I am trying to understand how to get data from ecu to my laptop via the obd II interface. The more i read about it, the more i get confusued because there are so many connectors and software available in the market that it is truly mind boggling.

1. Would any OBD Scan software work with rx8.
2. Would any OBD II complaint connector work with rx8
3. If i have an OBD to Laptop Connector; would any scan software work or vice versa.
4. Also can somebody explain why different obd II scan software vary so much in price.
5. If i get one of these obd scan software would i be able to change a/f ratio, ignition timings etc.
6. Any recommended scan softwares and

 

Have you tried looking here? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ODB-II BTW: the RX8 is a CAN bus.

Scanning software itself will not allow you to change parameters. The only one that you can load on a computer presently(that I know of) is the Harrison software. http://www.obdscan.net/obdscan_rx8_e...data_viewe.htm
Hymee Enhanced is working on a version that can change engine parameters, but it is in testing and not released yet. The only other option, I can recommend is the Cobb AccessPort. With that, you don't require a computer. It's a handheld device.

 

I have read these links and more but I just cannot understand. So can u kindly please answer my questions listed one by one. That would make everything crystal clear.
Thankyou very much

 

The RX-8 uses a CAN compliant OBDII system. The protocols are strictly defined and as such are relatively universal. There are a number of readers that will read the codes and datastreams from the CAN bus. The differences in my opinion are how the software is setup. Some are much easier to use than others....

Find a CAN compliant hardware and software package that is simple to use that will do what you want it to do.....that's really the hard part...if you know what you want to use it for..it makes the choices easier

 

Please see above.

 

Thankyou so very much.

Can you please clarify one thing. What do u mean by rx8 specific parameters.

Furthermore does the software have to be CAN bus compatible or the connector or both.

If I get a connector separatley will it work with any software or every connector is software specific.

Can somebody recommend a cheap connector and a software which pulls these info
:

rpm,
temperatures,
fuel in the tank,
fuel average
Trip mileage calculator

Thanks

 

Rather than driving around everywhere with your laptop open...

And, since you don't have a CarPC

And, since you don't seem (no offence) to really understand what you're doing.

Why not go with a pre-made solution:


From the simple....

http://www.scangauge.com/



To the really fancy:

http://www.dashdaq.com/



(I like this one and will probaby buy).


Or, in a standard gauge style...

http://www.aeroforcetech.com/Mazdatech.html


Or, really fancy...



LOL... I got bored.... Search Google for yourself!

 

PLX Devices makes a new cool CAN compliant setup


http://www.plxkiwi.com/product/

http://www.plxdevices.com/products/datalogger/

 

^ Dan - certainly less expensive (1/2 the price?) than the DashDaq.

However the PLX Kiwi doesn't seem to have 'virtual' analogue gauge options. It also looks like it is market-focused toward the Enviro Greenies, rather than performance.

I also like the ability to datalog, the alarms, and ability to add additional sensors to the DashDaq.

 

I think the datalogger would be more like what you're looking for

I have there gauges in my car...3 digital ones with 9 sensors...they are very cool

 

Hussain - hope this doesn't offend you, but do you understand that there's more to the hardware than a connector? There's a connector that plugs into the car's OBD socket, but that connects to a box with hardware that interprets the OBD data. For computer-based devices, the codes are then forwarded to the computer. The connection to the computer is either via RS232 serial or USB. The software has to be compatible with the hardware interface. The hardware has to be CAN-compatible, and the software has to know what format data the hardware will forward.

Unless you're experienced with that kind of interface, don't try mixing software from one maker with hardware from another.

I go along with Silver06's recommenation of going with something pre-made.

FWIW, I have the Harrison device. I originally had intentions of recording my daily commute, maybe writing my own software for it, etc. Reality set in and I did neither. I've used it to read and clear codes. It's a good device, with outstanding tech support, and the optional RX-8 software knows all of the RX-8 specific codes. But shlepping out the laptop and hooking everything up is a pain. I'd have been better off with a Scangauge.

Ken

 

Hussain: what is your goal with the OBD II?

 

Bare with him, he is from Pakistan and english is probably not his first language.

Hussain,

The device has to be CAN compatible, not the connector. The connector is universal for all OBD-II complaint devices in terms of the cars connection.

Also, there are fancy alternatives but all I can say is just that the Scanguage II works and works well. It is the best present I have got for the 8 and I can use it in other cars too.

 

cheaper than the DashDaq but also from Drewtech

http://drewtech.com/products/Mongoose/mongooseiso.html

get the mongoose and buy the PCMscan software at the same time gets you what you need for 300 if you have a laptop. You just click the "add PCMscan" box when ordering the Mongoose

http://www.palmerperformance.com/

the Mongoose does have the ability to be used for programming if you later had software capable of doing so.

 

personally i like my hymee scalyser

 

+1 for Scanalyzer.

 

Not exactly what you guys are talking about, but I just dropped this in. http://www.plxdevices.com/products/dm200obd/
So far, so good. Of course I can't change parameters and has very minor datalog capability, but at least I can monitor certain functions, read and clear codes, has all sorts of gauge styles, and is expandable for more sensors. I'm already going to add oil pressure and temp.

 

Actually I am asking all this is because I am planning to install my carrpc real soon. And just wanted to learn about what my options were. Because e.g. Scanalyzer costs 280 dollars where as elm scan costs 130. I want a software which can get the above listed data from ecu with the minimum cost.

 

So we've been underestimating your knowledge level.

For goofs, I just entered obdii into google and browsed sites that looked like they were do-it-yourself. I'm not going to cite any of the urls, but some interesting ones turned up in the first few pages. I found schematics for OBD to RS232 interfaces whose parts were inexpensive. I found ready-made OBD to RS232 or OBD to USB interfaces for $80 to a couple of hundred dollars, with no software. There are several sites with free software, including source code.

I suggest you do the same search and spend a little time browsing the results. You might poke around e-bay to see if someone sells low priced roll-your-own parts and/or kits.

From my own personal experience - the Harrison OBD tool is around $140, and comes with software. It has logging capability.

If you want to do something fancier than run canned software... Back when I had ambitions of writing my own stuff I talked with Dan Harrison for a while. Really cool guy. His regular software accesses the USB interface through a standard, freely available, Windows device driver. If you're comfortable writing software that communicates with devices via the Windows API, it looks pretty straightforward to work. I bailed on my intentions because I decided I really didn't want to stand in the garage with my RX-8 idling for hours at a time while I putzed with my first USB reading project. FWIW, I've done a bunch of RS-232 interfacing projects, and know how these things go.

Good luck.

Ken

 

+2 for scanalyzer.

less is not always cheaper.. what works works.

now if you were not doing a car pc, a scangauge11 would be the ticket.

beers

 

Okay i found this obd-usb converter for 26 dollars. Would this work with my vehcile are there any more cheaper alternatives available.

http://cgi.ebay.com/l-OBD-II-OBD2-EL...1%7C240%3A1318

So where can i find a good and cheap obd Software which can get me the following information:

fuel in the tank,
fuel average
Trip mileage calculator
a/f ratio

Thanks

 

Thankyou everyone for your support and now i know a lot more than what i knew before because of your help. So now can somebody please suggest a software which can provide the above mentioned information.

 

There are suggested software for this hardware on the E-bay page...the things you want are all basic OBDII data so you don't need the Mazda proprietary PID's to retrieve any of them as far as I know.

 

uh.. cheap obd2 hardware interfaces have crappy sampling rates.. get something with an elm327 chip.. best CAN bus interface imo..

 

exactly ^^^