Member
I've got a 2001 roadster and I thought I wanted to replace the analog click with a digital computer/clock. But I stumbled on a "Multi-gauge" that looks like it would fit. It plugs into the OBD port and give all kinds of options for display. It's got a fairly customizable interface, so I'm think it could be made to look passably "not-too-aftermarket". If I had to, I can modify it to fit and match up with the chrome trim ring.
https://www.plxdevices.com/OBD-OBD2-...7346002436.htm
The actual product has been discontinued for a while, but you can still find them on eBay.
Anyone ever heard of someone doing something like this?
Member
Interesting... I've been thinking of something like that for a long time......... I wonder why they stopped making it? Personally I would say the OBC computer clock isn't great. It's not very visible in sunlight and only gives you a few things (outside temperature and some gas mileage stuff). If you get this please do a review with pictures!
Top-Hoist
Don't our cars require the OBD to be programmed for the particular car?
Member
I seem to recall...Originally Posted by JamieOurada
I still have an identical, new in the boxes, set up that I bought the same time as the one(s) shown.
Discontinued, you say...?
Member
Their current product now works with phones instead .....
http://www.plxdevices.com/category-s/195.htm
Marty
Member
It has some drawbacks. It connects "up to 16 sensor modules in a daisy-chain". That may mean that you have to buy a module for each function, as shown in a previous post here. And since it shows only one thing at a time, you have to keep pressing a button to cycle around until you find the one you want. After you put its plug into your OBDII port, it seems you must route a cable to one or more bulky modules, and then connect them to the display.
I use a ScanGaugeII that plugs into the port and mounts on the console. In monitor mode it displays 12 things, 4 at one time. I set mine for 4 things of most interest and rarely look at the others. It also has modes for calculations and trouble codes. Some people dismiss them as outdated, but I like to use my phone for calls and mapping, in an adjacent mount.I have put ScanGauges in 3 of my cars.
https://www.scangauge.com/products/scangauge-ii/
Scan Gauge on Z3.JPG
Last edited by Vintage42; 09-02-2017 at 05:03 PM.
BMW MOA 696, BMW CCA 1405
Member
Sounds like what I drive around with half the time: I have a Bluetooth broadcaster plugged into the OBDII port, and running TorqueLite on my phone, I rest it tilted up on my dash in front of the bottom of the tach/temp gauge area, and see six values in real-time... I've been doing this since I did the fan-delete, to verify that the coolant temp has really been staying in range [it has]... but that only uses one of the six slots, so I can display five other values from a significant list... and when I don't want any, I just don't put the phone there... yes, red-neck gauges, but have learned quite a bit about the running conditions of the engine. :-)
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What I don't like about this is: I have to look away from the road (significantly)... whereas the phone in front of the existing cluster, one doesn't have to look away any more than one would to note the speedo or tach or water temp idiot gauge etc.
Sim Simma
Moderator
That gauge doesn't have a clock function so if you removed the clock how would you ever know what time it is?
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BMW Tech Expert
You don't use the antenna as a sundial?
-Abel
- E36 328is ~210-220whp: Lots of Mods.
- 2000 Z3: Many Mods.
- 2003 VW Jetta TDI Manual 47-50mpg
- 1999 S52 Estoril M Coupe
- 2014 328d Wagon, self-tuned, 270hp/430ft-lbs
- 2019 M2 Competition, self-tuned, 504whp
- 2016 Mini Cooper S
Member
I only glance at the ScanGauge when curious to check the coolant and intake air temp now and then. I would not want a phone blocking the cluster, dedicated to a gauge app. What does it look like up there?
I like the phone in a holder by the console, easy to pull out and use for calling or maps.
Last edited by Vintage42; 09-02-2017 at 10:07 PM.
BMW MOA 696, BMW CCA 1405
Member
Interesting that you also look at the intake air temp... still haven't figured out exactly what to do with it: other than to note that when it's high, gas mileage is low.. but the phone is a cheap ($40) 4.5" android phone, and it actually only blocks the uninteresting part of the tach - the bottom; and the bottom part of the temp gauge: still see the needle top 40%... so I don't feel I'm losing anything [and what I'm getting if I'm losing anything, vastly out-weighs such]. What does it look like... nothing special... the two maybe things that are different is: the phone is wrapped in a silicone case [my phones historically have shown a strong liking to cliff dive to hard cement floors], and a power cord to the phone which goes down to a USB port in the lighter socket (which more than once has kept the phone from getting entirely lost in an unexpected hard corner ;-) ).
Ralph
OP, my car came with gauges for gas, fuel, coolant temp, tach, spedo, trip, time, volts, and oil temp. I actually use my phone for spedo, as its gps is more accurate, it's easier to see, and it also displays the speed limit. My phone also displays time. I don't use the trip meter and don't look at the volt meter. So, of the factory provided gauges I really only look at tach, coolant temp, fuel and oil temp. What are you looking to add that you don't already have and why do you think you need it? Why wouldn't having this information available on your phone be sufficient?
Member
I hadn't thought to look for the IAT temperature/mileage relationship. But I do record each tank, and can see that my summer mileage is the same as winter. I guess that winter blend gas and longer warm up times offset the lower winter IAT.
I like to watch the difference between IAT and ambient, moving vs stopped, summer vs winter. And to compare that delta to what the ScanGauge in the Forester says. I removed the Z3's long intake muffler which functioned as a CAI, so its delta is greater than the Forester's whose intake is intact.
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And a Bluetooth adapter in the OBD port to send its info to the phone app?
BMW MOA 696, BMW CCA 1405
Member
I can't speak for OP, but for me the 'holy grail' would be a stealth install, single gauge that can be configured to show different / multiple things when I want it to (or just the time...). Basically like the OBC clock computer where you can cycle through different things by pressing the stalk on the steering wheel. Personally I would want oil temp, coolant temp, and time showing pretty much always.
But I guess I would still have to install an oil temperature sensor even though my car (3.0) has one for Vanos because I don't think it's accessible as a normal OBD-2 parameter. You can get to it through the OBD-2 port with software, but apparently it accesses the oil temp value broadcast by the car's data bus by using the instrument cluster as a gateway. Or something.
Anyway I doubt this gauge would be able to. Interestingly, the OBC clock computer has transmit / receive OBD-2 data lines in its harness (and I think you have that same wiring whether you actually have the OBC clock or the analog clock). That is so the OBC can be programmed to the right engine or whatever for the gas mileage calculations. I don't understand this well enough to know, but I thought it would cool if it could somehow be utilized by a multi-gauge device that would replace the analog / OBC digital clock at that location.
Anyway I personally don't want a phone involved so a stealth multi-gauge would be desirable.
Member
Had to go look at it to see what it was ... have had it some three years, and has never had issues, just sits there and works :-)
but it claims to be a BAFX 34t5 ... but looking at the market, if I were to buy today I might think about a smaller one... have no experience with these, but:
https://www.amazon.com/Panlong-Bluet...e0e2aeac1934dc or
https://www.amazon.com/Foseal-Scanne...957431940d47fe
simply in that with the BAFX if someone is sitting in the passenger seat, they have to be careful not to knock it with a knee... I suspect with the smaller ones that wouldn't be the case.
Member
Thanks for the feedback. Raubritter hit it exactly, I just want a OEM looking gauge with more functionality. Unlike Randy, I'm just planning on using the OBD module...none of the additional units. I'm hoping to get it all mounted behind the console. I just bought one off eBay, and it's the touch-screen model so I won't have to deal with the wired remote. I'll be sure to post pictures as I do the install. I'm not going to tear into the console for a while, as I'm slowly acquiring parts and pieces to do this and a Becker radio install at the same time.
Ralph
That whole tearing into the console thing is a bigger deal than it looks at first blush. You have to remove the entire center console all the way back to where it meets the oddments box together with both under dash panels. It's a PITA--do some good research before you jump in--there are some other things to do while you're in there, and some tips and tricks to making it a little easier.
Member
I think you misunderstand. Randy showed you the PLX system you mentioned. There is an OBD module that plugs into the port, and then a module for each information is daisy-chained to the OBD module. Look at the huge daisy chain in his trunk picture. Not one piece of that will fit in the console.
BMW MOA 696, BMW CCA 1405
Member
He only wants the OBD values, though, so he only needs the base OBD module and not the others.
It's possible that a few years ago member Z-Thrizzle installed one of these (at least it was PLX):
https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...erature-Sensor
It would be cool to have a follow-up on how his install worked out...
Also, I did happen to find a place that is still selling these (at least it looks like it):
https://www.vividracing.com/catalog/...ch-p-2436.html
Member
I have been thinking about this one--could you show or describe what it looks like where it lugs into the port?
Is anything protruding into the passenger's personal space?
Brad
PS. I dug your webpages on the old R bikes.
Member
This...
ScanGuage and iPhone.jpg
BMW MOA 696, BMW CCA 1405
Member
I have a spare ultra guage that I want to mount like yours. I noticed the OBD port is held in place by two bolts. In theory, once could run the wire under the plastic where the carpet is, unscrew the OBD port and hide everything right? Has anybody done this?
Member
Just a quick update... I've had a hard time finding the PLX kit for sale anywhere. They are pretty much sold out everywhere except some guy in Gig Harbor Washington who seems to have stock but wants a $250 markup. So I just called PLX to ask of they were going to be making more of them. Turns out that they are. They probably won't have any to sell before the end of the year, but they do have some in the pipeline. I'm not in any rush really, so I'm going to save myself the $250 and wait a while to try this out.
Member
Yes I've done this...well sort of. I use one of those Bluetooth modules with Torque, and I didn't like the cover dangling so unbolted the port and ran an OBD extension to the glove box. The emissions guy was confused.
Last edited by s8ilver; 10-17-2017 at 09:24 AM.
Nathan in Denver
1999 M Roadster, VFE V3 S/C, Randy Forbes Reinforced, Hardtop, H&R/Bilstein, Apex PS-7, Supersprint
1999 Z3 2.8 Coupe, Headers, 3.46, Manual Swap, H&R/Koni, M Geometry/Brakes, M54B30 Manifold, Style 42
Member
cool thanks! I plugged in my ultragauge the other day and what bothered me is that the display stayed on even after I removed the key. I waited for a few minutes to see if it would turn off, but it stayed on. I'm afraid it will drain the battery if I don't unplug it, but that is a pain.
Does anybody know if the OBD port eventually turns off?
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