Hello! I’ve been working on a project for a little while and figured I’d share it here. For now, I’m just posting some photos, but I’m also working on a GitHub page to host the code I’ve created using a simple $20 Adafruit board. Adafruit RP2040 CAN Bus Feather with MCP2515 CAN Controller [STEMMA QT] : ID 5724 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits
I’ve managed to power on Sync 4 and interact with it to manage settings. As you can see, I’ve also gotten the IPC working. If anyone is interested, I can publish the project within the next week or two. This also works on sync 3 of course.
Side Note: I’ve also developed a custom PCB to simulate most of the IPC and Sync 4 functions. In addition to this, I’ve created a functioning app that allows you to interact with both and send custom canbus messages.
4 Likes
UPDATE: I’ve decided to add a Web GUI. It’s a web app that uses serial coms to the RP2040 Can Board via a USB Cable. I’ve tested this on Multiple Sync 4 APIMS, Sync 3 APIMS, 2024 Mustang IPC, Multiple 15-23 Mustang IPC, Digital Mustang IPC, Expedition IPC, and a Few F150 IPC. All worked and even got rid of the issue I had building a previous bench harness where only some APIMS would turn on and required changes in Forscan to get them to boot up.
Here’s a peak at what the GUI looks like.
I would like a little feedback, maybe some features you would like to see?
2 Likes
Hi Andrew. How is this project coming along? I’d love to try this out!
Hey @teecelly24, Pretty much complete. Just a matter of me putting together a Github page now and working out a little bit of the serial communication issues & adding a few missing functions. I have tested/added functionality for a wifi module(ESP32) to be added as well instead of having to be connected via usb. How inclined are you? Perhaps I can share some of the early code.
Take a look at the new GUI, any recommendations or key feature requests?
EDIT: Notice the CAN 1-4 & OBD 1-4. This allows for 4 different devices/modules to be connected at once and to isolate each. Then you can manually select which receive can messages and which are connected to the OBD Port. This likely wont function on the RP board but will on a later ESP32 board.
1 Like
Have you looked at using WebUSB/WebSerial with a standard OBD dongle instead of an RP/ESP32? I’m in the early stages of messing around with that approach.
@fpiu_2018 I have not honestly. Any benefit? I am using WebSerial to communicate with the board so no actual application has to run locally(Kinda). I also don’t think I will be using the RP2040 CAN. It lacks WiFi and a ESP32-s3 with a “CAN Pal” (TJA1051T/3) is cheaper & performs better.
Also the idea is to have something that will power an APIM/IPC then use your OBD port to interact/configure the device so 2 OBD ports seems like an odd approach. I initially designed a PCB with all of this but figured it would be easier for the average person to just buy off the shelf components. Oh and I’m awful at creating a 5v step down : )
