OBD Scan Tools Info / Data

[WattsUp]

Seems that what I should have purchased is 426801 OBDLink MX WiFi Scan Tool (the red one).

Well, I returned the Bluetooth MX unit to Amazon. I didn't get the wifi (red) one yet. Instead, I purchased one of those cheap ELM wifi dongles from ebay (with the blue and orange label on it). I figured I would give one of those a try (not much to lose). The one I received actually works with ForSCAN on my iPhone 4.

However, the wifi connection seems very flakey and, although my iPhone shows a strong signal from the dongle, the ForSCAN app is constantly saying that it has lost connection. It might go for 30 seconds, or 3 minutes, before it loses connection. When I click the "connect" button after each loss, it ALWAYS reconnects just fine. So, I don't really know what the problem is... the wifi or ForSCAN just being too finicky.

When it does work, it seems to be fully functional... I can see modules, DTCs that have been logged, and create graphs and "dashboard" readouts.

----

Update: I've also found out that ForSCAN is reporting "bad" (very slow) timing performance from my ELM dongle. I found this thread at the ForSCAN forums about how to "fix" the bad timing:

http://forscan.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=16

However, my ELM dongle doesn't respond with a configuration page over wifi, so I can't apply the fix suggested in the thread. I don't know the bad timing performance is part of my flakey connection to ForSCAN.

I may under up getting the wifi MX unit after all.

 

[WattsUp]

However, the wifi connection seems very flakey and, although my iPhone shows a strong signal from the dongle, the ForSCAN app is constantly saying that it has lost connection.

So... I went ahead and ordered the ScanTool wifi MX model and it arrived today.

I have to say I am disappointed. Although the timing is reported as "excellent" by FORScan (it shows 16 ms instead of 100+ ms for the China clone) the wifi connection is just as flakey, if not more so.

The thing won't go more than 5 minutes max before losing connection. Either the stream of data just stops, or FORScan says "ELM could not be found" and the I have restart. By restart, I mean I have to launch the app and press "Connect" and then wait a minute or so again while FORScan rescans all the modules in the my car. Aggravating!

Even when it does work, it seems like the stream of data is "on again" and "off again". Instead of a fairly solid stream of data, the lights on the front on the MX seems to flash in "spurts". The display in FORScan seems to update in spurts just like the lights.

Anyone else seeing this? Either with the $15 China clone or the $120 MX thingy, the scenario is basically the same -- almost unusable.

Is there something different I can do with my phone (a now long-in-the-tooth iPhone 4) or my car (a 2013 FFE)? Apart from myself, those would seem to be the common denominators. Well, other than FORScan itself. Perhaps FORScan is the source of flakiness?

 

[hybridbear]

However, the wifi connection seems very flakey and, although my iPhone shows a strong signal from the dongle, the ForSCAN app is constantly saying that it has lost connection.

So... I went ahead and ordered the ScanTool wifi MX model and it arrived today.

I have to say I am disappointed. Although the timing is reported as "excellent" by FORScan (it shows 16 ms instead of 100+ ms for the China clone) the wifi connection is just as flakey, if not more so.

The thing won't go more than 5 minutes max before losing connection. Either the stream of data just stops, or FORScan says "ELM could not be found" and the I have restart. By restart, I mean I have to launch the app and press "Connect" and then wait a minute or so again while FORScan rescans all the modules in the my car. Aggravating!

Even when it does work, it seems like the stream of data is "on again" and "off again". Instead of a fairly solid stream of data, the lights on the front on the MX seems to flash in "spurts". The display in FORScan seems to update in spurts just like the lights.

Anyone else seeing this? Either with the $15 China clone or the $120 MX thingy, the scenario is basically the same -- almost unusable.

Is there something different I can do with my phone (a now long-in-the-tooth iPhone 4) or my car (a 2013 FFE)? Apart from myself, those would seem to be the common denominators. Well, other than FORScan itself. Perhaps FORScan is the source of flakiness?

This is why I bought a cheap Android tablet. I started with a $40 tablet and after its battery wouldn't hold a charge anymore (about 10 months of use) I bought a Nexus 7 because I had found plenty of other uses for a tablet to make it worthwhile. I've had the Nexus 7 for about a year now and it works great. You could consider something similar. Hopefully you can return the MX Wifi and get a refund.

 

[WattsUp]

Is there something different I can do with my phone (a now long-in-the-tooth iPhone 4) or my car (a 2013 FFE)? Apart from myself, those would seem to be the common denominators. Well, other than FORScan itself. Perhaps FORScan is the source of flakiness?

This is why I bought a cheap Android tablet. I started with a $40 tablet and after its battery wouldn't hold a charge anymore (about 10 months of use) I bought a Nexus 7 because I had found plenty of other uses for a tablet to make it worthwhile. I've had the Nexus 7 for about a year now and it works great. You could consider something similar. Hopefully you can return the MX Wifi and get a refund.

To clarify, are you saying you use the Nexus 7 with FORScan?

And, you have no (or little) connection issues?

And, which OBD dongle are you using?

 

[hybridbear]

To clarify, are you saying you use the Nexus 7 with FORScan? I didn't think there was a version of FORScan for Android. :?

And, which OBD dongle are you using?

The only connection issue I have is with the TCM as described here. Does anyone else using FORScan for Android have issues with connecting to the TCM? The TCM shows the temp of the electric motor & power electronics as well as a measurement of power in kW & torque in lbs-ft for the electric motor.

Here is info about FORScan for Android. I have the OBDLink MX BlueTooth.

 

[jmueller065]

I also have the OBDLink MX bluetooth and use it with my Galaxy S5 phone. So far it has worked flawlessly--haven't tried the TCM. I also briefly used the MX with my laptop without any issues either (and the FORScan PC app).

I'm surprised that the FFE even has a TCM given that it doesn't really have a "T"--at least one with gears, or a clutch, or anything else that could be controlled.

 

[hybridbear]

I also have the OBDLink MX bluetooth and use it with my Galaxy S5 phone. So far it has worked flawlessly--haven't tried the TCM. I also briefly used the MX with my laptop without any issues either (and the FORScan PC app).

I'm surprised that the FFE even has a TCM given that it doesn't really have a "T"--at least one with gears, or a clutch, or anything else that could be controlled.

I logged the data for FORScan and sent it to them. They said that the fault appears to be either with the car or with my OBDLink MX BlueTooth scanner. Here is a pic of the gauges I have on the screen. I tried eliminating gauges & it still gave the same error. Could you maybe try these displays and see what happens for you?

After it gives the error message the data then freezes on whatever it was displaying when the connection failed.

 

[jmueller065]

Well it makes more sense now that I know TCM = Traction Control Module and not Transmission! LOL

I didn't have your image in front of me at the stoplight when I started TCM recording so I just picked a bunch of parameters that looked interesting.
Here is my recording (Excel): LiveData_2015-06-23_16.17.17.xlsx

My phone recorded the items just like it has for the other modules on the car without issue for a good 10 miles or so.

Have you tried going through the items one by one to see if it was a specific parameter that causes it to mess up?

 

[hybridbear]

Well it makes more sense now that I know TCM = Traction Control Module and not Transmission! LOL

I didn't have your image in front of me at the stoplight when I started TCM recording so I just picked a bunch of parameters that looked interesting.
Here is my recording (Excel): LiveData_2015-06-23_16.17.17.xlsx

My phone recorded the items just like it has for the other modules on the car without issue for a good 10 miles or so.

Have you tried going through the items one by one to see if it was a specific parameter that causes it to mess up?

I first tried with only the Power & Torque figures and it didn't work. I then tried it with only the temp PIDs and it didn't work. How do you log the data like that? I should try doing that to see if I can find anything out that way.

 

[jmueller065]

After you press the stop square hit the ... menu (vertical ...'s) there are options to send and save the data as FORScan files or .csv files. I just have it send the .csv to my dropbox account and then load up the .csv in Excel (for some reason FORScan insists on using semicolon's ';' as separators so I load up the file in notepad or another editor and do a global search/replace to put comma's in before loading it in Excel).

 

[hybridbear]

After you press the stop square hit the ... menu (vertical ...'s) there are options to send and save the data as FORScan files or .csv files. I just have it send the .csv to my dropbox account and then load up the .csv in Excel (for some reason FORScan insists on using semicolon's ';' as separators so I load up the file in notepad or another editor and do a global search/replace to put comma's in before loading it in Excel).

So you don't have to do anything to make it start logging?

 

[jmueller065]

Nope, once you hit "play" it starts logging.

 

[WattsUp]

then load up the .csv in Excel (for some reason FORScan insists on using semicolon's ';' as separators so I load up the file in notepad or another editor and do a global search/replace to put comma's in before loading it in Excel).

You can customize the delimiters right in Excel during the csv loading "wizard". It even previews for you how the file will be parsed.

 

[jmueller065]

You can customize the delimiters right in Excel during the csv loading "wizard". It even previews for you how the file will be parsed.

I don't see the loading wizard with Office 2010 and 2013--it just sucks in the .csv.

 

[WattsUp]

You can customize the delimiters right in Excel during the csv loading "wizard". It even previews for you how the file will be parsed.

I don't see the loading wizard with Office 2010 and 2013--it just sucks in the .csv.

For me, I get the wizard in Office 2013 when I use the File -> Import command in Excel.

 

[jmueller065]

Why would you even use a menu?? LOL I just double click on the .csv and Excel loads it.

 

[hybridbear]

I recently transitioned from the beta version of FORScan to the released version. Prior to uninstalling the beta version from my Nexus 7 tablet I saved all my PID profiles. When I try to add them to the released version of FORScan they won't import. Is anyone else having this issue? Am I doing something wrong? Thanks!

 

[hybridbear]

I figured I'd post the gauges I have saved in FORScan for various modules to see if anyone else has suggestions or ideas of other data points that may be interesting.
BECM


TCM


PCM


BCM (BdyCM)


ACCM: Note that the reported amps do not match with the displayed power use by A/C on the dash. It also doesn't make sense with the amps reported being drawn from the HVB. It appears that this data does not report what we think it reports...


HVAC


DCDC


SOBDM

 

[michael]

Ok, I have just got to have this, it's too much better than what I've been using.

Please give me current recommendations on specific equipment to get. I have an Iphone, but I get the impression the system doesn't work well with one (is this right?)

I'd willingly use a windows laptop if that's a better choice, I just want to see the data.

Can you please recommend a specific CAN device that works with an Iphone (bluetooth or wifi, as the case may be0, or alternatively with a laptop and wifi or even hardwired.

Thanks.

 

[hybridbear]

Ok, I have just got to have this, it's too much better than what I've been using.

Please give me current recommendations on specific equipment to get. I have an Iphone, but I get the impression the system doesn't work well with one (is this right?)

I'd willingly use a windows laptop if that's a better choice, I just want to see the data.

Can you please recommend a specific CAN device that works with an Iphone (bluetooth or wifi, as the case may be0, or alternatively with a laptop and wifi or even hardwired.

Thanks.

The iPhone only works with wifi scanners. Even the name brand ones aren't the greatest. The OBDLink MX is the best Bluetooth scanner. It costs about $85 on Amazon. The OBDLink website also sometimes puts it on sale. The Android FORScan app only works with Bluetooth or wifi. The Windows app works with wifi, Bluetooth or USB. If you don't want to lug around a laptop you can get a cheap tablet (Android or Windows) for around $35-$40.