Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Decoding GM's ALDL with Teensy 3.6


I want to log my Jeep's Engine Control Module (ECM) diagnostic data reliably and inexpensively any time the vehicle is running so I can tune it to pass emissions tests and reduce pollution.

To do that, I am using a new Teensy 3.6 microcontroller to first decode the data stream out of the ECM and then store it on a microSD card for later retrieval.

My Jeep is running a retrofitted General Motors #1227747 ECM, which is the brains of a mid-80's Throttle Body Injection (TBI) system found on Chevy and GMC trucks.

The ECM, which predates OBDII systems, spits out a serial data stream called Assembly Line Diagnostic Link (ALDL) at 160 baud. This data stream protocol is nothing like plain old RS-232 serial protocol, however...