Ive been reading through some of the sticky's over and over, just trying to soak in the basics. For now all I want to do is monitor the ECM parameters via my laptop, and maybe some data logging on my 86 Iroc. Ive got the XtremeALDL combo by Moates, and installed Tuner Pro RT onto my laptop. I think thats all I need for what I want to do at the moment. I'll be using this on my 86 Iroc LB9 305, a 92 Z28 L98 350, and can I use this on an 83Z with an LG4? I will need a different definition file for each car right? Where/how can I find these, and could you please explain how do you know which file is right for your car? Im guessing by the ECM Id's: 1226870, 1227165, and 1227730? For the 86 I use the 10k setting on the ALDL cable, and for the 92 Z28 I use the only other setting(forgot what its called) correct? What would I use for the 83 LG4? Now I think I read somewhere not to let your laptop go into screen saver mode or something like that? Is there any other advice about what to do and what not to do? Hopefully this kinda makes sense, any help would be greatly appreciated.

For an ALDL definition file go by the MaskID. The '92 uses mask $8D, the '86 uses mask $32. Don't know what the '83 uses for a MaskId (WinALDL may be better for this ECM, and probably has a def file available).

On the '86 need to 10K to connect. Then after connecting remove the 10K.

On the '92 the 10K is not required.

On the '83 a 10K will be required all of the time.

Note: whenever the 10K is in the circuit (pins A & B on ALDL conn) it changes the ECM calibration. Is is recommended to not drive the car with the 10K in pace.

RBob.

For the 83' this should work too.
http://winaldl.joby.se/aldlcable.htm
You'll need the "R4" resistor for the old LG4 to work. Not sure if any of the available cables have it installed. I used WinALDL to log on my 85' with good sucess. I made an ADS file for TP but had a problem getting it to communicate. Have sold the car so I don't have anyway to find out why it didn't work. I'll send the ADS to ya if you want to try to make it work.
Shoot me an e-mail Monday (soonest I can send it)
Check in the tuning guide also for info on the CCC stuff.

I'm alittle confused about the part in bold. Are you saying that once I connect the ALDL cable to the laptop, then the cable to the car(using the 10k setting) I switch it to the open setting on the usb-to-aldl converter? How come Im connecting it with the 10k then switching it?

Could you explain what the 10k setting is, and also the open setting. Is it simply the 10k is for MAF cars, and the open is for SD cars?

Sorry for all the questions I just want to fully understand the process of data logging and tuning

Wouldn't the 85 be completely different from the 86? I'm not sure if I could use it.

The resistor just makes a voltage change that the software detects as putting the ECM into a different MODE of operation for logging.
Its just the way it was done.
As far as the 85'-86', they may share the same data stream because they were both LG4 setups.
Take a look into the "ALDL stuff.zip" to see what the datastream number is between the two. They may be the same or at least very close.

Did a quick check for ya (1st one's free )
The file I made was the A7 but I couldn't get the connection string correct.
I was able to use WinALDL on the 87' setting to log my 85 though.

Bob -

Has anyone figured out why GM did this? I've removed the spark adder from my bins, but there are other changes to the cal from the 10K as well. I wonder if it'd be worth creating a patch to bypass them all.

-M

It is all done in the name of diagnostics. The added timing is to force knock to check out the knock system. Other items are forced idle speed (usually higher), forced closed loop, and other stuff which is different for each mask.

It is interesting how as time went on the 10K is required less & less. The worse are the CCC setups where one can't even get ALDL information without it. But try and drive the vehicle with a 10K in place. Flat out doesn't run well at all.

RBob.

Indeed. I've always pulled the 10K, and asked that Craig dedicate an I/O line to the 10k so it can be engaged/disengaged via software in the AutoProm. No go so far, though.

The reasoning sounds rather thin, though, given the presense of Mode 4 in P4 ECMs. I would hope their scan tools could have added spark, set idle, and kept the commands alive as necessary, rather than have permanent changes like that. These hard-coded values (in code space) must have made the calibrators life a little harder, no?

Oh well, what's done is done. Especially when it was done 25+ years ago.