someone else could take over (limited programming skills here).

Lastly, Im hoping to find some individuals with up-to-scratch cars who have cables, or who live in Perth so I can gather some data on different types of cars, and go down the track of diagnosing problems via ALDL rather than us spending hundreds at Holden dealers. I know the older models are getting long in the tooth, but it seems a lot of owners are hanging on to the cars. Even if we can start the same sort of thing with VR/VS all the way through to the VY (No idea about their ALDL characteristics) it might prove a good hobby for most.

If anyones got any ideas or suggestions, feel free to message me.
Hi richie83,

I know this is such an old post but I have only just come across it. I have a VN which I'm having a little bit of work done to it. Just wondering if you were still making these cables.

Would be interested in 1 if you do.
Cheers,
Darrin
 

Richo0902

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If anyone wants a cable made up for their VN/VP for just the cost of parts + shipping, message me. Its currently at $35 per cable (inc. shipping to any state), but could become lower if I manage to contact AERPRO about getting either the harness' or connectors seperately. If I can just purchase the connectors seperately, the price could drop to around $10 for the cable.

Im also in contact with the author of WinALDL about whether he's interested in developing it further, or if I/someone else could take over (limited programming skills here).

Lastly, Im hoping to find some individuals with up-to-scratch cars who have cables, or who live in Perth so I can gather some data on different types of cars, and go down the track of diagnosing problems via ALDL rather than us spending hundreds at Holden dealers. I know the older models are getting long in the tooth, but it seems a lot of owners are hanging on to the cars. Even if we can start the same sort of thing with VR/VS all the way through to the VY (No idea about their ALDL characteristics) it might prove a good hobby for most.

If anyones got any ideas or suggestions, feel free to message me.
I know this is an old thread, but would you be interested in making one of these cables for my VN .....
 
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