Ultra Gauge OBD-II Bluetooth adapter / apps

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: 97tbird
Originally Posted By: Ga129
Originally Posted By: Brybo86
I bought a $7 Bluetooth adapter off eBay and use it with the torque app which is free.

Works great to read and clear code, as well as a ton of cars ecu info


This. I bought an $11 Bluetooth adapter on Amazon and use it with the $5 torque app and I can live stream data and do all of the code reading and clearing. No need to spend $70.

Torque is only android, right? I have an iphone.
I don't want anything on my phone, the more I think about it. I want the phone to be dedicated to phone functions, and would prefer such a device to be separate.
There is a wifi version of Torque for iphones.

 

[SHOZ]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: 97tbird


AFAIK it cannot. The fault lies with car though - some car models allow such data to be displayed, some models don't.

Some (more expensive) obdii software out there is able to report oil temp from e46, so its not the car's fault, IMO.
You need to break the proprietary PIDs for specifics like oil temp. With Torque I can get a plug in for Hyundai that will read oil temp as well as many other non standard OBDII PIDs.

 

[Vikas]

You need to know the magic incantation to get the undocumented PIDs. Expensive software pay real money to the manufacturers to get the official list.

Is it also possible that later model of e46 use CAN protocol? That might explain why some software is able to get the oil temperature.

OBD-II resetting the readiness status:- The readiness monitor gets reset when
1) battery is disconnected
2) OR special command to erase code is given via OBD interface

So only way your symptoms are happening is your OBD-II device is somehow causing the keepalive 12V supply is to be disconnected. The 12V keepalive is provided on the OBD connector. This is what anything connected to it uses to power itself. This will cause erase of the monitor every time you start the car. Since some of the monitors need multiple trips, those will never get ready.

I would be shocked if the problem lies with all UG or with all Subarus. More likely there is a some fault with your specific UG or your specific Subaru.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
You need to know the magic incantation to get the undocumented PIDs. Expensive software pay real money to the manufacturers to get the official list.

Yup. That was my point.

 

[SHOZ]

Some cars have had their ECUs cracked.

Here's a list of the plug ins available for torque.

http://torque-bhp.com/wiki/Plugins

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
You need to break the proprietary PIDs for specifics like oil temp. With Torque I can get a plug in for Hyundai that will read oil temp as well as many other non standard OBDII PIDs.

I know. Unfortunately, nobody has figured it out for BMW yet, at least when it comes to Torque.

 

[JustinH]

I use a 10 dollar bluetooth adapter and the free torque app on a cheap burner android cell phone.

Works fine.

Actually I keep the android phone in the garage with the adapter, and it works great on both of my toyotas, including a 2014 rav4.

I just scan codes and delete them if necessary, I don't do too much with it. It gives me a hint of what needs to be fixed, and I fix it.

 

[SHOZ]

You can get a plug in for Torque that will scan all the PIDs and then save that to a report. Then use the custom PID tool to get the OEM hidden ones. At least some of them. It's beyond my skills though.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
You can get a plug in for Torque that will scan all the PIDs and then save that to a report. Then use the custom PID tool to get the OEM hidden ones. At least some of them. It's beyond my skills though.

Yes, already gone that route and discussed the possibilities on the Torque forums. Nobody could figure out how to get the oil temp reading.

 

[SHOZ]

I switched phones from a S3 to a Droid Maxx and with the Maxx a lot of the PIDs were lost. This was also the same time they switched the plugin name from Hyundai Advanced to Advanced EX for Hyundai. No help from anywhere that I have seen with Torque.

 

[97tbird]

Well I am not going to dismiss the UG just because I can't get oil temp reading. It's important, i know, but i don't think there's a perfect solution for a stand alone device like this - every device will have some cons, and as it seems by reading some posts, those phone apps are also not perfect.

The ability to get the coolant temp display and set max/min alarms for that (or any other data that the UG can display) is kinda cool, I think. And monitoring coolant temp in E46 is also pretty important, and I'd be able to do it. Add to that the CELs/code scanning and resetting and many other types of data and customizable display, and the fact that I can keep my phone for other phone functions, I don't think the UG is that bad of a buy.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Given your E46's age, it'd be prudent just to do a complete cooling system overhaul at this point, instead of relying on UG (or any other gauge) to tell you something may be wrong.

But other than that, I agree the UG is pretty neat for the money.

 

[Vikas]

I had cabled UG aka their debut product installed on my 2000 Maxima for many years. I you want to go UG, wired is the way. It is intelligently designed and executed product. I removed it when I handed my car to son. I was planning to install it in my other vehicle but never got to it.

 

[97tbird]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Given your E46's age, it'd be prudent just to do a complete cooling system overhaul at this point, instead of relying on UG (or any other gauge) to tell you something may be wrong.

But other than that, I agree the UG is pretty neat for the money.


Yeah the car now has 50k and I have a cooling system overhaul planned when it turns 60k or so.

Even with all that done, I think I can justify the need/usefulness of a UG, especially like the fact that it scans for DTCs real time, and pops them up on display for you to see. (I am not sure if the 1st gen. had the capability to do that or not)

 

[HTSS_TR]

What are the problems with BMW's coolant system ? What are the whole system system overhaul involved ?

The only parts that my LS400 after 20 years 350k miles needed to be replaced were: radiator, upper hose, water pump. These parts were replaced year and a half ago for the first time.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
What are the problems with BMW's coolant system ?
BMWs of that era use some inferior plastic/rubber materials that become brittle and crack. They just don't last. And since the car gives you very little/no warning when something goes wrong, you are risking overheating the engine, which is why 97tbird is considering purchasing the UG to keep a better eye on coolant temp. Not sure if new BMWs are any better in that respect. Time will tell, I guess...

Quote:

What are the whole system system overhaul involved ?

Depends on whom you ask I guess. Below is what I had done when the car was 8 years old, at 70K miles. I was already experiencing various coolant leaks at that point (coolant expansion tank cracked and one of the vent screws also kept squirting coolant under the hood)...

Code:


1 11281433571 Accessory Belt Tensioner Assembly; AC Compressor Belt

1 11281738605 Idler Pulley/Roller

1 11281748131 Accessory Belt Tensioner Pulley/Roller; Alternator and/or AC Belt

1 11287838797 Accessory Belt Tensioner Assembly; Hydraulic Type

1 11511436590URO Water Pump Pulley; 132mm; Black Anodized Aluminum

1 11517527910 Water Pump; Original Type With Composite Impeller

1 11521712058 Fan Blade; 420mm 11 Blade

1 11527505302 Fan Clutch; Screw-On

1 11531705223 Radiator Hose; Upper with Bleeder Screw Fitting

1 11531705224 Radiator Hose; Lower with Temperature Sensor Fitting

1 11537509227 Thermostat; Thermostat Kit with Housing and Seal, 97 Degrees C

1 11537509357 Thermostat Seal; Thermostat Housing to Block

1 17111427156 Radiator Hose; Vent Hose from Radiator to Expansion Tank

1 17111436060 Radiator

1 17111436381 Expansion Tank/Coolant Reservoir

2 17111712788AFT Coolant Bleeder Screw; Brass; At Expansion Tank/Radiator; With O-Ring

1 17111742231 Radiator Cap/Expansion Tank Cap; 2.0 Bar

1 5PK0863 Serpentine Belt/Ribbed Drive Belt; AC Compressor

1 6PK1538 Serpentine Belt/Ribbed Drive Belt; Alternator/Power Steering/Water Pump

2 82141467704 Antifreeze/Coolant; BMW Antifreeze; 1 Gallon


Fast forward 5 years to today, and my coolant expansion tank needs replacing once again. The float inside it has become loose and keeps throwing a "CHECK COOLANT LEVEL" warning message all the time, despite the amount of coolant in there being correct. Ugh...

 

[Vikas]

You can't be seriously asking that question! Of course BMW maintenance and Lexus maintenance are in two different categories altogether. There are probably entire after market industries devoted for making better BMW cooling parts because OEM parts have such a short life.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
There are probably entire after market industries devoted for making better BMW cooling parts because OEM parts have such a short life.

Strangely, there isn't a whole lot. It's mostly lather, rinse, repeat with OEM parts... every so often. There are a few upgraded components such as a water pump that isn't all plastic, or an aluminum radiator.

If you are scratching your head at this point, wondering why I even still own one of these, don't worry... I'm scratching my head, too.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
You can't be seriously asking that question! Of course BMW maintenance and Lexus maintenance are in two different categories altogether. There are probably entire after market industries devoted for making better BMW cooling parts because OEM parts have such a short life.

These coolant overhaul is not maintenance. Coolant fluid is a maintenance item, everything else related to coolant system is more or less wear&tear parts.

Water pump, upper hose and heater hoses may wear out at 150-200k miles is acceptable, less than 120-15k miles is clearly inferior parts dictated by cost cutting bean counter.

Few wear&tear parts can fail early (have less usable life), one of them is tire. Higher performance tires are usually don't last as long as touring tires, also it depends on how the drivers use it.

 

[Vikas]

Quote:
Higher performance tires are usually don't last as long as touring tires
Don't you give any ideas to BMW marketing! They might decide to use that explanation aka "BMW uses high performance rubber in their hoses and that is why it does not last as cheap quality rubber used in Japanese cars".