ALDL 16-pin USB Instructions This package includes an ALDL 16-pin USB Cable, a CD ROM with drivers and ALDL software, and this instruction sheet. This cable is intended to be used with cars and trucks using GM ECM/PCM's originally equipped with 16 pin OBD2-style ALDL connectors in the 1994 to 1995 era that actually have an OBD1 system.

(me know if that link doesn't work, but it's what i bought a few weeks ago. Anyways, this convenient little piece of hardware allows you to hook up to a 8192 baud ECM with 2 wires. No resistors, no ICs, no diodes. Just two simple connections.:homer: and when it comes to homebrew hardware, simple is always good. Just went and tested it on the MC, works great. Also passes the tunerpro 'test for cable' when unplugged from the car, not something i'm used to with my current cable. So anyways, before this i was using Parallax 28030 units, which are serial->USB adapters, so i converted the 8192 stuff(basically TTL?) to serial using a MAX232 circuit, then converted serial to USB using the Parallax 28030.

Ever built a MAX232 on proto boards? They're a pain. Then soldering into the solder cups of a DB9 connector? Now, assuming you can get ahold of a male ALDL connector or just use the bare pins for whatever reason, you'll have 2 or 4 quick solder joints to make and then you're done.

Put it in a radioshack project box for like $3(since this came with it's own USB cable) and you're out the door with a USB ALDL cable for just under $12. Attach a male OBD1 connector (for $15 plus shipping from ALDLcable.com, or i potentially have an overseas supplier that has a cable that can be used after some tweaking for a little under $9 shipped) and you have a fully functional and professional enough looking cable. Sell it, use it, abuse it, whatever.:) anyways, tested at 8192 and it works flawlessly. Since it uses the FT232RL, it should be a quality, long-lasting unit.

I'd like to do a 160 baud test, but i don't want to try and dig out the 85 IROC ECM. OK that link was to much fun! Now all we need is a Uber Nerd to use one of these to flash a OBDII PCM? Robert in your spare time could you take pictures and links and? For a formal writup on how to do the Cable? It would be great for the forum and I would convert it to our HTML pages. Many guys want to get into this but like us funds are limited nowadays and this is such a useful and cheap way to spend some time and get involved.

This goes to anyone and everything who wants to contribute something here!:thumbsup. LOL, i can take 2 pics and write a paragraph, and that's about all that's necessary to explain how to make this type of cable. It's just that easy. That link though. Quite interesting. It would require converting from UART to USB(or UART to serial) to use it with a computer(could use the adapter i listed earlier from the looks of it), but since it uses ELM327 instruction sets, it can be used with tunerpro to do some basic logging at least.

However, if the 'large memory buffer' turns out to be large enough, it COULD be used to flash the PCM as well. With the right software anyways, but that's always been the hard part. I can't write windows/DOS software worth a damn, otherwise i'd volunteer. I only seem to work well with 68HC11/similar stuff. Did some digging as well: ELM327 has 1.5KB of RAM. The STN piece has 8KB. It also has 4 times as much PROM space and has a processing speed 10X faster as well.