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I have been working on a OBD (On Board Diagnostics) upgrade module for my aftermarket engine computers (http://www.ftech9.com/new-products). Now that I am passed the initial planning/proof-of-concept stage I would like to get some feedback from you guys. We are brainstorming here, so feel free to throw out whatever comes to mind. A word of caution, this project will easily go well into next year so brace yourself for the long haul.
First off, I would like to stress that this is an upgrade module that will be compatible with every engine computer (DME) I have ever made past, present, and foreseeable future. This also includes the custom versions I made for Rogue Tuning. The only exception is the NASA 944SPEC DME I just released, unless they expressly approve it in their rules.
Second, this OBD module is independent of whatever chip you are running. You can run a stock chip or custom tunes by Rogue Tuning, Lindsey Racing or whoever. It is a passive system that runs in parallel, and therefore will not directly affect how the DME preforms. It will also will provide an extremely high refresh rates for smooth virtual gages and datalogging.
Apps, Software, and Scan Tool
Rather than create my own app and/or software, I decided the best approach is to support the popular "Elm" instruction set. This means any off-the-shelf diagnostic software that supports Elm will work out of the box. In this scenario, the OBD module is also the scan tool, so you will not have to buy a separate tool. Basically, you will plug in a USB cable or Bluetooth adapter to the back of the DME and connect directly to your PC, tablet, or smartphone. Longer term I will create my own software that is specific for the 944, 924S and 911. This is because OBD2 doesn't map perfectly to everything we would potentially like to read out of our vehicles. I will talk more about this a bit later.
OBD Supported Features
This is where the feature-creep starts…
My first inclination is to throw everything and the kitchen sink at this project. But that could easily add a year or so to the effort. Eventually I will get everything, but I feel rolling out the priority features first is the right approach. And this is where I want to hear from you guys, what are the sensors you are interested in the most? If I am missing something, please call it out.
External Sensors
These sensors are not on the system connector and therefore must be brought in through an external connector that will be located on the back of the DME. This means you will need to find the sensor wire, tap into it and route it into the DME.
Common Sensors
VSS
O2SV (Oxygen Sensor Voltage, Narrow Band)
TPS (Throttle Position Sensor, 944 Turbo Only)
Fuel tank level
Optional Sensors
WBO2V (Wide-Band Oxygen Sensor Voltage)
MAP (Manifold Pressure Sensor)
Fuel Pressure
Engine oil Temperature
Exhaust Gas Temperature (Up to 4 sensors)
Ethanol fuel percentage
Calculations (Based on one or more above sensors)
Horse Power (Estimated)
Engine Load
0 to 60 Time
0 to 100 Time
Fuel Injection Timing
Engine Fuel Rate
Fuel Mileage Instantaneous
Fuel Mileage Average
General Purpose Pins
I could also add several generic pins that could be programed to do things like turn on an auxiliary fan if the engine coolant gets too hot. There is potential here for nitrous, water injection… You guys tell me what you would like.
It seems more complicated that it really is, definitely no where near as hard as redesigning the DME. I have some strong advantages, mainly everything I need to finish this project I have done for other projects. Plus, I have designed several OBD2 scan tools for a previous employer. Offloading the diagnostic application part to existing software like ScanXL and Torque is a huge time saver.
But don't get me wrong, this is going to take a while...
I am VERY interested as well, as long as it doesn't mis-diagnose problems. I had a multi-year issue with my Audi that not even the dealer could figure out. After a while my instinct lead me to the issue, a bad electronic throttle body, even though I never got a code for it. Very frustrating!
I am VERY interested as well, as long as it doesn't mis-diagnose problems. I had a multi-year issue with my Audi that not even the dealer could figure out. After a while my instinct lead me to the issue, a bad electronic throttle body, even though I never got a code for it. Very frustrating!
This OBD feature would not support trouble codes, just live engine data. Down the road I could add a self diagnostic feature, but that's a lot more complex. I would need to teach the software the difference between one or more normal and abnormal sensor readings then relate that to a specific code. It's not out of the realm of possibility, but first things first. In the end you will need to look at the live data and make your own diagnosis. However, I will most likely provide tutorials and base line sensor readings to help with diagnostics. There are also OBD software like ScanXL that can data log sensors. If you save a that data log and compare it to when your Porsche is not running properly it should point you in the right direction.
If it allowed us 944Spec racers to do something like the below article for our race cars, this could be legal as is. Our rule about additional sensors leaves modifications open so long as it doesn't alter engine operation from what the DME is doing in any way.
13.9 Wire Harness
The engine wire harness may be repaired or simplified. Additional sensors may be added, but they
shall be for monitoring only and may not alter engine operation in any way.
I'd be more curious about adapting a modern ECU that has a large DIY tuning base to the 944, etc. Like the VW/Audi 2.slow and 1.8T ECU which are probably cheap to buy including the harnesses. You would have to avoid the ones that have an integrated immobilizer but there are loads and loads of VWs without this feature from the late 90's early 2000's. The end-user software for these cars is pretty good and there are DIY tuning programs available also. The 1.8T ecu has MAF and MAP and coil-on-plug and boost control.
Maybe Nissan has something similar for the SR20 that could be adapted.
Subscribed. I was an early adopter of your fuel pump relay, and am a fan of your work.
i alao recently started using the Torque app to monitor / manage my 2001 Audi daily driver, and would love a way for the 951 DME to output a similar signal. Is bluetooth too much to ask?
Its been a while and I feel a project update is long overdue. I have completed a number of major milestones, the most recent is the electronics have been designed and I built the first prototype:
Below is a top and bottom view of the OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) module that "Plugs" into one of my F9T DMEs. Note the pins on the under side, once several DIP chips are removed from the DME, these pins plug directly into the sockets. The removed chips are then inserted into the OBD module. On the underside you can also see the USB and Expansion connectors (More on this later...).
This next picture below shows my latest DME next to the OBD Module. The DIP chips have been removed form the DME and inserted into the OBD module, at this point the module can be plugged striate into the DME.
This next picture shows the OBD Module plugged into the F9T DME.
And finely, this picture shows a close up of the USB and Expansion connections, this is really what all the effort to date has been focused on. The USB connector provides a USB 2.0 High-Speed interface and will sustain 3Mbps of data throughput. This means data logs, gauges and graphs will have unprecedented accuracy and smoothness no matter how many sensors are being read simultaneously. The Expansion connector is basically what its name implies. The first "add-on" I will create is a Bluetooth interface to support iOS and Android smart phone apps. Beyond that, I will offer external gauges, displays and external sensors inputs to tap, for example, the 944's Vehicle Speed and Fuel Level sensors. Having a modern informatics system for the 944 is where I am ultimately going with this technology.
11-23-2016, 07:33 PM
944 OBD Project (On-Board Diagnostics)
