26 replies to this topic

[phil242]

Hi,

As I live in France, no way to have access to a Rover Testbook T4 anymore

I received last week an Ebay auction with:
30055000 -> ACR 2 lines version
30056500 -> Rover POD 1 (for SPI)
30056700 -> Rover POD 2 (Rover MPI ?)
30211600 -> Rover SPI harness
30212400 -> Generic 16 pin harness, should be ok for Mini MPI

I try to read the fault code of my MPI Mini year 1997.

All I obtain with the Rover POD 2 & Generic harness is:
"ATTEMPTING COMMS LINK WITH ECU" then "ECU NOT TALKING SERIAL ERROR..." , loop again and again

I think the Rover pod 2 isn't good for Mini MPI.

I would like the advice of people who use SP tools: As I own an old 2 lines ACR unit & the 30212400 harness, what should I buy now: Rover POD 3 (30350800), 4 (30353200) or 5 (30358500) ???
I'm ready to buy the best one regarding the Mini, even if I need to wait for an Ebay auction.

I only target Mini, I don't have any interest on other Rover's car.

Thanks for your advices.

Phil

PS: I didn't test the SPI Mini, but I think I own everything for diagnostic this one .

[xrocketengineer]

Hi,

As I live in France, no way to have access to a Rover Testbook T4 anymore

I received last week an Ebay auction with:
30055000 -> ACR 2 lines version
30056500 -> Rover POD 1 (for SPI)
30056700 -> Rover POD 2 (Rover MPI ?)
30211600 -> Rover SPI harness
30212400 -> Generic 16 pin harness, should be ok for Mini MPI

I try to read the fault code of my MPI Mini year 1997.

All I obtain with the Rover POD 2 & Generic harness is:
"ATTEMPTING COMMS LINK WITH ECU" then "ECU NOT TALKING SERIAL ERROR..." , loop again and again

I think the Rover pod 2 isn't good for Mini MPI.

I would like the advice of people who use SP tools: As I own an old 2 lines ACR unit & the 30212400 harness, what should I buy now: Rover POD 3 (30350800), 4 (30353200) or 5 (30358500) ???
I'm ready to buy the best one regarding the Mini, even if I need to wait for an Ebay auction.

I only target Mini, I don't have any interest on other Rover's car.

Thanks for your advices.

Phil

PS: I didn't test the SPI Mini, but I think I own everything for diagnostic this one .

Hi,

Check out this site:

http://www.tmsmini.c...oper/sp_acr.htm

http://www.tmsmini.c...per/sp_acr2.htm

I believe that you need POD 3 and the 16 pin harness. I have an SPI and the ACR2. I use POD1 (I have POD 2 that can not use) and the 3 pin harness.

Hope this helps,

Ivan

[phil242]

http://www.tmsmini.c...oper/sp_acr.htm

http://www.tmsmini.c...per/sp_acr2.htm

I believe that you need POD 3 and the 16 pin harness. I have an SPI and the ACR2. I use POD1 (I have POD 2 that can not use) and the 3 pin harness.

Hi Yvan,

Yes it helps, many thanks for the post, the 2 URL you point me show the experience of Terry, with a Rover POD 3 & a MPI.

I have done again a little google hunt on this subject, and I've found this page:
http://www.craigroge...b15ad804377f9e2
According to Dave Yardy, the POD 3 is OK for SPI (same information from Terry), but he use POD 4 for MPI (differ from Terry).

If Dave Yardy doesn't use a POD 3 with MPI, while owning it, it's maybe because he got troubles. Dave, if you're here and read us, feel free to point us the correct way

The life is never simple with the Mini

Thanks for your help Yvan.

Phil

[mr.x]

You need a v4 pod. I've got one in mine and it works on my ACR4.

[phil242]

You need a v4 pod. I've got one in mine and it works on my ACR4.

Hi Mr.x,

Ok, so the POD 4 should be OK, but will it plug in my old 2 lines display ACR?
I have send some picture of my reader, can you please check if your POD 4 wil fit in mine ?

Here are the pics: Links HERE

Witch harness did you use ? 30212400 or 30214000 ?

Thanx

Phil

Edited by phil242, 05 July 2009 - 01:51 PM.

[mr.x]

I think the ACR2 will fit the V4 pod just fine. It looks like it will fit. I have the 30214000 harness.

[phil242]

Hi,

I just found someone selling a Rover POD 3 and the Rover dedicated harness 30214000.
This guys is a SP official dealer and told me the 4 lines unit (ACR4) accept the old POD without any problem, but the old 2 lines unit do an "error 01" when you plugged a new style POD. The shape is the same, but the error is on the protocol.
I think he said me the truth on this subject, since I told him I'll not buy an ACR4 + a Rover POD 5 .
So, for him, Rover POD 1 2 3 works on every ACR, POD 4 & 5 only on the ACR4.

I've order the POD 3 & cable, this time I should be OK for my MPI...

I'll have some spare POD & harness to sell over Ebay

I'll let you know the results, thanx all for your help !

Phil

[tmsmini]

I am glad that people are finding the information now on www.tmsmini.com useful, but please realize that is simply based on my experience and interpretation. This means I am no expert(or rocket scientist), but I am willing to share what I think I know.

If anyone with an SPi and an ACR would be willing to send me a list simlar to the one posted here for the MPi, I would appreciate it.
http://www.tmsmini.c...oper/sp_acr.htm

It is simply a list of the information from the ACR when reading the components. If you have the PC cable then the screen can be saved and exported to the PC.

Terry

PS: some of the links may not work, as I have not fully cleaned it up after moving from a windows system to a hosted linux system.

Edited by tmsmini, 10 July 2009 - 04:07 PM.

[elvisthepizzaman]

Hey Terry I noticed you make a mention of the communication errors regarding the 2J ecu and the new cable. I wonder what the difference is between the old cable and the new one. Perhaps you could pop open the big case and see if there is something different between the two. by the way check your email

Edited by elvisthepizzaman, 10 July 2009 - 07:08 PM.

[tmsmini]

I see where SP has a new reader out, the SPi
http://www.sptools.c...GB/Default.aspx

Can't find any information out about and I do not know how long it will be on the home page. Looks like about £1500. I wonder if it does alarm codes...

[xrocketengineer]

I am glad that people are finding the information now on www.tmsmini.com useful, but please realize that is simply based on my experience and interpretation. This means I am no expert(or rocket scientist), but I am willing to share what I think I know.

If anyone with an SPi and an ACR would be willing to send me a list simlar to the one posted here for the MPi, I would appreciate it.
http://www.tmsmini.c...oper/sp_acr.htm

It is simply a list of the information from the ACR when reading the components. If you have the PC cable then the screen can be saved and exported to the PC.

Terry

PS: some of the links may not work, as I have not fully cleaned it up after moving from a windows system to a hosted linux system.

Hi Terry,

What I have and works with the my 94 SPI is the (gray) ACR mod. 300550, (gray) Rover Pod 1 mod. 300565 and the three pin harness mod. 302116. I have not tested it extensively yet, however, it connected right up, read no error codes (new ECU) and I managed to cycle functions including the A/C condenser fan relay. I got the unit used from UK Ebay.
Interestingly enough, the unit came with Rover Pod 2 mod. 300567 also. The cover of the manual for this pod says "Rover MPI". But when you look in the applications list, there is no Mini anywhere.

Hope that helps,

Ivan

Edited by xrocketengineer, 11 July 2009 - 01:56 PM.

[tmsmini]

Darren:
here are the pictures of the inside of the cable housing:




Ivan:
I am looking for the listing of the information from the "components" section of the ACR when connected to the SPi. If you have the ACR2 then this is a transcription process which is very tedious as there is no downloading of saved screens to a PC.

I am curious if the components section lists the same components with the same data or if the ACR uses a different data set for the MEMS 1.9 in the SPi.

[phil242]

Hi Terry, nice to see you here

I have bought a Rover POD 3, and it works like a charm on my MPI !

I need to do find a SPI for doing tests, but the ECU reference are available in the menu of the menu, so it's 99% sure it's OK for SPI too. As I'll bring back my reader to the IMM 2009, I guess we can do extensive tests.

My conclusion is that with an old 2 lines ACR, the Rover POD 3 is enough for all SPI/MPI. For the Mini only, no need to buy 4 lines ACR or more sophisticated Rover POD.
Rover POD 1 is OK for the SPI, Rover POD 2 is useless for the Mini, even if it's writen "Rover MPI", it doesn't provide access to MEMS 2J ECU.

Thanks you for all your valuables advices.

Phil

Edited by phil242, 12 July 2009 - 07:00 AM.

[elvisthepizzaman]

did you try using the reader while the engine was running?

[phil242]

For the moment no, I have just do a 5 minutes test to be sure all is working to tell the seller I'm OK and keep the goodies.

I will do more tests and post here the capacity of the reader. Be interesting to see if POD 3, 4 or 5 have more function regarding the Mini.

Phil