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52 March 2005
I
f you dont have a good starting point, driveability diagnostics
can be a frustrating experience. One of the best places to start
is with a scan tool. The question asked by many is, Which
scan tool should I use? In a perfect world with unlimited re-
sources, the first choice would probably be the factory scan tool.
Unfortunately, most technicians
dont have extra-deep pockets. Thats
why my first choice is an OBD II
generic scan tool. Ive found that ap-
proximately 80% of the driveability
problems I diagnose can be narrowed
down or solved using nothing more
than OBD II generic parameters. And
all of that information is available on
an OBD II generic scan tool that can
be purchased for under $300.
The good news is the recent phase-in
of new parameters will make OBD II
generic data even more valuable. Fig. 1
on page 54 was taken from a 2002 Nis-
san Maxima and shows the typical para-
meters available on most OBD II-
equipped vehicles. As many as 36 para-
meters were available under the original
OBD II specification. Most vehicles
from that era will support 13 to 20 para-
meters. The California Air Resources
Board (CARB) revisions to OBD II
CAN-equipped vehicles will increase
the number of potential generic para-
meters to more than 100. Fig. 2 on page
56 shows data from a CAN-equipped
2005 Dodge Durango. As you can see,
the quality and quantity of data has in-
creased significantly. This article will
identify the parameters that provide the
greatest amount of useful information
and take a look at the new parameters
that are being phased in.
No matter what the driveability is-
sue happens to be, the first parame-
53 March 2005
INTERPRETING
GE NE R I C
SCAN DATA
BY BOB PATTENGALE
Readily available generic scan data provides an
excellent foundation for OBD II diagnostics.
Recent enhancements have increased the value of
this information when servicing newer vehicles.
ters to check are short-term fuel trim
(STFT) and long-term fuel trim
(LTFT). Fuel trim is a key diagnostic
parameter and your window into what
the computer is doing to control fuel
delivery and how the adaptive strategy
is operating. STFT and LTFT are ex-
pressed as a percentage, with the ideal
range being within 5%. Positive fuel
trim percentages indicate that the
powertrain control module (PCM) is
attempting to enrichen the fuel mix-
ture to compensate for a perceived
lean condition. Negative fuel trim
percentages indicate that the PCM is
attempting to enlean the fuel mixture
to compensate for a perceived rich
condition. STFT will normally sweep
rapidly between enrichment and en-
leanment, while LTFT will remain
more stable. If STFT or LTFT ex-
ceeds 10%, this should alert you to
a potential problem.
The next step is to determine if the
condition exists in more than one op-
erating range. Fuel trim should be
checked at idle, at 1500 rpm and at
2500 rpm. For example, if LTFT B1 is
25% at idle but corrects to 4% at both
1500 and 2500 rpm, your diagnosis
should focus on factors that can cause
a lean condition at idle, such as a vacu-
um leak. If the condition exists in all
rpm ranges, the cause is more likely to
be fuel supply-related, such as a bad
fuel pump, restricted injectors, etc.
Fuel trim can also be used to identi-
fy which bank of cylinders is causing a
problem. This will work only on bank-
to-bank fuel control engines. For ex-
ample, if LTFT B1 is 20% and LTFT
B2 is 3%, the source of the problem is
associated with B1 cylinders only, and
your diagnosis should focus on factors
related to B1 cylinders only.
The following parameters could af-
fect fuel trim or provide additional
diagnostic information. Also, even if
fuel trim is not a concern, you might
find an indication of another problem
when reviewing these parameters:
Fuel System 1 Status and Fuel
System 2 Status should be in closed-
loop (CL). If the PCM is not able to
achieve CL, the fuel trim data may not
be accurate.
Engi ne Cool ant Temperat ure
(ECT) should reach operating temper-
ature, preferably 190F or higher. If
the ECT is too low, the PCM may
richen the fuel mixture to compensate
for a (perceived) cold engine condition.
Intake Ai r Temperat ure (IAT)
should read ambient temperature or
close to underhood temperature, de-
pending on the location of the sensor.
In the case of a cold engine check
Key On Engine Off (KOEO)the
ECT and IAT should be within 5F of
each other.
The Mass Airflow (MAF) Sensor,
if the system includes one, measures
the amount of air flowing into the en-
gine. The PCM uses this information
to calculate the amount of fuel that
54 March 2005
INTERPRETING GENERIC SCAN DATA
Fig. 1
should be delivered, to achieve the
desired air/fuel mixture. The MAF
sensor should be checked for accura-
cy in various rpm ranges, including
wide-open throttle (WOT), and com-
pared with the manufacturers recom-
mendations. Mark Warrens Dec.
2003 Driveability Corner column cov-
ered volumetric efficiency, which
should help you with MAF diagnos-
tics. A copy of that article is available
at www.motor.com, and an updated
volumetric efficiency chart is available
at www.pwrtraining.com.
When checking MAF sensor read-
ings, be sure to identify the unit of
measurement. The scan tool may re-
port the information in grams per sec-
ond (gm/S) or pounds per minute
(lb/min). For example, if the MAF
sensor specification is 4 to 6 gm/S and
your scan tool is reporting .6 lb/min,
change from English units to metric
units to obtain accurate readings.
Some technicians replace the sensor,
only to realize later that the scan tool
was not set correctly. The scan tool
manufacturer might display the para-
meter in both gm/S and lb/min to help
avoid this confusion.
The Manifold Absolute Pressure
(MAP) Sensor, if available, measures
manifold pressure, which is used by
the PCM to calculate engine load. The
reading in English units is normally
displayed in inches of mercury
(in./Hg). Dont confuse the MAP sen-
sor parameter with intake manifold
vacuum; theyre not the same. A sim-
ple formula to use is: barometric pres-
sure (BARO) MAP intake mani-
fold vacuum. For example, BARO
27.5 in./Hg MAP 10.5 intake
manifold vacuum of 17.0 in./Hg. Some
vehicles are equipped with only a
MAF sensor, some have only a MAP
sensor and some are equipped with
both sensors.
Oxygen Sensor Output Voltage
B1S1, B2S1, B1S2, etc., are used by
the PCM to control fuel mixture. An-
other use for the oxygen sensors is to
detect catalytic converter degradation.
The scan tool can be used to check ba-
sic sensor operation. Another way to
test oxygen sensors is with a graphing
scan tool, but you can still use the data
grid if graphing is not available on
your scanner. Most scan tools on the
market now have some form of graph-
ing capability.
The process for testing the sensors
is simple: The sensor needs to exceed
.8 volt and drop below .2 volt, and the
transition from low to high and high
to low should be quick. In most cases,
a good snap throttle test will verify
the sensors ability to achieve the .8
and .2 voltage limits. If this method
does not work, use a bottle of
propane to manually richen the fuel
mixture to check the oxygen sensors
maximum output. To check the low
oxygen sensor range, simply create a
lean condition and check the voltage.
Checking oxygen sensor speed is
where a graphing scan tool helps. Fig.
3 on page 57 and Fig. 4 on page 58
show examples of oxygen sensor data
graphed, along with STFT, LTFT and
rpm, taken from two different graph-
ing scan tools.
Remember, your scan tool is not a
lab scope. Youre not measuring the
56 March 2005
INTERPRETING GENERIC SCAN DATA
Fig. 2
sensor in real time. The PCM re-
ceives the data from the oxygen sen-
sor, processes it, then reports it to the
scan tool. Also, a fundamental OBD
II generic limitation is the speed at
which that data is delivered to the
scan tool. In most cases, the fastest
possible data rate is approximately 10
times a second with only one parame-
ter selected. If youre requesting
and/or displaying 10 parameters, this
slows the data sample rate, and each
parameter is reported to the scan tool
just once per second. You can achieve
the best results by graphing or dis-
playing data from each oxygen sensor
separately. If the transition seems
slow, the sensor should be tested with
a lab scope to verify the diagnosis be-
fore you replace it.
Engine Speed (RPM) and Igni-
tion Timing Advance can be used
to verify good idle control strategy.
Again, these are best checked using a
graphing scan tool.
The RPM, Vehicle Speed Sensor
(VSS) and Throttle Position Sensor
(TPS) should be checked for accuracy.
These parameters can also be used as
reference points to duplicate symptoms
and locate problems in recordings.
Calculated Load, MIL Status,
Fuel Pressure and Auxiliary Input
Status (PTO) should also be consid-
ered, if they are reported.
Additional OBD II
Parameters
Now, lets take a look at the more re-
cently introduced OBD II parameters.
These parameters were added on 2004
CAN-equipped vehicles, but may also
be found on earlier models or non-
CAN-equipped vehicles. For example,
the air/fuel sensor parameters were
available on earlier Toyota OBD II ve-
hicles. Fig. 2 was taken from a 2005
Dodge Durango and shows many of
the new parameters. Parameter de-
scriptions from Fig. 2 are followed by
the general OBD II description:
FUEL STAT 1 Fuel System 1
Status: Fuel system status will display
more than just Closed Loop (CL) or
Open Loop (OL). You might find one
of the following messages: OL-Drive,
indicating an open-loop condition
during power enrichment or decelera-
tion enleanment; OL-Fault, indicating
the PCM is commanding open-loop
due to a system fault; CL-Fault, indi-
cating the PCM may be using a differ-
ent fuel control strategy due to an
oxygen sensor fault.
ENG RUN TIME Time Since En-
gine Start: This parameter may be
useful in determining when a particu-
lar problem occurs during an engine
run cycle.
DIST MIL ON Distance Traveled
While MIL Is Activated: This para-
meter can be very useful in determin-
ing how long the customer has al-
lowed a problem to exist.
COMMAND EGR EGR_PCT:
Commanded EGR is displayed as a
percentage and is normalized for all
EGR systems. EGR commanded
OFF or Closed will display 0%, and
EGR commanded to the fully open
57 March 2005
Fig. 3
position will display 100%. Keep in
mind this parameter does not reflect
the quantity of EGR flowonly what
the PCM is commanding.
EGR ERROR EGR_ERR: This
parameter is displayed in percentage
and represents EGR position errors.
The EGR Error is also normalized for
all types of EGR systems. The reading
is based on a simple formula: (Actual
EGR Position Commanded EGR)
Commanded EGR EGR Error. For
example, if the EGR valve is command-
ed open 10% and the EGR valve moves
only 5% (5% 10%) 10% 50%
error. If the scan tool displays EGR Er-
ror at 99.2% and the EGR is command-
ed OFF, this indicates that the PCM is
receiving information that the EGR
valve position is greater than 0%. This
may be due to an EGR valve that is
stuck partially open or a malfunctioning
EGR position sensor.
EVAP PURGE EVAP_PCT: This
parameter is displayed as a percent-
age and is normalized for all types of
purge systems. EVAP Purge Control
commanded OFF will display 0% and
EVAP Purge Control commanded
fully open will display 100%. This is
an important parameter to check if
the vehicle is having fuel trim prob-
lems. Fuel trim readings may be ab-
normal, due to normal purge opera-
tion. To eliminate EVAP Purge as a
potential contributor to a fuel trim
problem, block the purge valve inlet
to the intake manifold, then recheck
fuel trim.
FUEL LEVEL FUEL_PCT: Fuel
level input is a very useful parameter
when youre attempting to complete
system monitors and diagnose specif-
ic problems. For example, the misfire
monitor on a 1999 Ford F-150 re-
quires the fuel tank level to be
greater than 15%. If youre attempt-
ing to duplicate a misfire condition by
monitoring misfire counts and the fuel
level is under 15%, the misfire moni-
tor may not run. This is also impor-
tant for the evaporative emissions
monitor, where many manufacturers
require the fuel level to be above
15% and below 85%.
WARM-UPS WARM_UPS: This
parameter will count the number of
warm-ups since the DTCs were cleared.
A warm-up is defined as the ECT rising
at least 40F from engine starting tem-
perature, then reaching a minimum
temperature of 160F. This parameter
will be useful in verifying warm-up cy-
cles, if youre attempting to duplicate a
specific code that requires at least two
warm-up cycles for completion.
BARO BARO: This parameter is
useful for diagnosing issues with
MAP and MAF sensors. Check this
parameter KOEO for accuracy relat-
ed to your elevation.
CAT TMP B1S1/ B2S1
CATEMP11, 21, etc.: Catalyst tem-
perature displays the substrate temper-
ature for a specific catalyst. The tem-
perature value may be obtained directly
from a sensor or inferred using other
sensor inputs. This parameter should
have significant value when checking
catalyst operation or looking at reasons
for premature catalyst failure, say, due
to overheating.
58 March 2005
INTERPRETING GENERIC SCAN DATA
Fig. 4
CTRL MOD (V) VPWR: I was
surprised this parameter was not in-
cluded in the original OBD II specifi-
cation. Voltage supply to the PCM is
critical and is overlooked by many
technicians. The voltage displayed
should be close to the voltage present
at the battery. This parameter can be
used to look for low voltage supply is-
sues. Keep in mind there are other
voltage supplies to the PCM. The igni-
tion voltage supply is a common source
of driveability issues, but can still be
checked only with an enhanced scan
tool or by direct measurement.
ABSOLUT LOAD LOAD_ABS:
This parameter is the normalized value
of air mass per intake stroke displayed
as a percentage. Absolute load value
ranges from 0% to approximately 95%
for normally aspirated engines and 0%
to 400% for boosted engines. The infor-
mation is used to schedule spark and
EGR rates, and to determine the
pumping efficiency of the engine for di-
agnostic purposes.
OL EQ RATIO EQ_RAT: Com-
manded equivalence ratio is used to de-
termine the commanded air/fuel ratio
of the engine. For conventional oxygen
sensor vehicles, the scan tool should dis-
play 1.0 in closed-loop and the PCM-
commanded EQ ratio during open-
loop. Wide-range and linear oxygen
sensors will display the PCM-com-
manded EQ ratio in both open-loop
and closed-loop. To calculate the actual
A/F ratio being commanded, multiply
the stoichiometric A/F ratio by the EQ
ratio. For example, stoichiometric is a
14.64:1 ratio for gasoline. If the com-
manded EQ ratio is .95, the command-
ed A/F is 14.64 0.95 13.9 A/F.
TP-B ABS, APP-D, APP-E, COM-
MAND TAC: These parameters relate
to the throttle-by-wire system on the
2005 Dodge Durango of Fig. 2 and will
be useful for diagnosing issues with this
system. There are other throttle-by-wire
generic parameters available for differ-
ent types of systems on other vehicles.
There are other parameters of inter-
est, but theyre not displayed or avail-
able on this vehicle. Misfire data will be
available for individual cylinders, similar
to the information displayed on a GM
enhanced scan tool. Also, if available,
wide-range and linear air/fuel sensors
are reported per sensor in voltage or
milliamp (mA) measurements.
Fig. 5 above shows a screen capture
from the Vetronix MTS 3100 Mas-
tertech. The red circle highlights the
greater than symbol (>), indicating
that multiple ECU responses differ in
value for this parameter. The blue cir-
cle highlights the equal sign (=), indi-
cating that more than one ECU sup-
ports this parameter and similar values
have been received for this parameter.
Another possible symbol is the excla-
mation point (!), indicating that no re-
sponses have been received for this
parameter, although it should be sup-
ported. This information will be useful
in diagnosing problems with data on
the CAN bus.
As you can see, OBD II generic data
has come a long way, and the data can
be very useful in the diagnostic process.
The important thing is to take time to
check each parameter and determine
how they relate to one another.
If you havent already purchased an
OBD II generic scan tool, look for
one that can graph and record, if pos-
sible. The benefits will immediately
pay off. The new parameters will take
some time to sort out, but the diag-
nostic value will be significant. Keep
in mind that the OBD II generic
specification is not always followed to
the letter, so its important to check
the vehicle service information for
variations and specifications.
60 March 2005
INTERPRETING GENERIC SCAN DATA
Fig. 5
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a free copy of this article.