Alternative mpg computer retrofit

[nowhhs]

I've been looking through old posts for information regarding alternatives to a Scangauge, since my car is OBD1, and the mpg version of the superMid doesn't seem to be making any progress. I've tried the soundcard in the laptop method and I wasn't able to get anything usable, just a lot of wildly fluctuating numbers. Then I found Bobski's excellent installation of the 88 Legend computer and decided to try that. While I was at the junkyard this morning, I didn't find an acura, but did find one out of an '89 Lebaron which looks like it should work. My question: does anyone have a shop manual with an electrical diagram for that year (approximately) Dodge, Chrysler, or Plymouth that could tell me where the 9 wires connect? When I pulled it all the wires went directly into a very large taped harness so I couldn't trace them. If I can get this working, I'll do a write up with photos if anyone else is interested. Thanks in advance, Norm

[theholycow]

Check the usual places for free online shop manuals -- autozone's website, EBSCO (ask your local library), and maybe just google it up. Also, your local library may have the dead tree edition.

I assume this is the info from Bobski that you're talking about?
http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=4258

[nowhhs]

Thanks. I'd already googled for over an hour before I posted this and autozone doesn't have any information for this application. I didn't think of the library though, their online catalog says they have a Chiltons on the shelf so I'm on my way as soon as I finish typing this. I've not usually had good results with Chiltons, I refuse to buy them myself, but its worth a try.

That is the information from Bobski that I was referring to.

[theholycow]

Sometimes you can get an older Chilton or Haynes book for ~$5 shipped on eBay. That might be a reasonable alternative when you refuse to buy one but want it.

[nowhhs]

Thanks again, the library had what I needed, not a Chiltons though. I guess in this age of digital information overload, I had forgotten the old "dead tree" methods. I'll let everybody know if I get this working.

[101mpg]

Let me know if you come up with something. I'd love to get the same thing in my CRX.

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

The Chrysler ones use a vehicle specific information bus, forgot what it's called, wanna say SMbus .... will try and remember some places to begin looking and come back later.

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Ah, it's called the CCD bus

A few details...
http://www.kolumbus.fi/juha.niinikos...cd_display.htm

Now if you have a Chrysler vehicle, you can do without the navigator/traveller by using a palm pilot or laptop to translate that info through an interface, but duplicating those signals to get a Chrysler trip computer to work would take as much effort as scratch building one.

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Dunno if these google books links work but...
http://books.google.ca/books?id=Urug...sult#PPA419,M1