BMW GT1 diagnostic head (yellow head)

[revtor]

Update 2014-05-25 - I'm no longer looking for a GT1 diagnostic head!

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I broke my BMW GT1 diagnostic head (yellow head) in a stupid experiment and am looking for a replacement. My diagnostic head was a Chinese clone but it diagnosed and coded tons of modules and I always found it very reliable.

The early Chinese clones had a poor reputation but I thought that had been ironed out for a long time, and thus I got myself a brand new Chinese clone. It didn't work... It could read some modules but not all modules my old head could. I had it replaced, but the replacement did not work either. I even got one from another seller but it showed the same issues. Nothing is wrong with the modules I'm trying to diagnose - I can read them just fine with another diagnostic interface. However, I'm not interested in serial/USB solutions like ADS/OBD/D-CAN interfaces, nor newer BMW offerings like ICOM. I just want a working yellow head!

Since my old yellow head worked like a charm, I'm looking for someone who has the same unit and wants to sell it. For reference, here's a picture of the yellow head I'm looking for:



I am only interested in this particular model. I bought mine in 2009 but I don't know the exact years of production of this model. If yours has different connectors or different printing on the front... Sorry, not interested.

If you have this diagnostic head and wish to sell it, reply here or send me a private message and let me know what you want for it. Please also include a picture showing the front like in my picture above so I can confirm the model.

Thanks!

[MParallel]

I have that exact head. How do the clones differ, any idea?

From what I learned, the €250 laptop+cable+DIS/Inpa/NCS/Progman can do everything like this GT1. The only thing only possible with the head and not with anything else is new ECU programming.

[revtor]

You don't happen to sell it, do you? Your price is mine...

I have no idea about the exact differences between the clones, but there are probably subtle hardware and firmware differences depending on what components can be had cheap at the moment of production. I assume not every change is tested equally well to confirm full compatibility with the original. The new clones I tried did actually work correctly on some modules in my E31 (so they were definitely not dead), but failed to communicate with the majority of modules. Nothing is wrong with those modules - my old head could read them just fine and I can still read them with an ADS interface.

The reason I don't simply use the ADS interface is because I need an interface with Ethernet connectivity. I don't use a single diagnostic laptop like most do. I run DIS, INPA,... virtualized on very powerful hardware quite an end away from where I diagnose and code cars. In the garage or on my diagnostics bench I simply connect the GT1 head to an Ethernet switch or use a wireless client bridge. I connect to the virtual machines from another computer via remote desktop. I can even use a wireless tablet or small laptop for that and even though I'm operating the diagnostic software on a low-power device, it's lightning fast because it actually runs remotely on powerful hardware. The Ethernet or wireless connections give me maximum flexibility. I really love this setup and would hate to lose it...

[MParallel]

I really need mine just like you. Mipy setup is nowhere near yours now, but having an E36 M3 SMG, it's just mandatory to be able to do good and reliable diagnosis and stuff like system bleeding.

I'll ask around for you though.

[Driiven]

What is the issue with your current head? Does it power up? Does it come up in DIS with ip address? Chinese are now making them in a casing identical to the the mb star setup so I am certain a redesign was done to fit into those dimensions. I haven't used the new yellowheads yet though. Ironically enough I just sold twolike you are looking for that I fixed from a shop down in MD who upgraded I upgraded to an icom setup.

[revtor]

Driiven: My old GT1 diagnostic head is completely dead. I've destroyed it very thoroughly .

Because my old head was a Chinese clone it did not have the built-in wireless network card like the real Siemens heads. I did however build a wireless client bridge allowing me to use the head wireless as well. That worked very well, but it was an external box with extra wiring. I wanted to get rid of that extra wiring so I decided to mount the wireless client bridge in the GT1 enclosure. There was just enough space inside. I wanted to give my construction a quick test on a car before putting everything back together and then I did something terribly stupid. As you may know the GT1 has 3 circuit boards. Two mainboards and a small connector board. The connector board is hooked up to the mainboard by a ribbon cable that can be detached. Lack of sleep, a poorly lit garage... I don't know, but I managed to plug in that ribbon cable reversed. The connector is not keyed so I didn't notice my mistake until I inserted the diagnostic plug. There was a flash, there was a bang and there was smoke...

I've replaced all components that were visibly damaged or those that gave weird readings, but I'm afraid the mainboards took a serious hit. That's beyond my skills and equipment.

[MParallel]

I had no idea that the GT1 yellow head could be operated wireless. That would save me that annoying cable.

What exactly do I need to do to run it wireless (sorry to pap the topic).

Do you have an idea what the green button on the back is for and that port that is there?

[revtor]

MParallel: The genuine Siemens GT1 diagnostic heads do have a PCMCIA wireless card built-in. The Chinese clones do not. It's probably possible to add wifi to the better clones by soldering the socket onto the PCB (just as is possible with the missing PCI wireless card in ICOM clones), but finding a compatible PCMCIA wireless card may be challenging nowadays. We are talking nineties technology here.

I used a different approach: A miniature TP-Link TL-W703N router, stripped from its enclosure and all sockets desoldered to make it as small as possible, powered through an automotive 12-to-5 V DC-to-DC converter, and running a custom openwrt firmware configured as wireless client. To the diagnostic head it looks like it's connected over wired Ethernet but it is actually wireless. Because the TL-W703N supports the relatively modern 802.11n wireless protocol instead of 802.11 or 802.11b from the original PCMCIA wireless card in the genuine Siemens diagnostic heads, it should provide a more stable wireless connection and a much better range.

Please note that only diagnostics and perhaps coding should be done over wireless connections. Always use wired connections for programming! It's not really an issue if the connections drops for a moment during diagnostics and even coding, but during programming it can be fatal to the module.

With regards to the items on the back... The BMW documentation writes "Recorder button (for future applications)" and "Nine-pin interface (for future applications)". Not sure they were ever used - I guess not. Some of the GT1 clones use the button as reset button, but I don't know whether it acts as a reset button on the genuine GT1 as well.

[MParallel]

But how do I activate the wireless card in the genuine head? Is this through DIS?

You bought yours in 2009. Me too. Did you perhaps bought one from Roland as well (who resides in Belgium).

[revtor]

MParallel: In DIS: Administration > Connection setup. Here you can choose between connection via cable or via radio (wifi).

I got mine from the UK.

[MParallel]

Thanks. Will give it a try. If my new(er) laptop even supports the older wireless format.

[revtor]

In the end I was unable to get the same clone. Several people got in touch but no one had exactly the same version. Since I already tried 4 other diagnostic heads that did not work on the E31, I didn't want to take any risk.

So I got myself something better: A genuine Siemens diagnostic head! The seller did not want to part with just the head so I had to take the entire Group Tester One system as well. I don't mind - I like vintage stuff .



The Group Tester One is actually a nice piece of gear. It offers wireless operation and test leads are provided to turn the device into a digital multimeter and oscilloscope. At 3.8 kilograms it may not fit today's definition of a tablet but it works really well. I'm sure it was an invaluable piece of equipment back in the days...

I also took a closer look at the internals of the Siemens diagnostic head and my old Chinese clone. I used to consider the build quality of my clone quite good, but the Siemens is clearly in another league and uses superior brands of components.

Although I was quite satisfied with my old clone, my recent experiences with Chinese clones make that I can no longer recommend these. My bad experiences are not limited to just the GT1 diagnostic head. Recently I tested a modern ISTA/D system with Chinese ICOM interface and guess what... It had issues with the E31 as well (loss of communication after a while)! Clones may be fine for more recent bimmers, but I would steer clear away from them for E31 era bimmers. Chances that you'll find a working one now are like winning the lottery.

[MParallel]

That is pretty sweet! Doesn't matter it's 3,8kg, it's cool. Wouldn't mind having that. Probably faster as an old laptop I guess?

Do you need that GT1 device to turn the yellow head into multimeter? Always had a feeling that these two were multimeter lead sockets given there size and color. Have no idea how though.

Here's mine

[revtor]

Apart from booting up which takes like ages it feels quite snappy, but a native install on an old IBM T30 should give you about the same performance. Only if you run the system in a virtual machine you need relatively powerful hardware to match the native speed.

The documentation writes that the red and black sockets on the diagnostic head are used for voltage measurements, but I don't know where or when. The digital multimeter and oscilloscope functionality I mentioned is entirely on the Group Tester One. The diagnostic head does not even have to be connected. The functionality is accessed through the "Measuring system" button on the DIS main screen. Depending on what you want to measure (voltage, current, resistance, frequency,...) you connect the MFK1 or MFK2 multifunction cable or a 50 A current clamp to the Group Tester One.

[MParallel]

Hmm I see. Any idea then where the red/black sockets on the head for is? There's also another socket on the front I have never used. It's next to the large one to connect the OBDII or 20-pins connector too.

[revtor]

Any idea then where the red/black sockets on the head for is?

Like I said in my previous message: The documentation writes that the red and black sockets on the diagnostic head are used for voltage measurements, but I don't know where or when. I've never seen BMW/Siemens cables for it (although the connectors are standard 2 mm shrouded banana plugs).

There's also another socket on the front I have never used. It's next to the large one to connect the OBDII or 20-pins connector too.

That connector is only used with the DISplus system (not the Group Tester One) for selective test modules that require a hardwired rpm signal.

[MParallel]

Ah ok. Thanks.

[camilomartinez]

Hey revtor..


hope you are able to help me out..

i came acros this thread and I can see you got your hands on a real gt1.. I got one as well... And I would like to use this one instead of a clone and a normal laptop.. I just have one problem with mine.. The langue is in German.. I live in Denmark and I now it near by Germany but I can't understand a heck of the language..

i have surge the net, and I found some of the BMW manuals for the group tester one and as fare as I can read. The only thing I have to do to change the language is to update/ insert a software cd in english.. i ask the local dealer and the would not help me out..

I was hoping that you might have an English version and maybe could help me with a copy of the software??

best regards from Denmark.. And sorry for my english..

- - - Updated - - -

"Search the net"

[Gneugneu]

Hi Revtor,i'm Maxime from france..
I have a touchscreen gt1 like yours up...how do you connect it ??? do you use the little Lan adapters cables ??
thanks for answer..
i have also a problem with other configuration with t30+hdd not working with original siemens head..
i opened a thread about...
Can you help me please;.
thank you

[revtor]

I have a touchscreen gt1 like yours up...how do you connect it ??? do you use the little Lan adapters cables ??

I use the wireless connection (but wired works just as well).

If you want set up the wireless connection you will need a wired connection first. In order to connect the diagnostic head to the GT1 tablet you need to use the short Ethernet adapter cable with yellow marking that came with the GT1. In case you've lost it you can replace it with a male/female Ethernet crossover cable or adapter. The other adapter cable with grey marking is just a straight cable - not a crossover.

Once you have a (working) wired connection to the head you can switch to wireless connection in DIS: "Administration" > "Connection setup" and click the direct radio connection button (the right button).

[Gneugneu]

hi ,sent you an email..
you mean if i connect the head to the car ,i also need to connect the head with lan cable +crossover cable to the tablet? even if i use only the wired connection? if yes my problem can be here..

[Vladisem]

Hello
i just get original siemens yellow dk and bedeimteil gt1,also cables,but probably battery dead,no power,connected to car socket gt1 adaptor 9-28 v,but no power on touchscreen

regards
vlad

[Vladisem]

Hello
i just have got this hardware with lan ,lan adaptor,obd2 cable,9-28 v adaptor
gt1 pro mainbody battery probably dead
yellow dk working,but yellow bulb flashing,
at this moment using dell latitude 6100 laptop with diler level software dis v57,sss v32 progmann

[Vladisem]

Hi
After connecting gt1 tester and diag head,and starting diagnostic,receive message -diagnostic job not yet completed