rusefi.com

CAN protocol could be very simple. Just one ID for broadcasts of temperatures and one ID for broadcast of "I am a live" packet. Rusefi then can receives broadcasts and monitor if there is a "live" packet. If not, set a DTC and do some "error cleanup" (set default temps....

Yes, such packets are broadcasts and are not part of OBD. OBD was created mainly for monitor of polution system only. There are some types of cars where is some bus for broadcasts and for profi diag, but is NOT conform to OBD protocol. Try download J2178 pdfs (hope i am right in this number) There i...

set protocol to VPW: ATSP2 + enter get ident string: AT@1 + enter monitor vpw bus ATH1 +enter (to see header +crc bytes, else only data from bytes will be shown) ATMA +enter (to start monitoring) ...wait for incomming messages ... stop monitor mode simply by press ENTER or send any other character

Michael created AVR firmware compatible with ELM command set
and it is for j1850/vpw. It is open source.
http://www.mictronics.de/projects/j1850-vpw-interface/

You found very nice start page for you. I do not have any skills in vpw bus, but i do have knowledge in obd, can, ford pwm and Elm chip. I can help with it. You should study Elm327's pdf. There are very usufull and simple basic informations. What info is not on such page is you should first set appr...

I think there are no licence fee in j1850, so there should not be any trouble. Chinese fakes are worst, but Vpw is not such critical like Ford's pwm and it could woks. Elm can send lower layer packets with no relation to OBD protocol. It will autom. calculate crc on every packet, but whole packet co...

You could use ELM327, STN1100, no ?
There is a simple chip or you can bye whole product of OBD interface (with RS232).
It has simple AT commands for driving.

I would like Ford's 60pin also. Have Ford's 2.0DOHC engine in constructing and "direct" swap would be fine.

Hi, do you really want to go with switching power supply in automotive ? I think it is a bigger work to design it well than it seems. Every engine ECU what I saw until now had linear power s. I saw switch. p. only in clusters. What about transient peaks (100V ?) in +12V ? How good will be response, ...