CAN Bus Diagnostics

What is a CAN Bus?

CAN = Controller Area Network
Network for sending messages between controllers
Two Types:
Commands
Requested information
-Requests = Asks for a piece of information
-Response = Sends back an answer
` -Acknowledgements = received requested data

Broadcast Information
-Node sends information on a time schedule.
-This data used by many nodes and is not requested (automatically
broadcasted)
Broadcast information is sent out on a timed basis (about once a second).
Many controllers need to know what engine RPM is so the engine control module will
broadcast engine RPM constantly and does not need to be requested all of the time.
This way, CAN bus traffic is actually reduced due to reduction in requests and
acknowledgments being sent.

Requested information is not usually broadcast.

A request if followed by a response which is followed by an acknowledgment of that
response.

Where did CAN come from?

Developed by Bosch in early 1980’s

CAN was initially intended for automotive vehicles

CAN specification 1.2 adopted as ISO and SAE

standards

CAN specification 2.0 (Sept 1991) adopted as

SAE J1939 and ISO11783 standards

1991 Mercedes S-class was the first production vehicle

CAN Bus Diagnostics 2

Basic Can Bus Diagnostics
Advantages of a CAN Network

TOUGH - intended for a harsh environment.

High-speed - 256K baud.

Reduced harness sizes.

Flexibility – Options can be added to a vehicle easily.

Diagnostics
On-board – Accessed through VT
Off-board - Accessed through ET and EDT
Self-diagnostics - Stored codes
A properly shielded CAN bus can survive in a very harsh physical and electrostatic
environments.

Our CAN bus is 256 Baud which is the standard for a J1939 CAN Bus. Some systems
are over 620 baud.
The faster the speed the better CAN bus is needed to handle the transmission speed.
Faster CAN signals send less current with each Bit. For this reason the message is
easier to corrupt.

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 3

Basic Can Bus Diagnostics

Flow of Data
Information that is shared between different controllers or nodes.
Similar to a telephone line.
Node = is a device connected to a computer network. A node can be a computer, sensor,
module, or various other network appliances.
Two wires can broadcast information amongst several nodes.
This will greatly reduce the amount of wire on a machine.
This will also allow optional equipment to be installed on the machine to work with
existing computer systems.

Arbitration
All devices connected to a J1939 data link have an equal opportunity to transmit a message
when the data link is not being used by another device (data link is idle)
There is no master bus controller in a CAN network. If each device has equal opportunity to
transmit on an idle data link and if there is no one in charge, sounds like we’re asking for
trouble.
If two devices start transmitting as soon as the data link is idle, won’t messages collide?
This problem is solved by establishing a priority level for messages and by each device
comparing what it is transmitting to what it is receiving. The lower the priority number, the
greater the importance of the message.
Therefore, a priority of zero is the highest priority. Any device that wishes to transmit a
message, regardless of the message priority, must first wait until the data link is idle.

CAN Bus Diagnostics 4

 Communication Buses

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 5

Basic Can Bus Diagnostics

Communication Speed
Busses are designed to operate at 35% load.
Can you imagine 10 people trying to speak at the same time with 3 different
subjects being discussed.
The pace needs to be slowed with breaks between each message
This way all controllers can make requests
Sort through all information being broadcast
Respond to each request appropriately
This controls bus traffic and maintains bus loading

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 6

 Communication Buses

This is a simple CAN Bus system. In this system there are four simple 120 ohm terminator,
and 6 controllers.
The terminator has 2 wires (yellow and a green)
They are what transfer and protect the data between controllers.
CAN high and CAN low wires (green and yellow) are twisted to help prevent
induced current.
The green (CAN Lo) and yellow wires (CAN High) are the two wires that carry
the messages between controllers.
Each controller has 2 CAN bus wires going into it.
Some controllers have the power and ground wires also entering the processors.
These are the green and yellow wires (CAN high and CAN low). Only the green and
yellow wires carry the messages.

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 7

 End of Section Review

What does CAN stand for?

List three advantages of CAN Bus.

___________________________
___________________________
___________________________

What are the two types of communication messages

transmitted on the CAN Bus?
_________________________
_________________________

What color represents:

CAN HIGH___________________

CAN LOW____________________

CAN Bus Diagnostics 8

 Voltage
Controller Supplement Voltage

ECU’s have the ability to add voltage to the CAN – this feature is used to help stabilize the
nominal 2.5 carrier voltage. If the carrier voltage is a stable 2.5 volts it is easier for the
ECU’s to recognize the voltage transitions during a message
The actual voltage varies across product lines and can vary from model to model in
machines.
Be aware that when testing CAN communication wires with an ohmmeter, that voltage will
be present with the terminators removed and key on.

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 9

 Voltage
What is a good message
There will always be an equal and opposite reaction in voltages from nominal voltage.
(Mirror Image)
You could imagine a headlight signal from a headlight switch getting corrupted and being
interpreted as a turn on the PTO. This would be BAD.

Pico Scope display of a

CAN Bus message
CAN High and CAN low
Can Bus Voltages should always be a
4
mirror image of each
other splitting at about
3.5 2.5 Volts

3
Volts

2.5 Can_H
Can_L

1.5

1
Time
This is an example of one 64 bit message as seen on a Pico scope that is monitoring CAN
hi voltage on one line and CAN low on the other line.

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 10

 Voltage

Volt Meter
A voltmeter has limitations and cannot see the individual parts of the message.
Instead an approved voltmeter set to DC voltage will display the averages of CAN High and
CAN Low voltages.
If nominal voltage is 2.5 Volts:
CAN high and low will have an even split from 2.5V.
•If CAN High is 2.8
•CAN Low should be __________________

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 11

 Voltage
Basic Message

Who sent – who intended for – what address – value of address - end
Engine Node – Transmission Node - Engine Load – 85% load – end

Bus Idle Arbitration Field Cont Data Field CRC Field ACK EOF Int Bus Idle
rol

11 Bit Identifier 18 Bit Identifier D Data (0-8 Bytes)15 Bits

L
C
Message Frame

Computer Language Measurements

Bits is a (1 or 0), (off or on)
8 Bits is like a message made up of 8 numbers
11000101 or (off, off, on, on, on, off, on, off)
Bytes is how many bits of information is stored
1000 bit = kilobyte, is (1000 switches turned on or off) to remember a message or
messages.
Baud is how fast you can transfer this data.
1000 (8 Bits messages per second) 8000 bits = or 8Kilobits/second or 8K/baud.

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 12

 Bus Lines
Diagnostic Connector

Diagnostic Connectors
There is a distinct shape to all diagnostic
connectors where the pin locations form an arrow.

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 13

 Lab Exercise
Voltages

CAN Bus Diagnostics 14

Intentionally Left Blank
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CAN Bus Diagnostics 15

 Voltage
Normal Voltages Expected

4.2V

.8V How do you check a system that does not

communicate with ET?

The system can be checked with an

approved DVOM set on the 0-20 Volt scale
or equivalent.
2.4V Ground
12V These are normal voltage readings taken
with a voltmeter

Each CAN or communication line should be

2.6V an even split from 2.5V to work properly

The CAT Data link should be equal to 5v,

similar to the CAN network but not an even
split

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 16

 End of Section Review

Nominal voltage should be about ___________volts.

CAN High should always measure______________ nominal voltage.

CAN Low should always measure _______________ nominal voltage.

CAT Data Link uses how many terminators? __________________

The CAN network on the “K2” Series uses how many terminators?
_____________________

CAN Bus Diagnostics 17

 Terminators
What Does a Terminator Do?
A terminator is a device that has a resistor between CAN High and CAN Low at the ends of
a can bus that will allow mirror image deviations in voltage from CAN High to go to CAN Low
to reach equilibrium

Terminator Definitions
Terminators = terminates electrical signals at the end of the bus and stops static and
signal echo’s

Passive terminator = terminates messages at the end of the CAN bus but does not add
voltage to the CAN Bus

Active Terminator = set nominal voltage, and terminate messages at the end of the
CAN bus

Smart Terminator are computer chip controlled able to change termination value based
on variables (number of ECMs, Length of harness, ambient temperature).

Nominal voltage = the voltage level that is trying to be maintained (about 2.5 volts)

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 18

 Terminators
Passive Terminator
End of CAN System
120 ohm resistance (passive terminators)
Between A&B

There are passive terminator resistors for

each end of Powertrain and Aux CAN
buses
60 ohm total resistance

Does not help to power the CAN

Bus

Wiring that links Modules

Yellow – CAN High
Pin A
Green – CAN Low
Pin B
Grey Shielded – Ground
Foil Wrap for shielding
Pin C which is NOT used on
C-series

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 19

 Resistance Lab

CAN Bus Diagnostics 20

 Trouble Shooting
Open Circuit
 CAN voltage can be checked anywhere on the bus.
 CAN buses should stay the same because each controller will work as an active
terminator to maintain nominal voltage.
 Resistance checks can be done to aid in diagnostics.
 Harness must be isolated to find broken wire.

Battery Isolate harness

Check each wire

individually

120Ω 120Ω

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 21

 Trouble Shooting
Total Resistance Cab & Aux

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 22

 End of Section Review

What type of Terminators do we use on a CAN network______________

If the Engine CAN Bus is operating properly resistance should measure about
______ ohms.

If the Dash CAN Bus is operating properly resistance should measure about
______ ohms.

On the Dash or Engine Bus, with one simple terminator removed, resistance
will measure about ____________ ohms.

CAT Data link uses what type of terminators? _______________

CAN Bus Diagnostics 23

 Poor Power Supply

Poor Power Supply If adequate system voltage is not supplied to the

CAN Bus or controllers, both voltages could tend to migrate below normal
nominal voltage.

On other CAN buses, both voltages would decrease.

These CAN buses should stay the same because each controller should work
to maintain nominal voltage.

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 24

 Shielding

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 25

 Induced Current
If a wire is routed beside a wire with high current flow in one direction, a magnetic field will
be created by the high current flow.
The magnetic field will then induce a current (start current flowing) in the second wire.
Starters, wiper motors, and high current in wires can cause magnetic fields.

Current Flow

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 26

 Induced Current

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 27

 Induced Current

Corrupted Messages
 Digital messages transmitted on J1939 data link may be corrupted by electromagnetic
interference (EMI), standing waves (reflections), or by other means such as intermittent
opens or shorts between the two conductors.
 J1939 (CAN) uses several techniques to detect and handle these potential errors. If an
error is detected by any device connected to the J1939 data link, the corrupted
message is discarded and the message is retransmitted. One of the techniques used to
detect errors is called cyclic redundancy check-sum or CRC. Each device on the data
link calculates a unique check-sum for each message at the completion of the
message.
 If the check-sum calculated by any device differs from that calculated by the originating
device, it indicates that something different was received than what was actually
transmitted. The message is then retransmitted. This is the digital communications
equivalent of saying “no, that’s not what I said”.

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CAN Bus Diagnostics 28

 End of Section Quiz

Name three ways messages can be corrupted

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

What color wire is used for CAN High and CAN LOW?
CAN High ___________
CAN Low ___________

If CAN High is 2.85v, CAN Low should be ________ v.

CAN Bus Diagnostics 29