Torque Android App

[Chris Fisher]

Hello,

Anyone here use the Torque Android app with their hybrid? What information can you get from it? Looks rather interesting.

Chris.

[timberwolf]

I have a SG2 (ScanGaugeII or 2). At the time there were less options available, it was that or laptop/OBDII dongle - I didn't own a smartphone, but I find the SG2 compact enough that I can just place it on one of those rubber dash mats. It draws its power from the OBDII socket and I've tucked the wire away. The SG2 displays four gauges, I've got mine set to RPM, Engine Coolant temperature, "real" speed in MPH, and 12V voltage supply. I find it useful but I can't tell if it has improved my driving efficiency - you still have to interpret what the gauges mean.

Does the Torque Android app have any options to set trigger points e.g. when the RPM is above a certain value display a red indication?

[Chris Fisher]

I only ordered the dongle yesterday so don't have it yet. I've downloaded the free version of the asp at the moment. You can view data as digital numbers, as a dial, of I think a graph. I can't see a way of adding triggers, maybe the full version has this, or maybe it would be something to ask the developer to add if it doesn't do it. Hopefully the dongle will come next week and I can try it. Still got to wait a few more weeks until I get my hybrid though.

[timberwolf]

This one looks good but expensive http://www.scantool.net/obdlink-mx.html ^_^

On my car, I'd wonder about what the power consumption of these dongles are like in Standby mode? And because my OBDII socket is just above the pedals whether I'd hit it with my feet?

[Chris Fisher]

I've ordered something smaller and somewhat cheaper:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Supper-Bluetooth-Compatible-Android-Support/dp/B009NPAORC/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1380467784&sr=8-5&keywords=obd2

I figured for that price it is worth a go.

[timberwolf]

For the OBDLink MX, I found a quote in their forum about current draw - I wonder what the cheap ELM based ones draw when the car is off - probably too much to leave in the car all the time?

"MX draws an average of 66.5 mA when it is awake and idle (no communication happening) and it draws an average of 1.9mA when in sleep mode."

[Aceshigh84]

I know you can set up an alarm for if you hammer the car when cold before the engine warms up. I am pretty sure that you can set custom alerts on pids.

As for the adaptors, I have just got one of the cheap <£10 elm clone jobs from Amazon, works a treat.

I have left one of them plugged into an Accord for a fortnight and the car still started. I don't use it much with the Auris now because I can't get both it and the hands free to connect at the same time, and the position of the obd2 socket right by the drivers knee is a pain.

[timberwolf]

Interesting, it is still somewhat an unknown what you are buying with so many cheap clones around with little to go on.

I don't wish anyone to suffer a flat Battery, but as I've raised that issue, I feel my job is done, and I am happy to hear the results of anyone that wants to leave one plugged in permanently ...

[Nonfatmarc]

I use torque with a bluetooth OBD2 port but it cannot tell you much about the hybrid system, only normal operating bits and bobs like coolant temperature and revs etc.

However I have found a video on YouTube which shows what can be achieved if you create your own pid's.... I am looking into how to do them!!

Search YouTube for "Prius torque" and look at the videos by Usbseawolf2000

Marc

[Chris Fisher]

Marc,

This link to Priuschat might help you:

http://priuschat.com/threads/geniii-prius-custom-pids-for-torque-app.98693/

Can't try it myself until I get my car later in October.

[Nonfatmarc]

Chris,

Thanks for the link... I will have a play with that tomorrow when I can get the file on my phone.

I will let you know what I find.

Cheers

Marc

[A T4]

Could any of you knowledgeable people please explain what this is about in terms that an under five could understand ? e.g. does the car have to have a special port for the OSD device to plug in to ? How does the Android phone App come in to the picture when one can download the Torque spreadsheet and PID csv file to a PC ? Will all this work on a 2010 Auris HSD T4 ? Please excuse my ignorance......

[timberwolf]

Maybe an explanation for a 5 year old http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay-ZvTn3fLo ?

He does admit that he doesn't fully understand it, but it maybe a better starting point for you to then ask questions??

[A T4]

Many thanks, timberwolf. Followed up the video on Amazon and found customer reviews on OBD's provided further helpful explanations. So I need to find out where the OBD port is on my Auris HSD T4 & it doesn't matter that the car doesn't have BT capability: the device will connect via BT to a phone or tablet/laptop and the Torque App (or similar) allows one to present and/or record data which can then be displayed graphically using e.g. Torque Log Analyser (see http://torqueloganalyzer.blogspot.it/p/downloads.html). Still don't know what PID stands for though !

[timberwolf]

Erm, this is a bit more advanced than the previous link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OBD-II_PIDs :)

[A T4]

Thanks again, timberwolf: I now know what a PID is !

Following the clues in the video I think I've found the OBD port on our T4: it's a white multi-pin 'female' socket slightly recessed and immediately to the left of the bonnet release catch. Hope this is of assistance to others.

BTW there's another thread on this topic at:

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/topic/152050-torque-log-analyzer-improve-your-hybrid-driving/#entry1300074

[A T4]

While I wait for the Mini OBD reader I've ordered to arrive, would those already experienced in the use of such devices care to say what readout options (as offered by e.g. the Torque App) they have found most useful particularly in terms of improving their driving/car ownership experience ?. Also, I note many people have said how helpful these devices have been in cancelling Error Codes: what I don't understand is why would one want to do that - is it because they don't automatically get cancelled when the fault is rectified ?

[A T4]

My Mini OBD reader arrived and I get a read out on my phone OK. However I'd still welcome advice from others as to what to look for and how to exploit the Torque App's range of capabilities. For example, can it be used to project via the phone readable info onto the windscreen (HUD-like) ?