DOCUMENTATION
A K-Line to CAN converter for cars built before about 2008. It reads your car through the OBD connector over K-Line and puts the data on a separate CAN bus — as standard OBD2 PIDs, or as an ECU broadcast your gauge or dash already understands. Works with KrispyGauge and any other CAN device.
BEFORE YOU START
Only if your car talks K-Line. A CAN car connects to a gauge directly.
Not sure which yours uses? Check the OBD2 supported vehicles list.
GETTING STARTED
Wire it in, join its Wi-Fi, and pick what it reads and what it sends.
Connect the adaptor to your car’s OBD connector and to your gauge or dash’s CAN bus — see Wiring. Cables are not included.
With the ignition on, join the network Krispy-KLine-XXXX on your phone (XXXX = the last 4 of the serial, printed on the label). Password: GetKrispy.
Browse to http://4.3.2.1. Turn off mobile data if the page won’t load — some phones route around a Wi-Fi network with no internet.
Pick the protocol your car speaks and the protocol to send on CAN. On a KrispyGauge, set the ECU type to match the output you chose — for example OBD on both, or Haltech on both.
WIRING
The car side is the OBD-II connector; the output is its own CAN bus to your gauge or dash.
| Wire | Function | Connects to |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | K-Line | OBD-II pin 7 |
| Red | +12V in | Switched 12V (ignition) |
| Black | Ground | Chassis ground (OBD-II pins 4 & 5) |
| Feed the Red wire from a switched 12V supply that is only live with the ignition on — not the OBD port’s constant 12V on pin 16 — so the adaptor isn’t polling the ECU and draining the battery with the car parked. The car’s OBD pins 6 and 14 are CAN on newer cars; the adaptor’s CAN output does not go back into the OBD port. | ||
| Wire | Function | Connects to |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | CAN High | CAN High on your gauge, dash or CAN bus |
| Green | CAN Low | CAN Low on your gauge, dash or CAN bus |
| Black | Ground | Gauge ground |
| Red | 12V out | Gauge 12V power |
| The Red 12V output can power your gauge, so the adaptor and gauge connect with a single four-wire cable. | ||
A CAN bus needs a 120 Ω terminator at each end — about 60 Ω between High and Low with the power off. On a short run of just the adaptor and one gauge, the two devices are the two ends. Because the output is configurable, the adaptor can also sit on an existing bus alongside your other devices.
PROTOCOLS
Both chosen on the configuration page.
| Reads from your car (K-Line) |
|---|
| ISO 9141-2 |
| ISO 14230 (KWP2000) |
| Subaru SSM |
| VAG KW1281 |
| Mitsubishi MUT |
| BMW DS2 |
| Sends on CAN |
|---|
| OBD PIDs |
| Haltech |
| Link |
| MaxxECU |
| Megasquirt |
| Ecumaster EMU |
| AEM Infinity |
| Holley EFI |
Sending as an ECU broadcast lets a gauge or dash that only knows that ECU read your car. Pick an output that doesn’t clash with anything else already on the bus — two devices sending the same broadcast IDs will fight.
FIRMWARE
Update over Wi-Fi from the configuration page — your settings are kept.
About updates
*_OTA.bin file for your unit.Krispy-KLine-XXXX and open http://4.3.2.1.*_OTA.bin file and upload.Keep power on throughout the update — on a car, that means not cranking the engine mid-flash. An interrupted update can corrupt the firmware; use USB Recovery to restore it.
TROUBLESHOOTING
The supported way to recover a forgotten Wi-Fi password.
Flashing the Recovery image over USB wipes all settings and reverts the adaptor to its defaults (Krispy-KLine-XXXX / GetKrispy). Registered users can flash directly from the browser through the secure firmware portal — connect over USB, no software required.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Work through it from the car to the gauge: the ignition is on; the input protocol matches your car; the gauge’s ECU type matches the adaptor’s output; CAN High and Low aren’t swapped; the grounds are common; and the bus is terminated at both ends.
Check your OBD connector has a pin at position 7 — if it doesn’t, the car isn’t K-Line. Try the other K-Line protocols: many cars answer to ISO 9141-2 or KWP2000 for generic data, and to their maker’s own protocol (SSM, KW1281, MUT, DS2) for more. Unplug any other scan tool first; K-Line only talks to one tester at a time.
That’s K-Line, not the adaptor: it runs at around 10.4 kbit/s and the car answers one request at a time, so the more channels you ask for, the slower each one updates. Request only the channels you actually display.
Confirm the adaptor has power — Red to switched 12V with the ignition on, and Black to ground. After a recovery the network returns to Krispy-KLine-XXXX.
Perform a USB recovery (factory reset) — it reverts to Krispy-KLine-XXXX / GetKrispy.
No. It works with any CAN gauge, dash or logger that reads standard OBD PIDs or one of the ECU broadcasts it can send.
No. A CAN car (ISO 15765-4) connects to a KrispyGauge directly with the OBD cable. See Do I Need It?
IMPORTANT
The adaptor connects to your car’s diagnostic port and talks to its ECU. Wire it with the ignition off, fuse its power feed, and route the wiring clear of pedals, steering and hot or moving parts. Don’t configure it while driving.
This product is designed for OFF-ROAD and MOTORSPORT / AUTOSPORT use only. It is not intended or warranted for use on public roads. By using this product you accept full and sole responsibility for its installation, configuration and operation. KrispyGauge / KrispyWorkshop accept no liability for any damage, loss, injury or death arising from its use, and your use of it waives any claim or legal action against KrispyGauge / KrispyWorkshop.