I have a Dell 300mhz note book that works just fine for tunning my car. But the 9-pin serial port has become lose, and now I can not get it to talk to my cars ecm

Can anyone fix stuff like this, or an I going to have to look for a used note book.

 

I can probably do it, it sounds like the mainboard may need to be replaced.
A used board for a Dell CPi D 300MHz would run about $65.00 plus $35.00 installation.
I have CPi boards in stock but if its any other model I would have to check price.

 

Where do you get a new board from? how long dose it take to get one?

 

what model Dell is it?
I have two Latitude CPI A bords here left over stock from when I closed my store.
If its a different model Dell (like an Inspiron) I can order them direclty from Dell or get used ones from any number of used part suppliers.
If you wanted to do it yourself a lot of times you can get excess mainbords right off eBay cheaper than going to a parts reseller.
The drawback to ebay is you might get a junk board or not get anything all together.

 

its a Inspiron 3500, anything else you need to know?

 

........

 

Wait wait wait. I just woke so forgive me if I am missing somethigng... You said the port became "loose" right? Is lit lose like the nuts holding it in came loose or loose like the solder joints failed... Either way I could probably fix that board you have now without buying a new board. But if you do end up getting your board replaced. I'll buy the old one for a dollar. :-)

 

Eddie95Z28, loose like something failed inside the connector, the solder joints are still good of the board. I think it faild from years of use as a track notebook.

but thanks for the ofter

 

I have air soldering tools too but on a board that old and that cheap/easy to replace its easier to just swap them out.
If it was a new P4m board that for some reason you couldn't warranty I'd try to fix it too, but for a $65.00 part that will take more time to 'try' fixing that what an hourly bench labor rate is you may was well replace damn thing.

 

True...