Viewing Datastreams from ECM 16147060 - realtime and logging

[big-blue]

The goal of this little project was to have a 'small' customized screen of certain data streams out of my ECM, as I recently lost my speedo and wanted to reduce the number of gauges. The speedo wasn't that big of a concern anyways since it's been way off since going to 4.11 gearing. But anyways ...

Main challenge was my particular ECM (16147060, 4L80-E trans) isn't as common as the 1227747 ECM, which was used in the same year for the 1/2 ton R/V Burbs and prior years for the C/K platform ... so not a whole lot of subject matter to review.

When doing some researching on how to accomplish this, I came across fbodytech.com from which Steve was doing basically what I wanted to achieve, but with his LT1. He had a good write-up on how to get his program (ALDL-IO) setup on a little Raspberry Pi single board computer.

After looking at the A138.DS and the 'latest' $85-16147060 ADX file and getting some guidance from Steve, I was able to get the streams I was aiming for, as well as coming across a lot more available data available from the ECM, and pieced it all together.

Here is a quick video I just did today, upon wrapping all this up. One thing I didn't cover was the logging part. It writes all the values to a CSV file (real-time, 2 times a second), which can be on a USB thumb drive.

If you like what you see, let me know - I'll be more than happy to give a better run-down on what I did here.

 

[dyeager535]

Nice!

Is this a 4L80E application?

 

[big-blue]

Nice!

Is this a 4L80E application?

Yes; even though it was originally written to support the ECMs for the 93-95 LT1 engines, I was able to make it work with the 16147060 ECM, which is in the 91 V2500 (which has the 4L80-E).

Regarding the ECM portion of the config files for aldl-io ... the layout is a bit tricky but if you know the offsets that the ECM needs for each stream, then its straight forward from there.

 

[cuervo]

You can modify the DRAC in your burb to correct for the new gearing and tires size. I had to do this in mine and it's within 1 mph now.

http://www.tbichips.com/drac/

If you don't mind could you send me the files you used to do this project? It might be something I'd like to do as well.

Are you able to get other data from the trans, say like trans temp current gear?

Thanks and great project.

 

[big-blue]

Sweet! I'll take a look at that DRAC mod for sure.

If you want to PM your email, I can package up what I have and email you them and a run-down. In terms of the streams out of the TCM, they get requested with a different header and this program can only send one. I thought about getting a second Pi unit - with it connected to the 2nd input on that LCD screen; just flip in between them. I can also send you the A150.ds file too (which is definitions for the trans).

 

[cuervo]

Sweet! I'll take a look at that DRAC mod for sure.

If you want to PM your email, I can package up what I have and email you them and a run-down. In terms of the streams out of the TCM, they get requested with a different header and this program can only send one. I thought about getting a second Pi unit - with it connected to the 2nd input on that LCD screen; just flip in between them. I can also send you the A150.ds file too (which is definitions for the trans).

Thanks I send you the email address.

I use datamaster to log and I found it odd that it could not monitor both the engine and trans at the same time but your explanation explains why.

 

[p0ps45]

Cool project. I'd like to get the files also. I have the software loaded and running on a pi2. I'll pm my email. Thanks for doing the hard part!

 

[RootBreaker]

pretty sweet... so stupid question...

would a obdii Bluetooth adapter and torque (android app) work?

I at some point was going to put a computerized motor in my truck and was going to put an android tablet in my dash and use that...

can be done for less than $20...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en


so customizable...

 

[big-blue]

pretty sweet... so stupid question...

would a obdii Bluetooth adapter and torque (android app) work?

I at some point was going to put a computerized motor in my truck and was going to put an android tablet in my dash and use that...

can be done for less than $20...

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en

so customizable...

So that seems to be OBD-2 only. So yeah, if you were going to swap in a newer gen motor and the associated wiring/sensors/ECM - then yeah something like this would cool. So much more data is available from that type of ECM vs the OBD-1 types that are in our trucks stock.

 

[dyeager535]

So that seems to be OBD-2 only. So yeah, if you were going to swap in a newer gen motor and the associated wiring/sensors/ECM - then yeah something like this would cool. So much more data is available from that type of ECM vs the OBD-1 types that are in our trucks stock.

There is? Granted, I don't tune OBD2, but aren't the parameters pretty similar?

 

[big-blue]

There is? Granted, I don't tune OBD2, but aren't the parameters pretty similar?

I know that baud rate is faster and communication is different (signaling and formatting of the messages), as OBD1 was per manufacture and OBD2 was standardized. So the header and message to see the O2 sensor voltage on a GM OBD1 is going to a bit different than on OBD2. OBD2 also has a boat load of more inputs along with the ECM able to handle a lot more, you get better datapoints to review.

 

[dyeager535]

I know that baud rate is faster and communication is different (signaling and formatting of the messages), as OBD1 was per manufacture and OBD2 was standardized. So the header and message to see the O2 sensor voltage on a GM OBD1 is going to a bit different than on OBD2. OBD2 also has a boat load of more inputs along with the ECM able to handle a lot more, you get better datapoints to review.

I can certainly understand how much faster everything should be, but other than CPS, 2nd knock sensor(?) and post-cat O2 sensor, I wasn't aware of significant hardware additions. Obviously OBD1 is going to be a lot more limited, and not worth going backwards, just piqued my curiosity to see what OBD2 data monitoring offers that I don't see with Tunerpro/OBD1.

 

[big-blue]

I can certainly understand how much faster everything should be, but other than CPS, 2nd knock sensor(?) and post-cat O2 sensor, I wasn't aware of significant hardware additions. Obviously OBD1 is going to be a lot more limited, and not worth going backwards, just piqued my curiosity to see what OBD2 data monitoring offers that I don't see with Tunerpro/OBD1.

Agreed - OBD1 is not worth going backwards as OBD2 has that plus more (as you and I have eluded to) but OBD2 communication isn't going to work on OBD1. So, the solution I pieced together is probably the use of the data you will get out of that OBD1 ECM - outside of driving with a large Snap-On scanner mounted on your dash ;-)