I've seen before somewhere instructions on how to make a homemade ALDL cable. Anybody have those instructions handy? If not where do you buy one.
I have a 1985 2M4
------------------ 1985 2m4 Saskatoon, Sask Canada Visit the Saskatoon Fiero Club Website at http://www.freewebs.com/saskatoonfieros/ Come chat with us at our Forum http://saskfiero.suddenlaunch.com/
Got an old serial mouse? If so, use that cable. The 2N2222 is easy to find, look at Rat Shack last because they're the most expensive place in town. Fry's carries all of the parts.
JazzMan
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09:55 PM
srat110 Member
Posts: 860 From: Lubbock, Tx, USA Registered: Aug 2005
Just build the one on the winALDL site the Jazz posted above. It's pretty simple. I had to jump the A & B terminal with a 10k ohm resistor to get the ECM to transmit data. there is also a link on the winALDL site to where you can buy these but you can build it for less.
You guys just like to work to hard on making these...
I just use heavy paper clip wire.
Solder the cable wires on to some two inch pieces of clip, add the 10K resistor, place a piece of wax paper over the ALDL socket, stick the clip wires in to the respective holes thru the wax paper, and load it up with hot glue, and rip off the paper.
Makes a nice solid plug.
You can dress it up with a little flattened tube or whatever glued over it all. Takes 5 min. to make.
Quick and easy. I have made four of these for myself, my son, and some others and had no problems.
You asked for it. Here is a pic of an undressed one. (not fancy ) : )
Two pins close together are A & B with the 10K between them. Other is Ground. I have also added dumby pins to the first couple I made but now leave them out since it is tight enought I have never had one come out by itself. The other end is just like the one above.
[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 01-06-2006).]
You guys just like to work to hard on making these...
I just use heavy paper clip wire.
Solder the cable wires on to some two inch pieces of clip, add the 10K resistor, place a piece of wax paper over the ALDL socket, stick the clip wires in to the respective holes thru the wax paper, and load it up with hot glue, and rip off the paper.
Makes a nice solid plug.
You can dress it up with a little flattened tube or whatever glued over it all. Takes 5 min. to make.
Quick and easy. I have made four of these for myself, my son, and some others and had no problems.
Do you have any pictures of this setup?
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11:35 PM
Jan 6th, 2006
srat110 Member
Posts: 860 From: Lubbock, Tx, USA Registered: Aug 2005
That's a good Idea. I will have to try that. I am also going to use Jefrysuko's idea of a stereo plug to make it easy to plug in without having to take off the trim piece. https://www.fiero.nl/uploads/imgs2003/RIMG0035.JPG
I'd buy a set up from him just because he has done the work already and shared a great idea, but last time I posted I wanted one he never responded. Here is the thread from the mall if your interested. https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum4/HTML/012844.html
edited to add that I sent Jefrysuko an email to see if he is still making these. maybe he'll resurface.
[This message has been edited by srat110 (edited 01-06-2006).]
Using a phone plug is a good idea if you wanted to connect often.
Would be very easy to do to.. Cool !
Neat that you could make a jumper plug to just pop in to do timing also.
I don't use ALDL that often that it have been issue so far... If I get another Fiero fixer upper I may do this since I will be doing an engine conversion.
I would be willing to do a write-up for others if they would like to do a setup like this.
Not to take away from anyone's sales, but for those that like and can make there own.
[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 01-06-2006).]
Turning wrenches in no problem for me, but electronic circuits is another thing. It looks easy enough to make the cable, but how do connect the transistor? I don't know which pin of the transistor is the base, collector, and emitter.
Yep, I'm still around. I actually made a dozen cables about two months ago and was kindly informed by someone that I should be "ashamed of myself for ripping people off with a 4X markup!" That combined with someone else not sending me a couple ECM's that I sent him a cable in payment for along with the difference in price.
Sorry that I have taken it out on the rest of the Forum but I needed a little break. Funny thing is that in the meantime someone on the forum copied my design and started selling them for even more.
I still have those cables sitting here but I can't remember if they were ever tested, and I won't send out an untested cable. Unfortunately over the christmas holiday my laptop hinge failed and I havn't had a chance to get it repaired yet. Soooo, if any of you have means of making your own I would recommend doing so as it will be a little bit of time until I am up and running again.
But don't worry I am still around and I will be back making cables again soon hopefully with a couple improvements as well.
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07:28 PM
srat110 Member
Posts: 860 From: Lubbock, Tx, USA Registered: Aug 2005
Was it someone on this forum? Did you inform them that labor is expensive these days? I don't see how $23 for a cable that is tedious to build is something to be "ashamed" of. Hell, I built one several month ago and I can tell you I wouldn't build them for that even if the parts were free. They sell them on the internet for $39 last time I checked. Who ever told you that BS is crazy and has no clue or is just one of those tight a$$'s that could eat coal and crap a diamond. I'd be glad to buy one of your setups and test the rest for you for free. You have a PM.
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11:39 PM
Raydar Member
Posts: 40912 From: Carrollton GA. Out in the... country. Registered: Oct 1999
I actually made a dozen cables about two months ago and was kindly informed by someone that I should be "ashamed of myself for ripping people off with a 4X markup!"
If someone complains about the markup, send them the parts in a box.
If someone complains about the markup, send them the parts in a box.
LOL, To bad I wouldn't be able to see the expression on their face when they opened the package.
Truth of the matter is that my actual markup is right at 2X what the parts and shipping cost me. So you can figure that if I sell a $23 cable the parts cost me ~$10 the shipping is $1.61 and what I get for spending 2+ hours to make the thing and take it to the post office is about $11.5. I'm not complaining about the money as I set out on this project with the main intention of helping others. The little bit of money made is just a little bonus so that I can buy those little things for the car without having to justify it to the wife.
Thanks for the kind words Radar. If I remember right you were one of the first people to buy a cable. I am glad that you have enjoyed it.
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09:59 AM
spark1 Member
Posts: 11159 From: Benton County, OR Registered: Dec 2002
Got this idea from an Aussie site but haven't tried it yet.
The connector from 1987 and up Toyota radios matches the ALDL connector, except for the keying. That means you can buy a readily available adapter harness that will plug into the ALDL (with a little Dremel® work) at very low cost. I’ve seen them advertised for under $3.00 on the internet.
The adapter pig-tail cables are made by METRA (70-1761) or SCOSCHE (TA02B). There are two connectors in the kit but it's the larger of the two that matches the ALDL. They look like this:
The connector is similar to the ALDL but note the keying difference:
Many who build their own interface buy a commercially available AutoXRay® cable from someone like Summit Racing for about $30 and cut off one end. The $3 radio adapter seems to be a better idea along with the above mentioned use of a discarded PS-2 mouse for the computer interface.
With the adapter pig-tail and a few more components, LED indicators could be added to indicate fuel pump voltage and TCC status as well as a phono connector for data read out. Maybe someone here could build them and make a fortune (or a couple of bucks).
[This message has been edited by spark1 (edited 01-07-2006).]
along with the above mentioned use of a discarded PS-2 mouse for the computer interface.
You can't actually use the PS-2 connector as Winaldl wasn't programed with that in mind. What was mentioned above was using the wires from the mouse by cutting off each end. I like the idea of the stereo connector though. I had something else I was working on which was turing out to be WAY to labor intensive for what it was worth but you might have stumbled onto something worthwhile.
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10:35 PM
spark1 Member
Posts: 11159 From: Benton County, OR Registered: Dec 2002
You can't actually use the PS-2 connector as Winaldl wasn't programed with that in mind. What was mentioned above was using the wires from the mouse by cutting off each end. I like the idea of the stereo connector though. I had something else I was working on which was turing out to be WAY to labor intensive for what it was worth but you might have stumbled onto something worthwhile.
Actually, I was referring to an actual serial mouse, anyone remember those? LOL! Been a while since anyone probably bought one of those new. I have a box of them that I got at a flea market for a dollar... for the whole box.
Well at least you didn't use an Atari joy stick cable!
You could also use a SEGA Genisis controler. We used to plug in an Atari joystick at my friends gaming shop in the mall and play Sonic. Told everyone it was a new Atari game. And vise versa used the SEGA controller on the Atari and told people that it was a new SEGA game coming out. People actually wanted to buy the Atari games thinking it was a new game.
------------------ 1985 2m4 Saskatoon, Sask Canada Visit the Saskatoon Fiero Club Website at http://www.freewebs.com/saskatoonfieros/ Come chat with us at our Forum http://saskfiero.suddenlaunch.com/
