New "toy"!

[NMBurb02]

I just purchased an ELM 327 Bluetooth OBDII scan tool on Amazon and it arrived in the mail on Friday. It is a relatively small box that plugs into the OBDII port in the vehicle and can communicate via Bluetooth with your Android smart phone running a compatible app and lets you read and clear codes, and view the on board computer data, including engine coolant temp, load, fuel pressure, fuel trim, intake air temp, intake manifold pressure, mass air flow rate, and on, and on, and on...

The main reason I bought it was to monitor my instant and average fuel economy, as the Burb didn't come with such a dashboard display. I hope it gets my wife to change her driving habits and I have already shown her that cruising at 67 mph on the freeway (the gauge says 65, but I have slightly larger than stock tires) results in about 17-18 mpg whereas her normal 72 mph cruising speed nets only 14-15 mpg.

At only $23.99 (including free shipping), it was much cheaper than a Scangauge or other such device. I am currently using the free version of the Torque app and it lets me see more info than I know what to do with! One cool feature is that it has a HUD view, which switches the display to a mirror image, allowing you to place your phone face-up on your dashboard and view the displayed gauges/graphs/dials as a reflection on your windshield, allowing you to keep your eyes on the road. I may upgrade to the paid version for $4.95 in order to better reward the developer for his efforts and unlock a few more features, but the free version is more than adequate for now.

None of my friends would understand my excitement over having such a tool, so I thought I would share it here on BITOG with fellow gearheads!

If you want to look into getting an ELM 327, make sure it is both made and sold by BAFX, as the cheaper ones listed on Amazon are Chinese knock-offs, take forever to get (they ship directly from China), and only 50% of the units work properly, per the reviews on Amazon.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I'm glad you like it.

I bought one a while back, but in my case, it doesn't really provide any more info than what I already get from the OBC. I used it once and then threw it in a box. Only paid about $10 for it though.

I was hoping the Torque folks would develop something more specific for BMW using custom BMW PIDs, alas, as far as I know, it hasn't happened.

https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2843263#Post2843263

 

[HTSS_TR]

If they have one with Oil Temp and Oil Pressure then I will buy it.

I have Ultra Gauge, it doesn't have that capability. May be may car's OBDII doesn't have it either that why Ultra Gauge could not read it.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
If they have one with Oil Temp and Oil Pressure then I will buy it.

Yeah, that's what I was hoping for as well. I know it's possible in my car since some proprietary BMW OBDII tools can pull it, but without knowing the particular PID, I'm SOL.

 

[NMBurb02]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
If they have one with Oil Temp and Oil Pressure then I will buy it.

Yeah, that's what I was hoping for as well. I know it's possible in my car since some proprietary BMW OBDII tools can pull it, but without knowing the particular PID, I'm SOL.

Don't see it listed as an addable display on the Torque app, but don't know if that's a limitation of the scan tool or the app.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
Don't see it listed as an addable display on the Torque app, but don't know if that's a limitation of the scan tool or the app.

In the paid version, you can add pretty much anything as a Custom PID. You just need to know what that PID is.

http://torque-bhp.com/software/torque-and-extended-eobd-pid-support/

 

[RiceCake]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
If they have one with Oil Temp and Oil Pressure then I will buy it.

I have Ultra Gauge, it doesn't have that capability. May be may car's OBDII doesn't have it either that why Ultra Gauge could not read it.


Almost no cars out there offer oil pressure or temperature from the OBD computer. Lots of cars lack a lot of the 'fun' sensors. Usually all you get is emissions sensor outputs and the mandatory sensors you need (like a tach) on an engine off the OBD port. Its one of the biggest misconceptions out there about these scantools that more expensive ones give you "more".

Cars that do expect a fight with software to get it to work since its probably hidden deep somewhere.

I bought one of these off the net from Hong Kong for all of $11. Biggest problem is the update speed is rather slow, maybe 3-4 updates a second. More expensive ones ($100+) do it in essentially realtime.

 

[NMBurb02]

Originally Posted By: RiceCake
I bought one of these off the net from Hong Kong for all of $11. Biggest problem is the update speed is rather slow, maybe 3-4 updates a second. More expensive ones ($100+) do it in essentially realtime.

My $23 scan tool and free app do it in realtime. It's kind of annoying when my current mpg constantly jumps between 17.8 and 18.1 when cruising on the freeway.

 

[UNC017]

The software side sounds very similar to iRev for the iPhone, which will work with any number of bluetooth OBD plug-ins. A friend who autocrosses a WRX has been using one for a few years now- its always running in the car, and he even built a custom near-line-of-sight holder for the phone so he can see it without looking down (after I kidded him about becoming a roadside attraction while looking at how his boost profile runs as he climbs a hill...) ;p

http://www.devtoaster.com/products/rev/

 

[RiceCake]

Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
My $23 scan tool and free app do it in realtime.


I hope you understand what I mean by updating 3-4 times a second. Its in real-time basically but the update speed is slow. Software tachometers for instance climb up and down erratically with the engine revs. Its like having a video with low framerate or judder.

Tough it is possible its just my car, my receiver, or the software I'm using. Units these cheap always include clone ELM327 chips, some are better then others.

 

[Vikas]

It is your car! Rather it is the older protocol which is very slow and you can realistically get only handful of updates to few parameters per second. The new CAN protocol supports faster update speeds. If your car was built before 2007, it will most likely not have CAN protocol.

 

[RiceCake]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
It is your car! Rather it is the older protocol which is very slow and you can realistically get only handful of updates to few parameters per second. The new CAN protocol supports faster update speeds. If your car was built before 2007, it will most likely not have CAN protocol.


Nope, old ISO protocols, so you're probably spot on.

 

[bourne]

Man ive been eyeing that for weeks! Glad to hear its working well for you. I think im going to get it as well. I want to see if my front O2 sensor (pre cat) is getting lazy or not. Feels and smells like the car is in open loop for way longer than it should be. Then again its a Honda, they run rich as Bill Gates in winter anyways.......

 

[NMBurb02]

Originally Posted By: bourne
Man ive been eyeing that for weeks! Glad to hear its working well for you. I think im going to get it as well. I want to see if my front O2 sensor (pre cat) is getting lazy or not. Feels and smells like the car is in open loop for way longer than it should be. Then again its a Honda, they run rich as Bill Gates in winter anyways.......

It has a fuel/air status gauge that tells you if it is in open or closed loop. I was surprised how long my Burb stays in open loop until the engine warms up enough. The mechanical fan doesn't help with quick warmups. Thinking of switching to a double electric fan setup.