[ale] semi ot GOT ODB II Android working here's how - was anyone using obd ii automotive diagnostics

Michael H. Warfield mhw at WittsEnd.com
Tue May 1 10:40:29 EDT 2012


On Tue, 2012-05-01 at 00:13 -0400, Ron Frazier (ALE) wrote:
> Hi Neal, and others,

> I finally got my Bluetooth OBD scanner, and have been having a ball 
> playing with it.  I'm going to share my experience with everyone.  
> Regarding distractions, I agree with you, so let's get the warnings out 
> of the way.

TALK!  TALK!  TALK!

Get him booked and on the schedule!

Mike

> Warning - Do not try this, as it can kill you!  OK, some of you will try 
> it anyway.  I'll show you how.
> 
> Actually, really, seriously, you NEED to heed the following.
> 
> Warning - The best way to use this application is to have someone else 
> drive and you tinker with the phone / tablet (henceforth referred to as 
> tablet).
> 
> Warning - Preset the gauges you want on the screen before you start driving.
> Warning - If you have the tablet in your view, make sure it is securely 
> mounted.
> Warning - Do not touch the tablet while the car is moving.  If you do 
> touch the tablet, do it while the car is stopped and will remain stopped 
> long enough for you to finish what you're doing.
> Warning - If you look over at the tablet, do so for only a second or so 
> when not near cars or people or animals or inanimate objects.
> 
> This thing has an almost magnetic pull on your hand to tap the screen to 
> do things.  Fight it.  I went out planning to follow these rules from 
> the start.  I made a tiny, short, exception, looked at and touched the 
> screen for the briefest period of time, and ended up getting annoyingly 
> close to someone's rear bumper.  Thankfully, his car and mine never touched.
> 
> Before you ask, I did capture the full instrument panel screen shots 
> while driving at very slow speed in my neighborhood with nobody around.  
> Other than that, I secured the thing on my dash to my GPS mounting 
> bracket, and let it be.
> 
> Regarding clearing check engine lights, etc.  If you clear a fault like 
> that, it takes about 100 miles for the car's computer to complete it's 
> cycle and declare that it's happy.  Prior to that time, you cannot pass 
> emissions, for example.  If the fault stays gone, then you could pass 
> the emissions test.  If the fault indication returns, you'll probably 
> just have to fix the problem to pass the emissions test.
> 
> OK, enough of that.  I totally love this product.  It is great fun, and 
> very informative.  I'm going to share my experience here in case anyone 
> else want to try it.  I now have two new virtual instrument clusters 
> that I can display on my tablet, one with 15 items, and one with 19 items.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/ODB12%20Rons%20new%20gauges.jpg
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/ODB13%20Rons%20new%20gauges%20pg2.jpg
> 
> Here's what you need to make this work:
> 
> 1) Android phone / tablet with Android 1.5 (I think) or above, 
> Bluetooth, GPS, and wifi
> 2) The Torque Pro Android application to read the car's Engine Control 
> Computer.  I think there's a free version with ads.  I got the Pro 
> version for, get this, $ 5, in order to support the developer and 
> eliminate any possible ads.  There may be other programs to do this too.
> 3) A Bluetooth OBD II adapter which plugs into your car's diagnostic 
> port.  I think the application can use wifi or USB adapters, but haven't 
> tried this.
> 
> Here's the Bluetooth adapter that I purchased.  I cannot speak to 
> longevity, but, so far, it's working fine.  It was $ 24 with free 
> shipping.  It's dimensions are about 3" x 2" x 1", and it plugs into the 
> port under the dash near your feet.  In my case, the adapter continues 
> to draw power even after you remove the ignition key.  You might not 
> want it to stay plugged in when you're away.  Also, it could potentially 
> allow someone else to link to your car's computer if they're close by.  
> I have to study up on bluetooth security.  I've confirmed that my tablet 
> can read the car when I'm 30' away from it.  This adapter came with 
> software to run on the PC.  I haven't tried that yet.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006MPZ9VC/ -
> BAFX Products (TM) - Bluetooth OBD2 scan tool - For check engine light 
> and other diagnostics - Android compatible
> 
> Here's how to get all the pieces working.  By the way, I'm sorry some of 
> the photographs I'm showing are fuzzy.  My camera really didn't like to 
> focus on the tablet screen.
> 
> Buy Torque Pro from the Google Play Market (or try the free one), 
> download it, and install it on your Android device.
> 
> Get a Bluetooth OBD II adapter.  Some work well.  Some don't.  Some work 
> with some cars and not others.  Some units may work slightly 
> differently.  All I know is that this adapter is working with my 2002 
> Toyota Camry and my wife's 2007 Hyundai Sonata.  Plug the adapter into 
> the port under the car's dash near your feet.  Make sure it's facing to 
> match the keyed connector.  On my Toyota, it's label toward the driver.  
> On my wife's Hyundai, it's label away from the driver.  Don't hit it 
> with your feet.  I haven't tried reading / clearing any fault codes yet.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/OBD01%20-%20adapter%20under%20dash.JPG
> 
> Turn the car's ignition switch to the accessory position but don't start 
> the car.  The power light on the adapter should come on if it's not 
> already on.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/OBD02%20-%20adapter%20with%20power%20on.JPG
> 
> Go to the bluetooth setup screen on your tablet under settings and tap 
> search for devices.  This is Android 4, Ice Cream Sandwich.  Other 
> versions may work differently.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/OBD03%20-%20Bluetooth%20setup.JPG
> 
> This particular device shows up as CBT.  Tap it to pair with it.  Based 
> on my reading, some Android devices may say paired but not connected 
> when done.  This is OK.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/OBD04%20CBT%20bluetooth%20device.JPG
> 
> Enter the pairing code for the device.  This one is 1234.  Based on my 
> reading, other adapters may be different and some don't provide this 
> data in the documentation.  Read the reviews on Amazon for the product 
> you're interested in to find out what other users did.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/OBD05%20enter%20pairing%20code.JPG
> 
> Next, start up the Torque Pro program.  Here is it's home screen.  Once 
> you're talking to your car, this acceleration gauge changes to engine RPM.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/OBD06%20Torque%20home%20screen.JPG
> 
> Be sure to experiment with the menu button from different screens as you 
> will get different results.  Tap the menu button from the main screen to 
> get to the preferences page.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/OBD07%20Torque%20preferences.JPG
> 
>  From here, tap ODB2 Adapter Settings.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/OBD08%20OBD2%20Adapter%20settings.JPG
> 
>  From here, tap Choose bluetooth device.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/OBD09%20Choose%20Bluetooth%20device.JPG
> 
> On this page, tap the CBT (or whatever) device that you paired with before.
> 
> Now, you can back out of the menus.  After the system starts 
> communicating with your car, the other lights on the adapter should 
> start flashing and the gauge on the home screen should change to engine RPM.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/ODB10%20Adapter%20communicating.JPG
> 
> This picture shows one of the multiple dashboard screens of Torque Pro.  
> Long tap an empty space to get a menu to add things.  Long tap an object 
> to get a menu to move, delete, and change objects.
> 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/ODB11%20Torque%20default%20gauges.JPG
> 
> Here are some other menu settings you'll probably want to set.
> 
> On the ODB adapter settings page:
> 
>       Auto bluetooth on off - unchecked (I don't want it trying to find 
> the car if I'm in a building configuring it.)
>       Faster communication - checked - if your adapter works that way
> 
> By the way, I HATE the way that Android menu screens immediately save 
> settings and don't have a save and cancel button.  If I accidentally 
> touch something, I have to scan the whole screen to see what was changed 
> and then touch it again and fix it.  This also applies to some of the 
> menu screens in Linux.
> 
> This program was born in some metric speaking country, UK maybe.  Tweak 
> the following on the Units screen to get it to speak in US terms:
> 
>       Use miles - checked
>       Use celcius - unchecked  (all other use a metric thing lines 
> unchecked)
>       Use feet - checked
>       Use psi - checked
>       Use gallons - checked
>       US gallons - checked  (rather than imperial gallons)
>       Use cfm - checked
>       12 hour clock - checked (or not if you prefer)
> 
> If you have multiple cars, and you want to keep separate data for each, 
> go ahead and set up a separate vehicle profile for each.  If you do it 
> later, you'll erase the gauges you've set up.  This will force you to 
> have to set up a separate set of gauges on each car, but I think it's 
> worth it to have separate data.  To do this, select menu from the main 
> screen, then vehicle profile, then add or edit as necessary.
> 
> When you set up the profile, go down to the bottom and check the 
> advanced option to allow each car to have a separate dashboard.  Save 
> the profile.  Then exit all the way out of the app using the back button 
> to make sure everything is saved.  Do the same when you've finished 
> configuring the gauges for each car.  When you switch cars, switch profiles.
> 
> After you get the gauges set for one car and like them, save a screen 
> shot.  On a gauge screen, tap menu, more, save screenshot, then share by 
> your email client, for example.  If you're on a wifi only device, you'll 
> have to be within range of the wifi to transmit the email message.  Use 
> a printout of this screenshot to configure your other cars.
> 
> Here's how I set up my gauges and the tweaks I had to make to them.
> 
> Gauge page 1 - 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/ODB12%20Rons%20new%20gauges.jpg
> 
> Going left to right top to bottom:
> 
> 01) Engine RPM - dial meter type gauge - change max range to 6
> 02) Distance to empty - dial meter - change max range to 500.  You must 
> set the gas tank size and current level for this to work if your ECU 
> doesn't report fuel level, as mine does not.  Update the fuel level when 
> you fill up.  I chose to under report my fuel tank size by 2 gal to 
> allow for a reserve.  This is an estimate only.
> 03) Coolant temperture - dial meter - change range 100 to 250
> 04) Fuel flow - dial meter - change max range to 5
> 05) GPS speed - digital gauge
> 06) GPS speed difference - digital - Shows variance between GPS and OBD 
> speed.
> 07) Fuel remaining estimate - bar graph - This is a calculated, not 
> measured, value.
> 08) GPS Sat - digital - Shows the number of GPS satellites in use.
> 09) GPS Acc - digital - Shows the accuracy of the GPS fix.
> 10) GPS Bearing - compass - Shows the direction I'm traveling in.
> 11) GPS Altitude - digital - Shows approximate altitude above sea 
> level.  This is not as accurate as position.
> 12) Speed - dial meter - set max range to 100 - This is how fast the car 
> thinks it's going.
> 13) Volts Ad - dial meter - set range 8 - 16 - This shows voltage at the 
> OBD II adapter as far as I can tell.  In my case, it reads about 1 V 
> lower than a meter I have plugged into the cigarette lighter.
> 14) MPG avg - dial meter - set max range 45. - Long term average MPG.
> 15) MPG - dial meter - set max range 45 - Instantaneous MPG.
> 
> Gauge page 2 - 
> http://dl.dropbox.com/u/9879631/ODB13%20Rons%20new%20gauges%20pg2.jpg
> 
> Going left to right, top to bottom.  Many of the gauges here show the 
> same data as page 1, but sometimes with different types of gauges.  I'll 
> mention the main differences.  Digital gauges don't generally need any 
> range adjustments.
> 
> 01 - 05) Trip information gauges
> 06) Engine on indicator - This is a special type of gauge, but can be 
> assigned to any sensor.  I assigned this to engine RPM, then changed the 
> title from revs on to engine on.
> 08) Trip reset BUTTON - Press this to reset the trip data.  It ALSO 
> resets the long term MPG (not just trip MPG) data.  I don't think it 
> should.  But it does.
> 
> I found out that unplugging the bluetooth adapter or exiting the program 
> also clears the trip data.  I don't think it should do that either, but 
> it does.  So, as it's currently programed, if you want to clear your 
> trip data, but not your long term MPG, just exit and restart Torque.  
> Changing the fuel level in your profile will also clear the trip data.  
> To leave the trip data intact at a fuel stop, leave Torque running, 
> leave the adapter powered (which may work without your key in), and 
> don't update your fuel level data in the profile.  At this point, your 
> distance to empty gauge will be wrong.
> 
> All the other gauges are variations of the ones on page 1.
> 
> Using this program is really a blast.  It gives me lots of great 
> information about my car's operation that I couldn't get otherwise.  
> And, having the 10" tablet screen to show them is really cool.  This 
> runs the dual 1 GHz cpu's on my tablet to about 50 %, so I don't know 
> how well it would work on a slower device.  I may think about getting a 
> 4" or 5" tablet to permanently display a smaller set of gauges.  If 
> anyone else tries this, please share how it turns out.  I'll be glad to 
> answer anybody's questions.
> 
> PS - I was hoping to be able to access the tire pressure sensors on my 
> wife's Hyundai, but couldn't.  I guess I'll have to do that the old 
> fashioned way.  Here's a retrofit tire pressure monitoring kit I'm 
> considering for my Toyota.  It looks really cool.
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Orange-Electronic-P409S-Retrofit-Monitoring/dp/B002DYH586/ref=au_pf_pfg_s?ie=UTF8&Model=Camry|1011&n=15684181&s=automotive&Make=Toyota|76&Year=2002|2002&vehicleType=automotive&newCar=1&carId=001
> 
> http://www.orangetpmsusa.com/aftermarket-products/passenger-car-tpms-2/
> 
> Stay safe.
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Ron
> 
> 
> 
> On 4/29/2012 12:03 AM, Neal Rhodes wrote:
> > I have used the Torque product and ODB bluetooth on my Sprinter B3500 
> > truck on occasion.
> >
> > However, normally I have a ScanguageII sitting on the ODB port reading 
> > off turbo pressure, voltage, MPG, and coolant Temp.
> >
> > On those occasions where it has thrown a check engine light and 
> > corresponding code, the ODB reported code has been of marginal use.  
> > It's Mercedes best translation.    In those instances it had to go to 
> > a Chrysler dealer who had the Mercedes computer to obtain the real 
> > Mercedes codes.   Torque didn't do any better than the 
> > ScanguageII.      Both Torque and Scanguage let you reset the Check 
> > engine to see if it comes back.
> >
> > Frankly, I think handling an Android device in a moving car is too 
> > much distraction for the driver.
> >
> > Neal Rhodes
> >
> > On Fri, 2012-04-27 at 22:27 -0400, Ron Frazier (ALE) wrote:
> >> Hi guys,
> >>
> >> I have ordered an ELM 327 obd ii bluetooth adapter from amazon and am 
> >> looking forward to using it and the Torque program on my android 
> >> tablet to gather diagnostic data and provide virtual instruments on 
> >> my car. I was wondering if anyone else has experimented with this, 
> >> and what kind of things you're doing.
> >>
> >> Also, while I'm sure I'll enjoy using my 10" tablet for this purpose, 
> >> I'm also sure I don't want to mount that in my windshield 
> >> permanently. So, I'm wondering if there is a cheap 5" android tablet 
> >> or a cheap 4" - 5" smartphone I could get on ebay or elsewhere, for 
> >> example, that I can use to run android programs without a cell phone 
> >> account. I would want it to run Android 3 or 4, preferably 4. I might 
> >> consider permanently mounting something like that in the car.
> >>
> >> Any info you can share on the topic would be appreciated.
> >>
> >> Sincerely,
> >>
> >> Ron
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
> (To whom it may concern.  My email address has changed.  Replying to former
> messages prior to 03/31/12 with my personal address will go to the wrong
> address.  Please send all personal correspondence to the new address.)
> 
> (PS - If you email me and don't get a quick response, you might want to
> call on the phone.  I get about 300 emails per day from alternate energy
> mailing lists and such.  I don't always see new messages very quickly.)
> 
> Ron Frazier
> 
> 770-205-9422 (O)   Leave a message.
> linuxdude AT techstarship.com
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale
> See JOBS, ANNOUNCE and SCHOOLS lists at
> http://mail.ale.org/mailman/listinfo

-- 
Michael H. Warfield (AI4NB) | (770) 985-6132 |  mhw at WittsEnd.com
   /\/\|=mhw=|\/\/          | (678) 463-0932 |  http://www.wittsend.com/mhw/
   NIC whois: MHW9          | An optimist believes we live in the best of all
 PGP Key: 0x674627FF        | possible worlds.  A pessimist is sure of it!
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 482 bytes
Desc: This is a digitally signed message part
Url : http://mail.ale.org/pipermail/ale/attachments/20120501/53c75c47/attachment.bin 


More information about the Ale mailing list