I built my own unit a while ago - certainly agree with everything said about convenience and ease of use.
I didn't notice a selection to run the fuel pump while the engine is off, does it have one ?? Very handy for measuring fuel pressure.
Looks a very professional unit, considering the parts and labour involved to build, I think it's an excellent buy, multimeters have their place, but not as far as testing using the test box.
And using jumpers, etc, too fiddly and the chance of shorting the wrong pins out.

Very interested

Thought I'd start a list for you muzza:
data_mine
Mako
GTBob
JOSE
mattronics
mr_sperm1
fairmont1998

Updated list

data_mine
Mako
GTBob
JOSE
mattronics
mr_sperm1
fairmont1998
tjb45

Guys, an update.....and two questions...
The connectors had been delayed but are supposed to be leaving and winging their way over the waters to me at the end of this week. Should have them by end of next week I expect.
Sorry about the delay, but these are a real b*#@&* to get a hold of in small quantities (minimum orders are normally 1000+ connectors).

User guide... Nearly finished.... it is 40 pages !
Just need to take some pictures and paste them in... but need to check one piece of info ... see Q1...

Q1 - to get one last piece of info in the user guide confirmed... does anyone have a very late model EL ?
The Ford manual suggests that there are differences in the ABS/Airbag code access in late ELs. My code reader may not be able to access these. Needs the "Star Tester" ... big $$.
Could someone with an EL in the last 6 months of it's run (like March 1998 to Aug 1998... the later the better) have a look at the Diagnostic connector and let me know how may pins there are on the top row ?
Pins 1 to 10 counted left to right, top row only... e.g. pins 1, 2, 3 are there, 4 is not, 5 is there, etc.... need there/not-there for each pin.


Q2. Fuel Pump test... how handy would it be ? Snap0964 suggested it may be useful. I cannot add a 5th position on the rotary switch unfortunately. But, may be able work in something like a banana plug socket. One could then extend a wire into the engine bay and earth it to turn on the Fuel Pump ? Please advise.

Thanks for your patience... and any info provided.

From memory the pins are the same. However, the EL has a serial data diagnostics and code delete feature. So esentially in the EL's, the codes cant be read or deleted. Have to run to Ford for that.

Whereas, as we know, in the EF's, its just a matter of shorting the pin to remove any codes.

Thanks for the reply Arm79.

Very curious, on the weekend, I was able to test a Sep 97 EL and a Nov 97 EL (both XR6) and they worked the same as the EF.
The Ford manual states that early EL is same as EF, but, since EL went Sep 96 to Sep 98 (as far as I can determine) then surely Nov97 would not be considered "early" ?
The manual states that the pins are not there for ABS/Air on "except for early build".
I believe that, if the pins are there then, the function should work..... I have seen many other errors in the manuals and also wiring that is actually there but not shown in the diagrams.

Happy to send a unit (my prototype) to a late EL owner for testing..... Would love to get my User Guide as accurate as possible.

Also wish to a avoid bricks...

Like someone with a late EL having their hopes dashed after buying the scanner to diagnose their Airbag only to find it does not work and then tying the scanner to a brick and throwing it at me

I have a Dec 96 and a May 98 build EL Ghia.

Both of which have had airbag code errors, and resetting them via shorting the pin (like an EF) had no effect. The Dec 96 Ghia is still running around with an error, and my May 98 one had to goto Ford for a airbag scan.

Seems there is no theory as to how these things work... Typical Ford!

But there are 2 airbag computer models. There is a 94DA and a 95DA. Both capable of handing dual airbags. The 94DA ECU I removed from a series 2 EF and the 95DA one was removed from a Jun 98 Ghia.

My FBT has a build date of May '98, if you would like to test on that I am sure since we are both in Melbourne that we could meet somewhere and try it.

Add me to the list. Would be interested to see what it says since i have gone to aftermarket injection piggyback style
Brett

Muzza,
I have a Feb 1998 build EL and the pins in the connector are:

Top row- pin, pin, pin. pin, pin, pin, pin, no pin. no pin, no pin, pin.

Bottom row- all pins present.

Darin.

I've a March 98 EL. And I'm sure I've cleared an airbag code previously. The one I currently have won't go however..

The EF mid and low series BEM lower plug is a perfect fit, just need to rearrange pins to suit - if you're stuck for plugs in a hurry a visit to the wreckers may help here.
As an option, you might want to replace the trans position with the fuel pump, but only on boxes intended to test 6 cylinders, as the trans codes are already part of the engine diagnostics - the fuel pump pin can be earthed using one of the other earth pins, so this can be done internally, no need for extra external wires. Or possibly the best option here is to add a separate toggle switch. I've found it useful for after component changes, leak checking for example, or pressure testing, etc. This test also proves the fuel pump and ECU relays.
The diagnosis connector top row 2nd last pin is only fitted to XH series II's - it's for smartlock keyfob training, for the low series models that don't have demist switches.
The airbag computer in my XH (Oct 96) is 95DA-14B215-AA, 3/6/96, EA77. I have used my testbox to clear the memory and codes a few times.
EF/EL's use a bosch ABS modulator, of which there are two models, the earlier type (as pictured in the ABS doco) and the later 503 model - I've done a complete ABS install to my XH, using the Bosch 503, and I can read the codes and reset them.

Thanks so far guys, I am still leaning towards a banana socket for the fuel pump. This way one could extend the wire into the bay and control the pump when under the bonnet... so if any leaks, or checking pressure, the control is where the action is. Otherwise the fuel pump control (via the tester) would be on the drivers seat.

Also, prefer to make one type of unit... simpler at my end (wrt to PCBs, labels etc).

snap0964 - yeah looks like all the ABS variants are readable.

fairmont1998 - according to the manuals that pin config is "Early EL" and in Feb 98 !!!!
Anyway, ABS and AirBag would be readable.

Well, I'm off to Sydney for the next 4 days. I'll take Vol2 with me and have a re-read.

Thanks for all the help so far.

.. this is in line with the manual and wiring diags . and

if they do ef xr8's

count me in