DME breakout box - where can I get one?
 

All,

Looks to me like the DME breakout box is one fine tool to have around. Anyone have any idea where and approx. price of one of these?
Is this "dealer only" equipment?

Thanks,

Dave

Apologize for being uninformed but. . .for my benefit (and others who may not know). . .what is a DME breakout box?

Thanks,
Mike

The DME "breakout box" probably not the proper term, but it is diagnostic tool that you place in line with the ECM. It allows you to take voltage readings of all the pin outs of the DME components. (Pin out test harness) may be a better term. Porsche #000 721 954 30.

Thanks,

Dave

Dave,

Whether there is some restriction as to availability would only be a guess, but pricing it in the four to five figure range probably does that quite effectively. If you contacted some of the recyclers and asked about a burned out or physically damaged DME unit and damaged wiring harness ... one could be built fairly easily from those, but you need the connectors, male and female for the DME, at the very minimum.


------------------
Warren Hall
1973 911S Targa

First off, I did call Ogden motorcars in Woodland hills: Price for the Porsche one, 580$.
You can get the cable at baum tools, but I guess you need a box too...I'm not sure how much both will be.

I just checked on this myself. I assume that you, like me, just got the Bentley manual!
Anyway, here's what I was told by BaumTools...
www.baumtools.com

Kurt,

That is exactly what you want to use for a 84-89 Carrera. As a matter of
fact I have an '85 Carrera coupe and have the 60 pin box with the 35 pin
cable to work with the DME under the seat. You can run the car, as the
cable/break out box, sits in line between the DME and the car's 35 pin
connector, and check for component outputs which is really great! All you
need is a VOM or a DMM with the Break Out Box and cable and you are in
business. Also the new Bentley 84-89 911 Service Manual is awesome as it
has nominal values for the components in it. Used it recently to rehab my
915 tranny, install a new clutch and confirm my alternator was going south.
(You get about 40,000 mi on those things and then poof!)

We have boxes, cables, and books in stock!

Thanks for checking with us,
Bill


At 03:39 PM 1/15/01 -0600, you wrote:
>A020202 - 35 PIN BREAK OUT BOX CABLE
>ECU applications: Alfa, Audi, BMW, Citroen, Jaguar, Mercedes, Porsche, Saab,
>VW, Volvo.
>Priced at only $242.00
>
>Is this what would be used for 84-89 Porsche 3.2 911 Carrera?
>
>
>
>Kurt Bingham

------------------
Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

[This message has been edited by Kurt B (edited 01-15-2001).]

Rebuilt DME's at Vertex Auto for $399, plus $150 core charge.
http://www.**********.com/rebuiltdme.htm

Haven't seen anyone else carry them. Maybe Pelican Parts does, but just doesn't advertise on its website.

Kurt,

I didn't even think of Baum, thanks. Looks like a need a 60 pin box and then a 35 pin cable? Sound right? Total close to $800 from Baum.

Still of interest to me, what are you thinking?

Dave

I didn't price the breakout box itself...if I need that AND the cable and it comes to 800, hell I'll order the Porsche part alone from ogden motors. Yeah, my car has some FI problems, I'm ought to get that thing.
You can always take the back off the DME plug in and connect things that way as the Bentley manual recommends...it's just easier with the breakout box.


------------------
Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

I realize this is a couple years old but does anyone have one of these Baum tools cables/breakout boxes?

If you bought the adapter cable is the connector to the box something common that you could source and make your own BUD box style tester?

This might be of interest to you

http://www.geocities.com/protomotive/software.htm

Wow. A three year old thread.....I started building one so I thought I'd share my progress. The project is partially complete and as with many other things in my life has been moved down the priority queue temporarily.

I started with a bad DME box bought from a fellow Trackaholic and a short piece of an old harness with the proper 35 pin connector. It was not from a Carrera and was not fully populated(not every pin in the cable had a wire).

I removed both DME boards as they were bad anyway. I was left with a hollow box in the shape of a DME.

I decided I wanted all 35 wires so I could use it with any 35 pin system. I went to a local VW mechanic and took the 35 pin cable and connector to see if he had some extra pieces. He let me cut the end of a similar cable in a Audi Fox or somesuch vehicle(can't remember) for $10. It was not 35 pins, but I took the connector apart and took the pins with attached wires to add to the 35 pin connector I already had. It now has all 35 pins and 35 wires.

Next I drilled a large hole in the side of the old DME box near one of the inset supports on the inside. This will allow me to tie wrap and strain relief the cable extension as it enters the box.

Then I bought some banana jack receptacles and measured and drilled holes for the banana jack connectors. I put them in rows of 8 across (yes, I'm a software Engineer...binary, man) and color coded them based on functional groups. (power, ground, signals,etc).

What remains is to solder jumper wires from the 35 pin connector in the DME sidewall to the banana jacks and from the banana jacks through the extension cable in the picture to the other connector......and then poof, a DME breakout box appears.

I'll probably have about $70 or so in it by the time I finish. It isn't perfect, but I don't have the budget for the BAUM stuff.

I REALLY wish I could find a source for these connectors(35 pin DME) new. I tried to contact Bosch and met with a dead end. I could also use one of the DME relay connectors as mine has a socket that has corroded to non-existence. I met with the same problem. I can buy a new factory harness, but not just one replacement connector......bummer. If anyone knows where to get these new, please let me know.

Anyway, here are pictures of what I have so far..
Box sort of put together
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1100488122.jpg
Underside of lid showing banana connectors
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1100488170.jpg
This show the extension cable wires run into the box
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1100488214.jpg

That's excactly what I want. Did you unsolder the pins from the board?

Some one was saying they bought some Bosch DMEs from a BMW 535 cheap. Any one have one that they know has the same connector and could post the part number?

Yes I did unsolder the pins from the board before it was removed. I bent one row of the pins up at a higher angle to seperate them and make it easier to solder the new wires on. I will probably solder the jumpers on the pins first and then slide some heat shrink up over the solder joint.

Thought I'd bring this back up since I have some info on it. I tried to buy the Bosch Break out harness ( # 000 721 954 30) from Pelican, but was told it was NLA. Also tried Baum tools. They told me there might be one left in Germany for $1400. Called back and also said NLA.

But in looking about on the web, I learned that the break out box needed is a common automotive tool readily available. It is an 80 Pin box made by OTC (a division of SPX Owatonna, MN phone 507-455-7000). The part number is #3226 and it is an 80 pin universal break out box. The box is used to test many things, especially antilock break systems.

In addition to the breakout box, you also need a specific adapter cable for your application. There are many cables available for testing all sorts of older ECU and anitlocking breaking systems.

The one we need is # 3226-15 which is simply a 35 pin adapter cable.

If you try to buy these new they are expensive ($500 break out box, and $350 for the adapter cable) and availability, especially of the adapter cable, is very limited.

The good news is that these are out there. I got mine on the web from an internet used auto tools distributor for $160 delivered to my door, plus a bunch of other adapter cables for fords, gm's etc. So be on the look out for these at the usual used car tool sites you may visit, and, of course, EBAY.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1187479537.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1187479605.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1187479659.jpg

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1187479716.jpg

My home made box.
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1187525915.jpg

Very cool Derk. I was also going to build my own as well until I ran across the one pictured that I got for a pretty good price. I figured by the time I cobbled everything together it was better for me to just get the used non OEM product at that price.

I posted it so the Brethren of Pelican will appreciate what they are, if they find one for a good price at a garage sale, flea market, car tools auction, etc.

Charles