Durametric Won't Connect

[particlewave]

I really hoped Windows 10 would do the trick for me, but no luck.

I've been feeling feisty today. Sorry guys.

[thatguychad]

If it makes you feel any better, the Chinese Durametric I waited almost 3 weeks for won't clear my airbag light...or communicate with the airbag module at all.

[particlewave]

Originally Posted by thatguychad

If you go the Chinese knock-off Durametric, you'll need a computer running XP. It's possible that it'll run okay on Windows 7 32-bit, but it definitely won't run on anything 64-bit. Just an FYI.

I have 2 desktop PCs in the garage. One is running XP and the other Vista. Both are fairly solid with 2gb of RAM and dual core 2.8 AMD Athlon processors, so hopefully one of them would work.

I will try to find a gen1 Durametric first, but I have issues that need solving. Nothing that's keeping it from running, but I still want it fixed soon.

[particlewave]

Originally Posted by thatguychad

If it makes you feel any better, the Chinese Durametric I waited almost 3 weeks for won't clear my airbag light...or communicate with the airbag module at all.

Yeah, I feared that. I'd much rather have the real deal, just hard to find.

[Pirate50]

Maybe a dumb question, but do you have the means to try your laptop and cable on another vehicle. Although it would use one of your VIN's (some say it won't if you don't actually change anything, I don't know if that is true) it would tell you it is not the car having the issue.

[particlewave]

Originally Posted by Pirate50

Maybe a dumb question, but do you have the means to try your laptop and cable on another vehicle. Although it would use one of your VIN's (some say it won't if you don't actually change anything, I don't know if that is true) it would tell you it is not the car having the issue.

I'm looking into that

On a whim, I decided to have a look at the solder joints under my stereoscopic jeweler's scope. I closely examined every last solder joint.

Every single pin had a cold solder joint. The pins were just sitting in a crater of solder on the pads. I also found 2 broken solder joints between the pin board and the main circuit board (90 degree interface). Carefully re-flowed solder on all.
I'm not going to hold my breath. I doubt I'll see any improvement as Durametric tech told me he tried it on a 986 and 996 with no problems, but I'll hook it up tomorrow and try again. :ah:

[particlewave]

Update: the problem was the Gen 2 cable not working with some '99's.

After a couple months of back and forth with Durametric, I finally got them to send me some weird hybrid cable. It looks like a Gen 1 cable (using their identification method), but works with version 6 software.

I'm now able to access all modules
Airbag light off, cluster OBC activated...I'm pretty happy.
I really appreciate Durametric's help with this, but I wish they hadn't pretended to not know about the '99 issue for so long. If anyone else has trouble with the cable connecting to the earlier models, it is a known issue for them...don't get yanked around for 2 months testing K lines.

[911monty]

Hmmmm. Is this a problem with the 98 cars also? What version DME is in your car? How do your cam deviations look now? Both of mine are -3.0 wether car is on, off cold or hot. No change. Durametric tech tells me they only read single digit on the earlier cars, But Seems strange there is no deviation on mine. Maybe I'll chat with them again?

[particlewave]

Most of the issues that I read about were with the '99 996, but I did find a few that were having issues with '97-'99 986's.

I don't recall my cam deviations as this was resolved a month or so ago...will have a look for you

[911monty]

Originally Posted by particlewave

Most of the issues that I read about were with the '99 996, but I did find a few that were having issues with '97-'99 986's.

I don't recall my cam deviations as this was resolved a month or so ago...will have a look for you

Thanks; No hurry. But when you do 3 things DME version, Cam deviations reading more than one digit beyond the point and do they change. Thanks Appreciate it!

Edit; Don't worry about DME version. I looked in Bently, yours is 5.2.2, same as mine.

[particlewave]

Yep, 5.2.2...

I'm definitely not getting anything past the decimal.

Engine off:




Idle:






Some revs:




Edit: I see some fluctuation, but I'll attribute that to the deviations being close to a .5...I hope

[911monty]

That's interesting. At least your cam 1 deviation changes. Strange your cam 2 deviation is exactly same as my 1 & 2 and mine never changes, running or not. Is this plausible? All the other threads appear to recommend checking deviations with the engine hot as they change as engine warms up. This appears to me to be more like a default number. Hopefully some resident expert will chime in. Thanks for gathering that data. I really appreciate it.

[911monty]

Edit: I see some fluctuation, but I'll attribute that to the deviations being close to a .5...I hope [/QUOTE]

As I understand from talking to Durametric we should see in tenths 3.1, 3.2 etc.

edit 2: Also see that the *crk scale is in 2 decimal places.

[BFeller]

Originally Posted by particlewave

Most of the issues that I read about were with the '99 996, but I did find a few that were having issues with '97-'99 986's.

I don't recall my cam deviations as this was resolved a month or so ago...will have a look for you

My issues with the cable on a 98 were never resolved. I keep applying updates whenever they arrive and hope for the best.

[Froggo]

With all of the problems you guys have been having with a Durametric code reader is it a smart decision to spend over $ 400 to buy one . These things should work fully straight out of the box shouldn't they ? I'm right on the edge to buy one like tomorrow while I'm in the States but I don't want a lemon either , what do you all recommend !,

[Disaster]

Originally Posted by BFeller

My issues with the cable on a 98 were never resolved. I keep applying updates whenever they arrive and hope for the best.

I wish I had read this before buying a Durametric. Mine can communicate with the engine module but can't communicate with any other module, including the airbag system which was the immediate reason I bought the darn thing for.

I recall reading, somewhere, Durametric provided someone with an older level cable that didn't have the communication issue. Looks like they are due a call from me.

[Disaster]

Originally Posted by particlewave

Update: the problem was the Gen 2 cable not working with some '99's.

After a couple months of back and forth with Durametric, I finally got them to send me some weird hybrid cable. It looks like a Gen 1 cable (using their identification method), but works with version 6 software.

I'm now able to access all modules
Airbag light off, cluster OBC activated...I'm pretty happy.
I really appreciate Durametric's help with this, but I wish they hadn't pretended to not know about the '99 issue for so long. If anyone else has trouble with the cable connecting to the earlier models, it is a known issue for them...don't get yanked around for 2 months testing K lines.

My '98 is having the similar issues with communication. I need to give Durametric a call and get this resolved. As it is now, it can't communicate with any module other than the basic engine module so it is useless for the main reason I got it for, to diagnose and clear the airbag light.

[Nine8Six]

Originally Posted by Froggo

With all of the problems you guys have been having with a Durametric code reader is it a smart decision to spend over $ 400 to buy one . These things should work fully straight out of the box shouldn't they ? I'm right on the edge to buy one like tomorrow while I'm in the States but I don't want a lemon either , what do you all recommend !,

The BOSCH KTS 550's firmware are all over the internet for download these days. Porsche PIWIS I, you can also get firmware for virtually any cars also, not only for your Porsche.

With that amount of dosh planned, you might as well buy one that actually "re-program" your car's features (dealer's tools). New keys, cams, timings, etc etc...

With a little EN-RU translation grease, the KTS's firmware for "ALL" cars can be download onto a 20gig 2.5" HDD overnight. Includes PIWIS I. (English, French, Japanese, Chinese, many more)
e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLSXRqbGux0

Talking about this

[Nine8Six]

Might be the KTS 520 in fact, not 100% sure. Talk to those in the business, they know how to set you up with one of these.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TcO9-lwegM

[BFeller]

Deleted comments. I have really begun to hate my Durametriccable and think it was a waste of money.