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

Tue May 1 10:21:47 EDT 2012

Perhaps you can do a presentation on this?
On May 1, 2012 12:15 AM, "Ron Frazier (ALE)" <
atllinuxenthinfo at techstarship.com> 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.
>
> 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
>
>
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