[BobSaabit]

[Hey, hey, hey, he said "unit". ]

Tech II has arrived. Some questions about the physical unit:

1. My PCMCIA card slots are very tight. You have to push or pull hard to get a card in-out. Normal? (Note: the slots on one side are a little non-right-angle... bad assembly?).

2. My PCMCIA card rattles inside if I shake it. The board is not tight in there. Concern?

3. When my Tech II starts up, the "SYSTEM INITIALIZING" message is wrapping around the screen. See photo below. Concern?

4. What's the function of the "lever" highlighted below (second photo)?

 

[CJPeterborough]

1.Tight is normal best to use with one card as most of the clones seem to suffer from this.I have never used mine with two cards
at the same time as its too tight a fit.

General rule of thumb if its seated and working leave it alone.


2.Shouldnt rattle..you can easily split the case a check the board if fixed correctly.


3.Normal


4.Lever locks the VCI module in place..slide across and it will push out.

 

[BobSaabit]

Thanks. I pushed myself to RTFM and learned a bit more.

Just curious... why would you ever change the VCI module? Repair only?
Is Candi only for the 2003+ cars?

 

[CJPeterborough]

Thanks. I pushed myself to RTFM and learned a bit more.

Just curious... why would you ever change the VCI module? Repair only?
Is Candi only for the 2003+ cars?

Its fairly normal to have to take the unit apart if you start getting comms errors usually there is an alignment issue iternally...and yes the VCI modules fail...not recommended to crank the car for example with the unit just powered from the obd port at some point you will run out of luck.
Some mod the VCI (voltage control module) to make it better.
Yes to the CANDI question...dont have it in line for a non CANDI (ie OG 9-3/9-5) car you risk blowing it.

 

[Mimmi]

1: You have poorly assembled PCMCIA cards, which are too thick. Originals are thinner.
2: See #1.
3: Bad software (if it works, ignore this).
4: Lever is VCI locking lever. Lever is secured and locked when you connect main cable connector.

Candi is needed to all ng 9-3 and 2006-> 9-5.

 

[jagojago]

3: Bad software (if it works, ignore this).

What makes you think it's bad software? IMO this is the case for the handful I've seen and they all work fine.

 

[Mimmi]

Lousy software, placement incorrect.

 

[CJPeterborough]

What makes you think it's bad software? IMO this is the case for the handful I've seen and they all work fine.

Yes mine has done this for 4 years....with half a dozen different pcmcia cards.

 

[BobSaabit]

Yes mine has done this for 4 years....with half a dozen different pcmcia cards.

Dare I speak for another poster... I think he means "poor programming by the software developer", which I'd agree with EDIT: I suppose it could be a clone hardware design that's a minor bit different than the originals if it's only in the clones (?).

...not recommended to crank the car for example with the unit just powered from the obd port at some point you will run out of luck.

Noted. Any other "dumb things I might unknowingly do"? Will I prolong the life of the Tech II in general if I use full time power from another source?

Some mod the VCI (voltage control module) to make it better. Yes to the CANDI question...dont have it in line for a non CANDI (ie OG 9-3/9-5) car you risk blowing it.

Is this documented somewhere in this forum or elsewhere? I might get to that eventually.

 

[Diggs]

Yeah, don't shake it or drop it.

 

[CJPeterborough]

Dont fold the cables too much ....basically if you get a comms problem checking continuity across all the various plugs is an afternoons work.


Treat your new baby gently......


Summary of the mods I have been able to find fyi


Tech2 mods

voltage regulator

http://diy-tech2.blogspot.com/

https://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=567490

USB conversion

https://www.tech2wiki.com/doku.php?...ni_usb_connector_johnjocke_s_usb_modification