What's the best OBD2 CAN bus data logger/scan tool? GM PIDs?
I need something cheap and good. I don't wanna spend a bunch of money on a scan tool now if I'm gonna want a tuner later. I don't want a bulky/expensive handheld scan tool, just a cheap cable and laptop software. Right now I just want to diagnose a throttle pedal sensor problem, and make sure the engine's running more or less right, ie no knock etc.
So far I've found this: http://laplogger.com/
It seems great with the bluetooth module. The only thing it doesn't have is a GM enhanced PID list which I would want mostly for knock and misfire logging.
Anybody know where I can get a list of GM PIDs to put into LapLogger?
Hmm the 3130 looks kinda nice but doesn't seem to support the enhanced PIDs either... DashHawk does, but I don't know if it supports continuous laptop logging or error code display.
I need something cheap and good. I don't wanna spend a bunch of money on a scan tool now if I'm gonna want a tuner later. I don't want a bulky/expensive handheld scan tool, just a cheap cable and laptop software. Right now I just want to diagnose a throttle pedal sensor problem, and make sure the engine's running more or less right, ie no knock etc.
So far I've found this: http://laplogger.com/
It seems great with the bluetooth module. The only thing it doesn't have is a GM enhanced PID list which I would want mostly for knock and misfire logging.
Anybody know where I can get a list of GM PIDs to put into LapLogger?
Thanks, guys!
So lets see you want to spend very little money but at the same time you want full GM enhanced pids. One does not lead to the other as GM has about 500 enhanced pids and the junkers out their like hptuners/efilive are trying to backward engineer every engine and model year and never find them all, plus their collection rate is slow.
A decent full laptop scanner that supports not just the slow CAN mode but to do it right also needs to support the higher rate GM uses for GMLAN is wireless. Only way to get the bandwidth needed.
None of the above supports the full GMLAN with full bi directional mode and scan rate of 40 fames a second ( cheap designs only do about 10 F/ps)
Good scanner that uses CAN via USB and supports all GM enhanced PIDs for all controllers the C6 has, does the smog I/M, O2 and mode $06 tests is about $400.
With IEEE 802.11g wireless cost is about another $200.
CAN is OK for general use including doing recordings but GMLAN is here to stay and other cars you may have also then would have it so long term going with a scanner that is CAN/USB but then allows adding the wireless later.
Cheap or lousy designed scanner can cost you money as it may not show or support important PIDs that if you could see them could catch a problem before it costs power/drivetrain damage.
Scanners that come with tuning tools are nothing but hacked up software that multi tuner vendors share.
You also may find those scanners do not even support the trannie PIDs and there is a ton of them for the A6.
http://www.palmerperformance.com/
It is over $400 if you want the GM enhanced PIDS..(which knock retard is one) Around $230 without the enhanced version.
Comes standard with quite a few GM Enhanced PIDs (200 and something), and the full set available for $85 license (900+).
Have been using one for almost a year for general logging/instrumentation etc. Very flexible/configurable.
Also use aftermarket tuning software for tuning.
Advantage of Dashdaq is that it is a dual processor Linux in a dash mounted unit, with full color screen and icon based touch GUI.
With the aftermarket tuning software (use both "E" company and "H" company ), a PC is mostly required for any reasonable readout (though "E" company has excellent hand held logging), and they are limited to only GM, or GM/Ford/Mopar. Dashdaq does all OBDII compliant brands one way or another.
Would be excellent if it outputted log files in the format "E" company uses for logging so their excellent graphics/analysis capability could be use to display/analyse.
For things like tracking knock, it has a GM PID that shows knock sensor activity on all 8 knock sensors, as well as knock retard amount, trans retard etc etc., and you can set a feature with a voice that will say "KNOCK" or "ENGINE KNOCK DETECTED" when knock retard occurs.
Very powerful. The web site gives a lot of info.
The reason things like GM Enhanced PIDs are not generally available, is that the companies that offer them need to pay big $$ to GM to license them.
Hmm well so far I've found out that LapLogger is pretty much a useless product and I'm gonna try to get my money back.
It doesn't support the faster CAN data rate, so the sample rate is very low - 1-2 fps.
It only supports a few of the standard OBD2 PIDs, not nearly all of them. Of course no manufacturer specific PIDs.
The software is unprofessional, buggy, and simply unusable. It's a writeoff.
Now I'm looking at the scantool.net products OBDLink and ScanXL with GM enhanced PIDs. Total price $240 if purchased as a combo. Does anyone have experience with that combo? I haven't gotten a concrete answer on the sample rate with these products.
If you just want to scan, buy a used HP Tuners cable. I've seen them go for as little as $200, and it can still edit the VCM if you want to screw around (most cables are sold with at least 2 credits left or so).
The hptuners website needs a lot better product description for the scanner. There is almost no useful info on the capabilities of the scanner, like protocols supported, sampling rate, PIDs supported, bidirectional tests, etc.
The hptuners website needs a lot better product description for the scanner. There is almost no useful info on the capabilities of the scanner, like protocols supported, sampling rate, PIDs supported, bidirectional tests, etc.
The VCM Scanner is the same that comes with our vcm suite package so has the exact same features, here is from our website:
Quote:
VCM Scanner
• Powerful MDI user interface
• Variable Logging/Playback speeds or user controlled using the chart display
• Export feature allows you to view/modify your file via Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word
• Customizable histograms (Example)
• Histogram user defined filters
• Histogram cell count filter
• Printable histograms
• Sensor based configuration support
• Table based histogram configuration support
• Auto histogram adjustment on vehicle connect
• Installs with default histograms loaded
• Installs in ready-to-scan configuration
• Installs with additional histograms
• User defined PIDs with complex function support (Example)
• MPIDS (Memory PID's) supported
• View and clear DTCs in just seconds (Example)
• View readiness test status
• Change histogram while scanning
• Change charts while scanning
• Change gauges while scanning
• Change unit value while scanning
• Change config files while scanning
• Copy/Paste special between VCM Scanner and VCM Editor
• User inputted markers and comments
• Log comment section to give commentary for future viewing
• VCM Controls for GM V6, GM Gen3 V8, GM Gen4 V8 and GM L4 Vehicles (Example)
• Case Learn Feature
• Utilizes GM's Fast Packet Technology
• Scan 6 bytes of data at 40 frames per second
• Scan 12 bytes of data at 20 frames per second
• Scan 24 bytes of data at 10 frames per second
• Scan 48 bytes of data at 5 frames per second[*]Scan 56 bytes of data at 5-20 frames per second-vehicle/pcm dependant
(above modes not supported on all vehicles)
MPVI Pro options available with VCM Scanner (Example)
• Black box data logging (hardware logging without a laptop)
• Wide band inputs
• 2 programmable outputs
Note: VCM Scanner comes with both MPVI Std. and MPVI Pro as it is a part of the VCM Suite software package.
That only gives an answer to my sample rate question (if I'm correct in assuming that a normal logged value like O2 voltage counts as one byte).
What about "PIDs supported", and "bidirectional tests"?
Does it have an extensive GM PID list, or do you have to know them, and know the mapping function, and enter them as user PIDs?
That product description is still too weak to make me wanna buy it. I think it would serve you guys well to flesh it out with more details. Unless you have no details to add...
That only gives an answer to my sample rate question (if I'm correct in assuming that a normal logged value like O2 voltage counts as one byte).
What about "PIDs supported", and "bidirectional tests"?
Does it have an extensive GM PID list, or do you have to know them, and know the mapping function, and enter them as user PIDs?
That product description is still too weak to make me wanna buy it. I think it would serve you guys well to flesh it out with more details. Unless you have no details to add...
The pid list varies by operating system, we currently support about 2000 operating systems so there are 2000 different pid sets, each operating system has 200+ available pids obviously what is available on a P12 pcm'd 4 cyl likely won't be applicable to a 2010 E38 Corvette, nor would that same list be the same as even a 2009 E67 Corvette, just too many variables to list specifics for each and every application, its just not that simple.
And yes we do offer VCM Controls for most applications we support everything from solenoid on/off to case learns, etc. are located in the vcm controls(also known as bi directional controls) window.
Corvette Store
What's the best OBD2 CAN bus data logger/scan tool? GM PIDs?
), a PC is mostly required for any reasonable readout (though "E" company has excellent hand held logging), and they are limited to only GM, or GM/Ford/Mopar. Dashdaq does all OBDII compliant brands one way or another.
