Does anyone know of any inexpensive PC/Palm programs for logging data from OBDII equiped cars? I read up on a application that you can buy for a palm that will give you basic vital info on your car. ( ex. Engine temp, tming, etc... ) It even has the ability to capture and log the data so that you can review it. Does anyone know of any other apps that are similar to this? I have a palm and a laptop so applications for either device would help. I figure a program with a cable to connect to the diagnostics port would be cheaper than a techtom.

I've been doing a lot of research on this... Basicly it comes down to this, our cars 96+ are OBDII and use the ISO 9141-2 Spec. There are many different OBDII specs, but the ISO 9141-2 is the easiest to interface to. Basiclly inside the ECU(ECM whatever you **** call it) there is a RS232 UART(Universial Async Serial Transiever) or similer chip inside that sends signals out to the OBDII port under the fuse box inside the car. The signals from what i can tell at this port can be dirrectly interfaced to the computer serial port. However the OBDII ISO 9141-2 spec uses non standard baud(bits per second) rates for communication which would require some external hardware or some fancy Assembly programming to get the job done(im working on that). One other slight prob is the fact that from what i can tell the OBDII communication needs to be inistilized with a 5baud signal, and this is near impossible on computer serial ports(again im working on that). Once you gain communication the protocal is standard and you should be able to get all the DTC's from the car and all the currect running stats(speed, rps, temps, etc...). Like i said ive done a fair amount of research on this and am currently developing the hardware required and software to do the job. Im to the point where im trying to initialize communication. Being a EET student helps some too :D .

One other slight problem is finding the female connector to plug into the OBDII port. Again that is a standard port on all 96+ cars. I have found a supplier where if your carefull you can request samples of the plugs, but i will post that later tonight. I have class right now.

Sorry for the long post, but ill keep you guys updated on my progress. When im done i would like to release the software free of charge(Open Source GPL'd). And the hardware schematics free also. I may chage a fee however to build the hardware and test it and sell it.

Synx--

If you can fab a connector up for the pre-OBDII cars (some call it OBD1) like my '93, then you've got a bonafide sale right here, right now.

The trouble with the pre-OBDII cars is that there was no communications standard, so every manufacturer's ECU talk is unique. Or, could be.
It can't be too complicated, though, as the Snap-On Diagnostic Tool (MT2500) reads data through the Consult port in my car without any problems.

All I know is....if you can make something work like that on a pre '96 Nissan Sentra SE-R, then you'll sell one to me. And probably quite a few others to members of this forum as well. :D

Keep us posted. This is the solution to using a JWT ecu, but wanting to keep tabs on the data for fine-tuning, that we've needed for what seems like forever.

hey guys...it's been done $100 and your in www.obd-2.com

cheers,
Charlie :)

I was just thinking about this same item, but I am more interested in a palm based scanner for OBD-1. This website offers a scanner for OBD-2, but it is not cheaper than a Techtom. http://www.aeswave.com/ Something else to think about, but w/ the research you have already done Synx you might not want to start over; would be to design something to connect to the Consult port much like a Techtom. Pardon my ignorance, but are the consult ports the same for the B13, 14, &15s? I would think so, but I am not sure. You would have a more broad market w/ a consult hook-up. I believe Turbo Magazine had a review of a palm based data logger in the newest issue, but I'm at work now. I think it was also OBD-2 only.

Josh

http://www.pocketlogger.com/

That is the one from the magazine, turns out it was SCC. It is only OBD-2, and is $175.

OBD II connectors needed to be the same spec on every vehicle made for the north american market. Some of you with OBD II Nissan vehicles will notice that there are actually two ports on your cars, one is white and under the steering column( this is the universal port, the one the Mac Tools and Snapon scanners plug into, and is the same same on any vehicle manufactured for the North American market regardless of make). the other is the standard Nissan grey port beside or under or over the fuse panel(on 240's its in the drvs kick panel) This is the prt Consult plugs into up to the 2000 model year (except Pathfinder until about mid year when the 2001 was introduced) 2000 model year and up uses the standard white connector under the steering column and also requires the use of Consult II.

p.s.

you can access A LOT more with consult than with a generic scan tool