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DIY MEFI CODE READER - MEFI 2, 3, 4


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Can anyone verify if I have a MEFI 2,3, or 4? I have a 98 Malibu Sunsetter VLX with monsoon 320 (EFI).

also, i found this at another forum, and want to confirm that it will work for our bu's. thanks!

DIY Code Reader

Materials needed:

One 12volt resistor type LED light - Standard LED nothing special make sure it is a 12 VOLT

One small paper clip cut in half

That’s it!

This home made code tool works every bit as well as the one I paid $50.00 for. It will work on most 1993 to 2000 marine EFI systems with the ten pin Data Link Connector. This includes MerCruiser, Volvo, Crusader, PCM, Indmar, and a few others.

How to hook it up:

1) Ignition key “OFF”

2) Remove the cap from the Data Link Connector (DLC)

3) Slide the LED into the female terminals of position E and F on the DLC, making sure that the positive side goes into terminal F and the negative side into terminal E. No damage will occur if you get it backwards, it just won't work.

4) Turn the ignition key to the “ON” position. The LED should come on steady.

5) Insert the half paper clip into terminals A and B – This puts the engine in “Service Mode” and codes will begin to flash on the LED. On 1996 and earlier engines you may hear the fuel pump come on. If not you should be able to hear the Idle Air Control (IAC) motor move. Use care in this step, do not insert in the wrong terminals or ECM damage could result! Look closely, the terminals are clearly marked.

6) Read codes by observing LED flashs. If the self diagnostic system is working it will flash code 12 – one flash, pause, two flashes, long pause – it will repeat three times. If other codes are present they will flash in order of lowest to highest. Continue to read codes until the code 12 sequence is repeated.

You can also be clear codes (by moving the throttle to 100% and back) and set base timing while in Service Mode.

If you want to make a plug-in Service module use the following link

The connector is a Packard "Mertri-Pack" 150 series sealed 10 pin male connector. In addition to the connector body you will need the TPA (grey thing that clips to the top), terminals, seals, and (optional) plugs.

Info on Metri-pack connectors:

http://www.powerandsignal.com/IDC/Produ ... iPack.aspx

Click on "2003-04 Global Connection Systems Catalog -- Metri-Pack 150"

http://www.powerandsignal.com/docs/Catalog/met150.pdf (page 17)

black tower cover (my name for it) PN - 12045808

TPA PN - 12124264

  • Like 1
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Good info, will definetly save. The cover plate on top of the ECM should have a label on it telling you what ECM it is, 2, 3, or 4, and the version a, b, c, ect. The label might be on the underside. Its been a while since I looked.

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I know you could do this on older cars (mid 90's and before) to read codes, but ever since OBD2 came out in the mid 90's, it doesn't work like that. I always assumed that the newer boats would have a OBD2 system, meaning that this method would not work, BUT, i've never even looked at the computer in the Bu, so I've really got no idea. It would be great if this would work! I would definitely proceide with caution untill someone verifys this.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Still cannot verify if the code reader trick will work, but I did spend some time in the engine room investigating today. The terminals on the assembly line diagnostic connector (ALDC) that royeh32 mentions appear to be the terminals to make this work. I already knew that connecting terminal A to B on the ALDC would put the ECM into diagnostic test mode (with key on) or service mode (with engine running). So what I really looked into was terminal E and F. Terminal F on the ALDC is a +12 volt terminal coming directly from a fused wire going to the battery. Terminal E on the ALDC goes to pin J1-27 on the ECM via a brown/white wire. Indmar refers to this pin as the "CE" on its pinout diagrams. I am guessing that CE stands for either code enable or code emitter but I will try to verify this.

edit; Let me add that the other two wires going from the ALDC to the ECM are designated as the serial data and the master/slave wires. These wire could not carry an on/off code.

Edited by electricjohn
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OK, confidence was high on my research with this DIY code reader, so I gave it a try today and indeed it does work. The LED light blinked out a constant code 12 which tell you everything is normal with the ECM and the circuits connected to it. One little surprise I got was that the buzzer also buzzes in unison with the blinking LED. It give a quick double buzz for eack flash of the LED, so in reality the LED is not nessessary. Code 12 beeped like this, beep-beep.......beep-beep..beep-beep.

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  • 7 months later...
  • 9 months later...
  • 1 year later...

I'm getting a check engine warning as well, and would like to try this out. Can anyone tell me where the DLC is located?

Thanks,

Frank

Image005-2.jpg

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  • 1 year later...
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Does anyone know if the above method is supposed to work on a 2000 response lx with the monsoon II motor. I have the constant beep, and can't figure it out.

I tried the above, but the test light stays continuously lit, even when shorting A B.

my plug config look like this (rudamentary drawing:

F G H I J

. . . . .

. . . . .

E D C B A

thanks,

John

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  • 1 year later...
  • 1 year later...

Does anyone know if the above method is supposed to work on a 2000 response lx with the monsoon II motor. I have the constant beep, and can't figure it out.

I tried the above, but the test light stays continuously lit, even when shorting A B.

my plug config look like this (rudamentary drawing:

F G H I J

. . . . .

. . . . .

E D C B A

thanks,

John

Sorry to drag up this old thread, but I am having the same issue as John, but I'm not sure what he did to make it work.

Any thoughts?

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  • 5 years later...

Have a 1999 response LX with monsoon. Ran fine all day yesterday. Stopped to swim. Took a couple waves. Didn't think it was too bad. Started up fine. Running kinda rough. Backfired on acceleration and wouldn't plane. Limped back to dock idling kinda rough. Got 15 gals of good gas in morning. Now will start but idles with the little drawdown in a rhythm and when you try to accelerate the throttle in neutral it sucks down and won't accelerate every time. When you bring the throttle back to idle it dies

 

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  • 2 months later...

thanks for posting this so many years ago!  This worked on my 2003 Sunsetter with MEFI 4 - your mileage may vary

this site has a nice picture so you are sure the use the correct pins

https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/do-yourself-boating-budget/103342-make-marine-efi-code-tool-less-than-%241-00-a.html

Edited by SkiPablo
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  • 1 year later...

I hate to dredge this post up again, but I’m having trouble getting the codes to blink on the led. 2002 VLx, mefi 3 (pretty sure, although it could be 4). All I can get to happen is the led to light up constantly. It never blinks, unless I start the engine with A&B shorted (service mode) then it runs at 1000rpm and the led just blinks constantly. Also, when I first plug my led in with the key off, the led lights up solid. It doesn’t seem to matter what I do - key off, key on, a&b jumped first or second or in off or on. What am I missing?

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