DataMaster User Guide

Version 3.5

Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP

October 10, 2005
COPYRIGHT

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION:........................................................................... 1
1.1 General Information .............................................................................. 1
1.2 Datafiles ................................................................................................ 2
1.3 Playback ................................................................................................ 2
1.4 Minimum Computer Requirements ......................................................... 2
1.4.1 Hardware: ......................................................................................... 2
1.4.2 Memory: ........................................................................................... 2
1.4.3 Serial Port: ........................................................................................ 2
1.5 Documentation Supplied ........................................................................ 2
1.6 Installation of DataMaster Software ...................................................... 2
1.7 Installation of Multiple Applications of DataMaster Software ................ 3
1.8 Updating and Removal of DataMaster Software..................................... 3
1.8.1 Updating DataMaster Version 3.4.x and earlier........................................ 3
1.8.2 Updating DataMaster Version 3.5.0 and later .......................................... 3
1.9 Installation of Multiple Versions of DataMaster Software ...................... 4
CHAPTER 2 GETTING STARTED ....................................................................... 5
2.1 Launching and Configuring DataMaster ................................................. 5
2.2 Authorizing the DataMaster Program..................................................... 5
2.3 Configuring the DataMaster Program.................................................... 6
2.3.1 Re-sizing the Screen ........................................................................... 6
2.3.2 Setting the Measurement Units............................................................. 6
2.3.3 Selecting the Vehicle Type ................................................................... 6
2.3.4 Selecting Graph and Print Colors........................................................... 6
2.3.5 Turning ToolTips On/Off....................................................................... 7
2.3.6 Turning the BEEP On/Off ..................................................................... 7
2.4 Running the DataMaster Program .......................................................... 7
2.4.1 Loading a File..................................................................................... 7
2.4.2 Note on Datafile Size........................................................................... 7
2.4.3 Reading DIACOM files: ........................................................................ 7
CHAPTER 3 USING THE DATAMASTER PROGRAM ............................................ 9
3.1 Moving Through the Datafile.................................................................. 9
3.1.1 Using the Record Scroll Bar Control ....................................................... 9
3.1.2 Autoplayback ..................................................................................... 9
3.1.3 Left-mouse Click on the Graph Display................................................... 9
3.1.4 Zooming in on an Interesting Area of the Graph...................................... 9
3.2 Understanding the Status Bar Display ................................................. 10
3.3 Understanding the Main Data Display .................................................. 11
3.3.1 Engine Learning & Operation Group..................................................... 11
3.3.2 Throttle and Idle Control Group .......................................................... 12
3.3.3 Fuel Metering Group.......................................................................... 13
3.3.4 Spark Control Group ......................................................................... 13
3.3.5 Miscellaneous Group ......................................................................... 14
3.4 Using the Graph and SnapShot Display ................................................ 14
3.4.1 Vertical Graph Scaling ....................................................................... 14
3.4.2 Moving to a Specified Record in the Graph ........................................... 15
3.4.3 Left-Mouse Click on the Graph Display ................................................. 15
3.4.4 Zooming in on an Interesting Area of the Graph.................................... 15
3.4.5 The SnapShot Display ....................................................................... 15
3.4.6 Changing the Graph Assignments ....................................................... 15
3.5 Using the Status Bit Display................................................................. 16
3.5.1 Obtaining Bit Descriptions .................................................................. 16
3.5.2 Changing Bit Assignments.................................................................. 16

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 3.6 Exporting Data to a Spreadsheet ......................................................... 16
3.7 Setting the Display Units ..................................................................... 17
CHAPTER 4 THE VIEW MENU ITEMS .............................................................. 18
4.1 The Histogram Display ......................................................................... 18
4.1.1 The Classic View:.............................................................................. 19
4.1.2 The Enhanced View........................................................................... 20
4.2 The DTC Code Display .......................................................................... 21
4.3 The Binary Data Display....................................................................... 21
4.4 The Transmission Data Display ............................................................ 22
4.5 The Speed-Distance Calculator ............................................................ 22
4.6 The Quarter-Mile Calculator ................................................................. 23
4.7 The DataMaster Dyno display............................................................... 24
4.7.1 Setting up the Dyno.......................................................................... 25
4.8 The Knock Retard Alert Indicator......................................................... 27
CHAPTER 5 THE SETUP MENU ITEMS............................................................. 28
5.1 Setup Graph Colors .............................................................................. 28
5.1.1 Items 1 - 4 ...................................................................................... 28
5.1.2 Background ..................................................................................... 28
5.2 Setup Print Colors ................................................................................ 28
5.2.1 Items 1 - 4 ...................................................................................... 28
5.3 Setup Preferences................................................................................ 29
5.3.1 No Beep on DTC ............................................................................... 29
5.3.2 Tool Tips On/Off ............................................................................... 29
CHAPTER 6 RECORDING PCM DATA............................................................... 30
6.1 Note to Corvette Owners...................................................................... 30
6.2 Note for Manual Transmission Vehicles ............................................... 30
6.3 Note for Early Year Vehicles (1990 – 1993) Communication Problems 30
6.4 Transmit and Receive Timeouts – Type 85 PCM ................................... 31
6.5 Setting up and Acquiring PCM data ...................................................... 32
6.6 The Setup Menu ................................................................................... 32
6.6.1 Selecting the Vehicle Type ................................................................. 32
6.7 The PCM Data Mode Menu Selections ................................................... 33
6.8 PCM Data Acquisition Status Bar.......................................................... 33
6.9 PCM Data Acquisition Sample Control .................................................. 34
6.10 PCM Data Acquisition Command Buttons ............................................. 35
6.11 The Options File Menu Selections......................................................... 36
6.12 Tips for Using USB Serial Port Adapters ............................................... 37
6.12.1 Configuring the Belkin F5V103 USB driver ............................................ 38
CHAPTER 7 THE TRANSMISSION DATA DISPLAY........................................... 40
7.1 Differences between the Engine and Transmission Display ................. 40
7.2 File Menu Differences........................................................................... 41
7.2.1 View Menu Differences ...................................................................... 41
7.2.2 Setup Menu Differences..................................................................... 41
7.2.3 The Options Menu............................................................................. 41
7.2.4 The Synchronize Button (Sync)........................................................... 41
7.3 Understanding the Transmission Data ................................................. 41
7.3.1 The Transmission Status Bar .............................................................. 41
7.3.2 The Transmission Data Display ............................................................... 42
APPENDIX A: UNIT CONVERSION FACTORS .................................................... 44
APPENDIX B: GLOSSARY ................................................................................. 45
APPENDIX C: LAST MINUTE INFORMATION..................................................... 52
APPENDIX D: DATAMASTER VERSIONS AND VEHICLES SUPPORTED ............... 53
APPENDIX E: TRANSMISSION GEAR RATIOS................................................... 56
APPENDIX F: ‘STANDARD’ GM REAR-END RATIOS ........................................... 57
APPENDIX G: TYPICAL TIRE REVS PER MILE ................................................... 58

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APPENDIX H: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS) .................................. 60
APPENDIX I: 2- AND 3-BAR MAP SENSOR CALIBRATION ................................ 64

III
Chapter 1 Introduction:

1.1 General Information

DataMaster is a complete software application used to monitor and record engine and
transmission data from 1986 to 1995 F & Y-body cars and 1990 to 1995 General Motors
S-,C-,K-series trucks. Additionally, a few other vehicles that use the GM PCM are
supported – these include the Pontiac 3.1L V6 turbo and the 1991 Lotus Elan M100
Turbo.

DataMaster provides a highly graphical display of all engine parameters, and allows the
user to quickly identify and zoom in on critical regions of operation. All engine
operational parameters are displayed, including Diagnostic Trouble Codes ("DTC") and
Binary Status Bit data. If supported by the particular vehicle, DataMaster will also
record and display the transmission data stream, either separately or interleaved with
the engine data to provide a comprehensive method of monitoring powertrain
performance.

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1.2 Datafiles

DataMaster data is organized as individual records in a file, where each record is a single
"snapshot" of information from the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). Up to 32,000
records of data may be recorded per session, allowing almost 60 minutes of continuous
recording at the maximum sample rate of 10 per second! TTS supplies the necessary
signal adapter interface to connect the PC to the vehicle's PCM through the ALDL port
without requiring any external power supply or batteries.

1.3 Playback

After data is captured, it can be played back immediately or transferred to another

computer for playback by the DataMaster software. Each PCM has a unique data
configuration, thus each version of DataMaster is tailored to a specific car/engine
combination, and will not correctly display files collected for a different PCM.

1.4 Minimum Computer Requirements

1.4.1 Hardware:
• Pentium-class PC at 133 MHz or above
• Display Resolution 800 x 600 or above, 1024 x 768 recommended
• One available serial RS-232 Communication port

1.4.2 Memory:
• Win 98/SE/ME - 64 MB
• Win 2000 – 128 MB
• Win XP – 128 MB
• Hard Drive Space Required: 10 MB

1.4.3 Serial Port:

Note the requirement for a RS-232 serial port. It is possible to use a USB serial Port
converter, but most do not work. The only compatible units are the Belkin F5U103 and
the FTDI US232B. For additional information, refer to Tips for Using USB Serial Port
Adapters.

1.5 Documentation Supplied

DataMaster User Guide (Adobe PDF format).

NOTE: On-line help is available by selecting Help from the main menu bar from within
the DataMaster program.

1.6 Installation of DataMaster Software

DataMaster software is supplied on a CD-ROM disk. To install the software, use this
procedure:

Insert the CD into the CD-ROM of the computer.

Within a few seconds, the install screen will appear. Click on the Install Products button
to bring-up the installation options.
Click on the Install Data Mode button to begin the installation process.

2
Follow the on-screen instructions during the install process. It is recommended that you
use the default installation settings during installation.

The install program will copy all necessary files to the specified directory, and copy
several data test files to the \Testdata subdirectory so you can immediately start
familiarizing yourself with the DataMaster program. A DataMaster program group is
created, and the run icon for the program will appear there.

After installation, a shortcut to the application may be created through explorer by

selecting the icon for the EXE file and dragging it to the desktop.

NOTE: In case the CD does not autorun, use Windows Explorer and navigate to the
<CD-ROM>/XX_INSTALL/ directory (where XX represents the DataMaster type to install)
and double-click on the Setup.exe program.

1.7 Installation of Multiple Applications of DataMaster Software

There are currently 13 different applications of the DataMaster software available to

support various vehicles.

All of these versions may be installed on the same PC at one time. Each version will
keep track of its individual setup parameters independently of the others. Note that
each version must be individually authorized for recording data. See Also DataMaster
Program Versions.

1.8 Updating and Removal of DataMaster Software

NOTE: Before updating DataMaster, back-up any recorded Data files you want to save.
These files will have a .UNI extension.

1.8.1 Updating DataMaster Version 3.4.x and earlier

When updating DataMaster 3.4.x and earlier versions, the installation must be removed
by running the "Add/Remove Programs" program (found under Start—Settings—Control
Panel).
Scroll down the list and select DataMaster. Press the Add/Remove… button to remove
DataMaster. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete the removal process.
CAUTION: Make sure you select the intended program for removal, there is no undo for
this command!

1.8.2 Updating DataMaster Version 3.5.0 and later

Starting with DataMaster 3.5.0, Windows® Installer technology is used for the
DataMaster installation. In the future, all DataMaster releases will automatically update
version 3.5.0 and later without the need to run the manual uninstall process.

3
1.9 Installation of Multiple Versions of DataMaster Software

There are currently several versions of the DataMaster software available to support
various GM vehicles as follows:

Program Version Vehicles Supported

DM32x85 91-93 trucks with 4L80E or Manual Trans.
DM32xE6 93 trucks with 4L60E or Manual Trans.
DM32x0D 94-95 trucks with 4L60E or Manual Trans.
DM32x31 94-95 trucks with 4L80E or Manual Trans.
DM32x8D 90-92 F-Car, 90-91 Y-Car
DM32xDA 93 F-Car, 92-93 Y-Car (LT1)
DM32xEE 94-95 F-Car, 94-95 Y-Car, 94-95 B-Car (LT1)
DM32xZ1 90-92 Y-Car ZR1 (LT5)
DM32xZ2 93-95 Y-Car ZR1 (LT5)
DM32xTT 91-93 Syclone and Typhoon 4.3 V6-Turbo
DM32x8F 89-90 W-Car V6 Turbo (Grand Prix ‘TGP’)
DM32xL1 1991-1995 Lotus Elan M100 Turbo

Any number of these versions may be installed on the same PC at one time. Each
version will keep track of its individual setup parameters independently of the others.
Refer to Appendix D for additional information on which vehicle models are supported for
each version.

Note that each version of DataMaster must be installed to a unique directory to prevent
interference between the programs.

4
Chapter 2 Getting Started
2.1 Launching and Configuring DataMaster

DataMaster is invoked from Windows by double clicking on the DataMaster icon on the
desktop, or by selection from the Start—Programs—TTS-DataMaster OBD1 menu. This
will bring up the main display.

No user configuration of DataMaster is required for playback of recorded data files.

When recording data, it will be necessary to select the serial Com port which is
connected to the interface, refer to the Data Recording topic for more information.

PLEASE NOTE: The first time DataMaster is run, the position and sizing of the forms are
set to their default values and are located in the upper left of the display screen. The
forms may be re-sized and moved to the positions that best suit your needs and monitor
size. DataMaster will remember the last size and position of all forms and return to them
the next time the program is started.

2.2 Authorizing the DataMaster Program

The DataMaster program as initially installed operates in demonstration mode.

Demonstration mode allows the user full capability to playback all datafiles, but limits
the ability to record new data to 20 total uses. Whenever the File—Record ALDL menu
item is selected, the user will be prompted with a reminder of the remaining trial period
and a choice is given to return to playback mode or continue and record data. If the
user selects Return to Playback, no usage is subtracted from the trial period.

In order to fully authorize

DataMaster, select the Setup—
Authorization Code menu item
and a dialog will be presented
prompting the user with
instructions. You will need to
contact your distributor and
supply your name, Invoice
number, purchase Date, the
application name, the application
version, and the registration
number. Your distributor will
return the authorization code
which must be entered in the
authorization form. Press the
Register button to complete the
registration process. The
registration number and
authorization code is unique for
every installation on every PC,
and will not transfer between
machines.

If you need to transfer the license to a different machine, contact your distributor for
further instructions. Note that reinstalling the software will not reset an expired trial
period!

5
All the required registration information can be automatically copied to a Notepad text
file by pressing the “Copy Info to Notepad” command button. You may then use the cut
and paste functions in Notepad to copy the information and EMAIL or fax it to your TTS
Distributor.

2.3 Configuring the DataMaster Program

The DataMaster program requires no configuration by the user. However, the user may
wish to configure some of the following options as a convenience.

2.3.1 Re-sizing the Screen

Depending on your monitor and/or screen resolution, you may wish to expand or shrink
the size of the main program display. To re-size the main form, complete the following
steps:

Select “Setup Screen Size...” from the Setup menu

located at the top of the PCM Display module and a
dialog box will be presented which allows re-sizing the
main form from 50% to 150 % of the nominal 800 x
600 pixel size.

To re-size, drag the scroll bar (pointer) from left to

right, and press OK when the desired Zoom value is
reached.
The screen may be re-sized at any time, and the new size will be recalled automatically
the next time the program is launched. This feature is especially useful when running
on lower-resolution laptop computers.

2.3.2 Setting the Measurement Units

DataMaster may be configured to display in any combination of English or Metric units.
These are configured under the Setup—Display Units Menu. Note that the MAP sensor
setting allows selecting either the OEM calibration, or an alternate 3-bar calibration for
used with some aftermarket super- or turbocharged applications such as the GMC
Syclone or Typhoon.

2.3.3 Selecting the Vehicle Type

Most DataMaster versions support several vehicle types that have small differences in
the data collected. A vehicle type is automatically selected when a file is loaded based
on information recorded in the datafile. To setup the vehicle type, use the Setup—
Vehicle type menu and make a choice from the options given. The vehicle type can be
changed at any time, but it may take several seconds for the data to be reformatted and
plotted on screen. Some items previously selected may not be available for the new
vehicle type, and will appear as "N/A". Selecting the correct vehicle type is critical when
recording data so that the correct vehicle identification is stored in the file.

2.3.4 Selecting Graph and Print Colors

Graph and print colors are selected from the Setup—Graph Colors and Setup—Print
Colors menus. This will bring up a standard windows dialog box allowing selection of
any color the PC supports.

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2.3.5 Turning ToolTips On/Off
As the mouse cursor is moved over various parts of the screen, a "ToolTip" is generated
giving information about the control or label. This feature may be turned on or off via
the Setup—Preferences—ToolTips menu item.

2.3.6 Turning the BEEP On/Off

When a file record has a DTC error, this is signaled immediately by turning the DTC label
red and sounding a "Beep". If the DTC is present in all records, this can be very
annoying so this feature may be turned off via the Setup—Preferences—Beep on DTC
menu item.

2.4 Running the DataMaster Program

2.4.1 Loading a File

After launching DataMaster, a datafile must be loaded before any playback features of
the program can be used.

From the “File” menu at the top of the PCM Display module, select “Playback Data
File...” and a File Dialog box will be presented.

Navigate the directory structure to the location where you installed the DataMaster
program, and go to the \TESTDATA subdirectory. You will find several data files here,
each with a .uni file extension.
Select any file by double-clicking on the file name or typing the name in the box and
selecting “OK”. This will read the file into DataMaster and display the first record.

The last 4 files that have been accessed are remembered by DataMaster and are
displayed on the bottom of the “File” menu. Double-clicking on one of these entries will
immediately load that file into DataMaster.

2.4.2 Note on Datafile Size

When data is collected from the PCM, it is stored as a series of records. Each record
contains a complete “snapshot” of exactly what the PCM was doing at that instant in
time and is 128 bytes in length. Up to approximately 10 records per second may be
collected by DataMaster; the exact rate depends on the particular PCM and the
computer being used to collect the data. DataMaster allows loading a file containing up
to 32,000 records of information. If collected at the maximum rate of 10 per second,
this is roughly 60 minutes of continuous data! Note that the maximum 32,000 record
file will require approximately 4 MB of disk storage. There is no limit to the size of the
datafile that can be collected (until HDD capacity is reached), however only the first
32,000 records will be displayed on playback.

Note that when a large datafile is loaded, it may take significant time to plot the records
on the display. This will be dependent on the PC speed, so find what works best for
your application. Typically, 1000 to 4000 records will provide reasonable playback
performance.

2.4.3 Reading DIACOM files:

Diacom .GDF files can now be played back with DataMaster. From the “File” menu at
the top of the PCM Display module, select “Playback Diacom File...” and a File Dialog box
will be presented. Note that Diacom files do not utilize any time stamping of the PCM
data, so this information is calculated by DataMaster when the file is loaded. For this

7
reason, time related calculations (speed to distance and quarter-mile) will not be as
accurate as DataMaster recorded files.

8
Chapter 3 Using The DataMaster Program
This chapter will introduce you to the various features of the DataMaster program. First,
the various methods of moving through the datafile are presented, followed by a
description of the top-level displays. This includes the status bar display, the main data
display, the graphing display and the status bit display.

If your particular PCM supports transmission data, a separate data screen can be
activated to display Transmission information, but only if the datafile contains
transmission data records. The use of the Transmission display is very similar to the
Main engine display, but a few options are no longer available, including the Histogram
Display and the Speed to Distance estimator.

3.1 Moving Through the Datafile

There are several ways of moving through the data records as detailed below.

3.1.1 Using the Record Scroll Bar Control

In the right-hand center of the screen there are several controls that allow the user to
scroll through the datafile.

By clicking on the scroll bar, the user can either

step through the records 1 at a time (small
increment) or 10 at a time (large increment). The
user can also drag the button with the mouse
and drop it along its length to move anywhere in
the datafile. The current record is indicated in the
box just above the scroll bar. Also indicated is
the PC Time (upper left) and the Record
Timestamp (upper right).

3.1.2 Autoplayback
Adjacent to the record scroll bar are several buttons that control Autoplayback of the
file. By utilizing the Forward, Reverse Start and Stop buttons, the user can watch for
anomalous conditions as the file is played back. The speed of the Autoplayback is
controlled by the Slow..Fast scroll bar.

3.1.3 Left-mouse Click on the Graph Display

The user can also move to an area of interest by clicking the left mouse button when the
cursor is in the graph display. The current record will move to the location under the
cursor. The user can then "home in" on the area using the Record Scroll bar control.

3.1.4 Zooming in on an Interesting Area of the Graph

A very powerful tool is the “Zoom Box” which magnifies an area of
interest in the graph. This can be done by drawing a “Zoom Box”
on the graph display while holding down the Right Mouse Button.
When the button is released, the display will zoom in to the area you drew. You can
continue to zoom in until the maximum magnification is reached, which graphs only 10
records. To zoom back out, the Graph Zoom All button must be pressed.

9
3.2 Understanding the Status Bar Display

The status display at the top of the form shows information about the current file and
other slowly changing PCM information. It also shows some key status indicators; Open
Loop, DTC Errors, and DataOK. Below is a field listing outlining in detail each of the
fields.

Filename This shows the current file that is loaded into DataMaster. The
display is truncated to 40 characters in length, so the complete path
may not show in this box. A filepath-name combination may be up
to 255 characters in length.
Date/Time Shows the date and time of the current file. This will be the time at
which the first data was written to disk
Recs The Record Count display shows the total number of records in the
current file. The maximum playback file size is limited to 16,000
records. If a larger file is loaded, DataMaster will only display the first
16,000 records.
Oil Shows the Engine Oil Temperature. Will display N/A if not supported.
Baro kPa This indicates the PCM's computed atmospheric pressure in KPA.
Unless you are at high altitudes, this will be close to 100 KPA. A few
vehicles do not support BARO readout, in this case the display will
read "N/A" or will not appear in the status bar at all.
Secs This shows the number of seconds elapsed since the engine was last
started.
Eng Shows the current engine coolant temperature.
Volts Shows the ignition (battery) voltage. Very informative to watch
during engine cranking!
Open/Closed This display indicates if the PCM is operating in open loop of closed
Loop loop mode. When the PCM is open loop, the display will be Yellow;
when in closed loop this display will be Green.
DTC OK This display shows if there is a Diagnostic Trouble Code set. Will turn
red on any record that contains a DTC, instantly flagging a DTC error.
Click on this box to bring up the error code display
Data OK The Data OK display shows if the data record contains any data
errors (checksum error). If this turns red, that particular record is
bad and should not be trusted. This can occasionally occur during
data collection if there is noise on the ALDL (Assembly Line
Diagnostic Link) data link, or if a data transmission is interrupted.
Also, if a datafile from a different PCM type is loaded, this display will
immediately show the data mismatch.

10
3.3 Understanding the Main Data Display

This section will explain each of the display items in the main display form as shown in
the example on the following page.

PLEASE NOTE: The main display is divided into several groupings, the contents of which
depend on the specific program version.

In general, the groupings fall into the following areas:

• Engine Learning & Operation

• Throttle and Idle Control
• Fuel Metering
• Spark Control
• Miscellaneous

Use the field listing below to become familiarized with each grouping.

Note that several fields in the above example are divided into left and right columns. In
these cases, there are two sensors or values for this data, for the Left and Right sides of
the engine.

3.3.1 Engine Learning & Operation Group

RPM This displays the current engine RPM. Note that sometimes
during initial engine starting this value will be shown as
extremely high as the PCM attempts to sync-up with the
engine.
MAP Manifold Absolute Pressure (MAP). Indicates the pressure
measured in the intake manifold.

Note on Absolute pressure readings: An absolute pressure of

“0 KPA” indicates a perfect vacuum, while a reading of “100
KPA” is approximately atmospheric pressure. A typical
reading for an engine is 35-40 KPA during idle, and 90-100
KPA under full throttle.

11
Long Term, LT Formally called the Block Learn Mode (BLM), this is the long-
(BLM) term fuel correction factor that the PCM is using. This is
displayed in percent deviation from the nominal value of 128
counts. Negative values indicate that the AFR is rich, and if
this exceeds 2% the display will turn red. Conversely,
positive values indicate the AFR is lean, and if this exceeds
2% the display will turn green.
Short Term, ST Formally called the Integrator, this is the short-term fuel
(Integrator) correction factor that the PCM is using. This is displayed in
percent deviation from the nominal value of 128 counts.
Negative values indicate that the AFR is rich, and if this
exceeds 2% the display will turn red. Conversely, positive
values indicate the AFR is lean, and if this exceeds 2% the
display will turn green.
Fuel Trim Cell Formally called the BLM Cell, this shows the current Fuel Trim
cell that the PCM is operating out of. The PCM typically has
16-20 distinct operating regions that are each assigned a
unique Fuel Trim cell number. Each of these cells has a
stored Long-Term correction factor that corrects for each
engine's unique operating conditions.
AFGS Mass airflow. This value is measured by the mass airflow
meter and is a good representation of the power output of
the engine.

3.3.2 Throttle and Idle Control Group

Idle Target Not used by all PCM's. This shows the RPM that the PCM is
(RPM) attempting to reach during idle conditions.
IAC Position This is the actual counts (0 to 255) for the Idle Air Control
Valve position. This valve controls the idle speed and air
density during throttle overrun conditions.
TPS % Shows the percent throttle opening. This is calculated by the
PCM and will be a value 0 to 100%
TPS Volts This shows the voltage measured from the Throttle Position
Sensor. Will generally range from 0.5 Volts (throttle closed)
to 4.5 Volts (throttle fully open).

12
3.3.3 Fuel Metering Group
INJ BPW This is the fuel injector Base Pulse Width measured in
Milliseconds.
INJ DC (Calc) This is the calculated Injector Duty cycle based on the current
New with version BPW and Engine RPM and EFI mode (Batch fire or
3.3.0 Sequential). This is useful for determining if the injectors are
sized correctly.
O2 Volts This is the measured voltage (in Millivolts) generated by the
O2 (Oxygen) sensor. Will typically range from 100 mV (lean)
to 800 mV(rich).
O2 Xcounts This is a cumulative count of the number of times the O2
(Cross Counts) sensor voltage has crossed back and forth from high to low
voltage. Will typically count from 0 to 255, then start over
again from 0. Note: When plotted, it is not always apparent
the O2 voltage is varying, even though the Crosscounts are
increasing. This seems to be due to minute variations that
may not show on the plot being counted as a crosscount!
Target AFR (Air- Target AFR is output only by only a few unique PCM's, and
Fuel Ratio) indicates the Air/Fuel ratio that the PCM is trying to control
to. Generally, this is only different from 14.7 during warm-up,
full throttle operation, and highway economizer mode.

3.3.4 Spark Control Group

Spark Retard This indicates how many degrees spark retard the PCM has
calculated is required. Spark retard is typically caused by the
Knock Sensor detecting a knock condition and is generally
between 0 and 10 degrees.
Spark Advance This indicates how many degrees spark advance the PCM has
calculated is required.
Knock Count This is a running count of the number of knocks that have
been detected. Will typically count from 0 to 65,535 then
start over again from 0. Note that the knock count value
commonly increments in large chunks of roughly 100 counts
at a time. Also, when an engine is first started it is not
uncommon to see several thousand knocks detected!

13
3.3.5 Miscellaneous Group
EGR DC (Exhaust This value reports the percent opening of the EGR valve that
Gas Re- the PCM is requesting, and will be a value from 0 to 99%.
circulation Duty
Cycle)
CCP DC This value reports the percent opening of the CCP valve that
(Charcoal the PCM is requesting, and will be a value from 0 to 99%.
Canister Purge
Duty Cycle)
Speed This is the current speed of the vehicle.
IA Temp This reports the measured temperature of the air entering
(Manifold Air the intake manifold. Not all vehicles use this sensor, and will
Temperature) show a value of -40°C in this case. The value will range from
-40°C to +151°C.
Active Gear This is the current gear that is activated within the automatic
transmission. Shows "N/A" for manual transmission
applications.
Selected Gear This is the current automatic transmission gear that is
selected by the gearshift lever. Shows "N/A" for manual
transmission applications.
Cylinder ID # Identifies which cylinder is being monitored at the time this
data record was recorded.
A/C Temp The temperature measured at the air conditioning evaporator
coil.
A/C Press The air conditioning system high-side pressure.

3.4 Using the Graph and SnapShot Display

The graph at the bottom left of the display is a powerful way to quickly zoom into an
area of interest in the datafile.

3.4.1 Vertical Graph Scaling

The items that are plotted are all scaled to fit within the fully zoomed-out vertical axis.
There are no units or conversion factors that can be easily applied to the plot itself.
What the plot clearly shows is what signals are trending and how they are related, not
their absolute value!

The exact values at any point are shown either by the SnapShot display to the right, or
the Main display above. For accurately scaled presentation plots, the files may be
exported to a spreadsheet program (such as Excel) and plotted from there.

14
3.4.2 Moving to a Specified Record in the Graph
As mentioned earlier, there are two ways to move around the datafile using the graph:
The Left mouse click in the display area, and by holding the Right mouse button and
drawing a Zoom Box around the area of interest.

3.4.3 Left-Mouse Click on the Graph Display

The user can move to an area of interest by clicking the left mouse button when the
cursor is in the graph display area. The current record will move to the location under
the cursor. The user can then hone in on the area using the Record Scrollbar control.

3.4.4 Zooming in on an Interesting Area of the Graph

A very powerful tool is the “Zoom Box” which
magnifies an area of interest in the graph. This
can be done by drawing a “Zoom Box” on the
graph display while holding down the Right
Mouse Button. Doing so draws a “red” box
around your selection as shown in the illustration
here.

When the button is released, the display will

zoom in to the area you drew. You can continue
to zoom in until the maximum magnification is
reached, which graphs only 10 records. To Zoom
back out, the Graph Zoom All button must be pressed.

3.4.5 The SnapShot Display

The Graph SnapShot Display is located directly to the right of
the graph display, and shows the color code and name of the
4 items selected for graphing.

As the cursor is moved through the display, these values

rapidly change, indicating the exact value for those items
anywhere in the display.

3.4.6 Changing the Graph Assignments

When DataMaster is first installed, a default set of items is
loaded into the graph for plotting. These are easily changed
by double-clicking on the Item Name in the SnapShot display.
This will bring up a Plot List dialog box from which you can
select what item you want plotted.

If you want nothing plotted, select the <OFF> item at the top
of the list. Press the “OK or “Cancel” buttons to return to the
main program. Alternately, double click on a selection to add
it to the graph. The selections you make will be remembered
the next time you invoke DataMaster.

15
3.5 Using the Status Bit Display

The status bit display is located on the upper

right of the Main display, and shows up to 12
individual status bit values. A small indicator to
the left of each bit description shows a Yellow “1”
or a Green “0” to indicate its value.

In general values of "1" indicate that a function is activated, but this is not always the
case. Always check the bit descriptions if you’re not sure.

3.5.1 Obtaining Bit Descriptions

To find out what the function of a bit is Double-click on the value indicator. A dialog box
will appear with information pertaining to that bit. You must click on the “OK” button to
continue.

3.5.2 Changing Bit Assignments

When DataMaster is first installed, a set of default items is loaded
into the Status Bit display. These items are easily changed by
double-clicking on the yellow Bit Item Name. This will bring up a
Bit Select dialog box from which you can select what status bits
you want displayed.

Press the “OK or “Cancel” buttons, or double-click the item to

return to the main program with the selection. The selections
you make will be remembered the next time you invoke
DataMaster.

Note that for some versions of DataMaster, as one changes the

vehicle type selection some of the bit items are not available.
This is due to differences in the ALDL data of the vehicles
involved. When this occurs, these assignments are automatically removed from the bit
display. They must be manually added back in for the new vehicle type.

3.6 Exporting Data to a Spreadsheet

After a datafile has been loaded, the user can export any range of records to a "Comma
Separated Value" (CSV) file. Most popular spreadsheets can directly import a CSV file,
where the user can then manipulate the data and calculate and/or plot information of
interest.

To export data, select File—Export Data from either the Main or Transmission data
displays. A form will be presented which allows the user to select up to 32 data items to
export. Items are selected by clicking on the "Column" entry, which will bring up a item
selection box. Scroll to the data item of interest and press "OK" to add this to the
export list.

Continue through the column assignments until all the items of interest are selected.
Any column marked "<OFF>" is skipped and will not be exported.

16
Select a file name using the "File" menu, and enter the starting record number (Start)
and the total number of
records (Count) to
export. Press the Export
button to complete the
process and generate the
file. When you are
finished and exit the data
export form, you will be
prompted to save the
item selections you
made. Selecting Yes will
store the current
selection list which will
be automatically recalled
the next time the Export
function is selected.

3.7 Setting the Display Units

DataMaster may be configured to display in any combination of English or Metric units.

These are configured under the Setup—Display
Units Menu. After a selection is made, click on the
“OK button to save the settings and return to the
DataMaster display. The settings you made will
immediately be shown on the screen, and will be
remembered for future DataMaster sessions.

Note that there are some unit selections that may

not apply to the specific vehicle being monitored.
Changes made to these unused items will be
ignored.

Also note that the MAP sensor setting allows

selecting either the OEM calibration, or an alternate
3-bar calibration for used with some aftermarket
super- or turbocharged applications such as the
GMC Syclone or Typhoon that use a special 3-bar
MAP sensor. Again, this is not implemented for
most vehicles and in those cases the setting will be
ignored.

17
Chapter 4 The View Menu Items
The View menu was developed to allow viewing more data than can be easily shown on
the main screen, thus providing a powerful set of extensions to the main display. There
are four additional types of data which can be displayed by activating the View Menu
items: The INT/BLM Histogram, the DTC Codes, the Bit Data and the Custom Data
displays. Each of these features will bring up a “floating” display that can be positioned
anywhere on the computer screen, and dismissed when no longer needed.

4.1 The Histogram Display

The Histogram displays tracks the short or long term learning history of the PCM. This
can be very useful in determining mixture trends and how the PCM is compensating
during a test run. New with DataMaster 3.5, the histogram has added a "Classic" view
in addition to the previous "Enhanced" view of the short- and long-term correction data.

The histogram display is activated during file playback by selecting the View- Histogram
menu item from the main display. When the histogram is first activated, the "cells" are
all cleared and will be gray, indicating no "hits" have occurred.

By clicking on the main form graph, each data record displayed is evaluated and
updated on the histogram. To get a good view of what the PCM is doing over time,
select a starting record and click the Start button in the playback center. As DataMaster
automatically scrolls through the records, each is evaluated and displayed on the
Histogram form.

The Histogram can be cleared (reset) at any time by clicking the Clear Histogram menu
item.

The cells are color coded for correction range as indicated along the top of the grid, and
extends from a value of <117 (dark red ), through 128 (white) and on to >139 (bright
green ). The values lower than 128 indicate that the mixture is rich, and the PCM is
compensating by generating a negative correction factor. Conversely, values greater
than 128 indicate a lean mixture, and the PCM is generating a positive correction factor.
The ideal operation point is between 126 to 129 for part throttle operation.

Note that fuel correction and learning is disabled until the PCM enters closed loop mode.
During this time, their values are usually locked down at 128, although there are
exceptions to this based on prior learned values. Also, during WOT operation, the
correction values are ‘
locked down’ based on prior learned values.

18
4.1.1 The Classic View:

The Classic Histogram view shows the traditional 16 (or 19) "BLM Cells" that the PCM
uses to define operating regions that the PCM learns for fuel mixture correction
purposes. Each cell is representative of a particular load and RPM range; by observing
the long term correction factors (BLM) a Tuner can determine if the mixture is correct
for their purposes. By clicking on a cell (in this case cell 10), the statistics for Minimum,
Maximum and Average values are displayed, along with the number of times the cell
was used ("Hits").The colored grid tracks the running average value by color for each
cell. The Display Settings controls weather the Left or Right (if available) averages are
displayed. Note that "Special" cells 16 – 19 are only used on a few PCMs, and indicate
special modes of operation such as Idle and deceleration.

The Classic Histogram view

19
4.1.2 The Enhanced View

The Enhanced Histogram display displays a color-coded record of the Short Term or
Long Term fuel trim value verses MAP (or Airflow) and RPM as a data file is stepped
through. This data is calculated by DataMaster, and allows a finer display of load
regions than the Classic histogram does. There are two basic types of this display
depending on the PCM:

Engines that do not use air mass flow meters use MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure)
verses engine RPM to determine the engine load operating point.

Engines with air mass flow meters use mass air flow (AFGS, Air Flow Grams/Second)
verses engine RPM to determine the engine load operating point.

The highlighted square indicated by the "X" indicates the current operating point, and
this will move around as the engine load changes At any time the user can switch
between the Sterm Vs MAP or the Lterm Vs MAP modes and observe the differences.

20
 The Enhanced Histogram View

4.2 The DTC Code Display

The Diagnostic Trouble Code display can be

activated and quickly shows the status of all
DTC codes for the record that is being
displayed. The cells are arranged in a matrix,
and DTC numbers are determined by the
ROW, COLUMN location. For instance, the 3rd
row down and the 5th column will be DTC
#35. If a code is set, it will be indicated by a
RED square, otherwise they will be green (no
code set) or gray (unused code).

Clicking on any square will display the DTC #

and a short description of the error. The
factory manuals must be consulted for detailed
descriptions and troubleshooting for any codes
that are set. When DTC errors are encountered, the main panel DTC error label turns
red and a “Beep” is generated. The Beep can be turned on/off on the Setup Preferences
menu.

4.3 The Binary Data Display

The Binary Data Display shows the value of

all control and status bits in the PCM data
stream. Many of these bits are proprietary
and used by the PCM to indicated different
modes of operation and program status; not
all of them are defined. A value of “1” is
indicated by a red square, and a value of “0”
is green.

Clicking on a bit square will bring up

information on that bit's function (if known).
Clicking on the left-hand column name
(Binary Word #) will bring up a description
of the word for that row. The top columns
are numbered from 7 to 0, indication the bit
location on the data word (Bit 0 = Least
Significant Bit).

Some of the bit descriptions are cryptic, the

user is on their own here!

21
4.4 The Transmission Data Display
The transmission data option will be grayed out unless the file contains transmission
data to display. Selecting this option will bring up an entire form very similar to the
main engine display, but with different data items listed. This form is laid out to act the
same as the main display, however not all options are available. The transmission
display is documented in the Using the Transmission Display chapter.

4.5 The Speed-Distance Calculator

The Speed-Distance calculator estimates the distance traveled between any two points
during a data run by integrating the speed and high-resolution time data. Also
calculated is the average acceleration and elapsed time for the run. To use the
calculator, first set the beginning record by entering the data directly into the text box,
or by positioning the red cursor in the graph to the beginning record and pressing the
Set Begin Record button. Next, set the ending record following the same process.

NOTE: The ending record must always be higher than

the beginning record, else the program will
automatically switch their order.

To calculate the distance and elapsed time, press the

Calculate button. Be aware that excessive tire spin
will result in a false speed reading, thus limiting the
accuracy of this calculator. However, by carefully
selecting your start and end records, a fairly good
performance estimate can be made.

To calculate 1/4 mile times, set the begin record at

the point where the acceleration run first started, then
progressively move the end point until a calculated
distance of approximately 1320 feet is obtained.

22
4.6 The Quarter-Mile Calculator

The Quarter-mile time estimator calculates the times to 60 feet, 1/8 and 1/4 mile during
an acceleration run, as well as zero-to-60 times.

To use this calculator,

set the cursor on the
main display to the
beginning point that
you want to start the
measurement from
and press the “Manual
Set Beginning Record”
button. Alternately, if
you position the
cursor a bit earlier
than this and press
the “Auto Find
Beginning Record”
button, the estimator
will look for the first
non-zero speed and
set the beginning
record automatically.

To calculate the elapsed times, press the Calculate button. Be aware that excessive tire
spin will result in a false speed reading, thus limiting the accuracy of this calculator.
This calculator uses a linear interpolation of the speed data to give improved accuracy of
the time to distance values.

23
4.7 The DataMaster Dyno display

The DataMaster Dyno uses PCM data collected during a vehicle test run to calculate
horsepower and torque at the engine. It does this by measuring speed, time and engine
RPM as the vehicle accelerates. Collecting good data to analyze is the key to getting
realistic results. Good driving technique is a critical factor. To get best results, the
vehicle should be accelerated in a fixed gear at full throttle through the broadest RPM
range possible.

For this example plot above, a few items are quickly evident: First, the thin lines

represent the “raw” torque and HP values, while the fat lines are the “smoothed” trends
for this data. Note that the “raw” data is very noisy –In fact, this particular run is one of
the better ones you will see! This illustrates the difficulty in working with the limited
resolution of the data from the PCM.

Smoothing of the output data is very subjective, and is adjusted by setting the Output
Filter Factor value. This applies a polynomial fit to the data with degree of 2 to 10. Use
a fit that gives the best data appearance, each data capture will be unique in this
respect. The data above was fit with a factor of 4, and shows the “typical” S-curve
shape of the LT1 engine torque.

The Dyno uses the same scale for Torque and Horsepower, and the label in the upper
left shows the current value for where the crosshairs are positioned. Move the mouse
through the display to position the crosshairs at the area of interest.

24
4.7.1 Setting up the Dyno
This picture illustrates the input data for DataMaster Dyno. When first invoked, the
Dyno will show a default set of values as shown below. These values can be changed
for your particular vehicle, and the changed settings will be recalled the next time the
Dyno is run.

4.7.1.1 Start and end record setting:

When the Dyno form is first opened, the beginning and end record will always be set to
the current cursor position on the Engine Display (main) form. To change the setting,
you may either enter a new value in the box or set the engine display to the desired
record and press the Start Rec button. The end record is set in the same manner using
the End Rec button.

Note that the Dyno program end record must always be greater than or equal the begin
record. If set to a smaller number the program will automatically change this to equal
the starting record.

4.7.1.2 Vehicle Weight:

Enter the weight of the vehicle as tested in this box. Units are Pounds. This value is
used to calculate the force necessary to accelerate the vehicle, and also affects the
rolling resistance correction.

4.7.1.3 Gear Ratios:

There are two boxes required for the gear ratio input: The rear end ratio and the
transmission ratio. You must enter the correct transmission ratio used during the run
for DataMaster Dyno to correctly calculate the torque and horsepower at the engine.

Appendix E lists transmission gear ratios for some common GM transmissions, while
Appendix F lists some common GM rear end ratios.

4.7.1.4 Tire Revs per Mile:

Enter your tire revolutions per mile in this box. Typical values will be in the range of
800 to 1000, but you must consult the tire manufacturer for the exact value.

Appendix G lists Revs/Mile for some typical tire sizes.

4.7.1.5 Frontal Area and Drag Coefficient (Cd):

Enter the Vehicle frontal area in square feet and the drag coefficient (Cd) in these
boxes. For example, a Corvette has a frontal area of 15 Square feet and a drag
coefficient of 0.32 . These items are used to correct for aerodynamic drag, and start
to come into play at speeds > 50 MPH.

25
4.7.1.6 Drivetrain Losses:
Enter the estimated drivetrain losses in percent, from 0 to 99 % Note that 100% loss
means all power is lost before getting to the rear wheels. A typical automatic
transmission vehicle has losses of 20 percent, while a manual transmission vehicle is
closer to 15 percent.

4.7.1.7 Output Filter Factor:

Adjust the output “trendline” filter fit by setting the filter degree to a value from 2 to 10.
This is used to compute a polynomial fit of the “raw” Horsepower and Torque data.
Some input data will cause problems with the trendline calculation; for difficult cases, try
experimenting with the starting and ending record positions, this can make the fit much
better.

4.7.1.8 Checkbox Options:

Aero Correction: Use this selection if you want aerodynamic and rolling resistance
correction applied to the plotted data.

Filter MPH, RPM and Time: These apply the smoothing filters to the input data.
Typically, these need to be checked to get acceptable looking results. The smoothing
filter output is based on the weighted average of the input data.

4.7.1.9 Using Diacom Data:

Starting with version 3.2 of DataMaster, a Diacom .GDF file may be imported for
playback display. Because these files were not timestamped as the data was collected,
an estimated timestamp is generated based on the number of data frames collected and
the engine run time variable. While not as accurate as a “real” timestamp, this method
generates fairly consistent results when played back on the Dyno.

4.7.1.10 Menu Selections:

File ..Print:
This selection brings up the windows printer dialog box, and allows printing of the graph.
For version 1.0 software, just the graph is printed without any of the setup annotation.

File ..Save As JPEG Image:

This selection brings up the windows file dialog box, and allows saving a JPEG format of
the image.

File ..Save as CSV:

This selection allows saving the raw and calculated Dyno data to a CSV (Comma
Separated Value) file.

Options ..Always On Top:

This selection keeps the Dyno form on top of all other open forms. Deselect this to allow
the Dyno to move into the background.

4.7.1.11 Calculation Method:

Engine horsepower and torque are calculated by measuring the vehicle acceleration. By
knowing the vehicle weight, the force to cause this acceleration can be calculated.
Correction is made for aerodynamic and rolling resistance. Vehicle gearing (which
includes transmission, rear end and tire diameter) are then used to convert force at the
vehicle to the torque at the engine. Finally, drivetrain loss is applied to give the actual

26
torque supplied by the engine. Horsepower can then be calculated based on the engine
RPM and torque.

Force to Accelerate Vehicle:

Accel = vehicle acceleration in feet per sec^2
W = Vehicle weight in pounds
Rmi = tire revs per mile
gear = overall gearing
TQmult = 840.33 / (gear * Rmi) Torque multiplier via gear and tire diameter
Tscale = TQmult * (W / 32.1741) Overall Torque Scale factor, weight to mass (Slugs)

Engine Torque = Accel * Tscale

Aerodynamic and Rolling Resistance Correction

(Only applied if option box checked)

Fa (drag force in pounds force) = q * A * Cd

q (dynamic pressure Lb/Ft^2) = .00256 * V^2 at STP
V = velocity in MPH

Fr = (rolling resistance in pounds force) = (W * Cf) + (W * Cv * V)

Cf = 0.015
Cv = .0001

Aero Corrected Engine Torque = Engine Torque + (Fa + Fr) * TQmult

Drivetrain Loss Correction

Loss = percentage drivetrain loss

Drivetrain Corrected Engine torque = Engine Torque / (1 - (0.01 * Loss))

Horsepower Calculation:
HP = (Torque * RPM) / 5252

4.8 The Knock Retard Alert Indicator

The Knock Retard Alert Indicator is selected from the View-Spark Retard Alert menu.
This is a resizable form that changes color based on any spark retard that is present.
The form will be gray if no
spark retard is present, and
turn progressively more red for
increasing values. A large
progress bar also graphically
indicates any spark retard that
is present.

This form is designed to get

your attention, and can be
resized by grabbing any corner
and dragging with the mouse.

27
Chapter 5 THE SETUP MENU ITEMS
The Setup menu items are used to select the graph and printing color options to meet
the user’s needs.

Note that due to the use colors (“ChromaCoding”) to highlight data displayed on the
forms, DataMaster display colors are locked to pre-assigned values and will not change
when your windows desktop theme is changed. However, the form outlines and controls
will change to reflect the current windows desktop setting.

5.1 Setup Graph Colors

5.1.1 Items 1 - 4
The individual graph items that are plotted are named here. When the menu item is
selected, a color dialog box is presented allowing the user to choose any desired color
for the plot.

The color scheme in the Snapshot window and in the graph display will change to match
the new assignment.

5.1.2 Background
The background color may also be changed to improve contrast for some color schemes.
Normally a white or black background gives the best contrast.

5.2 Setup Print Colors

Note that printed colors do not always correspond exactly to the screen colors; some
experimentation may be required.

5.2.1 Items 1 - 4
Selects the plotted colors for the individual graph items corresponding to the Snapshot
display.

28
5.3 Setup Preferences

5.3.1 No Beep on DTC

Turns on/off the “beep” when DTC errors occur. Used to reduce annoyance when
scrolling through a record that has many DTC errors!

5.3.2 Tool Tips On/Off

Turns on/off the tool tips which provide information as the mouse cursor is moved
across the screen.

29
Chapter 6 Recording PCM Data
The ALDL data recording function is activated from the main form’s File- Record ALDL
Data menu selection. This will dismiss all open forms except the main engine and
transmission data displays, and bring up the Serial Data Acquisition form. This form will
remain the active form
until it is exited. After
beginning data recording,
this form may be placed
in the background by
deselecting the Options-
Always on Top menu
item.

New with DataMaster

version 3.4.0 and above,
a Monitor only mode has
been added. Pressing the
Monitor button will
immediately link to the
PCM, and data will be displayed on the active forms. NOTE: it is not possible to save any
data viewed this way! – this is strictly for viewing!

6.1 Note to Corvette Owners

Corvettes require a special data protocol when connecting with DataMaster due to the
Central Control Module (CCM), which updates the dashboard and Heating/Ventilation
(HVAC) systems. If the CCM is not working correctly, or the vehicle has been modified
to remove these components, it may be necessary to select the Options—Advanced—
Disable ALDL Handshake and/or the Options—Advanced—Disable Dash Refresh in order
to communicate and receive data. When first connecting, it will not be uncommon to
receive multiple errors until a clear communication path has been established. If the
Dash Refresh is disabled, the dashboard will be frozen until data collection is stopped.
This will result in the Service ASR light turning on until the vehicle ignition is cycled
"OFF". Also, during very long data collection periods, it is possible that the Service ASR
light may be set. The light will be reset after cycling the vehicle ignition “OFF”.

6.2 Note for Manual Transmission Vehicles

Manual transmission vehicles do not support transmission data. Make sure that when
recording data from manual transmission vehicles that the Data Mode menu is set to
"Engine". Failure to do this may result in missed records, or DataMaster may report
"Waiting" and never collect any data.

6.3 Note for Early Year Vehicles (1990 – 1993) Communication

Problems

Some early year vehicles (Notably the 1990 – 1993 Syclone and Typhoon) have a very
tight timing window to link-up and communicate with the PCM. Because of this, certain
laptops are unable to establish communication and receive data without adjusting the

30
DataMaster ALDL Link Timing. The symptom of this problem is that when connecting to
the vehicle, pressing the “Test Com” button gives the response that “Test Com Passed,
PCM Detected”. However, when “Start” or “Single” is pressed, an error occurs indicating
“No PCM Sync, Recycling…” or
“Unable to connect to PCM”.

To solve this problem, the ALDL

Link Timing must be adjusted using
the following procedure:

Bring up the Serial Data

Acquisition form and from the
menu select the Options—
Advanced—Serial Communication
Timing… item. This will bring up
the Setup Serial Communication
Timing form, and allow you to
make adjustments to the ALDL
Link Timing, the right-most slider
control.

The default ALDL Link Timing value is set to “0”. This specifies the delay in mS from
when the PCM ALDL Polling message is detected to when the computer responds with
the link-up command. When the default value of “0” does not work, we need to
increase the value to move to the link command timing up to the next poll message.
The value required will be slightly different for different PC’s, but we have found the
optimum range is usually between 190 and 205.

To establish the optimum setting, it is necessary to find both the lowest and highest
values that work, and set the control to half-way between. TTS suggests starting at
195 and working up or down from this value to find these limits. Each time a change is
made, press the OK button (which saves the change) and retry the connection by
pressing the “Start” or “Single” button. Repeat the process until the upper and lower
limits are found (generally a very narrow range of only 4 to 5), and set to the middle
value. Note this can take 10-20 iterations to find the optimum setting! Note that this
setting may vary for different PC’s.

6.4 Transmit and Receive Timeouts – Type 85 PCM

These values determine how long the PC will wait before deciding something went
wrong. The symptom of this problem is that the PC communicates to the PCM erratically
if at all. The default for these values is now 180 mS, as the previous default timeout of
120 had issues reliably connecting to the type 85 transmission data stream. The type
85 transmission is the only application which has reported a problem with the setting of
120.

31
6.5 Setting up and Acquiring PCM data

There are several items that must be set-up before you can record data from the PCM.
First, a file name must be must be selected or entered; Second, the serial
Communications port must be selected; Third, the correct Vehicle Type must be selected
from the main form menu, and lastly, the Data Mode must be selected.

Selecting the PCM Data File Name

The file name is selected from the File—Open menu item. This will bring up a standard
file selection dialog box. Navigate to the directory where you want to store your datafile
and either select an existing file name or enter a new filename to receive your data.
Press the Open button to complete your selection. If the filename you selected already
exists, you will be prompted to overwrite the file, append to the file or cancel the
operation. If you select Overwrite, the old file contents will be deleted and cannot be
recovered. Append will add the new data to the end of the existing file so no data will
be lost.

If you select FILE from the main menu of the Serial Acquisition box, the following
selections are available from the menu:

Open Selecting OPEN brings up a screen from which you can

select a data file from.
Save Now SAVE NOW saves any records that were collected since the
last save to disk.
Exit Exits out of the Acquisition menu and takes you back to the
main DataMaster screen.

6.6 The Setup Menu

If you select SETUP from the main menu of the Serial Acquisition box, the following
selections are available from the menu:

Com Port Use this to set up a Com Port. This will bring up a list of the
available serial communication ports that the PC currently
has available for use. A grayed-out selection means that the
port is in use by another program, or does not exist on the
PC. Typically, COM1 or COM2 will be available for use with
DataMaster. Select the COM port that you will use for the
PCM Adapter Cable. DataMaster will remember the selection
and automatically return to it the next time it is run.

6.6.1 Selecting the Vehicle Type

The Vehicle type is selected from the main engine display menu by selecting the Setup—
Vehicle Info menu item. A list of supported vehicle types will be presented to choose
from. Make the appropriate selection, and the yellow label near the Comments line will
indicate what the current selection is. It is important that this is the same as the vehicle
being monitored, as different vehicle types may have different data available for display.

32
6.7 The PCM Data Mode Menu Selections

The Data Mode is selected directly from the Data menu item. Depending on the vehicle
type, several options may be available for the type of data to be collected. All PCM’s
support the Engine data, while others add Transmission data as well. If available, you
may select between Engine only, Transmission only, or Alternate Engine and Trans data
modes. The Alternate mode switches
automatically between engine and transmission data, such that the data file contains a
synchronized record of both! This can be extremely useful when solving an issue that
involves an interaction between the engine and transmission.

Get Engine Data Collect engine data only

Get Transmission Collect transmission data only. NOTE: Do not select if the
Data vehicle is a manual transmission.
Alternate Engine and Alternately collect engine and transmission Data. NOTE: Do
Trans Data not select if the vehicle is a manual transmission.

6.8 PCM Data Acquisition Status Bar

Use the field listing below the illustration to help assist you with the following fields
shown on the Serial Data Acquisition status bar.

Com Status This reports the status of the latest communications from
the PC to the PCM. If any errors occur, it will be reported
in this label.
Record Count Reports the total number of records that DataMaster has
successfully obtained from the PCM, whether recorded of
not. Note that if both engine and transmission records
are collected, this number will be divided between the
engine and transmission display. Non-recorded data does
not update the record count on the Engine and
Transmission displays.
Records / Second Shows the current interrogation rate for the PCM. This
can be adjusted using the slidebar control in the record
control center. The rate will vary, depending on the
display update mode, sample control setting, PCM data
type, and the speed of the PC. For full screen update
mode at maximum speed, this will typically be in the
range of 5-7 records per second. The maximum rate
possible is approximately 10 records per second.
Record Mode Indicates whether DataMaster Record mode is ON or
OFF. Also indicated on the Record On/Off button.
Waiting Shows if DataMaster is waiting to receive data from the
PCM. This occurs if the PCM is busy and can’t respond to
DataMaster. When first connecting to the PCM, it is not

33
 uncommon to have several waiting counts while
DataMaster and the PCM negotiate for control.
File Path Shows the current file name and path for the current data
collection session.
Mode Indicates the data type that is being collected. Will read
either Engine, Transmission, ALT: Engine or ALT: Trans.
The ALT indicates that the Alternate mode has been
selected, and data collection mode will automatically
switch between Engine and Transmission.

Comments Enter comments you want recorded in the datafile PRIOR

to beginning data collection. If you are in the file append
mode, any changes made to the comments will be lost;
the original comments are retained.

Comments are written to disk after the first 100 records

have been collected, or if File—Save Now is selected,
whichever occurs first.

6.9 PCM Data Acquisition Sample Control

Use the field listing

shown below to help
assist you with each
fields shown in this
section of the screen.

Sample Speed Moving the slider control between slow and fast controls
the sample speed. The selected sample rate is displayed
in the label immediately above the slider control. During
data collection, the actual sample rate is displayed in the
status bar. Generally, the actual rate will be somewhat
lower than the selected rate due to the speed of the PC
and other factors. The minimum sample rate is 1 record
per second, and the fastest rate is 10 records per second.
The default setting is 10.
Start (Auto Sample) This command button starts the auto sample process
running. When Sampling is first started, It may take
several seconds while DataMaster negotiates for control.
During this time, you will see a message in the status bar
indicating what’s going on. When sampling begins,
several other controls are disabled to prevent unintended
program operation. After Auto Sample has started, it
may be stopped at any time by pressing the Stop button.
Monitor This button initiates data monitor mode. Data will not be
New Feature starting recorded in this mode, but can be viewed real time on all
with version 3.4.0 active displays.

34
 Stop The Stop button is used to end the Auto Sample and
Monitor modes and return to an idle condition.
Single This button initiates a single record interrogation of the
PCM. The same interrogation process takes place as
during Auto Sample mode, except only one sample will be
taken. A file must be opened for this command to work

6.10 PCM Data Acquisition Command Buttons

There are up to 5 command buttons that support various PCM interrogation modes.
Only those modes supported by the particular DataMaster version will be visible. For a
description of each of the command buttons, use the field listing shown below.

Rec (Record) On / Off This controls whether DataMaster is recording data or just
monitoring the PCM. Pressing this button will toggle
between these two modes. Note that when switching
from record Off to Record On, if Record Memory On is
selected (in the Options menu), the last 50 records that
were monitored will be saved in the disk file. This allows
capturing an event that you just noticed during a long
monitoring run
Test Com This command checks out the connection to the PCM by
sending a test command. The results are reported back
in a message box as follows:
No errors: Com Test Successful, Normal operation

Error 0: The COM link is dead. Generally caused if the

adapter is not plugged into the computer, the wrong COM
port is selected, or the COM port is bad.

Error 1: The COM port is good and can talk to the

adapter, but no PCM was detected. Generally caused by
a bad connection between the adapter and the DLC, or if
the ignition is turned off.

Error 2: An unexpected response was received from the

PCM. This can be caused by a noisy connection or if the
wrong version of DataMaster is being used for the vehicle
being tested.

Error 3: An unknown polling message was detected.

Error 4: DataMaster was unable to send a request for

control of the ALDL bus.

Error 5: DataMaster Timed out while taking control of the

ALDL bus.

Error 6: DataMaster requested control of the ALDL bus,

but did not receive the expected response.
Clr EMALF's If supported by your PCM, the Clear EMALF button will be
displayed. When this button is pressed, a command is
sent to the PCM to reset any engine related MALF codes

35
 that may have been set. Within a few seconds, the
command should take effect and the results will be seen
on the DTC form.
Clr TMALF’s If supported by your PCM, the Clear TMALF button will be
displayed. When this button is pressed, a command is
sent to the PCM to reset any transmission related MALF
codes that may have been set. Within a few seconds, the
command should take effect and the results will be seen
on the DTC forms. Many times, some transmission
MALF's displayed on the Engine DTC form. Additional
transmission MALFS may be available by viewing the
transmission DTC form (accessed from the Transmission
Data Display). Which MALF's appear on which forms are
very dependent on the particular vehicle being tested.
Get VIN If supported by your PCM, the Get VIN button will be
displayed. When this button is pressed, the PCM
responds with the 17-digit VIN which has been
programmed into the PCM. A message box is presented
with the VIN for examination. Press OK to close the
message box and append the VIN to the comments text
box, or Cancel to exit without saving the VIN information.
NOTE: If you want this to become a permanent part of
the file record, you must perform this operation prior at
the beginning of data collection, as the comment record is
only written to disk one time after 100 records have been
recorded or if the File—Save Now menu item is selected,
whichever comes first!

6.11 The Options File Menu Selections

Always On Top Locks the Serial form "on top" so it is always visible
Record Memory On When selected, causes the program to always remember the
last 50 records that were collected, even if Recording is
turned off. Useful when looking for intermittent problems so
that the user can press Record when the problem occurs,
and the data leading up to the event will be also saved.
Display: Controls what data is updated on the screen during data
Update All collection. On slower PC's, the time taken to update the
Update Partial display can slow the maximum data sample rate. If you
Update Off require the highest possible data sample rate, select "Update
Off", otherwise select "Update Partial" or "Update All"
depending on your needs.
Advanced: This option is used only in cases where the "Central Control
Disable CCM Module" is not working correctly or the vehicle has been
Handshake modified to remove the CCM (Corvettes only). Also may be
required when running under the Windows NT4 operating
system when communicating with certain vehicles.
Advanced: This disables the periodic update of the dashboard while
Disable Dash collecting data. Normally, DataMaster will refresh the
Refresh dashboard every 2 seconds, which allows for the maximum
data collection rate.
Advanced: This allows adjustment of the serial port Rx and Tx timeouts.
Serial The default values are 180 mS and should work with most
Communication all PCM's and computers. On rare occasion, it may be

36
 Timing necessary to increase the timeout value if communication
timeout errors occur. This is a known issue with the type 85
transmission data stream!

Also allows adjustment of the ALDL Link Timing. The default

is 0 mS. and should not be changed unless there are
problems linking the PCM as described at the beginning of
Chapter 6

“Bit-Bang” timeout sets how long DataMaster will try to

connect using the “bit-bang” asynchronous link-up
procedure. This method is only used when normal link-up
procedures fail to establish a connection to the PCM.
AutoLogging Enabled Enables automatic keyboard control of ALDL Data
Acquisition. This feature fully automates the data collection
New Feature starting process and eliminates the need to use a mouse when
with version 3.2.5 recording data. When enabled in the Serial Data Acquisition
form (under Options..AutoLogging Activated), pressing the
SPACE bar will immediately start datalogging. To stop
logging, simply press the ESC key. To turn Recording off,
press the "P" (pause) key. When paused, the data display
will continue, but data will not be saved. To resume
recording, press the SPACE bar again. To exit back to
playback, press the "Q" (Quit) key.

The serial Data Acquisition mode can be entered from the

main screen by pressing the ALT-F R key combination. Once
enabled, AutoLog mode remains active for all future
DataMaster sessions until the user turns it off.

When in AutoLog mode, a sequentially numbered file is

automatically created and saved in the AUTOLOG directory.
There is no need to type in any file names. Each AUTOLOG
session will create a new file and not overwrite old data until
you get to 999 files.

6.12 Tips for Using USB Serial Port Adapters

PCMs that have critical timing requirements for linking up can have difficulty connecting
over USB. These PCMs are:

• Corvettes, 1990 through 1995 (L98, LT1, ZR1)

• F-body and B-body cars, 1994 – 1995 (LT1)
• Syclone / Typhoon trucks, 1991-1993 (Turbo)
• Turbo Grand Prix, 1989 – 1990 (LG5)

When using a USB Serial Port Adapter, follow these guidelines to obtain proper
operation.

TIP: TTS recommends using only the Belkin F5U103 or the FTDI US232B for proper
operation. If purchasing any other USB adapter, it is suggested that you find a supplier

37
that will allow you to exchange and try several adapters to find one that works correctly
on your particular computer.
TTS has found that most USB adapters do not correctly support the ALDL baud rate of
8192 Baud, and will not communicate with a PCM although they ‘appear’ to be operating
correctly.

Starting with version 3.5, DataMaster now offers support for USB serial port adapters.
This requires selecting the Options- Advanced- USB Serial Interface In Use option on the
Serial form.

After making this selection, check for

proper link-up operation using Monitor
mode. If the link-up does not work or
is inconsistent, use the following
procedure to configure the USB Serial
Port driver.

6.12.1 Configuring the Belkin F5V103 USB driver

The following steps show how to set the configuration for a Belkin F5U103 USB Serial
Adapter under Windows 2000. Other adapters may be similar.

1) Open the Windows Control

Panel.
2) Select "System" - this will
bring up the System Properties
form.
3) Select the Hardware tab
4) Press the Device manager
Button - This will bring up the
Device Manager form
5) Select the Ports(Com & LPT)
category. The USB serial port
adapter should be present

Double-click the USB Serial Port item to bring up

the properties form:

Select the Port Settings tab and make the

following selections:

38
• Bits per second: 9600
• Data bits: 8
• Parity: None
• Stop bits: 1
• Flow Control: None

Click the Advanced button to bring up the Com port

number and FIFO Buffer settings:

Make sure the Use FIFO Buffers option is selected,

and then set the Receive Buffer and the Transmit
Buffer settings both to 1 (one). This will give the
fastest response time for the USB serial Port.

Also note the COM port number

that is selected. DataMaster must
match this setting and must be
between COM1 to COM8. To
prevent interference with legacy
COM ports 1 to 4, it is suggested
that the USB COM port be set
between COM5 and COM8.

Note: Occasionally, the USB serial ports do not respond the first time they are accessed
or after they are reconfigured. It may take a few connection tries or a system reboot for
the settings to take effect.

39
Chapter 7 The Transmission Data Display
The Transmission display is only available for those vehicles that support a transmission
data mode, which in general are Trucks and 1994-up F- and Y-Cars.

The Transmission display is modeled after the Engine (main) display, and shares many
of the same setup and display options. However, the data displayed is different, and
there is one new command button which synchronizes the transmission record to the
current Engine record. The differences are covered in the following sections.

7.1 Differences between the Engine and Transmission Display

The transmission data is based on a totally separate information stream than the engine
data. This data is focused on transmission functionality, and thus most engine
information is not available to view on this form. For this reason, the "Alternate Engine
and Transmission" data option was built into DataMaster which allows collecting closely
interleaved records form both the Engine and transmission. By viewing both sets of
data collected at the same time, one can diagnose issues that are due to the interaction
between the engine and transmission.

40
7.2 File Menu Differences
The File menu does not support the Printer—Setup command. This must be done from
the main Engine data form.

7.2.1 View Menu Differences

The transmission view menu does not support the Histogram and Speed-Distance
calculator. DTC codes and Binary Data are displayed as in the Engine Data Form.

7.2.2 Setup Menu Differences

The Transmission Setup menu does not support Vehicle Type, Screen Size or Display
Units items.

7.2.3 The Options Menu

A new menu item is available under the Options—Always On Top menu selection.
Selecting this option forces the Transmission Data Form to become the topmost form,
overlaying all other forms. When another form is selected, the Transmission Data form
will remain on top until this option is turned off or the form is closed.

7.2.4 The Synchronize Button (Sync)

Since the engine and transmission displays are not directly linked and can independently
display different sections of a file, a Synchronize button has been added to the
transmission record control. When this button is pressed, the transmission record
number will be changed to the nearest engine record as determined by the exact time
the data records were recorded. This allows a quick way to coordinate engine and
transmission events.

7.3 Understanding the Transmission Data

7.3.1 The Transmission Status Bar

The transmission status bar contains the following information:

Records Indicates how many Transmission data records were recorded in this
file.
DTC Errors This display shows if there is a transmission Diagnostic Trouble Code
set. Will turn red on any record that contains a DTC, instantly
flagging a DTC error. Click on this value to open the Transmission
DTC form.
Data OK The Data OK display shows if the transmission data record contains
any data errors (checksum error). If this turns red, that particular
record is bad and should not be trusted! This can occasionally occur
during data collection if there is noise on the ALDL data link, or if a
data transmission is interrupted.
PROM ID This indicates the PCM internal EPROM ID #. This is identifies the
exact version of EPROM code that the PCM is using. This is not used
by all vehicle types, so this item may not be present in your display.
Baro KPA This indicates the PCM's computed atmospheric pressure. Unless you
are at high altitudes, this will be close to 100 KPA. A few vehicles do

41
 not support BARO readout, in this case the display will read "N/A".
Engine Shows the current engine coolant temperature.
Coolant
Temp
Transmissio Shows the current transmission fluid temperature.
n Fluid Temp
Ignition Shows the voltage ignition (battery) voltage.
Volts

7.3.2 The Transmission Data Display

There are 12 key transmission data items displayed,
detailed as follows:

RPM16 This is a high-resolution engine RPM value the PCM uses for
transmission calculations. The resolution is 1 RPM.
Speed Indicates the current speed of the vehicle.
TPS % Shows the percent throttle opening. This is calculated by the PCM
and will be a value 0 to 100%. Same as used for the Engine Data
Form.
TPS Volts This shows the voltage measured from the Throttle Position Sensor.
Will generally range from 0.5 Volts (throttle closed) to 4.5 Volts
(throttle fully open). Same as used for the Engine Data Form.
Torque This value is the current torque signal pressure within the
Pressure transmission.
Force Motor This is the commanded current to the Pressure Control Solenoid
(FM) (PCS) circuit and will have a value between 0 and 1.1 Amps. A value
Reference of zero indicates commanded higher line pressure; a value of 1.1
Amps indicates a commanded lower line pressure.
Force Motor This is the actual current to the Pressure Control Solenoid (PCS)
(FM) Actual circuit and will have a value between 0 and 1.1 Amps. A value of
Amps zero indicates actual higher line pressure; a value of 1.1 indicates a
actual lower line pressure.
TCC Duty This is the duty cycle of the torque converter lock-up solenoid, and
Cycle typically ranges from 0 to 90%.
Speed Ratio Indicates the ratio of input speed to output speed of the
transmission. Quickly shows what the current gear ratio is.
Slip RPM Indicates the difference between the transmission input speed (at the
engine) and the transmission output speed (at the output shaft). A
negative value indicates that the input speed is less than the output
speed (deceleration); a positive value indicates that the input speed

42
 is greater than the output speed (acceleration). A value of zero
indicates input speed equals output speed (the torque converter is
locked).
Selected This is the current automatic transmission gear that is selected by
Gear the gear shift lever. Shows "N/A" for manual transmission
applications. Not available for all vehicles.
Active Gear This is the current gear that is activated within the automatic
transmission. Shows "N/A" for manual transmission applications. Not
available for all vehicles.

43
Appendix A: Unit Conversion Factors
Conversion Table

To Convert From To Multiply By

Feet Centimeters 30.48
Inch Centimeters 2.54
Miles Kilometers 1.609
Square Inches Square Centimeters 6.4516
Cubic Inches Cubic Centimeters 16.3871
Pounds per Square Inch Kilo Pascals (KP) 6.8948
(PSI)
PSI Inches Mercury 2.0360
Kilo Pascals Absolute (KPA) Inches Mercury 0.2953
Degrees Centigrade Degrees Fahrenheit (1.8 x °C) + 32
Degrees Fahrenheit Degrees Centigrade (°F - 32) x 0.5556
Horsepower Watts 746.0
1 “G” Acceleration Meters/Sec2 9.80665
1 “G” Acceleration Ft/Sec2 32.1741
Pounds Kilograms 0.4536
Foot-Pounds Newton-Meters 1.3558

44
Appendix B: Glossary
SAE Recommended Acronyms

Numeric Acronyms

3GR -- Third Gear

2GR -- Second Gear

3-2TS -- 3-2 Timing Solenoid. A device that controls the "third to second" timing valve
in an automatic transmission.

4WD -- Four Wheel Drive

4GR -- Fourth Gear

A Through C Acronyms

A/T -- Automatic Transmission or Transaxle

A/C -- Air Conditioner

ACL -- Air Cleaner

AAT -- Ambient Air Temperature

AFGS -- Air Flow Grams per Second. The mass air flow reading., used on engines that
have mass flow meters.

AFR -- Air Fuel Ratio

ALDL -- Assembly Line Diagnostic Link. The serial data link from the PCM to the
monitoring computer. Also referred to as ALCL.

AP -- Accelerator Pedal

APP -- Accelerator Pedal Position

B+ -- Battery Positive Voltage

BARO -- Barometric Pressure. A measure of the atmospheric pressure

BLM -- Block Learn Multiplier. Now called Long Term Fuel Trim. The Long Term fuel
correction factor that the PCM is using.

BLM Cell -- Now called Fuel Trim Cell. Fuel Trim cells store Long Term correction factors
that correct for each engine’s unique operating conditions. A cell is active within a
particular operating region as determined by engine RPM and load. Most PCM's use 16
to 20 cells.

BPW -- Base Pulse Width. The length of time of the injector pulse, usually measured in
Milliseconds (1/1000 second).

BPP -- Brake Pedal Position

45
CAT -- Catalytic Converter

CCM -- Central Control Module. Used in Corvettes to communicate between the various
on-board computers. Also called body computer.

CCS -- Coast Clutch Solenoid

CCP -- Charcoal Canister Purge. Typically, there is a solenoid that controls when purge
is active. Used to control evaporative emissions.

CFI -- Continuous Fuel Injection. A fuel injection system whereby the injector flow is
controlled by the fuel pressure.

CL -- Closed Loop. An operating mode which allows modification engine control

parameters based on a feedback system.

CMP -- Camshaft Position

CTOX -- A system for lowering Diesel engine particulate emissions by collecting

particulates and continuously burning them through oxidation.

CKP -- Crankshaft Position

CPP -- Clutch Pedal Position

D Through F Acronyms

DC -- Duty Cycle. A value from 0 to 100%. The ratio of ON to OFF of a controlled

device. A value of 0 means the device is OFF, a value of 25% means the device is 1/4
of full on.

DTC -- Diagnostic Trouble Code

DFI -- Direct Fuel Injection. A fuel injection system that supplies fuel directly into the
combustion chamber.

DI -- Distributor Ignition. A system in which the ignition coil secondary circuit is

sequentially switched by a distributor to the spark plugs

DLC -- Data Link Connector

DLI -- Distributor less Ignition, also called Electronic Ignition (EI). A system in which the
ignition coil secondary circuit is dedicated to specific spark plugs without the use of a
distributor.

DRIVER -- An electronic switching device used to control an output state.

DTM -- Diagnostic Test Mode. Any of various PCM Test modes that allow the
observation and control of PCM signals.

DTC -- Diagnostic Trouble Code

EATX -- Electronic Automatic Transmission/Transaxle.

46
ECM -- Engine Control Module

ECL -- Engine Coolant Level

ECT -- Engine Coolant Temperature

EDF -- Electro Drive Fan Control

EECS -- Evaporative Emission Control System

EFI -- Electronic Fuel Injection

EGO, EGOS -- Exhaust Gas Oxygen Sensor (O2S)

EGR -- Exhaust Gas Recirculation. Reduces Nox emissions by adding exhaust gas to the
incoming air/fuel mixture.

EGRT -- EGR Temperature

EGRV -- EGR Vacuum Regulator Valve

EOP -- Engine Oil Pressure

EOT -- Engine Oil Temperature

EP -- Exhaust Pressure

EPROM -- An electronic memory device which is erasable and reprogrammable

EI -- Electronic Ignition. A distributorless ignition system in which the ignition coil

secondary circuit is dedicated to specific spark plugs without the use of a distributor.

EVAP -- A system used to prevent fuel vapor from escaping into the atmosphere.
Typically includes a charcoal canister to store fuel vapors.

EVP -- EGR Valve Position

F4WD -- Full-time Four Wheel Drive

FBC -- Feed Back Control or Feed Back Carburetor

FC -- Fan Control

FI -- Fuel Injection

FREEZE FRAME -- A block of data containing vehicle operating conditions for a specific
instance.

FP -- Fuel Pump

FT -- Fuel Trim. A fuel correction term.

FWD -- Front Wheel Drive

47
G Through O Acronyms

GEN -- Generator

GCM -- Governor Control Module

GPM -- Grams Per Mile

GND -- Ground. An electrical conductor used as a common return for an electrical circuit
HEI -- High Energy Ignition

HO2S -- Heated Oxygen Sensor

IA -- Intake Air

IAC -- Idle Air Control

IACV -- Idle Air Control Valve

IAT -- Intake Air Temperature

IC -- Ignition Control

ICM -- Ignition Control Module

ICP -- Injection Control Pressure

IFS -- Inertia Fuel Shut-off

ISC -- Idle Speed Control

ISS -- Input Shaft Speed

IMRC -- Intake Manifold Runner Control

INT -- Integrator. Now called Short Term Fuel Trim. The Short Term fuel correction
factor that the PCM is using.

KS -- Knock Sensor

LTerm, Long Term -- Long Term Fuel Trim (previously called Block Learn)

MAF -- Mass Air Flow

MAP -- Manifold Absolute Pressure

MAT -- Manifold Temperature

MFI -- Multipoint Fuel Injection. A fuel injection system in which each cylinder is
individually fueled.

MDP -- Manifold Differential Pressure

MIL -- Malfunction Indicator Lamp

48
MST -- Manifold Surface Temperature

NVRAM -- Non-Volatile RAM. Memory which retains information typically via an internal
battery.

O2S -- Oxygen Sensor

OBD -- On Board Diagnostic. A system that monitors some or all computer input and
control signals. Signal(s) outside a predetermined range imply a fault in the system or a
related system.

OC -- Oxidation Catalytic Converter. A catalytic converter system that reduces HC and

CO.

OL -- Open Loop. An operating mode based on programmed values and not modified by
a feedback system.
OSS -- Output Shaft Speed

P Through S Acronyms

PCM -- Powertrain Control Module

PCV -- Positive Crankcase Ventilation

PNP -- Park Neutral Position

PRNDL -- Automatic transmission gear selection lever. Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive,
Low

PROM -- Programmable Read Only Memory. A memory chip which can be programmed
only one time.

PSP -- Power Steering Pressure

PSPS -- Power Steering Pressure Switch

PTOX -- A system for lowering Diesel engine particulate emissions by collecting

particulates and periodically burning them through oxidation.

PWM -- Pulse Width Modulation. A method of proportionally controlling an actuator by

varying the on/off time of a rectangular waveform.

QDM -- Quad Driver Module. An electronic component that contains four output driver
circuits.

RAM -- Random Access Memory. A memory which does not maintain its content when
power is removed.

RM -- Relay Module

ROM -- Read Only Memory. Memory which is programmed by the device manufacturer
and whose contents cannot be altered.

RPM -- Revolutions Per Minute

49
RWD -- Rear Wheel Drive

Sterm, Short Term -- Short Term Fuel Trim. The Short Term fuel correction factor that
the PCM is using.

SA -- Spark Advance. The crankshaft angle relative to TDC (generally) at which a spark
event is initiated.

SC -- Supercharger

SCB -- Supercharger Bypass

SRT -- System Readiness Test (applicable to OBD2 scan tool communications)

SFI -- Sequential Fuel Injection. A multiport fuel injection system in which each injector
is individually energized and timed relative to its cylinder intake event.

SR -- Spark Retard. The degrees of spark retard which have been subtracted form the
nominal spark advance value. Is generally caused by an engine knock condition.

SRI -- Service Reminder Indicator

SS -- Shift Solenoid

SIR -- Supplemental Inflatable Restraint (air bag)

T Through Z Acronyms

TAC -- Throttle Actuator Control

TBI -- Throttle Body Injection. An electronically controlled fuel injection system in which
one or more fuel injectors are located in a throttle body.

TC -- Turbocharger

TCC -- Torque Converter Clutch

TCCP -- Torque Converter Clutch Pressure

TCM -- Transmission Control Module

TDC -- Top Dead Center. The position of the crankshaft when the piston of interest is at
the topmost point of travel.

TFP -- Transmission Fluid Pressure

TFT -- Transmission Fluid Temperature

TR -- Transmission Range

TSS -- Turbine Shaft Speed

TRLHP -- Track Road Load Horsepower. The power required to maintain a vehicle at a
constant speed, taking into account power losses due to wind resistance, tire losses,
bearing friction, etc.

50
TP -- Throttle Position

TPS -- Throttle Position Sensor

TFP -- Transmission Fluid Pressure

TVV -- Thermal Vacuum Valve. A valve that controls vacuum levels or routing based on
temperature.

TWC -- Three Way Catalyst. A Catalytic converter system that reduces HC, NO and Nox.

VAF -- Volume Air Flow. A system that provides information on the volume flow rate of
the intake air to the engine.

VCM -- Vehicle Control Module

VCRM -- Variable Control Relay Module

VIN -- Vehicle Identification Number

WOT -- Wide Open Throttle. A mode of PCM operation that is dependent on the throttle
being open beyond a programmed percentage.

WU -- Warm Up

51
Appendix C: Last Minute Information

Difficulty establishing communications with the vehicle:

Note that it is not unusual to miss a few records while first establishing communication
with the vehicle, particularly at high sample rates. After several seconds, however, the
communication should be error-free.

If there is no communication at all, check that the correct COM port has been selected
and the adapter cable is securely connected to it. Also verify that the adapter cable is
securely fastened to the vehicle’s ALDL port. Run the "Test Com" command and note
what it reports back.

Always verify that the correct vehicle type is selected. From the main engine display,
select Setup—Vehicle Type and make the selection appropriate for your application. The
selection should appear on both the Engine form and the Serial Data Acquisition form
near the comments label.

It is also possible that the Data Mode is set to "Transmission" or "Alternate Eng / Trans",
but the vehicle has a manual transmission. In this case, when the program attempts to
get transmission data, there is no response from the PCM and a "Waiting" status is
reported. Verify that the Data Mode is set to "Engine" to solve this problem.

Some early PCM’s (Notably the 1990-1993 Syclone and Typhoon) have difficulty
communicating with certain laptops. This may be caused by a ALDL link timing
problem, and can be corrected by making the adjustments described in the note at the
beginning of Chapter 6.

If problems persist, you may not have the correct version of DataMaster for your vehicle
or the adapter cable may be damaged. In these cases, contact TTS Power Systems.

If you are using the Windows NT 4.0 operating system, it may be necessary to disable
the CCM handshake in order to reliably connect to certain PCM's. This is due to
differences in the way Windows NT handles serial port communications. This is done by
selecting the Options--Advanced--Disable ALDL Handshake menu item.

Data not all saved when exiting Record Mode

This is usually caused by the record mode being switched "OFF" while collecting data. In
this case, only the last 50 records are saved when record mode is exited.

52
Appendix D: DataMaster Versions and Vehicles
Supported
The following charts detail the specific engine and vehicle combinations supported by
each program version. Combinations not listed in this chart are not guaranteed to
operate correctly.

DM32x0D: Datastreams- Engine A217, Trans A218 (4L60E)

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
L03 TBI 5.0L 94 VIN = C,K,G
H
L05 TBI 5.7L 94 VIN = C,K,G
K
L35 CPI 4.3L 94 VIN = S,T,M,L
W
LB4 TBI 4.3L 94 VIN = G,M,L,S,T,C,K
Z
LB4 TBI 4.3L 94 VIN = C,K MANUAL TRANS.
Z
L03 TBI 5.0L 95 VIN = C,K,G
H
L05 TBI 5.7L 95 VIN = C,K,G
K
L35 CPI 4.3L 95 VIN = S,T,M,L
W
LB4 TBI 4.3L 95 VIN = G,M,L,S,T,C,K
Z

DM32x31: Datastreams- Engine A219, Trans A220 (4L80E)

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
LB4 TBI 4.3L 94 VIN = C,K,G,P 4L80E Trans
Z
L05 TBI 5.7L 94 VIN = C,K,G,P,W-MD 4L80E Trans
K
L19 TBI 7.4L 94 VIN = C,K,G,P 4L80E Trans
N
LB4 TBI 4.3L 94 VIN = C,K (HD) Manual Trans
Z
L19 TBI 7.4L 94 VIN = C,K (HD) Manual Trans
N
LB4 TBI 4.3L 95 VIN = C,K,G,P 4L80E Trans
Z
L05 TBI 5.7L 95 VIN = C,K,G,P,W-MD 4L80E Trans
K
L19 TBI 7.4L 95 VIN = C,K,G,P 4L80E Trans
N
LB4 TBI 4.3L 95 VIN = C,K (HD) Manual Trans
Z
L19 TBI 7.4L 95 VIN = C,K (HD) Manual Trans
N

53
DM32x85: Datastreams- Engine A138, Trans A150 (4L80E)
Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
LB4 TBI 4.3L 91 VIN =
Z
L05 TBI 5.7L 91 VIN =
K
L19 TBI 7.4L 91 VIN =
N
LB4 TBI 4.3L 92,93 VIN = C,K,P
Z
L05 TBI 5.7L 92,93 VIN = C,K,G,P
K
L19 TBI 7.4L 92,93 VIN = C,K,G,P
N

DM32x8D: Datastreams- Engine A100, A111, A115, Trans NA

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
LB9 PFI 5.0L 90-92 VIN = F-Car
F
L98 PFI 5.7L 90-92 VIN = F-Car
8
L98 PFI 5.7L 90-91 VIN = Y-Car
8

DM32xDA: Datastreams- Engine A172, Trans NA

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
LT1 MFI H.O. 5.7L 92 VIN = Y-CAR
P
LT1 MFI H.O. 5.7L 93 VIN = Y-CAR, F-CAR
P

DM32xE6: Datastreams- Engine A201, Trans A204 (4L60E)

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
L03 5.0L 93 VIN = C,K,G
H
L05 5.7L 93 VIN = C,K,G
K
L35 4.3L 93 VIN = S,T,M,L
W
LB4 4.3L 93 VIN = G,M,L,S,T,C,K
Z

54
DM32xEE: Datastreams- Engine A223, A273,4,5,6 Trans A223, A274, A276
(4L60E)
Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
LT1 SFI 5.7L 94-95 VIN=P 1,4B, 6D, 1Y, 1F - CARS
L99 SFI 4.3L 94-95 VIN=W 1B - CAR

DM32xZ1: Datastreams- Engine A142, A171 Trans NA

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
LT5 SFI 5.7L 90-92 VIN = J CPC/Lotus Y-CAR

DM32xZ2: Datastreams- Engine A207, Trans NA

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
LT5 SFI 5.7L 93-95 VIN = J CPC/Lotus Y-CAR

DM32xTT: Datastreams- Engine A160, Trans NA

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
LB4 SFI 4.3L 91-93 VIN = Syclone & Typhoon
Z

DM32x8F: Datastreams- Engine A110, Trans NA

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
LG5 SFI 3.1L 89-90 VIN = Turbo Grand Prix
V

DM32xL1: Datastreams- Engine NA, Trans NA

Engine Displacement Year VIN Model
Family ID
Isuzu 1.6L 91-94 na Lotus Elan M100 turbo

55
Appendix E: Transmission Gear Ratios
Gear # Ratio Gear # Ratio
4L60E, 700R4 Borg-Warner 6-Speed
(1993 F-Body standard)
1 3.06 1 3.36
2 1.63 2 2.07
3 1.00 3 1.35
4 (OD) 0.70 4 1.00
5 0.80
6 0.62

Borg-Warner T-5 Borg-Warner 6-Speed

(F-Body V-8) (1993 F-Body Close Ratio G92)
1 2.95 1 2.97
2 1.94 2 2.07
3 1.34 3 1.43
4 1.99 4 1.00
5 0.74 5 0.80
6 0.62

ZF 6-Speed Borg-Warner 6-Speed

(Corvette) (1994 – on F-Body)
1 2.68 1 2.66
2 1.80 2 1.78
3 1.31 3 1.30
4 1.00 4 1.00
5 0.75 5 0.74
6 0.50 6 0.50

56
Appendix F: ‘Standard’ GM rear-end ratios
GM Rear End Ratios and RPO numbers

Z28/Formula/TA -Corvette Impala, Caprice

2.73 -GU2 2.59 -GM1 2.56 - GM8
3.08 -GU4 3.07 -G44 2.93 -GW9
3.23 -GU5 3.45 -GM3 3.08 -GU4
3.42 -GU6 3.23 -GU5

57
Appendix G: Typical Tire Revs per Mile
From NITTOTIRE.com

NITTO NT460
Tire Size Revs Per Static Static Dynamic
Mile Radius (in) Width (in) Radius (in)
P185/60R13 956 9.92 7.91 10.55
P185/60R14 912 10.43 7.91 11.06
P195/60R14 896 10.59 8.43 11.26
P205/60R14 877 10.79 8.66 11.50
P195/60R15 857 11.10 8.43 11.77
P205/60R15 843 11.26 8.66 11.97
P215/60R15 824 11.50 9.17 12.24
P225/60R15 808 11.65 9.61 12.48
P215/60R16 793 11.97 9.17 12.72
P225/60R16 779 12.17 9.61 12.95

NITTO NT450
Tire Size Revs Per Static Static Dynamic
Mile Radius (in) Width (in) Radius (in)
P205/55R15 871 10.94 8.98 11.57
P195/50R15 912 10.51 8.19 11.06
P205/50R15 902 10.63 8.90 11.18
P225/50R15 871 10.94 9.45 11.57
P205/55R16 834 11.46 8.98 12.09
P215/55R16 821 11.61 9.29 12.28
P225/55R16 811 11.77 9.65 12.44
P235/55R16 795 11.97 10.20 12.68
205/50R16 865 11.14 8.90 11.65
P225/50R16 837 11.46 9.57 12.05
P245/50R16 811 11.73 10.20 12.44
205/45R16 896 10.79 8.78 11.26
205/40R16 925 10.51 8.82 10.91
215/40R16 912 10.63 9.13 11.06
225/50R17 800 12.01 9.53 12.60
255/50R17 767 12.44 10.75 13.15
275/50R17 745 12.76 11.81 13.54
215/45ZR17 845 11.46 8.98 11.93
225/45ZR17 834 11.57 9.49 12.09
205/40ZR17 886 11.02 8.90 11.38
215/40ZR17 874 11.14 9.13 11.54
235/40ZR17 851 11.38 10.35 11.85
215/35ZR18 868 11.30 8.94 11.61

58
NITTO NT555
Tire Size Revs Per Static Static Dynamic
Mile Radius (in) Width (in) Radius (in)
205/45ZR16 899 10.79 8.82 11.22
235/45ZR17 821 11.73 9.88 12.28
P245/45ZR17 811 11.89 10.20 12.44
P255/45ZR17 800 12.01 10.67 12.60
205/40ZR17 884 11.06 9.10 11.41
225/40ZR17 862 11.26 9.57 11.69
255/40ZR17 829 11.65 10.75 12.17
P285/40ZR17 800 12.01 12.05 12.60
225/40ZR18 829 11.73 9.57 12.17
235/40ZR18 821 11.85 10.00 12.28
245/40ZR18 811 12.01 10.31 12.44
P275/40ZR18 781 12.36 11.57 12.91
255/35ZR18 829 11.77 10.67 12.17
265/35ZR18 821 11.85 11.10 12.28
275/35ZR18 812 11.98 11.56 12.42
285/35ZR18 800 12.09 11.97 12.60

NITTO NT555R Extreme Drag

Tire Size Revs Per Static Static Dynamic
Mile Radius (in) Width (in) Radius (in)
205/55R14 908 10.43 8.90 11.10
275/50R15 808 11.68 11.77 12.48
205/45R15 938 10.28 8.66 10.75
225/50R16 834 11.46 9.57 12.09
245/50R16 811 11.77 10.39 12.44
205/45R16 899 10.79 8.66 11.22
275/40ZR17 811 11.85 11.57 12.44

59
Appendix H: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Q: Why are there individual versions of DataMaster for each platform?

A: Each GM platform has a unique datastream which includes much engineering data
not normally seen. We provide the user access to ALL the data so they can decide what
is useful. As a result, each DataMaster version is tailored to a particular platform's
individual datastream, and is not compatible with other platforms.

Q: Is there a way to start and stop data recording without using the Mouse?

A: Yes. After opening a file and preparing to record data, use the Tab key to shift focus
to the Auto button. To begin recording, press the space bar. To end recording, press
the space bar again. To restart again, you will need to use the tab or left arrow key to
shift the focus to the "Auto" key again.

Q: When I exit the record mode, only the last 50 records of data were saved. What
Happened?

A: When this occurs, the most common cause is that the program was in monitor mode,
not recording mode. When in monitor mode, only the last 50 records are retained and
saved.

Q: Is there a way to scroll back and forth through the playback records without clicking
on the scrollbar control?

A: Yes. After clicking on the scrollbar or the graph display, the records may be
individually scrolled by using the left and right arrow keys.

Q: How come the graph has no scaling?

A: This is because each item on the graph would have a totally different scale, resulting
in too much to show in the limited space available. Use of the graph to view trends and
points of interest which can be zoomed in and examined in detail using the SnapShot
display in conjunction with the main display.

Q: After exporting my data in CSV format, when I load it into Excel some of the values
are changed. What is causing this?

A: The newer versions of Excel automatically import CSV files using the "general"
format for cells. In some cases, this causes certain values to be interpreted as a date,
and Excel replaces the original data with a date. The workaround is to rename the file
with a "TXT" (or other) file extension, and excel will then prompt you via a wizard on
how to import the data. This allows you to select Text or Numeric as your datatype, and
the original data will be preserved.

Q: I've noticed some "glitches" in the data that is recorded. What Happened?

A: On some of the early ECU's (generally 1993 and earlier), this occurs when
interrogating at the maximum sample rate. Basically, these older PCM designs do not
have enough "headroom" to simultaneously run the engine and provide data at the
maximum rate, thus some datapoints are skipped. Try reducing the sample rate to 5 or
less samples/second. Also, we have found that certain PCMs actually have bugs in their
internal ALDL routines such that erroneous data is occasionally transmitted.

60
Q: I want to record a run longer than the 16,000 record limit. Is this possible?

A: Beginning with Version 3.4.0, Playback and Recording has been increased to 32,000
records. This represents approximately 1 hour of data at the maximum sample rate of
10 per second.

Q: I can't get the sample rate all the way to 10. What's the problem?

A: The actual sample rate is dependant on the particular PCM, the speed of your PC, and
the "Options.. Display" setting on the Data Acquisition screen. To maximize the sample
rate, select the "Update Off" or "Update Partial" setting. This frees the PC to spend its
time collecting data, instead of drawing on the screen.

Q: I get a message the printer is not installed every time I start up DataMaster. How
do I fix this?

A: This can happen if the Windows system printer was deinstalled after DataMaster has
been run. The best workaround is to reinstall any printer (even if there is not one
connected to the system).

Q: When I click on the or Start menu to launch DataMaster, the “Initializing

DataMaster” logo screen appears, but after about 2 seconds the program quits and exits
with a system error. What is wrong?

A: This has been reported to happen occasionally if a printer driver is not installed, or
cannot be found. The solution is to install any printer driver on the PC and set it as a
default, even if there is no physical printer present. TTS is investigating the root cause
of this problem.

Q: The instructions regarding "Setting up and acquiring ALDL data" talk about selecting
using "file open" to select a file...... There is no "open" option under the "file" menu.
They also talk about selecting a COM port from the "setup" menu...... but the "Setup"
menu has no "COM port" option. What gives?

A: In order to record or monitor data, the “Serial Data Acquisition” form must first be
opened from the main DataMaster playback form by selecting the File..Record ALDL
Data menu. Option. The “Serial Data Acquisition” form has the communication and File
menu selections you are looking for.

Q: I was playing with DataMaster some more and noticed that the histogram has 176
cells scattered across the VE vs. RPM range. Is this the same thing as the BLM cells? I
thought there were only 16 BLM cells, 0 thru 15?

A: The cells in the histogram do not directly correspond to the BLM cells that the PCM
uses. There are a couple of main reasons for this:

1) Different PCM's use different operating regions for there BLM definitions i.e., we could
not just choose one and have it be correct for all applications. In fact, different
calibrations for the same vehicle many times move the cells around a bit!

2) Having more cells gives you better resolution as to exactly where the operating point
is. This gives you better information on what region of the fuel map needs to be altered.

61
If you know the exact boundaries of the PCM you are evaluation, you can export the
data to excel and write some equations to tell you what cell you are in for each line. You
could then do an X-Y scatter plot of this and see how it looks--However, you loose the
"live" aspect of the playback that the Histogram gives you!

Q: I am having a licensing problem: I put in the code you supplied and hit the register
button--the registration # changed but when I tried to Record ALDL it said my demo had
run out. What next?

A: There was a bad digit in the Authorization or Registration number. Send us the new
Registration number and we will issue you a new Authorization code.

Q: The software is a great ! However, the Data frame rate is only 5.0 - 5.5 samples per
second. Is this PC or CPU related ?

A: Samples per sec depends on 3 factors: 1) the specific PCM, 2) the speed of the PC,
and 3) what screen Update options are selected.

When recording or monitoring data, there are 3 options you can select from the Serial
Data Acquisition form: Update.. All, Update.. Partial, and Update.. Off. The less that is
updated on the screen, the faster data can be collected until the limit of the PCM is
reached. For example, a Pentium 166 laptop with Win98 can typically receive data from
the LT1 at about 6 F/sec with Update..All selected, and about 8-9 with Update..None
selected. A faster PC will be able to maintain a higher frame rate when lots of graphics
are displayed. The ultimate limit is the PCM, which tops out at about 10 frames per
second.

Q: I was under the impression that the "Record ALDL data" option was for data logging
only. Is that not correct? I am not trying to log (record) data over a period of time, I
just want to view the current data stream to check the DTC's, BLM's, O2's, etc. Is it
necessary to "record" the data for this, and does the software require an authorization
code?

A: The way DataMaster works, there is currently no distinction between monitoring and
recording of data from an authorization standpoint, after the free trial period expires
authorization is required for either. Both modes are accessed from the same "Record
ALDL Data" menu selection. This brings up the Serial Data Acquisition form, where all
the communication and ALDL options selected from, including Monitor or Record mode.
UPDATE: DM 3.4.0 has added a ‘true’ monitor only mode!

Q: I got the cable yesterday and my laptop today. I downloaded the Demo TTS
software but when I click on it, it gives me an error message saying "A device in the
system is not functioning" What gives?

A: It's not uncommon for a laptop to be improperly configured for use of the serial ports
the first time out of the box.

First, has your serial port ever been set up to use an external mouse or a device such as
a Palm Pilot cradle? If so, those drivers can interfere with the proper operation of the
software.

Next, if you go to Start... Settings... Control Panel... System Icon... Device Manager...
Ports(Com and LPT) and take a look in there, do you see COM ports? Is COM1 available,
or is there another port? Or does it have an X through it?

62
If you have an infrared device driver loaded on your laptop (many of them do), they can
actually interfere with the serial port you're trying to use. You might disable infrared
devices in that Device Manager setup.

If you don't see any Com ports under the Device Manager, then you'll need to go in to
your BIOS (how you get there depends on your laptop), and enable the Com port. See
the PC’s manual for how to get in to the BIOS, it varies from machine to machine.

Q: My laptop has no serial port, but has a USB port. Can I use USB with the TTS
DataMaster software?

A: Yes, but it is required that you be running Windows 98 or later operating system
with full USB support. TTS Has found that most USB serial are NOT compatible with the
ALDL baud rate. The only compatible units we have tested are the Belkin F5U103 and
the FTDI US232B. For additional information, refer to Tips for Using USB Serial Port
Adapters.

63
Appendix I: 2- and 3-bar MAP sensor calibration
Abstract:

To resolve 2- and 3-bar MAP sensor calibration issues reported from field use of the
Syclone and Typhoon DataMaster scan tool software, a accurate calibration of these
sensors was performed. Additionally, detailed examination of the factory ECM code was
made to determine the correct calibration equations for these sensors. The equation
data was compared to measurements made on the actual sensors. The results are
presented here, and have been incorporated into the current version 3.4.1 release of
DataMaster.

Test Setup:

A test setup was constructed to accurately produce and measure absolute pressure in
the range of ~10 kPa to 350 kPa (Figure 1).

MAP_CAL_Setup.vsd

DH Instruments
RPM3 Reference Pressure Monitor

10-Gal Pressure Vessel

Needle Valve Needle Valve

for supply air for bleed air

GM MAP Sensor

MAP Sensor Calibration Setup

Figure 1: Calibration Setup

A pre-charged 10-gallon pressure vessel supplied a constant pressure (or vacuum) while
measurements were made. Two needle valves allowed fine adjustment of the pressure
at the MAP sensor. A DH Instruments ( http://www.dhinstruments.com/ ) RPM3
Reference Pressure Monitor system was used to make the absolute pressure
measurements. The RPM3 was configured to read from 0 kPa to 400 kPa with an
accuracy of roughly 0.015%, well beyond the resolution and repeatability of the MAP
sensor under test.

Sensor readings were corrected to an equivalent 5.000 Volt power voltage at the MAP
sensor. Equivalent A/D readings were obtained using the 51 bits per Volt PCM
calibration constant.

64
2-bar Calibration results:
A transfer equation was derived from a disassembly of the PCM code and determined to
be kPa = (0.781 * N) + 8. The data fit to the equation and error are tabulated in Figure
1; worst case error at room temperature is +1.27 kPa.

A better fit can be obtained for this particular data set using the transfer equation KPA
= (0.781 * N) + 9; however, as this data is for a single device at room temperature it
was thought best to use the values extracted form the PCM code.

Based on these results, DataMaster has been updated to use the kPa = (0.781 * N) + 8
equation for displaying 2-bar MAP pressures. This has a significant impact on the idle
kPa readings, dropping them 10-15 kPa down into the expected 35 to 40 kPa region

3-bar Calibration results:

Many enthusiasts are using the GM 3-bar sensor PN 16040749 for high-performance
applications on the Syclone / Typhoon engines. For this reason, this sensor’s transfer
function was measured and the results applied to the DataMaster ‘optional’ 3-bar sensor
readout.

Table 2 illustrates the calibration data for the 3-Bar sensor. The best fit transfer
function was found to be KPA = (1.23 * N) + 2.2, which gives a maximum error of -0.85
kPa for this particular sensor

Conclusions:

The documented 2-bar and 3-bar MAP sensor transfer functions were found to be in
considerable error when compared with both the PCM code disassembly and the actual
sensors. New transfer functions were developed and applied to the latest release of the
DataMaster software.

This White paper is not in any way a comprehensive characterization of these MAP
sensors; this would require thermal chambers, aging, power supply variation and
devices from many production lots and it well beyond the scope of this paper. What we
see here gives us a first-pass snapshot at what the actual transfer equations and should
be suitable for normal engine diagnoses.

65
Table 1: GM 16254539 2-Bar MAP sensor Calibration Values
RPM3 Corrected Calc kPa = ( 0.781 * N ) kPa = ( 0.781 * N )
kPa reading Sensor A/D Value + 8 +9
Vout Equ kPa Error Equ kPa Error
207.04 4.965 253.23 205.77 1.27 206.77 0.27
203.92 4.895 249.66 202.98 0.94 203.98 -0.06
199.91 4.795 244.57 199.01 0.91 200.01 -0.10
195.90 4.695 239.47 195.03 0.87 196.03 -0.13
191.91 4.596 234.38 191.05 0.86 192.05 -0.14
187.89 4.496 229.28 187.07 0.82 188.07 -0.18
183.90 4.396 224.19 183.09 0.81 184.09 -0.19
179.91 4.296 219.09 179.11 0.80 180.11 -0.20
175.96 4.196 214.00 175.13 0.83 176.13 -0.17
171.94 4.096 208.90 171.15 0.79 172.15 -0.21
167.95 3.996 203.80 167.17 0.78 168.17 -0.22
163.97 3.896 198.71 163.19 0.78 164.19 -0.22
159.98 3.796 193.61 159.21 0.77 160.21 -0.23
156.00 3.696 188.52 155.23 0.77 156.23 -0.23
152.00 3.597 183.42 151.25 0.75 152.25 -0.25
148.01 3.497 178.33 147.28 0.74 148.28 -0.27
144.04 3.397 173.23 143.30 0.74 144.30 -0.26
140.06 3.297 168.14 139.32 0.74 140.32 -0.26
136.08 3.197 163.04 135.34 0.74 136.34 -0.26
132.10 3.097 157.95 131.36 0.74 132.36 -0.26
128.14 2.997 152.85 127.38 0.76 128.38 -0.24
124.17 2.897 147.76 123.40 0.77 124.40 -0.23
120.19 2.797 142.66 119.42 0.77 120.42 -0.23
116.22 2.697 137.57 115.44 0.78 116.44 -0.22
112.24 2.598 132.47 111.46 0.78 112.46 -0.22
108.27 2.498 127.38 107.48 0.79 108.48 -0.21
104.30 2.398 122.28 103.50 0.80 104.50 -0.20
100.34 2.298 117.19 99.52 0.82 100.52 -0.18
96.39 2.198 112.09 95.54 0.85 96.54 -0.15
92.42 2.098 107.00 91.57 0.86 92.57 -0.15
88.46 1.998 101.90 87.59 0.88 88.59 -0.13
84.51 1.898 96.81 83.61 0.90 84.61 -0.10
80.51 1.798 91.71 79.63 0.88 80.63 -0.12
76.56 1.698 86.62 75.65 0.91 76.65 -0.09
72.59 1.598 81.52 71.67 0.92 72.67 -0.08
68.63 1.499 76.43 67.69 0.94 68.69 -0.06
64.63 1.399 71.33 63.71 0.92 64.71 -0.08
60.63 1.299 66.24 59.73 0.90 60.73 -0.10
56.68 1.199 61.14 55.75 0.93 56.75 -0.07
52.74 1.099 56.05 51.77 0.97 52.77 -0.03
48.78 0.999 50.95 47.79 0.99 48.79 -0.01
44.82 0.899 45.86 43.81 1.01 44.81 0.01
40.85 0.799 40.76 39.83 1.02 40.83 0.02
36.91 0.699 35.67 35.86 1.06 36.86 0.06
32.94 0.599 30.57 31.88 1.06 32.88 0.06
28.98 0.500 25.48 27.90 1.08 28.90 0.08
25.02 0.400 20.38 23.92 1.10 24.92 0.10
21.06 0.300 15.29 19.94 1.12 20.94 0.12
17.07 0.200 10.19 15.96 1.11 16.96 0.11

66
13.08 0.100 5.10 11.98 1.10 12.98 0.10

Table 2: GM 16040749 3-Bar MAP sensor Calibration Values

RPM3 Corrected Calc kPa = ( 1.22 * N ) kPa = ( 1.23 * N ) +
kPa reading Sensor A/D Value + 2.2 2.2
Vout Equ kPa Error Equ kPa Error
313.66 4.965 253.23 311.14 2.52 313.67 -0.01
309.02 4.895 249.66 306.79 2.24 309.28 -0.26
302.67 4.795 244.57 300.57 2.10 303.02 -0.35
296.40 4.695 239.47 294.35 2.05 296.75 -0.35
290.04 4.596 234.38 288.14 1.90 290.48 -0.44
283.69 4.496 229.28 281.92 1.77 284.21 -0.52
277.41 4.396 224.19 275.71 1.70 277.95 -0.54
271.05 4.296 219.09 269.49 1.56 271.68 -0.63
264.79 4.196 214.00 263.27 1.52 265.41 -0.62
258.47 4.096 208.90 257.06 1.41 259.15 -0.68
252.17 3.996 203.80 250.84 1.33 252.88 -0.71
245.80 3.896 198.71 244.63 1.18 246.61 -0.81
239.55 3.796 193.61 238.41 1.14 240.35 -0.80
233.24 3.696 188.52 232.19 1.05 234.08 -0.84
226.98 3.597 183.42 225.98 1.00 227.81 -0.83
220.70 3.497 178.33 219.76 0.94 221.55 -0.85
214.44 3.397 173.23 213.55 0.90 215.28 -0.84
208.19 3.297 168.14 207.33 0.86 209.01 -0.82
201.94 3.197 163.04 201.11 0.83 202.74 -0.80
195.66 3.097 157.95 194.90 0.76 196.48 -0.82
189.39 2.997 152.85 188.68 0.71 190.21 -0.82
183.14 2.897 147.76 182.47 0.68 183.94 -0.80
176.87 2.797 142.66 176.25 0.62 177.68 -0.81
170.62 2.697 137.57 170.03 0.59 171.41 -0.79
164.37 2.598 132.47 163.82 0.55 165.14 -0.77
158.15 2.498 127.38 157.60 0.55 158.88 -0.73
151.90 2.398 122.28 151.39 0.52 152.61 -0.71
145.66 2.298 117.19 145.17 0.49 146.34 -0.68
139.44 2.198 112.09 138.95 0.49 140.07 -0.63
133.23 2.098 107.00 132.74 0.49 133.81 -0.58
127.00 1.998 101.90 126.52 0.48 127.54 -0.54
120.78 1.898 96.81 120.31 0.48 121.27 -0.49
114.56 1.798 91.71 114.09 0.47 115.01 -0.45
108.34 1.698 86.62 107.87 0.47 108.74 -0.40
102.13 1.598 81.52 101.66 0.47 102.47 -0.34
96.02 1.499 76.43 95.44 0.58 96.21 -0.19
89.82 1.399 71.33 89.23 0.60 89.94 -0.12
83.61 1.299 66.24 83.01 0.60 83.67 -0.06
77.40 1.199 61.14 76.79 0.61 77.40 0.00
71.20 1.099 56.05 70.58 0.62 71.14 0.06
64.97 0.999 50.95 64.36 0.61 64.87 0.10
58.79 0.899 45.86 58.14 0.65 58.60 0.19
52.60 0.799 40.76 51.93 0.67 52.34 0.26
46.40 0.699 35.67 45.71 0.69 46.07 0.33

67
40.22 0.599 30.57 39.50 0.72 39.80 0.42
34.04 0.500 25.48 33.28 0.76 33.54 0.51
27.85 0.400 20.38 27.06 0.79 27.27 0.58
21.66 0.300 15.29 20.85 0.81 21.00 0.66
15.47 0.200 10.19 14.63 0.84 14.73 0.74
9.22 0.100 5.10 8.42 0.80 8.47 0.75

68