VIN from NB1/NB2 OBD ECUs?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,019
Total Cats: 368
From: Athens, Greece
VIN from NB1/NB2 OBD ECUs?
Question for you US guys. Can anyone confirm if they can read the VIN from a NB1/NB2 ECU with an OBD scan tool? Yes, it is of course possible on the NC and the ND but I was wondering on the US-spec NB1/NB2. First hand experience only please, as there is a lot of misinformation out there. EU NB1s don't even have OBD, NB2s have OBD but no VIN through the OBD.
Reply
0
0
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 248
Total Cats: 125
From: Laguna Niguel
Last year I did a CARB legal conversion of my 1991 to a 2005 drivetrain. It would not return a VIN.
It must have an OEM PCM to pass the Referee test. It also has to be certified as unmodified, retain OBDII coms, have no codes pending, and they will reset it during the test to make sure it is not spoofing the readiness state. The PCM was the hardest thing to satisfy the referee during my test. It would not return a VIN which then required a dealer having to certify that it was the correct PCM (Federal, 2005) for the emissions equipment. I tested 3 different PCM at the dealer to see if any of them would return a VIN. None did, but that helped me prove that mine was legit. If your car is a CA car, then you have to put in a CA PCM and emissions equipment. It was a pain, but it can be done.
Reply
0
0
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,019
Total Cats: 368
From: Athens, Greece
Thank you for confirming this. Given the EPA's recent hunt for modified vehicles, I was wondering how they would detect modified Miata ECUs, given that the NB1/NB2 ECUs don't return a VIN, a calibration ID or a calibration verification number.
Reply
0
0
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 248
Total Cats: 125
From: Laguna Niguel
Just looked at my printout from the dealership to see what info they could get. In my case:
Module number: 0XBP8R
Vehicle: MX-5 Miata
Engine Type: BP
Capacity: 1.8L
Transmission: Manual
Emission Level: Federal Emission
VIN: ################
Module number: 0XBP8R
Vehicle: MX-5 Miata
Engine Type: BP
Capacity: 1.8L
Transmission: Manual
Emission Level: Federal Emission
VIN: ################
Reply
0
0
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 6,019
Total Cats: 368
From: Athens, Greece
So the printout from the dealership returns a VIN? Maybe that happens when they use the dealership software (Mazda/Ford IDS) and not the generic OBD protocol. In my case (euro ECU), IDS does not return a VIN on my stock NB2 ECU.
Reply
0
0
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
tomiboy
Race Prep
5
Apr 2, 2012 01:18 PM
